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Umbria

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Umbria is a beautiful region in central Italy.

Perugia - panoramio (3)
Perugia - panoramio (3)

It is a very special place because it is the only part of the Apennine Peninsula that is landlocked. This means it has no coastline and no sea nearby. It sits between the regions of Tuscany, Marche, and Lazio. The land is full of many different shapes. You can find high mountains and rolling hills everywhere. There are also deep valleys and thick forests. Some people even call it "The green heart of Italy."

Perugia Piazza IV Novembre
Perugia Piazza IV Novembre

Water plays a huge part in how the land looks. The Tiber River flows through the region and helps form the border with Lazio. Other rivers like the Chiascio and the Topino also flow through the valleys. One very famous river is the Nera. It flows into the Tiber near the city of Terni. The Nera has created a wide plain and many deep ravines.

Gole Nera Mole
Gole Nera Mole

It also makes the huge Marmore Falls.

Cascata delle Marmore (24)
Cascata delle Marmore (24)

Long ago, there were two shallow lakes in this area. Romans and later monks worked for many years to drain them.

History in Umbria goes back a very long time. The region is named after the Umbri people. They lived in small homes in the mountains. Later, the Romans expanded and took control of the area. The Romans built important roads like the via Flaminia to help people travel. In the Middle Ages, different groups like the Lombards and Byzantines fought for the land. Some cities became independent and had their own leaders. These cities often had many arguments with each other. The Pope also held power in the region for a long time.

Today, about 851,954 people live in Umbria. The region is divided into two main provinces. The Province of Perugia is the largest with 636,531 people. The Province of Terni is smaller with 215,423 people. Perugia is the capital city and a very important place. It is known as a center for university students. Other famous towns include Assisi, which is a World Heritage Site. You can also visit Gubbio, which has very old tablets written in the Umbrian language.

Gubbio Corsa Ceri
Gubbio Corsa Ceri

Life in Umbria has changed a lot over the years. For a long time, most people worked in farming. At the end of the 19th century, things changed because of industry. A large steelworks was built in Terni. It was put there because the Marmore waterfall provided lots of electric power. In the mountains, you can find the Piano Grande.

I Piani di Castelluccio durante la fioritura della lenticchia (4)
I Piani di Castelluccio durante la fioritura della lenticchia (4)

This flat area is famous for its beautiful fields of lentils. Even though earthquakes sometimes hit the eastern part, the region remains a famous part of Italy.

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🖼️ Images & Media (6)
File:Perugia Piazza IV Novembre.JPG
Perugia Piazza IV Novembre.JPG
File:Cascata delle Marmore (24).jpg
Cascata delle Marmore (24).jpg
File:Gole Nera Mole.jpg
Gole Nera Mole.jpg
File:I Piani di Castelluccio durante la fioritura della lenticchia (4).jpg
I Piani di Castelluccio durante la...
File:Perugia - panoramio (3).jpg
Perugia - panoramio (3).jpg
File:Gubbio Corsa Ceri.jpg
Gubbio Corsa Ceri.jpg
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