Figure 1.-- .

Italy can be divided into three major areas: north, central (dominated by Rome), and south. The climate and historical experience of these different regions is quite different because Italy was only united in the 1860s and some areas in the north were added even later. There are also some island territories. There are substantial diffrences between these regions. Northern Italy is the most industrialized area. The south is more agricultural and until after World War II, almost feudal. Naples and the south have historically often been associated with Sicily. Sardinia is another important island making up Italy. We have some limited on the island. Corsica was once part of Italy. It was seized from Carthage in the Punic Wars. Only relatively recently has it become a French territory. We do not yet have much information on the various Italian regions. Hopefully our Italian readers will tell us more about the different regions of their country.

The North

Northern Italy is the most industrialized area. One reader has provided us some interesting information about San Giorgio della Richinvelda, a small village in north-eastern Italy.

Central Italy

The South

The south is more agricultural and until after World War II, almost feudal. Naples and the south have historically often been associated with Sicily.

Islands

The two most important Italian islands are Sicily and Sardinia. Sicily is a large island and dominates the central Mediterranean. For this reason it has been one of the most fought over island in the world. Sicily is especially important in Italian history. With the Roman conquest it became thorougly italianized. Both as well as Corsica were acuired by the Romans in the Punic Wars. Another famous but smaller island is Elba where Napoleon was exioled. Sardinia is another important island making up Italy. We have some limited on the island. An Italian reader tells us about the festival of Saint Salvatore at Cabras, a village on the eastern coast of Sardinia. Corsica is now French, but for much of its history was Roman or Italian. It was seized by France in the 18th century before the French Revolution. Thus the young Napoleon grew up as a French subject.

Istria

Istria has an interesting history. Venice became a major power in the Medieval era and seized control of Istria (1267). This introduced a strong Italian imprint. The Austrian Hapsburgs seized Istria as the wars associated with the French Revolution engulfed Europe (1797). And except for a brief period in which Napoleon seized the area (1805-13) the Hapsburgs controlled the area until their rule colapsed in the wake of World War I (1918). Istria became Itlalian territory as part of the World War I settlement. After World War II it was mostly transferred to Yugoslavia (1945). After the breakup of Yugoslavia, Istria was split between Croatia and Slovenia except for a small Italian section. Istria was under the Hapsburgs a multi-cultural region populated by Italians, Croats, Slovenes and smaller numbers of other ethnic communities. Relations among these communities was geneally harmonious until after the Napoleonic Wars when nationalist sentiment grew throughout Europe. Istria was affected by both Italian irredentism and Slovenian and Croatian nationalism. The result was the development of ethnic conflict. Rising nationalism was exacerbated by social class differences. The town populations were mostly Italian and the rural population mostly ethnic Croats or Slovenes. Fascist Italy after World War I persued a policy of Italianization and suppression of non-Italian culture. The brief NAZI occupation (1943) also affected community relations. After Yugoslavia achieved possession of Istria at the end of Wold war II, the Italians had to leave Istria. We note a First Comminion held by the Italian community in Istria before World War I.

African Colonies

Italy as part of the scramble for Africa obtained colonies in East Africa. The Kingdom of Italy itself was declared in 1861, after Kingdom of Piedmont and Sardinia had annexed Kingdom of Lombardy and Venice (this Kingdom was not independent, but controlled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire) and Kingdom of Naples (including all South Italy and Sicily). Rome became Italian only in 1870. Italy was a poor country. Many Italians emigrated to North and South America. The colonial effort was a attempt to share in the partition of Africa. This was both a matter of national pride as well the result of the widly held opinion that colonies were needed for a healthy economy. The colonies also provided new territory on which Italy's growing population could be settled.

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Created: 5:07 AM 11/14/2005
Last updated: 1:35 AM 4/9/2007