UMBRIA - Geography and history
In the very centre of Italy, Umbria has for centuries been a crossroads for various peoples and cultures. With a surface area of 8 456 km2, it is divided into two provinces, Perugia and Terni.
Landlocked, the region encompasses Lake Trasimeno (128 km2), the fourth largest natural lake in Italy, and Lake Piediluco (1.53 km2). The river Tiber crosses the region from north to south, and into it flow a number of Umbrian rivers. One of these, the Velino, forms the 165 m-high Marmore waterfall. Uplands and mountains cover almost the entire region's territory. The main lowlands are in the valley of the Tiber, in the triangle between Perugia, Foligno and Spoleto, and are largely planted with tobacco. Umbria has a large number of caves rich in cave deposits, stalagtites and stalagmites (Monte Cucco 1566 m). Known as the 'green-hearted region', Umbria, with its many rivers, is rich in woodlands and meadows, and has many areas of great interest to naturalists.
Industrial potential stifled by inadequate infrastructure
Two major advantages of the region are its quality of life and the enterprising spirit of its inhabitants. Over the years these have led to a reversal in the trend from emigration to immigration.
The crime rate (adult and juvenile delinquency combined), though rising, is lower than the national average. Tourism is a driving force in the region's services sector, with a good outlook for further growth thanks not least to Umbria's thriving cultural scene. The region plays host to a number of international festivals (Spoleto; Umbria-jazz/fiction).
The main factors limiting balanced economic growth in the region are the following: the gradual ageing of the population, the inadequate distribution network for marketing products, the lack of a specific product to give an impetus to interlinked activities, and the lack of an efficient road network.
Two provinces but three social and economic zones
The economic picture in Umbria is marked by a number of positive factors which contrast with elements of structural decline affecting, among other things, the population and labour market. The growth of the industrial base has led to immigration, despite the region's internal territorial and structural imbalances. Umbria can be divided into three zones: the Perugia area and the upper Tiber valley, the Terni area, and Valnerina. These areas are very different in character.
Population density is much lower than the national average, equaling 98 inhabitants per km2 in 2001, compared to 192 for Italy as a whole. It is lower in the Perugia province, where it equals 96 inhabitants per km2 (2001 data), whereas in the Terni province it equals 104 inhabitants per km2. The Perugia area and the upper Tiber valley contain a large number of mainly homegrown small and medium-sized firms, most of which produce consumer goods.
The province of Terni, which has a less-vibrant enterprise culture, still has an industrial structure similar to that of the north of Italy, with mainly large firms producing intermediate and capital goods. Valnerina is experiencing a gradual decline in population owing to the low level of economic development and the difficult nature of the terrain.
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