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CALABRIA

 calabria
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Provinces - This region has 5 provinces: Catanzaro, Cosenza, Crotone, Reggio di Calabria, Vibo Valentia
Chief town - Catanzaro
Surface - kmq 15080
National Parks - National Park of Calabria (1968)
National Park of Pollino (1990)
National Park of Aspromonte (1991)
Калабрия
Russian Version		 graphic calabria

calabria Origin of the Name
Reliefs - Passes - Coasts - Islands
Landscape
Agriculture - Stock-Farm - Fishing
Industry - Tourism
Position and Frontier
Rivers - Lakes
Climate
Population
Communication

Origin of the name:
The territory of Calabria, was inhabitied anciently by the Bruzis, subsequently it was occupied by the Greeks that called it Betias. Later, the Romans directed them to transform it to Bruttium. The people of Calabria, were situated instead in the zone of Puglia, in the Peninsula Salentina that was called Calabria. In the centuries to follow there was a strange change of names. Already by the time of Charles Magno the ancient zone of the Bruzio was called Calabria.

Reliefs - Passes - Coasts - Islands:
The reliefs of Calabria are constituted by the Pollino Mountains, from Wandering Mountains that finish Appennino Lucano, from  Appennino Calabro and from the Coastal Chain that extends along the western coastal band. In the central part there is the Group of Sila. Sila is the widest mountainous zone of the Region and offers a beautiful panorama. The tallest top is  Mountain  Donato which is 2000 ms. tall.  It has three distinguished parts: Sila Grande in the center, Sila Greca to north and Sila Piccola to the south.  Sila is a zone very rich in water and vegetation. Between the mountainous part and the coast are some hills wich rise interrupting the level zones, the most important is:  Plain of Sibari on the ionic coast and Plain of S. Eufemia and of Joy Tauro on the Tyrrhenian. .

Church of S. Maria of the island in Tropea
Church of S. Maria of the island in Tropea

The coasts are tall and steep in the slope tirrenico, while they are low and sandy on the ionic slope. Between the regions of the southern peninsula, Calabria is the one  with the biggest coastal development. On the Ionian Sea the gulves in Taranto and the Gulf of Squillace are opened, while in the part Tirrenicas those of Sant'Eufemia and of Joy can be found.

Landscape:
The Calabrian territory is predominantly mountainous and hilly. The landscape is mixed between the continuous mountainous and hilly parts that go down almost above the sea, leaving some level lines in the zones where the rivers flow. Two furrows divide the Calabrian peninsula in three rich mountainous groups of green woods, pastures and spring waters. The conformation of the ground isolates the urban centers where the population is centralized. In the coastal shores there are no harbors.

Agriculture - Stock-Farm - Fishing:
Agricultural activity involves the greatest part of the inhabitants of Calabria, even if it is limited only in the level spaces. Along the coasts profitable crops are developed such as sugar beets, tobacco, flowers, vegetables, ulivi and oranges. The typical crop of this region is cedar and the bergamotto which is exported all over the world. Also abundant it is the cultivation of fig trees and almond trees. The hilly zones are cultivated to grapevines. The pastorization is in decline, while the breeding of cattle is flourishing. Although Calabria is surrounded by the sea, fishing is not very developed. Typical is the fishing of the pescespada in the zones next to the Narrow  of Messina, Bagnara Calabra and Scilla.

Industry - Tourism:
The only industrial zone of relief is that of Crotone, the rest the inhabitants have been built in recent times  plants for the workmanship of zinc and lead and factories of chemical fertilizers and sour solforico. Other industrial fittings are tied to the local agricultural productions. The craftsmanship produces carved woods, carpets and ceramics, but generally fabrics done by hand. Above all, the tourism is mostly in the of mountainous zones and the coasts.

Position and Frontier:
Calabria is the most southern region of the Italian peninsula. Joined to north with the Basilicata, it is contended with its two slopes from the Ionian Sea to east and the Tyrrhenian Sea to west.

Rivers - Lakes:

The rests of the Greek Theater of Locri
The rests of the Greek Theater of Locri

The rivers are of torrential character and their courses are brief  because the mountains are next to the coast. During the winter and especially in spring, they cause the breakup of snow and an abundance of water, the rivers go down very violently, overflowing and batheing the fertile earth. During the summer the greatest part of the rivers are dry. The most important rivers are  Crati with the tributaries Coscile and Muscone and Neto with the tributary Vitravo. The two rivers are born from Sila and they flow in the Ionian Sea, while others of less importance are Savuto and Massina that flow in Tyrrhenian. Calabria is deprived of natural lakes.

With the varied constructions of channels and dikes, there are three fully formed artificle big basins fed from the water ways of Sila, between which   lie the Lake Arvo, the Lake of Cacita and the Lake Ampollino.

Climate:
Thanks to the influence of the sea the climate of this Region is predominantly Mediterranean, while to the inside, in the mountainous zones, the climate is more rigid with abundant precipitations.

Population:
Calabria lacks big inhabited centers. The causes are attributed in a large part to the conformity of the ground that is mountainous and from the agricultural activities of the inhabitants, which are concentrated in isolated areas from each other. As in almost all the southern countries, also in Calabria there is the phenomenon of emigration, either abroad or to other italian regions.

Communication:
The Region, is crossed by two railway lines: one along the whole shore of the coast of tirrenica connects Reggio Calabria to Naples, while the other deriving from Taranto crosses the Ionic bank. A net inside colleague connects the most external places to the centers. The last line of highway of the Sunends at  Reggio Calabria passing Villa St. Giovanni. The connection to Sicily in the Narrow of Messina happens from medium a net of ferry-boats.

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