Dalmatia, a narrow strip of Austrian territory extending along the Adriatic Sea, and bounded on the N. by Croatia, on the E. by Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Montenegro. Area, 4940 sq. m.; pop. (1890) 527,426. The coast of Dalmatia and numerous adjacent islands is everywhere steep and rocky, and the chief towns, all of which are on the coast, are Zara, Sebenico, Lissa, Spalato, Brazza, Ragusa, and Cattaro. The country is mountainous, chiefly dry moorland, with numerous small lakes and rivers, most of which dry up in summer. The highest mountain is Orjen, near Cattaro, 6235 feet. The climate is uncertain; mean temperature about 60°; rainfall about 28 in. The Bora (q.v.) wind is much dreaded. About one-ninth of the land is arable, and produces wheat, barley, oats, maize, rye, and potatoes. Wine and olives are also produced. Nearly half of the land is in pasture, and wood occupies about a third. The islands are not very fertile, but supply good timber for shipbuilding. Cattle-rearing, seafaring, and the fisheries are the chief industries. The annual value of the exports and imports is £1,500,000. The exports consist principally of wine, oil, brandy, hides, wool, wax, honey, and fruits. Of the whole population, it is computed that about 55,000 are Italians, 1000 Albanians, 1000 Germans, 500 Jews, and the remainder consists of Southern Slavonians—chiefly Dalmatians and Morlaks. The Dalmatians are a fine race of men, bold and brave as seamen and soldiers, and formerly were the main support of the military power of Venice.
In ancient times Dalmatia was a considerable kingdom, and, after many unsuccessful attempts, was first subjugated by the Romans in the time of Augustus. On the fall of the Western Empire, Dalmatia, which had formed the most southern part of the province Illyricum, was captured by the Goths, from whom it was taken by the Avari (490), who in their turn yielded it to the Slavonians about 620. The state founded by the Slavonians continued until the beginning of the 11th century, when King Ladislaus of Hungary incorporated a part of Dalmatia with Croatia, while the other part, with the title of duchy, placed itself under the protection of the Venetian republic. The Turks afterwards made themselves masters of a small portion; and by the peace of Campo-Formio (1797), the Venetian part of Dalmatia, with Venice itself, became subject to Austrian rule. When Austria, in 1805, had ceded this part of Dalmatia to Napoleon, it was annexed to the kingdom of Italy; afterwards (1810) to Illyria. Since 1814 Dalmatia forms part of Austria; the commune of Spizza being added by the Congress of Berlin in 1878.
See Sir Gardner Wilkinson, Dalmatia and Montenegro (1848); Paton, Highlands and Islands of the Adriatic (1849); Wingfield, Tour in Dalmatia (1859); Yriarte, Les Bords de l'Adriatique (1878); Freeman, Sketches from the Subject and Neighbouring Lands of Venice (1881); Henri Cons, La Province Romaine de Dalmatie (1882); and Jackson, Dalmatia, the Quarnero, and Istria (1887).