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Apulia

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Apulia is a beautiful region in southern Italy.

Map of region of Apulia, Italy, with provinces-it
Map of region of Apulia, Italy, with provinces-it

It sits on the peninsula part of the country. To the east, the Adriatic Sea meets the coast. The Ionian Sea and the Strait of Otranto are to the southeast. The Gulf of Taranto sits to the south. To the north, Apulia borders the Molise region. Campania is to the west, and Basilicata is to the southwest. The city of Bari is the capital of this area.

Ostuni col drone
Ostuni col drone

The land here has many different shapes. In the north, the Gargano promontory sticks out into the sea. In the south, the Salento peninsula looks like the heel of Italy's boot. Much of the land is flat or has gentle hills. The highest point is Monte Cornacchia in the Daunian Mountains. There are also two big national parks. These are the Alta Murgia and Gargano National Parks.

Castel del Monte - Andria
Castel del Monte - Andria

The weather in Apulia follows a Mediterranean pattern. Summers are often hot, dry, and very sunny. Winters are usually mild and rainy. Snow is rare on the coast, but it has happened lately. In Lecce and Foggia, summer temperatures can reach 40 degrees Celsius. Winds from the sea change the feeling of the day. A wind from the north can cool things down. A wind from North Africa, called the Sirocco, can bring heat and red dust from the Sahara Desert.

Lecce Santa Croce
Lecce Santa Croce

People have lived in Apulia for a very long time. Fossils of the Altamura Man show people were there 250,000 years ago. Later, groups called the Iapygians lived there. Ancient Greeks also moved to the coastal areas. Many different groups ruled the land over the years. These included the Romans, Byzantines, Normans, and Spanish. King Frederick II even built the famous Castel del Monte between 1240 and 1250.

Castel del Monte - Andria
Castel del Monte - Andria

Today, many people live and work in Apulia. As of 2025, there are about 3,874,166 people. The region has many different kinds of jobs. Some people work in food processing or make vehicles. Other industries focus on shoes, textiles, or furniture.

There is also a huge steel plant in Taranto. Many people visit the coast to swim in the sea. In 2010, experts said 98.6% of the coasts were good for bathing.

Ulivi modugno2
Ulivi modugno2
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🖼️ Images & Media (9)
File:Lecce Santa Croce.jpg
Lecce Santa Croce.jpg
File:Murge Castel del Monte.jpg
Murge Castel del Monte.jpg
File:Castel del Monte - Andria.jpg
Castel del Monte - Andria.jpg
File:Ostuni col drone.jpg
Ostuni col drone.jpg
File:Southern Italy, ca. 1000 AD.svg
Southern Italy, ca. 1000 AD.svg
File:Vigneto_a_tendone_in_agro_di_Barletta.JPG
Vigneto_a_tendone_in_agro_di_Barletta.JPG
File:Terre_Tarentine.jpg
Terre_Tarentine.jpg
File:Ulivi_modugno2.jpg
Ulivi_modugno2.jpg
File:Map of region of Apulia, Italy, with provinces-it.svg
Map of region of Apulia, Italy, with...
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