Umbria - Perugia, Assisi, Gubbio, Orvieto, Todi

Region: Umbria.

Provinces: Perugia (PG) and Terni (TR)

Area: 8,456 sq.km/3,265 sq.mi

Population: 825,000

Situation

The Central Italian region of Umbria extends on both sides of the Tiber, whose wide valley is flanked by the foothills of the Apennines. Umbria is bounded on the west by Tuscany, on the east by the Marche and on the south by Latium. The political region of Umbria, with its capital Perugia, takes in the two provinces of Perugia and Terni.

Economy

The spacious countryside of Umbria, with its easily accessible hills and its fertile lowlands, has been from time immemorial a prosperous farming region (corn, olives, sugar-beet, tobacco, market gardening; sheep and pigs). Umbria is one of the regions where truffles can be found. Only around the towns of Terni, Narni and Foligno, where power is supplied by large hydro- electric stations, has there been any considerable development of industry (chemicals, metal-working); textile manufacture and the production of craft articles have also become established in the Perugia and Spoleto areas. An important contribution to the economy is also made by the tourist trade. History

In ancient times this was the homeland of the Umbrians, and there was also some Etruscan settlement in the region. In 295 B.C. it came under Roman control, and in the reign of Augustus was combined with Etruria to form the sixth region (Regio VI) of the Empire. After the fall of Rome and the subsequent Gothic wars it became part of the Lombard duchy of Spoleto and of the States of the Church. During the Middle Ages, rent by bitter conflicts between the various towns - which enjoyed a large measure of independence - and the ruling families, the region fell into a decline, until the Church succeeded in establishing its authority in the 16th century. In 1860, after a plebiscite, Umbria and its capital Perugia became part of the united kingdom of Italy.

Umbria has a number of towns which stand high among Italy's tourist attractions, in particular Perugia, Assisi and Orvieto.