Regions of Italy

Northern Italy

The north of Italy includes the region of Aosta Valley, Piedmont, Lombardy, Liguria, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia and Emilia Romagna.

The Aosta Valley

Italy is divided into twenty regions and it has been like that since 1948 when the new Republican Constitution was ratified. The regions themselves are again divided into 95 provinces. The northern-most region is that of Valle d`Aosta, or the Aosta Valley with the regional capital of Aosta. It shares its border with France and Switzerland hence the two German and French speaking minorities. With a population of approximately 120,000, it is a region that is the least populated of all Italian regions due to its severe climate. The first settlers of the Valley were Celts and Ligurians who were later conquered by the Romans, and during the Middle Ages by numerous other tribes that invaded the European continent. In the turmoil of the succeeding centuries the region changed many rulers, but in 1861, together with other Italian regions, it was added to the Kingdom of Italy. The economy of the region depends on the metal industry and tourism, especially during winter because of its location in the Alps. Metal Industry was first introduced to the region after the building of dams on the Dora Baltea River which is the tributary of the Po River, the longest Italian river.

Piedmont

One of the biggest Italian regions is Piedmont, surrounded by Valle d'Aosta in the north-west, Liguria in the South, Lombardy in the east, France in the West, and it even shares the border with Switzerland in the North. With the population exceeding four millions, it is divided into eight provinces with the capital of Turin. This region is located in a fertile valley encircled by the Alps, with the Po River running through it. Like the Aosta valley, Piedmont also abounds in hydroelectric power plants because of the many rivers rich in water that flow into the mainstream of the Po River. Same as Aosta, Piedmont was first settled by Celts and Ligurians who later became subjects of the Roman Empire. In the medieval times the region shared the fate of many parts of Europe that were constantly being invaded by a multitude of tribes in search of a permanent settlement. At the end of the 18th century Piedmont was annexed to France as a part of Napoleon`s acquisitions, and after his fall it became a part of Austrian Empire.

Part of the Piedmontese economy depends on the products of agriculture such as wheat, rice, corn, and wine. Wine is a product that made this region very famous because of its high quality. It is considered one of the richest Italian regions due to the fact that it is the home to Italy's major industries, including the FIAT automobile factory, the textile industry at Biella, Ferrero chocolate factory at Cuneo. Turin is one of the oldest cities in Italy. It was established in the first century BC by the Romans as a military camp. Since that time it has turned into one the most developed cities due to its successful industries. The city is also the home of many beautiful Baroque buildings that enriched the history of architecture such as Palazzo Carignano, Palazo Stupinigi, Palazzo Reale, and Palazzo Madama. These palazzi once belonged to the royal family Savoy that ruled Italy until the end of WWII.

Lombardy

Lombardy, eastern neighbor of Piedmont, is the most developed of all Italian regions with a population of over nine million. It is situated in the Po Delta, a location that proved to be very beneficial for the progress of industry. Lombardy`s share in the total Italian GDP is 20%, making it one of the most prosperous regions on the planet. It is divided into 12 provinces with Milan as its capital. Milan is also the financial capital of Italy, surrounded by  many national and international factories that contribute to the general success of this region. The versatility of industry is great, ranging from metallurgy, textiles, and petrochemical products to silk and weapons. This is the reason why Milan is one of the most polluted cities in the world.

Archaeologists have found proof that the area occupied by Lombardy was first settled as early as the second century BC. Among the first inhabitants were the Etruscans to whom the Romans were indebted for some of their greatest inventions and innovations. Ever since antiquity, Lombardy has been considered as the richest Roman, and later Italian, province due to its early development of transportation routes which in turn helped the advancement of trade and agriculture. In the 6th century AD, the area was invaded by the Lombards, a Germanic tribe, hence the name Lombardy. During the Middle Ages, Lombardy's prosperity grew making the region strong enough to resist numerous attacks and to keep their independence. During the Renaissance period, many noble families emerged as rulers of individual cities and their surroundings. The most notable ones were the Visconti family and the Sforza family in Milan, and the Gonzaga family of Mantua. These families were responsible for making these two cities important cultural centers as well as commercial. As patrons of art they employed many artists, including Leonardo da Vinci, Andrea Mantegna, and Donato Bramante, among others. At the end of the 18th century, Lombardy was briefly part of Napoleon's empire prior to its annexation by the Austrians in 1815. In 1859, the Kingdom of Italy was established, with Lombardy as its richest region.

Beside industry and commerce, Lombardy abounds in beautiful nature. The lakes Maggiore, Garda, and Como are the three largest glacial lakes in Italy. The most famous of these lakes is lake Como, with many magnificent villas built all around.

Veneto

Veneto is the second richest Italian region, next to Lombardy. It occupies the northeastern part of Italy. Like Lombardy, it is also rich in water and several rivers pass through Veneto. These are Po with its tributaries  Adige, Brenta, and Piave. Veneto is divided into seven provinces with Venice as its capital. This area has been continuously inhabited ever since the first millennium BC. The first settlers were the Euganei who were in the 6th century BC replaced by the Veneti, a tribe that supposedly came from Troy. Around third century BC, the Veneti joined the Romans and contributed in Rome`s many battles against other tribes or peoples. Over time, the Veneti  came to be dominated by the Romans, and eventually their region became a part of the Roman Empire. During the early Middle Ages, Veneto area was the battleground for many tribes that fought for the control of the region. In the eight century, the Venetian Republic was established and it lasted until 1797 when Napoleon`s forces entered the city. The Republic was ruled by doges who exerted their power over the Adriatic Sea and even beyond. For over a thousand years, Venice enjoyed the status of being one of the most powerful maritime republics in Europe.

The economy of the region depends largely on agricultural products such as corn, green peas, apples, cherries, tobacco, and hemp, among others. Industry is also strong in Veneto. Numerous factories cropped up in the last four decades making the region one of the most industrialized in Italy. But it is to the production of the world-famous Murano glass that Veneto owes its popularity. Murano is a small island in the Venetian archipelago that gave its name to this well known product. Other than agriculture and industry, Veneto is one of the most frequented tourist destinations. Venice itself is probably one of the most visited cities in the world offering many attractions  and attractive locations. It is also known as the city of art with a number of events that corroborate this statement. The Venice Art Biennale and the Venice Film Festival are among them.

Venice is not the only city that enjoys a high status. Padua is famous for founding the second university in 1222 in Italy, the first being in Bologna. Verona is famous for its amphitheater, and primarily for being the setting for the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, although Shakespeare himself had never been to Verona.

Trentino-Alto Adige

Trentino-Alto Adige is one of the five autonomous regions in Italy. Unlike other Italian regions, it was not annexed by Italy until 1919, after the fall of Austria-Hungary. The region shares its northern border with Austria and Switzerland so some of the people living there are German-speaking. It is divided into two provinces with Trento as its capital. The economy of the region depends on the production of wine, dairy, wood, paper, chemicals and metal. Its location in the Dolomites makes it an attractive tourist destination during wintertime. It is one of the least populated regions with a population of over 900,000.

Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Friuli-Venezia Giulia is one of the five autonomous Italian regions with the capital of Trieste. It borders Austria and Slovenia. It is divided into four provinces. This region is special because it is not a historical region like the others, but it was established after World War II because of many border disputes with Yugoslavia had arisen. In 1947, Trieste was split into Zone A and Zone B. Zone A was under the control of the Americans and the British, and zone B was controlled by Marshal Tito's forces. In 1954, this system, called the Free Territory of Trieste, was abolished and Zone A was annexed by Italy, while Zone B was annexed by Yugoslavia. This issue troubled the two countries for the next twenty years, but the matter was finally settled in 1975 with the Treaty of Osimo. The region's economy is mainly based on shipbuilding with Trieste as the most important port of Italy. Other industries include the production of steel, furniture, and wine. Other than Italian, two other languages are spoken, Slovenian and German. Other than Italian, two other languages are spoken, Slovenian and German.

Liguria

Liguria is one the smallest of all Italian regions, situated in the north-western part of Italy. It is divided into four provinces with Genoa as its capital. Liguria got its name from the tribe that settled this area before the Roman conquest in the 2nd century BC. They were named Ligures. During the Middle Ages, the Republic of Genoa was established and it ruled the rest of the region until 1796, when Napoleon set up the Ligurian Republic. This situation did not last long and Liguria was annexed by France in 1805. The Ligurian economy depends on many different industries like shipbuilding, aviation, steel production, oil refineries, but also on tourism, olive oil production, wine, and fishing.

Emilia-Romagna

Emilia-Romagna is among the most populous Italian regions with over four million inhabitants. It is divided into nine provinces with Bologna as its capital. The standard of living is very high thanks to successful agriculture and industry. Agricultural products include cereals, potatoes, corn, fruit and grape vines. The region is famous for the production of high quality red wine. Industrial production is mainly concentrated on the food and automobile industry. Emilia-Romagna is the home to food companies like Parmalat and Barilla. It is also the birthplace of some of the most expensive cars on the market, like Ferrari, Ducati, Lamborghini, and Maserati.

Central Italy

Central Italy includes the regions of Tuscany, Umbria, Marche and Lazio.

Tuscany

This central Italian region is probably the best-known region of Italy. Tuscany owes its popularity to its long and famous history and to the beauty of its nature accentuated by many little towns and villas that are dispersed across the entire region. Tuscan landscape is mainly mountainous and hilly, but the Arno River forms a fertile valley that proved to be beneficial for the development of culture.Over three million people live in Tuscany which is divided into ten provinces with Florence as its capital.

In the second millennium BC this area was populated by tribes that belonged to the Apennine culture, and later, at the beginning of the first millennium tribes of the Villanovan culture settled the region. These tribes did not leave a significant mark and they were soon replaced by the more advanced Etruscan civilization. The Etruscans developed agriculture and roads, and they also contributed to the overall history in the field of art. The Etruscan civilization thrived during several centuries and it reached a climax in the sixth century BC when they started to fade, and eventually became part of the Roman Empire. The medieval times were characterized by constant battles between the Guelphs, who supported the Pope, and Ghibellines, who supported the Holy Roman Empire. These squabbles along the ideological lines resulted in a divided Tuscany, a state that remained the same for many centuries to come. The Renaissance was born in Tuscany thanks to the Medici family that ruled Florence for many years. Lorenzo Medici, called the Magnificent, gave impetus to a plethora of artists and intellectuals who were responsible for the birth of the new spirit that would soon conquer entire Europe.

Umbria

Umbria is the only central region that does not have access to the sea. It is a mountainous area with many rivers and two lakes, Trasimeno and Piediluco. Umbria is divided into two provinces and about 900,000 people live there. The capital of the region is Perugia. This area got its name from the Umbri tribe that dwelt there in the seventh century BC. They were a resilient tribe because they managed to resist many Etruscan, and later Roman, onslaughts and keep their distinct culture. Nevertheless, they were assimilated by the Lombards during the early Middle Ages. In the Renaissance period, Umbria was often a battleground for the Guelphs and Ghibellines, but it eventually became a part of the Papal states. Popes' rule ended in the 18th century when Umbria was incorporated into the short-lived Roman Republic. In 1860, Umbria was included in the unified Kingdom of Italy. The economy of the region mainly depends on the agriculture that produces olives, olive oil, grapes, tobacco, and wheat, whereas chief industrial products are those of the steel factories of the Terni province. Tourism is also highly developed especially in the city of Assisi, the birthplace of St Francis.

Marche

A coastal region with the population of 1,5 million, Marche are divided into five provinces with Ancona as its capital. The landscape of the region is determined by the Apennines that make it a very mountainous area with few narrow coastal strips where most of the urban centers are located.  The region owes its plural name to the fact that this area was formerly divided into smaller provinces that used to be a part of the Papal States. During the Renaissance, the region was the battleground for the struggle for supremacy between several families. The two most powerful ones were Malatesta and Montefeltro. Due to its mountainous territory, the region`s economy did not depend on agriculture, but rather on manufacture and shipbuilding.

Apart from Ancona, there is one  other city that is worth mentioning. That is Urbino. Urbino is an attractive tourist destination because it is one of the most beautiful medieval cities of Europe. It is located on the slope of a steep hill which makes it a beautiful sight to see. It is best-known for the Palazzo Ducale, a Renaissance palace built during the reign of Federico da Montefeltro, duke of Urbino. The city is also famous for being the hometown of Raphael, a member of the Holy Trinity of Renaissance painters whose other two members are  Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. University of Urbino, founded in 1506, is one of the most famous universities of Italy. The student body mainly consists of foreign students taking courses in the humanities.

Lazio

The fourth central region of Italy with the population of 5,5 million, 55% of which lives in Rome, the capital of Lazio. The region, which is divided into five provinces, is located between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Apennines and bordered to the north-west and north by Tuscany and Umbria respectively, by Abruzzo and Molise to the east, and by Campania to the south-east. This region was the birthplace of the Roman civilization that came to be the dominant one on the Apennine peninsula conquering and assimilating every other culture that was in its way.

The economy of the region traditionally depended on agriculture, crafts, fishing, and farming. However, during the 20th century industry developed, mainly around Rome. Industrial production includes paper, textile, petrochemicals, cars, electronic devices etc. Rome is, of course, the leading center of the region and is home to many national and international firms. Since Rome is the capital of Italy and one of the most visited tourist destinations, most of the people living there work in the services sector.

Southern Italy

Southern Italy includes Abruzzo, Molise, Basilicata, Campania, Calabria and Puglia.

Abruzzo

Even though Abruzzo geographically belongs to Central Italy, it is administratively part of Southern Italy due to its traditional association with the so-called Mezzogiorno, meaning Midday in Italian, a term that refers to the south of Italy. This name derives from the Latin word meridies, meaning south. Traditionally, southern Italian regions were poor, illiterate and crime-ridden, and the term Mezzogiorno is  used to express the still-present stereotype of southern Italians' backwardness. Most of the region's landscape is determined by the Apennines, making it very mountainous. It is divided into four provinces with L'Aquila as its capital. 1,3 million people live in the region of Abruzzo.

The economy of the region largely depends on tourism that has improved in the past few years. What Abruzzo offers to tourists is skiing. Corno Grande is the highest Italian peak, located on the Gran Sasso Massif. Maiella Massif is another popular destination for adventure-seeking alpinists and hikers. Abruzzo is also famous for its well-preserved medieval towns, such as Castel del Monte and Santo Stefano di Sessanio which are a part of the Gran Sasso National Park.

Molise

Molise is one the smallest and youngest Italian regions with the population of only 300,000. It is divided into two provinces with Campobasso as its capital. It was established in 1963, after the splitting of  the Abruzzi e Molise region. Unlike the highly industrialized northern states, Molise is still dependent upon agriculture and farming. Wheat, potatoes and sheep are the main sources of income for the scarce population of Molise. Industry is not very developed in this region. Other than a FIAT factory near Termoli, there are no major industrial complexes. In the last few years, there has been some tourist activity, especially in the city of Larino. The regional government started a trend of restoring the old and neglected houses to their previous splendor making Larino a desirable tourist destination. The people of Molise pride themselves on living in one of the most beautiful and unspoiled parts of Italy. This is due to the lack of industrialization.

Basilicata

This has traditionally been the poorest of all Italian regions and largely depopulated due to emigration, but with the discovery of oil the situation has changed in the last few years. The region is divided into two provinces with the city of Potenza as its capital, and the population of approximately 600.000. It has access to the Tyrrhenian Sea to the south-west, and to the Ionian Sea to the south-east.

Campania

Campania has a population of approximately 5.8 million people and it is divided into five provinces with Naples as its capital. Unlike other southern regions, Campania abounds in history and culture. It used to be a part of several kingdoms that succeeded each other over the centuries. First, during the Middle Ages it was the Normans that established the Kingdom of Sicily that also included the islands of Malta and Gozo (an island in the Maltese archipelago). After some time, the mainland authorities decided that they wanted independence from Sicily, and thus the Kingdom of Naples was founded. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Kingdom of Two Sicilies was established and it lasted until the unification of Italy in the mid-19th century.

During the 8th century BC, Greeks came to this area and established their colonies and managed to to keep their independence from other tribes, such as Samnites, who also settled the region. The Samnites were a very belligerent tribe so they pretty much conquered the entire area by the 4th century BC. Around 340 BC, Romans decided to invade this territory in search of pastures. The events that ensued are known as the Samnite Wars. During the skirmishes, the last Greek colony of Neapolis was conquered by the Samnites. Since the the Greeks did not get any help from homeland, they turned to Romans who eventually freed them from Samnite rule in the Second Samnite War. Romans prevailed, of course, and made Campania part of their Empire.During the following centuries Campania became one of the most important regions of the Empire due to its rich soil.

Centuries of easy living were violently and unexpectedly cut short by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, leaving the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum buried underground. When it comes to cuisine Campania is one of the most inventive Italian regions. Campania, and more precisely Naples, is the birthplace of what we today call pizza. The world-famous pizza Margherita and calzone pizza are both authentic Neapolitan products. Spaghetti is also a dish that was first eaten in Campania, and later conquered the entire world. Furthermore, Campania is home to many delicious cheeses such as Mozzarella and ricotta.

Calabria

Calabria is located on the tip of the Italian 'boot'. It is a mountainous region surrounded by sea on three sides and separated from Sicily by the Strait of Messina. Pollino, the Sila Massif, and Aspromonte are three mountains that shape the landscape and provide the region with thick forests and rich pastures. Calabria is divided into five provinces with Catanzaro as its capital. Just over two million people live in this region.

This area was first settled by Italic tribes who were later assimilated by Greeks into Magna Graecia, a Greek colony on the Apennine peninsula. The Greeks were a dominant nationality until the third century BC when they were overrun by some northern tribes, including Samnites and Lucanians. These tribes were eventually made part of the Roman Empire. During the turmoil of the Middle Ages, Calabria suffered numerous afflictions in the form of malaria, pirate attacks, and struggles for supremacy between various contenders. During the 11th century, the Normans established a government in Calabria and over time made it a part of the Kingdom of Sicily. After that Calabria was incorporated into the Kingdom of Naples, a state that remained the same until the Italian unification in the 19th century.

Together with other regions of the south, Calabria was, until the mid-20th century, among the poorest parts of Italy. In the last five decades the situation has improved due to the modernization of agriculture and development of tourism. Nevertheless, centuries of poverty have made this region a fertile soil for crime. The 'Ndrangheta is one of the three most famous Italian organized crime families, the other two being Camorra from Naples and Cosa Nostra from Sicily. Calabria is also special because of the different dialects that are still spoken there. Calabria was ruled by many different nations, and development of various dialects can testify to the immense impact that these other nations have left on the region. French and Spanish words are still heard in the language of Calabria.

Puglia

Puglia, also known as Apulia, is the heel of the Italian "boot". It is divided into six provinces with Bari as its capital. Just over four million people live in this region. The first tribes who settled this region came here in the first millennium BC. Same as in Campania, they were of Italic origin. And just as in Campania and Calabria they were first assimilated by Greeks and later by Romans. During the Middle Ages, Puglia was constantly being invaded by belligerent northern tribes, such as the Goths and Lombards. The situation relatively calmed down after the Normans entered the region and established the duchy of Apulia. This area was also a part of the Kingdom of Sicily and later the Kingdom of Naples. At the beginning of the 19th century, the French briefly dominated the region.

Apulia's economy largely depends on the products of agriculture, such as olives, cereals, grapes, figs and tobacco, and on farming. Industry has been developing lately so factories of all kinds have been established to supply the need for steel, petrochemicals, cement and such. Tourism also evolved making Apulia one of the most desirable destinations. The language situation is similar to the one in Calabria. Even though Italian has been the official language since the unification in the mid-19th century, there are many dialects that persist to this day. People living in the north speak a variety of the Neapolitan dialect, and those living in the south speak in the Sicilian dialect. There is a minority living in Salento that speak in a dialect of Greek called Griko. Some isolated areas are populated with people who speak in an Albanian dialect called Arbereshe.

Insular Italy

Italy feature two major islands that have the administrative status of regions, and they are Sicly and Sardinia.

Sicily

Sicily is the biggest island in the Mediterranean Sea and the biggest Italian region. Approximately five million people live in nine provinces of which Palermo is the capital. It is separated from the Italian mainland by the Strait of Messina. There are a few main rivers that supply the island with water. These are the Salso River, the Belice River, the Grande River, among others. Sicily, together with the small islands that surround it, is important for the study of volcanoes. With a height of over three thousand meters, Mount Etna is Europe's highest active volcano. The northeastern islands are also home to several volcanoes, of which Stromboli is active.

According to archaeological evidence, Sicily has been continuously settled since around 8000 BC. The first settlers were the Sicani tribe who probably migrated from the area nowadays known as Spain. The Elymian tribe who came from the east settled the northwestern part of the island. And finally, the Sicels came during the second millennium BC. According to the Greek historian Thucydides, this tribe gave its name to the island. Sometime around 750 BC, these three tribes were conquered by the Greek who established their colony on Sicily called Magna Graecia. The Greeks were also responsible for cultivating the island, both agriculturally and culturally. They brought with them olives and grape vines together with the architecture of temples. Carthaginians also had a few colonies on the island and this is why the Sicilian Wars were fought throughout much of the 5th and 4th centuries BC. In the 3rd century the Roman Republic offered to help the Greek causing the First Punic War, one of the three that were to follow. After the fighting had ended, the Romans achieved dominance across the entire Mediterranean and they took Sicily from Greece.

During the early Middle Ages, Sicily changed rulers at the speed of light. First, there were numerous Germanic tribes that tried their luck with the invasion of the island. Vandals and Goths briefly governed the area but soon they lost it to Ostrogoths who, led by Theodoric the Great, actually conquered the entire Apennine peninsula in the 5th century AD. Theodoric was a Roman civilization-loving warlord and he acted accordingly allowing freedom of religion and revival of the Roman culture. But the leftover of the Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, was not happy with the way things were going on Sicily, so Emperor Justinian engaged the Ostrogoths in a war, called in history books, the Gothic War. Sicily was the first to fall. In the succeeding years the island served as a base for the Byzantines who quickly took the rest of Italy from the Ostrogoths. The Byzantine rule ended in the 9th century when the Muslims took over. The Muslims introduced oranges and lemons to the island`s agriculture which is important because today Sicily`s economy for the most part depends on the production of oranges. The Muslim rule ended in the 11th century when the Normans, led by the two brothers Roger and Robert Guiscard, defeated the Muslim army in 1068.

During the 12th century, the Kingdom of Sicily was established and it also included Apulia, Calabria, and the Maltese archipelago. The kingdom fared well in those days, being one of the wealthiest kingdoms exerting great power on the rest of Europe. In the following centuries, several dynasties succeeded on the Sicilian throne. After the Normans there were the Hohenstaufens from Germany. They were replaced by the Angevin Dynasty from France in 1266, but they lost their reign due to poor treatment of their subjects who eventually rebelled against the French in 1282. This conflict is known as the War of the Sicilian Vespers. During the conflict the people of Sicily asked the Spaniards for help. This resulted in the Spanish rule that lasted until the beginning of the 18th century when Sicily briefly fell into the hands of the Savoy Dynasty. Seven years later the Savoys traded Sicily for Sardinia with the Austrian Habsburg Dynasty who eventually lost it to the Bourbons of Spain. Again. Then came Napoleon who messed up everybody`s plans, but this situation did not last long. After the Napoleonic Wars, the Kingdom of Two Sicilies was established, and Naples and Sicily were merged once again. In 1860, Giuseppe Garibaldi made Sicily a part of the Kingdom of Italy.

Sicily is specific because most of the inhabitants are bilingual. Italian is the official language, but many people also speak Sicilian, also called Siculu. Like Italian, it is a Romance language influenced by Greek, Latin, Spanish and Arabic. and it is spoken in some parts of Calabria and Apulia. The Sicilians are very proud of their heritage and they jump at every opportunity to reiterate that some of the greatest minds were born on their island. For example, Greek philosopher and mathematician Archimedes was a native of Syracuse; Empedocles, also a philosopher, was born here;  the Nobel Prize winners Luigi Pirandello and Salvatore Quasimodo. There is one other thing that made Sicily famous - Cosa Nostra. Mainly through cinematography, Cosa Nostra has become one of the most notorious Italian exports. It is in actuality a loose organization comprised of about a hundred criminal groups, called cosche, that control certain areas, like towns or villages.  According to some historians, the mafia in this form developed in the mid-19th century, and spread beyond the European borders due to Italian emigration on a massive scale at the end of the same century. The most popular Cosa Nostra branches are located in the United States and Australia.

Sardinia

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea with the population of 1.6 million. It used to be divided into four provinces but in 2006, the local government added another four. The capital is Cagliari. Sardinia has been continuously inhabited since prehistory, but during the Neolithic the Nuragic civilization took shape. Around year 1000 BC, Phoenicians settled the Sardinian coast. Five hundred years later, the Nuragic natives entered into war with the Phoenicians but were overpowered so they asked the Carthaginians for assistance. Carthage helped but the price was letting Sardinia become a province the Carthaginian Empire. During the Punic Wars in the 3rd century BC, the Roman Republic exploited the fact that the Carthaginians were weak, so they annexed Sardina together with Corsica without much trouble.

During the early Middle Ages, Sardinia was briefly under the Vandal control, together with Sicily, but Justinian, the Byzantine Emperor, took it from them. In the 8th century, Arabs and Berbers occasionally invaded the island. In the 10th century, local authorities divided Sardinia into four districts that fell under different influences over the next few centuries.  In the first half of the 14th century, the Kingdom of Sardinia was established with the help of James II of Aragon. The island stayed under the Spanish rule until the beginning of the 18th century when it became a part of the kingdom ruled by the Savoy Dynasty of Piedmont. After the French Revolution, the Sardinians offered their help in defeating French army in exchange for their autonomy, and thus the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia was created. In 1860, this kingdom spearheaded the Italian unification making Vittorio Emanuele II, King of Sardinia, the first king of Italy.

Sardinia's economy mainly depends on tourism. The island offers many interesting and beautiful locations in the form of beaches and picturesque little towns along the coastline. Other sources of income come in the form of silver and gold mines. Industry is primarily concentrated around the production of oil rigs. The landscape of Sardinia is largely mountainous with a few rivers cutting across the island.  The longest Sardinian river is the Tirso, with a length of 151 kilometers.

Sardinian culture is famous for music. A specific way of  guttural singing called vocal polyphony is characteristic for Sardinia. The uniqueness of the island`s music is further emphasized by the use of an instrument that is an authentic Sardinian invention. This instrument is called the launeddas and it is made of wood. It is composed of three pipes and the player has to employ a technique called circular breathing, which means that he or she has to, at the same time, inhale air through the nose and exhale through the mouth into the pipes. Just like the Sicilians, the people of Sardinia have their own language different from Italian. It is also a Romance language with traces of Phoenician and Etruscan. Sardinian language is primarily used in rural communities.