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ITALY (Italia)
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See also:ITALY (Italia) , the name 1 applied both in See also:ancient and in See also:modern times to the See also:great See also:peninsula that projects from the See also:mass of central See also:Europe far to the See also:south into the Mediterranean See also:Sea, where the See also:island of See also:Sicily may be considered as a continuation of the See also:continental promontory . The portion of the Mediterranean commonly termed the Tyrrhenian Sea forms its limit on the W. and S., and the Adriatic on the E.; while to the N., where it joins the See also:main See also:continent of Europe, it is separated from the adjacent regions by the mighty barrier of the See also:Alps, which sweeps See also:round in a vast semicircle from the See also:head of the Adriatic to the shores of See also:Nice and See also:Monaco . See also:Topography.—The See also:land thus circumscribed extends between the See also:parallels of 46° 40' and 36° 38' N., and between 6° 3o' and 18° 3o' E . Its greatest length in a straight See also:line along the main-land is from N.W. to S.E., in which direction it See also:measures 708 m. in a See also:direct line from the frontier near Courmayeur to Cape Sta Maria di Leuca, south of See also:Otranto, but the great See also:mountain peninsula of See also:Calabria extends about two degrees farther south to Cape Spartivento in See also:lat . 37° 55' . Its breadth is, owing to its configuration, very irregular . The See also:northern portion, measured from the Alps at the See also:Monte Viso to the mouth of the Po, has a breadth of about 270 m., while the maximum breadth, from the Rocca Chiardonnet near See also:Susa to a See also:peak in the valley of the Isonzo, is 354 M . But the peninsula of See also:Italy, which forms the largest portion of the See also:country, nowhere exceeds 15o m. in breadth, while it does not generally measure more than roo m. across . Its See also:southern extremity, Calabria, forms a See also:complete peninsula, being See also:united to the mass of Lucania or the See also:Basilicata by an See also:isthmus only 35 M. in width, while that between the gulfs of Sta Eufemia and Squillace, which connects the two portions of the See also:province, does not exceed 20 M . The See also:area of the See also:kingdom of Italy, exclusive of the large islands, is computed at 91,277 sq. m . Though See also:Bound- the Alps See also:form throughout the northern boundary of arks . Italy, the exact limits at the extremities of the Alpine See also:chain are not clearly marked . Ancient geographers appear to have generally regarded the remarkable headland which descends from the Maritime Alps to the sea between Nice and Monaco as the limit of Italy in that direction, and in a purely See also:geographical point of view it is probably the best point that could be selected . But See also:Augustus, who was the first to give to Italy a definite See also:political organization, carried the frontier to 10n the derivation see below, See also:History, See also:section A, ad. init . XV.the See also:river Varus or See also:Var, a few See also:miles See also:west of Nice, and this river continued in modern times to be generally recognized as the boundary between See also:France and Italy . But in 186o the See also:annexation of Nice and the adjoining territory to France brought the political frontier farther See also:east, to a point between See also:Mentone and See also:Ventimiglia which constitutes no natural limit . Towards the See also:north-east, the point where the See also:Julian Alps approach See also:close to the seashore (just at the See also:sources of the little stream known in ancient times as the Timavus) would seem to constitute the best natural limit . But by Augustus the frontier was carried farther east so as to include See also:Tergeste (See also:Trieste), and the little river Formio (Risano) was in the first instance chosen as the limit, but this was subsequently transferred to the river Arsia (the Arsa), which flows into the Gulf of Quarnero, so as to include almost all See also:Istria; and the circumstance that the See also:coast of Istria was throughout the See also:middle ages held by the See also:republic of See also:Venice tended to perpetuate this arrangement, so that Istria was generally regarded as belonging to Italy, though certainly not forming any natural portion of that country . See also:Present See also:Italian aspirations are similarly directed . The only other See also:part of the northern frontier of Italy where the boundary is not clearly marked by nature is See also:Tirol or the valley of the See also:Adige . Here the main chain of the Alps (as marked by the See also:watershed) recedes so far to the north that it has never constituted the frontier . In ancient times the upper valleys of the Adige and its tributaries were inhabited by Raetian tribes and included in the province of See also:Raetia; and the line of demarcation between that province and Italy was purely arbitrary, as it remains to this See also:day . Tridentum or See also:Trent was in the See also:time of See also:Pliny included in the tenth region of Italy or See also:Venetia, but he tells us that the inhabitants were a Raetian tribe . At the present day the frontier between See also:Austria and the kingdom of Italy crosses the Adige about 30 M. below Trent—that See also:city and its territory, which previous to the treaty of See also:Luneville in r8oi was governed by See also:sovereign archbishops, subject only to the See also:German emperors, being now included in the See also:Austrian See also:empire . While the Alps thus constitute the northern boundary of Italy, its configuration and See also:internal See also:geography are determined almost entirely by the great chain of the See also:Apennines, which branches off from the Maritime Alps between Nice and See also:Genoa, and, after stretching in an unbroken line from the Gulf of Genoa to the Adriatic, turns more to the south, and is continued throughout IT Central and Southern Italy, of which it forms as it were the back- farther has its outlet into the See also:lake between See also:Baveno and Pallanza. See also:bone, until it ends in the southernmost extremity of Calabria at Cape Spartivento . The great See also:spur or promontory projecting towards the east to See also:Brindisi and Otranto has no direct connexion with the central chain . One See also:chief result of the manner in which the Apennines See also:traverse Italy from the Mediterranean to the Adriatic is the marked See also:division between Northern Italy, including the region north of the Apennines and extending thence to the See also:foot of the Alps, and the central and more southerly portions of the peninsula . No such line of separation exists farther south, and the terms Central and . Southern Italy, though in See also:general use among geographers and convenient for descriptive purposes, do not correspond to any natural divisions . 1 . Northern Italy.—By far the larger portion of Northern Italy is occupied by the See also:basin of the Po, which comprises the whole of the broad See also:plain extending from the foot of the Apennines to that of the Alps, together with the valleys and slopes on both sides of it . From its source in Monte Viso to its outflow into the Adriatic—a distance of more than 220 M. in a direct line—the Po receives all the See also:waters that flow from the Apennines northwards, and all those that descend from the Alps towards the south, Mincio (the outlet of the Lake of See also:Garda) inclusive . The next river to the E. is the Adige, which, after pursuing a parallel course with the Po for a considerable distance, enters the Adriatic by a See also:separate mouth . Farther to the N. and N.E. the various See also:rivers of Venetia fall directly into the Gulf of Venice . There is no other instance in Europe of a basin of similar extent equally clearly characterized—the perfectly level See also:character of the plain being as striking as the boldness with which the See also:lower slopes of the mountain ranges begin to rise on each See also:side of it . This is most clearly marked on the side of the Apennines, where the great Aemilian Way, which has been the high road.from the time of the See also:Romans to our own, preserves an unbroken straight line from See also:Rimini to See also:Piacenza, a distance of more than 15o m., during which the underfalls of the mountains continually approach it on the See also:left, without once See also:crossing the line of road . The geography of Northern Italy will be best described by following the course of the Po . That river has its origi,ii as a mountain torrent descending from two little dark lakes on the north flank of Monte Viso, at a height of more than 6000 ft. above the sea; and after a course of less than 20 M. it enters the plain at See also:Saluzzo, between which and "See also:Turin, a distance of only 30 m., it receives three considerable tributaries—the Chisone on its left See also:bank, bringing down the waters from the valley of Fenestrelle, and the Varaita and Maira on the south, contributing those of two valleys of the Alps immediately south of that of the Po itself . A few miles below Valenza it is joined by the Tanaro, a large stream, which brings with it the united waters of the Stura, the Bormida and several See also:minor rivers . More important are the rivers that descend from the main chain of the Graian and Pennine Alps and join the Po on its left bank . Of these the Dora (called for distinction's See also:sake Dora Riparia), which unites with the greater river just below Turin, has its source in the Mont Genevre, and flows past Susa at the foot of the Mont Cenis . Next comes the Stura, which rises in the glaciers of the See also:Roche See also:Melon; then the Orca, flowing through the Val di Locana; and then the Dora Baltea, one of the greatest of all the Alpine tributaries of the Po, which has its source in the glaciers of Mont See also:Blanc, above Courmayeur, and thence descends through the Val d'See also:Aosta for about 7o m. till it enters the plain at See also:Ivrea, and, after flowing about 20 m. more, joins the Po a few miles below See also:Chivasso . This great valley—one of the most considerable on the southern side of the Alps—has attracted See also:special See also:attention, in ancient as well as modern times, from its leading to two of the most frequented passes across the great mountain chain —the Great and the Little St See also:Bernard—the former diverging at Aosta, and crossing the main ridges to the north into the valley of the See also:Rhone, the other following a more See also:westerly direction into See also:Savoy . Below Aosta also the Dora Baltea receives several considerable tributaries, which descend from the glaciers between Mont Blanc and Monte See also:Rosa . About 25 M. below its confluence with the Dora, the Po receives the Sesia, also a large river, which has its source above Alagna at the southern foot of Monte Rosa, and after flowing by Varallo and See also:Vercelli falls into the Po about 14 M. below the latter city . About 30 M. east of this confluence—in the course of which the Po makes a great See also:bend south to Valenza, and then returns again to the northward—it is joined by the See also:Ticino, a large and rapid river, which brings with it the outflow of Lago See also:Maggiore and all the waters that flow into it . Of these the Ticino itself has its source about 10 m. above Airolo at the foot of the St Gotthard, and after flowing above 36 m. through the Val Leventina to See also:Bellinzona (where it is joined by the Moesa bringing down the waters of the Val Misocco) enters the lake through a marshy plain at Magadino, about to m. distant . On the west side of the lake the Toccia or Tosa descends from the pass of the Gries nearly due south to Domodossola, where it receives the waters of the Doveria from the Simplon, and a few miles lower down those of the Val d'Anzasca from the foot of Monte Rosa, and 12 M . The Lago Maggiore is also the receptacle of the waters of the Lago di See also:Lugano on the east and the Lago d'See also:Orta on the west . The next great affluent of the Po, the See also:Adda, forms the outflow of the Lake of See also:Como, and has also its sources in the Alps, above See also:Bormio, whence it flows through the broad and fertile valley of the See also:Valtellina for more than 65 m. till it enters the lake near Colico . The Adda in this part of its course has a direction almost due east to west; but at the point where it reaches the lake, the Liro descends the valley of S . Giacomo, which runs nearly north and south from the pass of the Spliigen, thus affording one of the most direct lines of communication across the Alps . The Adda flows out of the lake at its south-eastern extremity at See also:Lecco, and has thence a course through the plain of above 70 m. till it enters the Po between Piacenza and See also:Cremona . It flows by See also:Lodi and Pizzighettone, and receives the waters of the Brembo, descending from the Val Brembana, and the Serio from the Val Seriana above See also:Bergamo . The Olio, a more considerable stream than either of the last two, rises in the Monte Tonale above Edolo, and descends through the Val Camonica to See also:Lovere, where it expands into a large lake, called See also:Iseo from the See also:town of that name on its southern See also:shore . Issuing thence at its south-west extremity, the Oglio has a See also:long and winding course through the plain before it finally reaches the Po a few miles above Borgoforte . In this lower part it receives the smaller streams of the Melia, which flows by See also:Brescia, and the Chiese, which proceeds from the small Lago d'Idro, between the Lago d'Iseo and that of Garda . The last of the great tributaries of the Po is the Mincio, which flows from the Lago di Garda, and has a course of about 40 M. from Peschiera, where it issues from the lake at its south-eastern See also:angle, till it joins the Po . About 12 M. above the confluence it passes under the walls of See also:Mantua, and expands into a broad lake-like reach so as entirely to encircle that city . Notwithstanding its extent, the Lago di Garda is not fed by the snows of the high Alps, nor is the stream which enters it at its northern extremity (at See also:Riva) commonly known as the Mincio, though forming the main source of that river, but is termed the Sarca; it rises at the foot of Monte Tonale . The Adige, formed by the junction of two streams—the Etsch or Adige proper and the Eisak, both of which belong to Tirol rather than to Italy—descends as far as See also:Verona, where it enters the great plain, with a course from north to south nearly parallel to the rivers last described, and would seem likely to See also:discharge its waters into those of the Po, but below See also:Legnago it turns eastward and runs parallel to the Po for about 40 m., entering the Adriatic by an See also:independent mouth about 8 m. from the northern outlet of the greater stream . The waters of the two rivers have, however, been made to communicate by artificial cuts and canals in more than one See also:place . The Po itself, which is here a very large stream, with an See also:average width of 400 to 60o yds., continues to flow with an undivided mass of waters as far as Sta Maria di Ariano, where it parts into two arms, known as the Po di Maestra and Po di Goro, and these again are subdivided into several other branches, forming a See also:delta above 20 m. in width from north to south . The point of bifurcation, at present about 25 M. from the sea, was formerly much farther inland, more than to m. west of See also:Ferrara, where a small See also:arm of the river, still called the Po di Ferrara, branches from the main stream . Previous to the See also:year 1154 this channel was the main stream, and the two small branches into which it subdivides, called the Po di Volano and Po di Primaro, were in See also:early times the two main outlets of the river . The southernmost of these, the Po di Primaro, enters the Adriatic about 12 M. north of See also:Ravenna, so that if these two arms be included, the delta of the Po extends about 36 m. from south to north . The whole course of the river, including its windings, is estimated at about 450 M . Besides the delta of the Po and the large marshy tracts which it forms, there exist on both sides of it extensive lagoons of See also:salt See also:water, generally separated from the Adriatic by narrow strips of See also:sand or embankments, partly natural and partly artificial, but having openings which admit the influx and efflux of the sea-water, and serve as ports for communication with the mainland . The best known and the most extensive of these lagoons is that in which Venice is situated, which extends from See also:Torcello in the north to See also:Chioggia and Brondolo in the south, a distance of above 40 M.; but they were formerly much more extensive, and afforded a continuous means of internal See also:navigation, by what were called " the Seven Seas" (Septem Maria), from Ravenna to See also:Altinum, a few miles north of Torcello . That city, like Ravenna, originally stood in the midst of a See also:lagoon; and the coast east of it to near Monfalcone, where it meets the mountains, is occupied by similar expanses of water, which are, however, becoming gradually converted into dry land . The See also:tract adjoining this long line of lagoons is, like the basin of the Po, a broad expanse of perfectly level alluvial plain, extending from the Adige eastwards to the Carnic Alps, where they approach close to the Adriatic between See also:Aquileia and Trieste, and northwards to the foot of the great chain, which here sweeps round in a semicircle from the neighbourhood of See also:Vicenza to that of Aquileia . The space thus included was known in ancient times as Venetia, a name applied in the middle ages to the well-known city; the eastern portion of it became known in the middle ages as the Frioul or See also:Friuli . Returning to the south of the Po, the tributaries of that river on its right bank below the Tanaro are very inferior in See also:volume and importance to those from the north . Flowing from the Ligurian Apennines, which never attain the limit of perpetual See also:snow, they The line of the highest summits and of the watershed ranges is generally dwindle in summer into insignificant streams . Beginning about 30 to 40 M. from the Adriatic, while about See also:double that distance from the Tanaro, the See also:principal of them are—(I) the Scrivia,a small separates it from the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west . In this part of but rapid stream flowing from the Apennines at the back of Genoa ; the range almost all the highest points of the Apennines are found . (2) the Trebbia, a much larger river, though of the same torrent-like Beginning from the See also:group called the Alpi della See also:Luna near the sources character, which rises near Torriglia within 20 m. of Genoa, flows of the See also:Tiber, which attain 4435 ft., they are continued by the Monte by See also:Bobbio, and joins the Po a few miles above Piacenza; (3) the Nerone (5010 ft.), Monte Catria (5590), and Monte Maggio to the Nure, a few miles east of the preceding; (4) the Taro, a more See also:con- Monte Pennino near Nocera (5169 ft.), and thence to the Monte siderable stream; (5) the See also:Parma, flowing by the city of the same delta Sibilla, at the source of the Nar or Nera, which attains 7663 ft. name; (6) the Enza; (7) the Secchia, which flows by See also:Modena; Proceeding thence southwards, we find in See also:succession the Monte (8) the Panaro, a few miles to the east of that city; (9) the See also:Reno, Vettore (8128 ft.), the See also:Pizzo di Sevo (7945 ft.), and the two great which flows by See also:Bologna, but instead of holding its course till it dis- mountain masses of the Monte Corno, commonly called the Gran charges its waters into the Po, as it did in See also:Roman times, is turned Sasso d'Italia, the most lofty of all the Apennines, attaining to a aside by an artificial channel into the Po di Primaro . The other height of 9560 ft., and the Monte della Maiella, its highest See also:summit small streams east of this—of which the most considerable are the measuring 9170 ft . Farther south no very lofty summits are found Solaro, the Santerno, flowing by See also:Imola, the Lamone by See also:Faenza, the till we come to the group of Monti del Matese, in Samnium (666o ft.), Montone by Forli, all in Roman times tributaries of the Po—have which according to the division here adopted belongs to Southern their outlet in like manner into the Po di Primaro, or by artificial Italy . Besides the lofty central masses enumerated there are two mouths into the Adriatic between Ravenna and Rimini . The river other lofty peaks, outliers from the main range, and separated from Marecchia, which enters the sea immediately north of Rimini, may it by valleys of considerable extent . These are the Monte Terminillo, be considered as the natural limit of Northern Italy . It was adopted near Leonessa (7278 ft.), and the Monte Velino near the Lake See also:Fucino, by Augustus as the boundary of Gallia Cispadana ; the far-famed rising to 8192 ft., both of which are covered with snow from See also:November See also:Rubicon was a trifling stream a few miles farther north, now called till May . But the Apennines of Central Italy, instead of presenting, Fiumicino . The Savio is the only other stream of any importance like the Alps and the northern Apennines, a definite central See also:ridge, which has always flowed directly into the Adriatic from this side of with transverse valleys leading down from it on both sides, in reality the Tuscan Apennines. constitute a mountain mass of very considerable breadth, composed The narrow See also:strip of coast-land between the Maritime Alps, the of a number of minor ranges and See also:groups of mountains, which pre-Apennines and the sea—called in ancient times See also:Liguria, and now serve a generally parallel direction, and are separated by upland known as the See also:Riviera of Genoa—is throughout its extent, from Nice valleys, some of them of considerable extent as well as considerable to Genoa on the one side, and from Genoa to See also:Spezia on the other, See also:elevation above the sea . Such is the basin of Lake Fucino, situated almost wholly mountainous . It is occupied by the branches and in the centre of the mass, almost exactly midway between the two offshoots of the mountain ranges which separate it from the great seas, at an elevation of 2180 ft. above them; while the upper valley plain to the north, and send down their lateral ridges close to the of the Aterno, in which See also:Aquila is situated, is 23,80 ft. above the sea. water's edge, leaving only in places a few square miles of level plains Still more elevated is the valley of the Gizio (a tributary of the at the mouths of the rivers and openings of the valleys . The See also:district Aterno), of which See also:Sulmona is the chief town . This communicates is by no means devoid of fertility, the steep slopes facing the south with the upper valley of the Sangro by a level plain called the Piano enjoying so See also:fine a See also:climate as to render them very favourable for the di Cinque Miglia, at an elevation of 4298 ft., regarded as the most growth of See also:fruit trees, especially the See also:olive, which is cultivated in wintry spot in Italy . Nor do the highest summits form a continuous terraces to a considerable height up the See also:face of the mountains, while ridge of great See also:altitude for any considerable distance; they are rather the openings of the valleys are generally occupied by towns or villages, a See also:series of groups separated by tracts of very inferior elevation some of which have become favourite See also:winter resorts. forming natural passes across the range, and broken in some places From the proximity of the mountains to the sea none of the rivers (as is the See also:case in almost all See also:limestone countries) by the waters from in this part of Italy has a long course, and they are generally See also:mere the upland valleys turning suddenly at right angles, and breaking mountain torrents, rapid and swollen in winter and See also:spring, and almost through the mountain ranges which bound them . Thus the Gran dry in summer . The largest and most important are those which Sasso and the Maiella are separated by the deep valley of the Aterno, descend from the Maritime Alps between Nice and See also:Albenga . The while the Tronto breaks through the range between Monte Vettore most considerable of them are—the Roja, which rises in the See also:Col di and the Pizzo di Sevo . This constitution of the great mass of the Tenda and descends to Ventimiglia; the Taggia, between See also:San central Apennines has in all ages exercised an important See also:influence Remo and Oneglia; and the Centa, which enters the sea at Albenga. upon the character of this portion of Italy, which may be considered The See also:Lavagna, which enters the sea at See also:Chiavari, is the only stream as divided by nature into two great regions, a See also:cold and barren upland of any importance between Genoa and the Gulf of Spezia . But country, bordered on both sides by See also:rich and fertile tracts, enjoying immediately east of that inlet (a remarkable instance of a deep land- a warm but temperate climate . locked gulf with no river flowing into it) the Magra, which descends The district west of the Apennines, a region of great beauty and from See also:Pontremoli down the valley known as the Lunigiana, is a large fertility, though inferior in productiveness to Northern Italy, coincides stream, and brings with it the waters of another considerable stream, in a general way with the countries See also:familiar to all students of ancient the Vara . The Magra (Macra), in ancient times the boundary history as See also:Etruria and See also:Latium . Until the See also:union of Italy they were between Liguria and Etruria, may be considered as constituting on comprised in See also:Tuscany and the southern Papal States . The northern this side the limit of Northern Italy. part of Tuscany is indeed occupied to a considerable extent by the The Apennines (q.v.), as has been already mentioned, here traverse underfalls and offshoots of the Apennines, which, besides the slopes the whole breadth of Italy, cutting off the peninsula properly so and spurs of the main range that constitutes its northern frontier termed from the broader mass of Northern Italy by a continuous towards the plain of the Po, throw off several outlying ranges or barrier of considerable breadth, though of far inferior elevation to groups . Of these the most remarkable is the group between the that of the Alps . The Ligurian Apennines may be considered as valleys of the Serchio and the Magra, commonly known as the taking their rise in the neighbourhood of See also:Savona, where a pass of mountains of See also:Carrara, from the celebrated See also:marble quarries in the very moderate elevation connects them with the Maritime Alps, vicinity of that city . Two of the summits of this group, the Pizzo of which they are in fact only a continuation . From the See also:neighbour- d'Uccello and the Pania della Croce, attain 6155 and 6ioo ft . Another See also:hood of Savona to that of Genoa they do not rise to more than 3000 lateral range, the See also:Prato Magno, which branches off from the central to 4000 ft., and are traversed by passes of less than 2000 ft . As they chain at the Monte Falterona, and separates the upper valley of extend towards the east they increase in elevation; the Monte Bue the See also:Arno from its second basin, rises to 5188 ft.; while a similar rises to 5915 ft., while the Monte Cimone, a little farther east, attains See also:branch, called the Alpe di Catenaja, of inferior elevation, divides 7103 ft . This is the highest point in the northern Apennines, and the upper course of the Arno from that of the Tiber . belongs to a group of summits of nearly equal altitude; the range The See also:rest of this tract is for the most part a hilly, broken country, which is continued thence between Tuscany and what are now of moderate elevation, but Monte Amiata, near Radicofani, an isolated known as the Emilian provinces presents a continuous ridge from mass of volcanic origin, attains a height of 565o ft . South of this the the mountains at the head of the Val di Mugello (due north of country between the frontier of Tuscany and the Tiber is in great part See also:Florence) to the point where they are traversed by the celebrated of volcanic origin, forming hills with distinct See also:crater-shaped basins, Furlo Pass .
The highest point in this part of the range is the Monte in several instances occupied by small lakes (the Lake of See also:Bolsena, Falterona, above the sources of the Arno, which attains 5410 ft
.
Lake of See also:Vico and Lake of See also:Bracciano)
.
This volcanic tract extends Throughout this tract the Apennines are generally covered with across the Campagna of See also:Rome, till it rises again in the lofty group extensive forests of See also:chestnut, See also:oak and See also:beech; while their upper slopes of the See also:Alban hills, the highest summit of which, the Monte Cavo, afford admirable pasturage
.
Few towns of any importance are found is 3160 ft. above the sea
.
In this part the Apennines are separated either on their northern or southern declivity, and the former from the sea, distant about 30 M. by the undulating volcanic plain of region especially, though occupying a tract of from 3o to 40 m. in the Roman Campagna, from which the mountains rise in a See also:wall-like width, between the See also:crest of the Apennines and the plain of the Po, is barrier, of which the highest point, the Monte Gennaro, attains one of the least known and at the same time least interesting portions 4165 ft
.
South of See also:Palestrina again, the main mass of the Apennines
of Italy. throws off another lateral mass, known in ancient times as the Volscian
2
.
Central Italy.—The geography of Central Italy is almost wholly mountains (now called the Monti Lepini), separated from the central determined by the Apennines, which traverse it in a direction ranges by the broad valley of the Sacco, a tributary of the See also:Liri (Liris) from about north-north-east to south-south-west, almost precisely or Garigliano, and forming a large and rugged mountain mass, nearly parallel to that of the coast of the Adriatic from Rimini to See also:Pescara
.
5000 ft. in height, which descends to the sea at See also:Terracina, and
between that point and the mouth of the Liri throws out several rugged mountain headlands, which may be considered as constituting the natural boundary between Latium and See also:Campania, and consequently the natural limit of Central Italy
.
Besides these offshoots of the Apennines there are in this part of Central Italy several detached mountains, rising almost like islands on the seashore, of which the two most remarkable are the Monte Argentaro on the coast of Tuscany near See also:Orbetello (2087 ft.) and the Monte Circello (1771 ft.) at the angle of the Pontine Marshes, by the whole breadth of which it is separated from the Volscian Apennines
.
The two valleys of the Arno and the Tiber (Ital
.
Tevere) may be considered as furnishing the See also: Its principal tributary is the See also:Sieve, which joins it at Pontassieve, bringing down the waters of the Val di Mugello . The Elsa and the Era, which join it on its left bank, descending from the hills near See also:Siena and See also:Volterra, are inconsiderable streams; and the Serchio, which flows from the territory of See also:Lucca and the Alpi Apuani, and formerly joined the Arno a few miles from its mouth, now enters the sea by a separate channel . The most considerable rivers of Tuscany south of the Arno are the Cecina, which flows through the plain below Volterra, and the Ombrone, which rises in the hills near Siena, and enters the 'sea about 12 M. below See also:Grosseto . The Tiber, a much more important river than the Arno, and the largest in Italy with the exception of the Po, rises in the Apennines, about 20 in. east of the source of the Arno, and flows nearly south by Borgo S . Sepolcro and Citta di See also:Castello, then between See also:Perugia and See also:Todi to Orte, just below which it receives the Nera . The Nera, which rises in the lofty group of the Monte delta Sibilla, is a consider-able stream, and brings with it the waters of the Velino (with its tributaries the Turano and the See also:Salto), which joins it a few miles below its celebrated See also:waterfall at See also:Terni . The Teverone or Anio, which enters the Tiber a few miles above Rome, is an inferior stream to the Nera, but brings down a considerable See also:body of water from the mountains above See also:Subiaco . It is a singular fact in the geography of Central Italy that the valleys of the Tiber and Arno are in some measure connected by that of the See also:Chiana, a level and marshy tract, the waters from which flow partly into the Arno and partly into the Tiber . The eastern declivity of the central Apennines towards the Adriatic is far less interesting and varied than the western . The central range here approaches much nearer to the sea, and hence, with few exceptions, the rivers that flow from it have See also:short courses and are of comparatively little importance . They may be enumerated, proceeding from Rimini southwards: (I) the Foglia; (2) the Metauro, of See also:historical celebrity, and affording See also:access to one of the most frequented passes of the Apennines; (3) the Esino; (4) Abruzzi, and may therefore be taken as the limit of Central Italy . The whole of this portion of Central Italy is a hilly country, much broken and cut up by the torrents from the mountains, but fertile, especially in fruit-trees, See also:olives and vines; and it has been, both in ancient and modern times, a populous district, containing many small towns though no great cities . Its chief disadvantage is the See also:absence of ports, the coast preserving an almost unbroken straight line, with the single exception of See also:Ancona, the only See also:port worthy of the name on the eastern coast of Central Italy . 3 . Southern Italy.—The great central mass of the Apennines, which has held its course throughout Central Italy, with a general direction from north-west to south-east, may be considered as continued in the same direction for about too m. farther, from the basin-shaped group of the Monti del Matese (which rises to 6660 ft.) to the neighbourhood of See also:Potenza, in the See also:heart of the province of Basilicata, corresponding nearly to the ancient Lucania . The whole of the district known in ancient times as Samnium (a part of which retains the name of Sannio, though officially designated the province of See also:Campobasso) is occupied by an irregular mass of mountains, of much inferior height to those of Central Italy, and broken up into a number of groups, intersected by rivers, which have for the most part a very tortuous course . This mountainous tract, which has an average breadth of from 50 to 6o m., is bounded west by the plain of Campania, now called the Terra di Lavoro, and east by the much broader and more extensive tract of See also:Apulia or Puglia, composed partly of level plains, but for the most part of undulating See also:downs, contrasting strongly with the mountain ranges of the Apennines, which rise abruptly above them . The central mass of the mountains, however, throws out two outlying ranges, the one to the west, which separates the See also:Bay of See also:Naples from that of See also:Salerno, and culminates in the Monte S . Angelo above Castellammare (4720 ft.), while the detached volcanic See also:cone of See also:Vesuvius (nearly 4000 ft.) is isolated from the neighbouring mountains by an intervening strip of plain . On the east side in like manner the Monte See also:Gargano (3465 ft.), a detached limestone masswhich projects in a bold spur-like promontory into the Adriatic, forming the only break in the otherwise See also:uniform coast-line cif Italy on that sea, though separated from the great body of the Apennines by a considerable See also:interval of See also:low country, may be considered as merely an outlier from the central mass . From the neighbourhood of Potenza, the main ridge of the Apennines is continued by the Monti della Maddalena in a direction nearly due south, so that it approaches within a short distance of the Gulf of Policastro, whence it is carried on as far as the Monte Pollino, the last of the lofty summits of the Apennine chain, which exceeds 7000 ft. in height . The range is, however, continued through the province now called Calabria, to the southern extremity or " toe " of Italy, but presents in this part a very much altered character, the broken limestone range which is the true continuation of the chain as far as the neighbourhood of See also:Nicastro and See also:Catanzaro, and keeps close to the west coast, being flanked on the east by a great mass of granitic mountains, rising to about 6000 ft., and covered with vast forests, from which it derives the name of La See also:Sila . A similar mass, separated from the preceding by a low See also:neck of See also:Tertiary hills, fills up the whole of the See also:peninsular extremity of Italy from Squillace to Reggio . Its highest point is called See also:Aspromonte (6420 ft.) . While the rugged and mountainous district of Calabria, extending nearly due south for a distance of more than 15o m., thus derives its character and configuration almost wholly from the range of the Apennines, the long spur-like promontory which projects towards the east to Brindisi and Otranto is merely a continuation of the low tract of Apulia, with a dry calcareous See a |