which is a tributary of the Moldau, receives all
the other rivers of the province. Its principal affluents on the right are:
the Enns, Ybbs, Erlauf, Pielach, Traisen, Wien, Schwechat, Fischa and
Leitha; on the left the Isper, Krems, Kamp, Goellersau and the March.
Besides the Danube, only the Enns and the March are navigable rivers.
Amongst the small Alpine lakes, the Erlaufsee and the Lunzer See are worth
mentioning. Of its mineral springs, the best known are the sulphur springs
of Baden, the iodine springs of Deutsch-Altenburg, the iron springs of
Pyrawarth, and the thermal springs of Voeslau. In general the climate,
which varies with the configuration of the surface, is moderate and
healthy, although subject to rapid changes of temperature. Although 43.4%
of the total area is arable land, the soil is only of moderate fertility
and does not satisfy the wants of this thickly-populated province. Woods
occupy 34.2%, gardens and meadows 13.1% and pastures 3.2%. Vineyards occupy
2% of the total area and produce a good wine, specially those on the sunny
slopes of the Wiener Wald. Cattle-rearing is not well developed, but game
and fish are plentiful. Mining is only of slight importance, small
quantities of coal and iron-ore being extracted in the Alpine foothill
region; graphite is found near Muehldorf. From an industrial point of view,
Lower Austria stands, together with Bohemia and Moravia, in the front rank
amongst the Austrian provinces. The centre of its great industrial activity
is the capital, Vienna (_q.v._); but in the region of the Wiener Wald up to
the Semmering, owing to its many waters, which can be transformed into
motive power, many factories are spread. The principal industries are, the
metallurgic and textile industries in all their branches, milling, brewing
and chemicals; paper, leather and silk; cloth, _objets de luxe_ and
millinery; physical and musical instruments; sugar, tobacco factories and
foodstuffs. The very extensive commerce of the province has also its centre
in Vienna. The population of Lower Austria in 1900 was 3,100,493, which
corresponds to 405 inhabitants per sq. m. It is, therefore, the most
densely populated province of Austria. According to the language in common
use, 95% of the population [v.03 p.0002] was German, 4.66% was Czech, and
the remainder was composed of Poles, Slovaks, Ruthenians, Croatians and
Italians. According to religion 92.47% of the inhabitants were Roman
Catholics; 5.0