Lombardy

I

Introduction

Lombardy, region in northern Italy, bordered on the north by Switzerland, on the east by Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto, to the south by Emilia-Romagna, and to the west by Piedmont. Lombardy comprises the provinces of Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Mantova, Milano, Monza and Brianza, Pavia, Sondrio, and Varese. The total land area of the region is 23,861 sq km (9,213 sq mi).

II

Physical Geography

In northern and eastern Lombardy there are a number of beautiful lakes, including Como, Maggiore, and Garda. The River Po flows across the south of Lombardy, along the border with Emilia-Romagna. The River Mincio flows southwards from Lake Garda and joins the Po a short distance to the south-east of the city of Mantua. The Ticino, another tributary of the Po, forms part of the region’s boundary with Piedmont in the west. Northern Lombardy is mountainous; the Bernina Alps, which form a natural border with the Swiss canton of Graubünden, contain a number of peaks over 3,500 m (11,480 ft).

III

Population

Lombardy is the most populous of Italy’s administrative regions, with 9,393,092 inhabitants (2005 estimate); the average population density is 394 people per sq km (1,020 per sq mi). Milan (population, 2005 estimate, 1,299,439) is the regional capital and largest city; other important cities include Brescia (2001, 187,567); Bergamo (2001 estimate, 117,415); Varese (1997 estimate, 84,240); Como (2001, 78,680); Pavia (1997 estimate, 74,201); Cremona (2001, 70,887); Mantua (2001, 47,790); and Sondrio (1997 estimate, 22,122).

Italian is the official language of Lombardy, although Lombard—a Western Romance language—is widely spoken throughout the region, as well as in parts of southern Switzerland. Higher education institutions in the region include the University of Bergamo (1968); the University of Brescia (1982); the University of Pavia (1361); and the University of Milan (1923), the University of Milan Bicocca (1998), and the Politechnico di Milano (1863)—the largest technical university in Italy.

Thousands of rock carvings, depicting warriors, hunters, and animals, have been discovered at Naquane, in the Valcomonica region, and are protected as part of the National Park of Engravings (established 1955). The prehistoric drawings, dating from the late Iron Age, were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The church and convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, in Milan, contains The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, and was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1980. Two further sites—the industrial villages of Crespi d’Adda and the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy—were added to the List in 1995 and 2003 respectively. An international motor-racing circuit is located in Monza and hosts the Italian grand prix each year.

IV

Economy

Lombardy is the major commercial and industrial region of Italy, and the manufacture of textiles—especially silk—is the most important industry of the region. Hydroelectric power, iron and steel, motor vehicles, rolling stock, chemicals, hats, leather goods, textiles, and carpets are also produced. Milan is the chief manufacturing centre and is also a thriving centre of the fashion industry. Sheep and cattle are raised in the mountains and valleys of northern Lombardy, and fruit is grown in hilly areas. Cereals are cultivated in the fertile plain of the Po valley to the south. Several towns in the northern lake district, including Como, Lecco, and Varese, are notable tourist resorts.