A central Italian region

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The term Abruzzi derives from the time when the region was part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the territory was administered as Abruzzo Citeriore (Nearer Abruzzo) and Abruzzo Ulteriore I and II (Farther Abruzzo I and II ), that being nearer and farther from Naples, the capital of the kingdom. Abruzzo Citeriore is present day Chieti province. Abruzzo Ulteriore I comprises the Teramo and Pescara provinces; Abruzzo Ulteriore II now comprises the Province of L’Aquila.

Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than 50 miles due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east. Until 1963 Abruzzo was part of the region with Molise.

Abruzzo covers 10,794 square kilometers, almost two-thirds of which is mountainous. The remainder of the land consists of hills sloping to a narrow plain that runs for most of the 129 kilometre long Adriatic coastline. The Apennine mountain chain runs through the Abruzzo where it reaches its greatest elevations on the Italian pennisula, the highest peaks being Corno Grande (Gran Sasso massif) (2914m) and Monte Amaro (Maiella-group) (2795m). The main rivers are the Aterno-Pescara, the Sangro and the Tronto. Abruzzo is divided into 4 provinces: L’Aquila, Teramo, Chieti and Pescara.

Since the 1950s, Abruzzo had steady economic growth. From the early to mid-20th century Abruzzo’s population was in decline. Beginning in the 1970s, this trend began to reverse as Abruzzo’s population grew due to a net migration into the region.The construction of superhighways from Rome to Teramo (A24) and Rome to Pescara (A25) opened Abruzzo to easy access, state and private investment in the region increased, and Abruzzo attained higher per capita education levels and greater productivity growth than the rest of the Mezziogiorno. Abruzzo’s industrial sector has expanded rapidly, especially in mechanical engineering, transportation equipment and telecommunications.

The region has 21 ski areas with 368 km. of runs, all within a few hours of Rome. The most developed resort being Roccaraso, followed by Campo Felice, and Campo Imperatore. Abruzzo also is popular for cross country skiing, especially on the high plain of Campo Imperatore in the Gran Sasso as well as the Piana Grande in the Majella. The Gran Sasso is the Italian peninsula’s highest peak, Corno Grande, and Europe’s southernmost glacier, Il Calderone.

In the past, the region of Abruzzo was well known for the transumanza, the migratory movement of sheep principally south to the region of Puglia during the cold winter months.

Abruzzo holds some of Italy’s best-preserved medieval and Renaissance hill towns. The abrupt decline of Abruzzo’s agricultural economy in the early to mid-20th century saved some of the region’s most beautiful hill towns from the onslaught of modern development. Within the Gran Sasso National Park is Castelli, an ancient pottery center whose artisans produced ceramics for most of the royal houses of Europe. Although still home to many artisans, Castelli has a modest tourist trade.

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