Abruzzi
[key], region, 4,167 sq mi (10,793 sq km), central Italy, bordering on the Adriatic Sea in
the east. L'Aquila is the capital of the region, which is divided into
Chieti, L'Aquila, Pescara, and Teramo provs. (named for their capitals). Abruzzi is mostly
mountainous and is crossed by three ranges of the Apennines, which reach their highest point
(9,560 ft/2,914 m) there in the Gran Sasso d'Italia group. There is a narrow coastal strip
along the Adriatic. The chief rivers are the Pescara, the Sangro, and the Tronto. Abruzzi was
once a very poor region but now boasts a steadily growing per capita income. Agriculture is an
important industry. By utilizing available technology, small farms have become more efficient.
The main crops are grapes, olives, wheat, sugar beets, saffron, and tobacco; pigs and sheep
are raised. The chief manufactures are processed food, textiles, clothing, and plastics.
Tourism is important. Abruzzi was conquered by the Romans in the 4th cent. b.c.
Later, it was part of the Lombard duchy of Spoleto (6th–11th cent. a.d.), the
Norman kingdom of Sicily (12th–13th cent.), and the kingdom of Naples (13th–19th
cent.). From 1948 to 1965 it was included in the region of Abruzzi e Molise. There are
universities at Chieti and L'Aquila.
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