Basilicata
Mountainous region of southern Italy, forming the instep of the Italian ‘boot’. Bordering on the Tyrrhenian Sea in the southwest and the Gulf of Taranto in the southeast, it comprises the provinces of Potenza and Matera; area 9,992 sq km/3,858 sq mi; population (2001 est) 595,700. The capital is Potenza.
History
The region was taken by the Romans in 272
BC, when it became known as Lucania, a part of ancient Samnium. It later passed to the Lombards and the Byzantines, becoming part of the Norman Duchy of Apulia in the 11th century. Basilicata formed part of the kingdom of Naples from the 13th century, but was essentially controlled by independent feudal lords; it became part of the kingdom of Italy in 1861. The region has suffered from the devastating effects of malaria, which caused its coastal towns to be abandoned during the Middle Ages, and from numerous earthquakes.
Physical The region is almost entirely composed of the mountainous southern, or Lucanian, Apennines, and is generally higher in the west, rising to Monte Pollino at 2,271 m/7,453 ft. The chief rivers are the upper Ofanto, the Bradano, and the Basento. The soil is poor, largely because of deforestation and consequent soil erosion. |
Economy Although farming is difficult due to the dry climate and scarcity of groundwater, agriculture is important; durum wheat, olives, plums, and grapes are cultivated, and sheep and goats raised. There is very little industry in the region, except around Pisticci where there is a chemical plant. As the area was so underdeveloped, Basilicata became one of Italy's least populated regions in the 20th century, with a high rate of emigration (mainly to the USA and to northern Italian industrialized towns). In recent decades state-aided coastal reclamation, industrial regeneration, and road-building has reversed this trend. The process continues with the further development of tourism. |
