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.