Valle d'Aosta

Province and special autonomous region of northwest Italy, in the Alps; area 3,263 sq km/1,260 sq mi; population (1998 est) 120,000, many of whom are French-speaking. Its capital is Aosta. Wine and livestock are produced, and industries include the manufacture of special steels and textiles, and the production of hydroelectricity; tourism is also important.

The region is drained by the Dora Baltea River. Its many high peaks include Gran Paradiso, Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, and Monte Rosa. Two important routes across the Alps pass through it, the Mont Blanc Tunnel into France and the Great St Bernard Pass into Switzerland. There are two important Alpine resorts, Courmayeur and Breuil-Cervinia.