European Regions 1: Peripheral Socio-economic Region (The Mezzogiorno)
In this chapter, we will look at the economic development of the Mezzogiorno in Italy. Although Italy is a highly developed country, large gaps exist between its core and peripheral regions. The Mezzogiorno is a peripheral region, which has a number of physical and social disadvantages that have hindered its development.
KEY WORDS
l Relief l Apennine Mountains l Drainage l Mediterranean climate l Soils l Agriculture
l Cassa per il Mezzogiorno Scheme
l Forestry l Fishing l Heavy industry l Autostrada del Sole l Outward migration
LEARNING OUTCOMES
What you MUST know l Physical characteristics of the Mezzogiorno l Climate characteristics of the region l How to draw a map and fill in the main features of the Mezzogiorno
l The development of primary, secondary and tertiary activities in the Mezzogiorno
l Human processes of the region l Urban development in the region
What you SHOULD know l Naples CASE STUDY F l Statistics that show contrast between the Mezzogiorno and the Paris Basin (covered in Chapter 24)
What is USEFUL to know l How to understand information provided in graphs as a means to contrast regions
l Brain drain l Drought l Finsider Steelworks l Seasonal tourism l Taranto l Camorra l Fiat
23.1 The Mezzogiorno
The Mezzogiorno is the name given to the Italian Peninsula south of Rome, and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Mezzogiorno means ‘midday’, when the sun is at its hottest. The region is so-called as it receives large amounts of sunshine. In many ways, the issues facing the Mezzogiorno are similar to those of the West region in Ireland. The Mezzogiorno is one of the poorest regions in the EU, with an unemployment rate of over 20 per cent.
