I.

Introduction

Calabria, administrative region in southern Italy, comprising the so-called toe of the Italian Peninsula. Calabria is bordered on the north by Basilicata, on the east by the Ionian Sea, and on the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea. The southernmost tip of the region—Cape Spartivento—is separated from the island of Sicily by the Strait of Messina. Calabria has a total land area of 15,080 sq km (5,822 sq mi) and consists of the provinces of Catanzaro, Cosenza, Crotone, Vibo Valentia, and Reggio di Calabria.

II.

Physical Geography

The Apennines mountain range extends the full length of Calabria, providing a generally rugged terrain except for lowland marshes and a fertile coastal strip. The region’s coastline extends for some 740 km (460 mi) and features stretches of sandy beaches, interspersed with high cliffs and rocky coves. Its main rivers are the Crati, Neto, Amato, and Savuto. The region’s highest peak, Mount Pollino (2,267 m/7,438 ft), lies on the northern border with Basilicata, at the heart of Pollino National Park (established 1993). The park—Italy’s largest—extends across an area of 1,926 sq km (774 sq mi) in northern Calabria and southern Basilicata and supports a rich variety of wildlife, including wolves, otters, pine martens, wildcats, eagles, falcons, and vultures. Two national parks are located wholly in the region, the Aspromonte National Park (1989) in the extreme south, and Calabria National Park (1968, reorganized as the Sila National Park in 2002).

III.

Population

Calabria has 1,998,052 inhabitants (2007 estimate), with an average population density of 133 people per sq km (345 per sq mi). Catanzaro (population, 2007 estimate, 94,381) became the region’s capital in 1970; the former capital and largest city is Reggio di Calabria (2007 estimate, 184,179). Other important cities include Crotone (2007 estimate, 60,673); Cosenza (2007 estimate, 69,868); Nicastro (1991, 53,700); Vibo Valentia (2007 estimate, 33,825); Rossano (2007 estimate, 36,760); Rende (2007 estimate, 35,124); and Acri (2007 estimate, 21,362).

Italian is the official language of Calabria, although two regional languages—Napoletano-Calabrese and Calabro-Sicilian—are also spoken. Arbëreshë (a dialect of the Albanian language) has also been spoken in some villages since the 15th century, when a large number of Albanian immigrants settled in the region. The University of Calabria (1972) is located in Arcavacata, a small village between Rende and Cosenza; other institutions of higher education in the region include the Mediterranean University of Reggio di Calabria (1968) and Magna Graecia University (1998), in Catanzaro.

IV.

Economy

Wheat, citrus fruit, figs, potatoes, and olives are grown, and livestock raising, forestry, and fishing are important economic activities. The chief minerals mined are rock salt and sulphur. Until the 20th century, when social and economic reforms were introduced, Calabria was a generally backward area. Several hydroelectric plants, as well as chemical and zinc works, are in the region. The chief industrial centres are Reggio di Calabria and Cosenza, where factories manufacture pharmaceuticals, electrical products, furniture, and textiles.

V.

History

In ancient times Calabria was called Bruttium. The modern name of Calabria, which in antiquity was applied to present-day Apulia, was not given to the region until the Middle Ages. Greeks settled the coast at an early date and several of their settlements, including Sybaris, Crotona, and Locri, were numbered among the leading cities of Magna Graecia during the 6th and 5th centuries bc. Conquered by the Romans in the 3rd century bc, the region never regained its former prosperity. The inhabitants were in large part driven inland by the spread of malaria and, during the early Middle Ages, by pirate raids. Conquered by the Normans in the 11th century, Calabria subsequently shared the history of the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily.