Abruzzo, also known as the Abruzzi, is an administrative region of the 1.3 million inhabitants, with the capital L'Aquila. Bordered to the north Marche, west with Lazio, Molise with south and east by the Adriatic Sea.
It occupies an area of 10,798 square kilometers and has a population of 1,309,797 inhabitants (demo.istat.it 31/12/2006). It is divided into four provinces: L'Aquila, Pescara and Chieti Teramo.
Mainly mountainous region, is for 65.1% by mountains and the remaining 34.9% by hills.
The plain is a narrow coastal strip that follows the coastline. This region has the highest peaks dell'Appennino, with the Gran Sasso d'Italy top 2,914 me of the massive Majella of 2,791 m. The main rivers are the Aterno-Pescara, Sango, Tronto, Trigno, Tordino, and the High Vomano Corsican Liri of which flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The region has repeatedly altered its borders. From the Middle Ages divided into two territories, Abruzzo further, largely corresponding to the (Department of Teramo) and Abruzzo citeriore, already united in the Molise region Abruzzi and Molise, loses part of its territory with the establishment of the province of Rieti to divest Cittaducale of the district in 1927; further restriction was made in 1963 when the province of Campobasso region was proclaimed in itself, thus creating further division of territory with a well-defined secular characteristics. Indeed Molise can only consider that an areas of history, culture and dialects. Abruzzo region historical Tronto starts from the river and ends in Fortore, the river that gives its name to the southern part of it, namely Frentania. Even areas that were aggregated to the province of Rieti are to all intents and purposes Abruzzo: Abruzzo (type aquilano) is the dialect, Abruzzo are traditions, Abruzzo is the architecture of churches and palaces, Abruzzo still feel many elderly residents . Abruzzo today reflects approximately region Augustan regio IV which also incorporated the territories of Sabini from Nursia to Tibur and Samnium pentro-caraceno of Aesernia and Campobasso-Fagifulae, but curiously takes its name from the territory of Praetuttii today province Teramo (Abruzzo, "Praetuzium" at the Pretuzio) which was part of agustea regio V that Picenum.