Autonomous agricultural and wine-growing
region of NE Italy, bordered on the E by
Yugoslavia; area 7,800 sq km/3,011 sq mi;
population (1988) 1,210,000. Cities includes
Udine (the capital), Gorizia, Pordenone, and
Trieste. Formed 1947 from the province of
Venetian Friuli and part of Eastern Friuli,
to which Trieste was added after its cession
to Italy 1954, it was granted autonomy 1963.
The Slav minority numbers about 100,000, and
in Friuli there is a movement for complete
independence.