Abruzzo

Abruzzo (or rather the Abruzzi), a district of Central Italy, was formerly the north-east corner of the kingdom of Naples, in the wildest and loftiest portion of the Apennines. The jagged mountain-groups reach in the Gran Sasso d'Italia an elevation of 9600 feet. The climate of Abruzzo is raw in the higher regions; snow rests on the hills from October to April, and on some of the peaks all the year round; but the valleys are extremely fertile. Dense forests clothe the sides of the mountains. The Abruzzi used to have three divisions—Abruzzo Ulteriore I. and II., and Abruzzo Citeriore, corresponding to the present provinces, Chieti, Teramo, and Aquila respectively; and forming, with the province of Campobasso, the compartimento of 'the Abruzzi and Molise.' The three Abruzzi contain about 6000 sq. m., and 1,400,000 inhabitants.