Geography 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 18: THE DYNAMICS OF REGIONS (3) – A EUROPEAN PERIPHERAL REGION

18.1 The Mezzogiorno – physical and human factors/characteristics

A peripheral/less developed region in the Mediterranean

In Italy, the south or Mezzogiorno region is a less developed/peripheral region. It makes up 40% of Italy’s land area and has 35% of its population, but it is one of the poorest regions in Italy. TheMezzogiorno is made up of the regions of Abruzzi, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, Lazio and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Unemployment rates are high (20% in some regions) and the

area has traditionally suffered from out-migration. It is also one of the least developed regions in the EU with GDP at less than 75% of the EU average. Billions of euros have been spent on the region through a scheme called the Cassa Per Il Mezzogiorno (see page 367) and through EU funding. Despite this, in 2010 Italy was ranked 23rd out of 177

PENINSULAR ITITALYALY

of the Mezzogiorno Northern limit Rome PENINSULAR O Bari SARDINIA Cagliari Naples N Taranto Brindisi

Y Turin Milan N L A

Palermo

Fig. 1 The regional divisions of Italy

countries on the UN Human Development Index (HDI). Ireland was fifth. The Mezzogiorno faces several problems, including illegal immigration,

organised crime, corruption, high unemployment, low incomes and poor technical skills compared to the north.

Physical factors/characteristics – climate, relief, drainage and soils

Climate

The Mezzogiorno has a Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot, sunny and dry. In Naples, daytime temperatures in July and August typically reach 29°C. In summer, the region is influenced by the Azores high pressure belt which has dry, stable, descending air causing cloudless skies and warm sunshine. It is also influenced by the north-east trade winds which are

hot and dry and cause drought throughout the region between June and September. Winters are mild and moist with temperatures rarely falling

below 11°C. Frost is rare.Most rain falls between October and March when the area is under the influence of Atlantic Ocean depressions and moist south-west winds. Rainfall averages between 500mmand 900mmand thewesternMezzogiorno is wetter than the east due to relief rain (700 mm in Naples and 400 mm in Bari).

of the Mezzogiorno Northern limit ABRUZZI LAZIO SARDINIA Cagliari CALABRIA MOLISE

CAMPANIA Naples

Bari PUGLIA BASILICATA Taranto Brindisi

The UN HDI measures achievements in terms of life expectancy, educational attainment and adjusted real income.

Palermo SICILY

Fig. 2 Regions of the Mezzogiorno 363

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