Abruzzo

Abruzzo
Region of Italy
Flag
Coat of arms
Country Italy
Capital L'Aquila
Government
- President Gianni Chiodi (PdL)
Area
- Total
10,794 km
2
(4,17! "q mi
)
Population (200#$10$%1)
- Total 1,%%2,&%
- Density 12%!&'km
2
(%19!7'"q mi)
Time zone C() (*)C+1)
- Summer DST
!
C(,) (*)C+2)
GDP" #ominal - 2!# .illion (200)
#$TS Region I)/
%ebsite 000!123ion2!a.1u44o!it
Abruzzo (51onoun62d 7a8.1utt"o9) i" a 123ion in Italy, it" 02"t21n
.o1d21 lyin3 l2"" than &0 mil2" du2 2a"t o: ;om2! A.1u44o .o1d21" th2
123ion o: <a16h2 to th2 no1th, La4io to th2 02"t and "outh$02"t, <oli"2
to th2 "outh$2a"t, and th2 Ad1iati6 ,2a to th2 2a"t! Althou3h
32o31a5hi6ally mo12 o: a 62nt1al than "outh21n 123ion, I,)A) (th2
Italian "tati"ti6al autho1ity) 6on"id21" it 5a1t o: ,outh21n Italy, a =2"ti32
o: A.1u44o'" hi"to1i6 a""o6iation 0ith th2 >in3dom o: th2 )0o ,i6ili2"!

Geograp&y
Co1no G1and2 in th2 G1an ,a""o ma""i:, A52nnin2"'" hi3h2"t 52ak!
)h2 123ion i" "ituat2d at th2 62nt12 o: th2 Italian 52nin"ula :a6in3 th2
Ad1iati6, 0hi6h it :ollo0" alon3 1&0 km o: .2a6h2" and 1o6k"! ?ith an
a12a o: 10,794 km
2
(4,1# "q mi), and .o1d212d on th2 2a"t .y th2
Ad1iati6 and on th2 02"t .y th2 A52nnin2", it i" on2 o: th2 mo"t
mountainou" 123ion" in Italy (th2 Co1no G1and2 in th2 G1an ,a""o
ma""i:, at 2,914 m, i" th2 hi3h2"t "ummit in th2 A52nnin2")! )h2 1i=21",
althou3h num21ou", a12 all "2a"onal 2@625t :o1 th2 .i332"t $ th2
P2"6a1a and th2 ,an31o! In th2 int21io1 a12 th2 &00 km
2
(190 "q mi) o:
th2 A.1u44o Aational Pa1k, 0h212 1a12 2@am5l2" o: <2dit211an2an Bo1a
and :auna "u1=i=2 (6hamoi", 0ol=2", .2a1", 3old2n 2a3l2")!
)h2 6limat2 i" =a1i2d $ 0a1m and d1y on th2 6oa"t, an al5in2 6limat2
th2 mountainou" int21io1! <aCo1 1oad" and 1ail0ay lin2" link th2 123ion
to th2 "outh, 02"t and no1th o: Italy and th2 12"t o: (u1o52!
'istory
)h2 nam2 A.1u44o a552a1" to d21i=2 :1om th2 Latin DA51utiumD,
althou3h in ;oman tim2" th2 123ion 0a" kno0n at =a1iou" tim2" a"
Pi62num, ,a.ina 2t ,amnium, /laminia 2t Pi62num and'o1 Cam5ania 2t
,amnium!
719
)hi" 123ion 0a" kno0n a" A51utium in th2 <iddl2 A32"
a1i"in3 :1om :ou1 5o""i.l2 "ou162"! <any think it i" a55a12ntly a
6o11u5tion o: P1a2tutium, o1 1ath21 o: th2 nam2 o: th2 52o5l2 P1a2tutii,
a55li2d to th2i1 6hi2: 6ity, Int21amna2", no0 512"2nt day )21amo!
Anoth21 2tymolo3y i" :1om th2 Latin Da521D (.oa1) "o that A51utium
0a" th2 Dland o: .oa1"D o1 :1om Da.1u5tumD (1u332d, "t225)! A mo12
1262nt 2tymolo3y i" :1om th2 Latin 2@512""ion Da E1uttii"D (:1om th2
E1uttii) m2anin3 th2 land that .23an :1om th2 E1u4i 52o5l2, 0ho
mo=2d "outh to o66u5y Cala.1ia
719729
!
Until 1963 it was part of the Abruzzi region with <oli"2. The term Abruzzi derives
from the time when the region was part of the >in3dom o: th2 )0o ,i6ili2" and the
territory was administered as Abruzzo Citeriore (Nearer Abr!!o" and Abruzzo Ulteriore #
and ## ($arther Abr!!o # and ## "% that being nearer and farther from Naples% the &apital
of the 'ingdom.
719
Abr!!o (iteriore is present day (hieti provin&e. Abr!!o Ulteriore #
&omprised the Teramo and )es&ara provin&es* Abr!!o Ulteriore ## is now the )rovin&e of
+,A-ila.
(6onomy
Until a few de&ades ago% Abr!!o was a region of poverty in .othern #taly* over the past
de&ades% however% it has developed to s&h an e/tent that it has es&aped from the spiral of
nderdevelopment to be&ome the ,first, region of the ,#talian 0e!!ogiorno,. This &onfirms
its pivotal role in the national 26onomi6 "y"t2m. .in&e the 1912s% Abr!!o has had
steady 26onomi6 31o0th. #n 1911% Abr!!o per &apita in&ome or GFP was 133 of
that of Ao1th21n Italy% the nation,s ri&hest region. 4y 1951% Abr!!o was at 613 and%
by 1996% per &apita in&ome was at 563 of Northern #taly,s per &apita in&ome% giving
Abr!!o the highest per &apita 78) of .othern #taly and srpassing the growth rate of
every other 123ion o: Italy. The &onstr&tion of sperhighways from 9ome to Teramo
(A24" and 9ome to )es&ara (A2&" opened Abr!!o to easy a&&ess% state and private
investment in the region in&reased% and Abr!!o attained higher per &apita ed&ation
levels and greater prod&tivity growth than the rest of the .oth. As a reslt% Abr!!o,s
indu"t1ial "26to1 e/panded rapidly% espe&ially in m26hani6al 2n3in221in3%
transportation e-ipment and tele&ommni&ations.
7%9
As of :223% Abr!!o,s per &apita
78) was 19%126 ;U9 or <63 of the national average of :3%1<1 ;U9 and well otpa&ing
that of the .oth (11%<2< ;U9".
749
)h2 "t1u6tu12 o: 51odu6tion in th2 123ion 12B26t" th2 t1an":o1mation o:
th2 26onomy :1om a31i6ultu12 to indu"t1y and "21=i62"! A31i6ultu12,
in=ol=in3 "mall holdin3", ha" "u6622d2d in mod21ni"in3 and oG21in3
hi3h$quality 51odu6t"! )h2 mo"tly "mall, a31i6ultu1al holdin3" 51odu62
0in2, 6212al", "u3a1 .22t, 5otato2", oli=2", =232ta.l2", :1uit and dai1y
51odu6t"! )1aditional 51odu6t" a12 "aG1on and liquo1i62! Althou3h
indu"t1y ha" d2=2lo52d "t1on3ly, it 12tain" 02ak 5oint" du2 to th2
2@i"t2n62 o: only a :20 la132 .u"in2""2" alon3"id2 a hu32 :a.1i6 o:
"mall and m2dium$"i42d .u"in2""2"! Eoth 5u12 and a55li2d 12"2a16h
a12 6a11i2d out in th2 123ion, 0h212 th212 a12 maCo1 in"titut2" and
:a6to1i2" in=ol=2d in 12"2a16h in th2 H2ld" o: 5ha1ma62uti6",
.iom2di6in2, 2l26t1oni6", a21o"5a62 and nu6l2a1 5hy"i6"! )h2 indu"t1ial
in:1a"t1u6tu12 i" "512ad th1ou3hout th2 123ion in indu"t1ial 4on2" 0hi6h
ha=2 al12ady .22n m2ntion2d, th2 mo"t im5o1tant o: 0hi6h a12 Ial
P2"6a1a, Ial ,an31o, Ial )1i3no, Ial Ii.1ata and Con6a d2l /u6ino! A
:u1th21 a6ti=ity 0o1thy o: not2 i" "2a"id2 and mountain tou1i"m, 0hi6h
i" o: 6on"id21a.l2 im5o1tan62 to th2 26onomy o: th2 123ion
7&9
!
Tourism and (ildlife
#n the past de&ade% torism has in&reased% mostly among #talians and other ;ropeans.
Abr!!o,s wealth of &astles and medieval towns% espe&ially near the town of L'Aquila%
has earned it in some -arters the ni&'name of =Abr!!oshire=% by analogy with the
=(hiantishire= ni&'name sometimes sed to refer to the Chianti area of )u"6any% bt
Abr!!o is still off the beaten path for most visitors to #taly.
)h2 123ion ha" 21 "ki a12a" 0ith %# km! o: 1un", all 0ithin a :20 hou1"
o: ;om2! )h2 mo"t d2=2lo52d 12"o1t .2in3 ;o66a1a"o, :ollo02d .y
Cam5o /2li62, and Cam5o Im521ato12! Lo6at2d in th2 hi3h2"t 123ion o:
th2 A52nnin2", th2"2 "ki a12a" a12 at h2i3ht" n2a1ly 6om5a1a.l2 to
many Al5in2 12"o1t"! E26au"2 o: th2i1 51o@imity to th2 Ad1iati6 and
0int21 5126i5itation 5att21n", th2y o:t2n ha=2 mo12 "no0 than th2 Al5"!
A.1u44o al"o i" 5o5ula1 :o1 61o"" 6ount1y "kiin3, 2"526ially on th2 hi3h
5lain o: Cam5o Im521ato12 in th2 G1an ,a""o a" 02ll a" th2 Piana
G1and2 in th2 <aC2lla!
)h2 G1an ,a""o ma""i: "5o1t" th2 Italian 52nin"ulaJ" hi3h2"t 52ak,
Co1no G1and2, and (u1o52J" "outh21nmo"t 3la6i21, Il Cald21on2! )h2
Co1no G1and2 and it" n2i3h.o1in3 Co1no Pi66olo 51o=id2 a 1an32 o:
6lim.in3 o55o1tuniti2" :1om mountain hik2" "uita.l2 :o1 no=i62" to
"h221 1o6k 0all a"62nt" "uita.l2 only :o1 2@521t al5ini"t"! A.1u44oJ"
l2""21 kno0n 52ak", 2"526ially th2 32ntl21 "lo52" o: th2 <aC2lla, oG21
6lim.21" th2 o55o1tunity to hik2 and 6lim. in "olitud2!
A.1u44oJ" 129 km! lon3 "andy 6oa"tlin2 i" hom2 to a many 5o5ula1
.2a6h 12"o1t", amon3 th2m Ia"to on A.1u44oJ" "outh21n 6oa"tK mid$
6oa"t a12 ,il=i <a1ina, 0ho"2 "and" a12 6on"id212d amon3 th2 .2"t in
Italy, Giuliano=a, /1an6a=illa al <a12 and Pin2to, and on A.1u44oJ"
no1th21n 6oa"t a12 Al.a Ad1iati6a and <a1tin"i6u1o!
Ln2 thi1d o: th2 123ion i" d2"i3nat2d a" national o1 123ional 5a1kland!
)h2 :ollo0in3 5a1k" li2, 0holly o1 5a1tially, 0ithin A.1u44oM
A.1u44o Aational Pa1k
G1an ,a""o 2 <onti d2lla La3a Aational Pa1k
<aC2lla Aational Pa1k
,i12nt2 I2lino ;23ional Pa1k
La3o di Ea112a (Ea112a Lak2 ?2tland")
)h2 51ot26t2d a12a" a12 2n=i1onm2ntally im5o1tant and a12 hom2 to
1a12 Bo1a and :auna, "u6h a" th2 .1o0n .2a1, th2 0ol: and th2 6hamoi"!
)h2 5o5ulation d2n"ity, althou3h it ha" in612a"2d o=21 th2 la"t
d26ad2", i" 02ll .2lo0 th2 national a=21a32! In 200# th212 0212 in :a6t
12%!4 inha.itant" 521 km2 in A.1u44o, 6om5a12d to a national a=21a32
o: 19#!#! At th2 51o=in62 l2=2l, th2 "ituation i" quit2 =a1i2dM P2"6a1a i"
th2 mo"t d2n"2ly 5o5ulat2d 51o=in62 (20!1 inha.itant" 521 km2 in
200#), 0h212a", at th2 oth21 2@t12m2, L'Aquila i" th2 l2a"t d2n"2ly
5o5ulat2d on2 (1!% inha.itant" 521 km2 in 200#), althou3h it ha" th2
la132"t a12a! A:t21 d26ad2" o: 2mi31ation :1om th2 123ion, th2 main
:2atu12 o: th2 19#0" i" th2 immi31ation :1om thi1d 0o1ld 6ount1i2"! )h2
5o5ulation in612a"2 i" du2 to th2 5o"iti=2 n2t mi31ation, a" "in62 1991
mo12 d2ath" than .i1th" 0212 123i"t212d in A.1u44o (2@625t :o1 1999,
0h2n th2i1 num.21 0a" 2qual)
79
! In 200# th2 Italian national in"titut2
o: "tati"ti6" I,)A) 2"timat2d that &9,749 :o12i3n$.o1n immi31ant" li=2
in A.1u44o, 2qual to 4!& N o: th2 total 123ional 5o5ulation!
)h2 mo"t "21iou" d2mo31a5hi6 im.alan62 i" .2t022n th2 mountainou"
a12a" o: th2 int21io1 and th2 6oa"tal "t1i5! )h2 la132"t 51o=in62,
L'Aquila, i" "ituat2d 2nti12ly in th2 int21io1 and ha" th2 lo02"t
5o5ulation d2n"ity! )h2 mo=2m2nt o: th2 5o5ulation o: A.1u44o :1om
th2 mountain" to th2 "2a ha" l2d to th2 almo"t 6om5l2t2 u1.ani"ation
o: th2 6oa"tal "t1i5! )h2 2G26t" on th2 int21io1 ha=2 .22n
im5o=21i"hm2nt and a d2mo31a5hi6 a32in3, 12B26t2d .y an a6ti=ity
1at2 in th2 51o=in62 o: L'Aquila 0hi6h i" th2 lo02"t o: th2 51o=in62" in
A.1u44o $ a66om5ani2d .y 32olo3i6al d231adation a" a 12"ult o: th2
a."2n62 o: 6on"21=ation m2a"u12"! In th2 6oa"tal "t1i5, on th2 oth21
hand, th212 i" "u6h a Cum.l2 o: a66ommodation and a6ti=iti2" that th2
2n=i1onm2nt ha" .22n 6han32d 0ith n23ati=2 2G26t"! )h2 5oli6y o:
51o=idin3 in62nti=2" :o1 d2=2lo5m2nt ha" 12"ult2d in th2 "2ttin3$u5 o:
indu"t1ial 4on2", "om2 o: 0hi6h (Ia"to, A=244ano, Ca1"oli, Gi""i, Ial
Ii.1ata, Ial ,an31o) ha=2 mad2 32nuin2 51o312"", 0hil2 oth21" (Ial
P2"6a1a, L'Aquila) ha=2 1un into t1ou.l2 a:t21 initial "u662""! )h2 4on2"
o: ,ulmona and Gua1dia312l2 ha=2 tu1n2d out to .2 mo12 o1 l2""
:ailu12"! Lut"id2 th2"2 4on2" th2 main a6ti=iti2" a12 a31i6ultu12 and
tou1i"m
79
!
L'Aquila i" .oth th2 6a5ital 6ity o: th2 A.1u44o 123ion and o: th2
P1o=in62 o: L'Aquila and "26ond la132"t 6ity (5o5! 7%,000)! )h2 oth21
51o=in6ial 6a5ital" a12 P2"6a1a, 0hi6h i" A.1u44o'" la132"t 6ity and
maCo1 5o1t (5o5! 12%,000)K )21amo (5o5! &&,000) and Chi2ti (5o5!
&&,000)! Lth21 la132 muni6i5aliti2" in A.1u44o in6lud2 A=244ano
(5o5!41,000), an indu"t1ial and hi3h t26hnolo3y 62nt21, and Lan6iano
(5o5ulation %,000), im5o1tant indu"t1ial and tou1i"ti6 62nt21!
Abruzzo provinces
)h2 123ion i" di=id2d into 4 51o=in62"M
Provin)e
Area
*m+!
Populatio
n
Density
in&,"*m+!
P1o=in62 o: Chi2ti 2,&## %9,190 1&%!1
P1o=in62 o:
L'Aquila
&,0%4 %0#,#7 1!%
P1o=in62 o:
P2"6a1a
1,22& %1#,701 20!1
P1o=in62 o:
)21amo
1,94# %0#,79 1&#!&
Culture
#n the past% the region of Abr!!o was well 'nown for the t1an"uman4a% the migratory
movement of sheep prin&ipally soth to the region of Pu3lia dring the &old winter
months.)h2 123ional a662nt" o: A.1u44o in6lud2 )21amano, A.1u442"2
L1i2ntal2 Ad1iati6o and A.1u442"2 L66id2ntal2! )h2 H1"t t0o :o1m 5a1t
o: th2 Italiano m21idional2$int21no dial26t o: "outh21n Italy al"o kno0n
"im5ly a" DA2a5olitanD du2 to th2 123ion ha=in3 .22n 5a1t o: th2
>in3dom o: Aa5l2" and th2 )0o ,i6ili2", 0hil2 th2 Italian o: L'Aquila
P1o=in62 i" 12lat2d to th2 L"6o$*m.1o dial26t o: 62nt1al Italy, in6ludin3
th2 on2 o: ;om2! It "hould .2 not2d that A.1u44o'" Italian dial26t" a12
not 5a1ti6ula1ly ma1k2d! In :a6t, Oa1=a1d *ni=21"ity .a"2" an int2n"i=2
"umm21 lan3ua32 51o31am in Ia"to, a 12"o1t to0n on A.1u44o'"
"outh21n 6oa"t! )h212 i", ho02=21, a "mall Al.anian lin3ui"ti6 a12a at
P2nn2, in th2 P1o=in62 o: P2"6a1a!
Amon3 A.1u44o many hi"to1i6 to0n" a12M ,ulmona at th2 :oot o: th2
<ai2lla ma""i: and kno0n :o1 ItalyJ" mo"t :amou" an6i2nt 5o2t , L=id,
,6anno, a lak2"id2 hill to0n, At1i a 5i6tu12"qu2 a1ti"ti6 62nt21, and th2
hill"id2 to0n" o: P2nn2, Lan6iano and Lo12to A51utino!
-edieval and Renaissan)e &ill to(ns
A.1u44o hold" "om2 o: Italy'" .2"t$512"21=2d m2di2=al and
;2nai""an62 hill to0n"! )h2 a.1u5t d26lin2 o: A.1u44oJ" a31i6ultu1al
26onomy in th2 2a1ly to mid$20th 62ntu1y "a=2d "om2 o: th2 123ionJ"
mo"t .2auti:ul hill to0n" :1om th2 on"lau3ht o: mod21n d2=2lo5m2nt!
<any li2 2nti12ly 0ithin 123ional and national 5a1k" "o th2i1
512"21=ation i" all .ut 3ua1ant22d! Amon3 th2 mo"t 02ll 512"21=2d a12
Ca"t2l d2l <ont2 and ,anto ,t2:ano di ,2""anio, 0hi6h li2 in th2 G1an
,a""o Aational Pa1k on th2 2d32 o: th2 hi3h 5lain o: Cam5o Im521ato12
and n2"tl2d .2n2ath th2 A52nnin2"J hi3h2"t 52ak"K .oth hill to0n",
0hi6h 0212 1ul2d .y th2 <2di6i" :o1 o=21 a 62ntu1y$and$a$hal:, ha=2
12lati=2ly littl2 tou1i"m! E2t022n th2 t0o to0n" "it" ;o66a di Cala"6io,
th2 1uin o: an an6i2nt :o1t12"" 5o5ula1 0ith Hlm mak21"! Al"o 0ithin th2
G1an ,a""o Aational Pa1k i" Ca"t2lli, an an6i2nt 5ott21y 62nt21 0ho"2
a1ti"an" 51odu62d 621ami6" :o1 mo"t o: th2 1oyal hou"2" o: (u1o52!
Althou3h "till hom2 to many a1ti"an", Ca"t2lli ha" a mod2"t tou1i"t
t1ad2!
Lth21 m2di2=al hill to0n" lo6at2d :ully 0ithin A.1u44o'" 5a1k "y"t2m
a12 Pa62nt1o in th2 Pa16o Aa4ional2 d2lla <aC2lla and P2"6a""21oli in
th2 Pa16o Aa4ional2 d'A.1u44o! Pa62nt1o, 0hi6h :2atu12" a 14th 62ntu1y
6a"tl2 0ith t0o inta6t to021", ha" .22n littl2 tou6h2d .y mod21ni4ation
and i" al"o kno0n :o1 .2in3 th2 o1i3in =illa32 o: th2 31and:ath21" o: th2
2nt21tain21" <adonna and F2an <a1tin!
7citation needed9