Lombardy[b] (Lombard and Italian: Lombardia;[a][c] Romansh: Lumbardia) is an administrative region of Italy that covers 23,844 km2 (9,206 sq mi); it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is located between the Alps mountain range and tributaries of the river Po, and includes Milan, its capital, whose metropolitan area ia the largest in the country and among the largest in the EU.[9]
Its territory is divided into 1,502 comuni (the region with the largest number of comuni in the entire national territory),[10] distributed among 12 administrative subdivisions (11 provinces plus the Metropolitan City of Milan). The region ranks first in Italy in terms of population, population density, and number of local authorities, while it is fourth in terms of surface area, after Sicily, Piedmont, and Sardinia.[11]
It is the second-most populous region of the European Union (EU),[12] and the second region of the European Union by nominal GDP.[13] Lombardy is the leading[14] region of Italy in terms of economic importance,[15] contributing to approximately one-fifth of the national gross domestic product (GDP).[16][17] It is also a member of the Four Motors for Europe, an international economic organization whose other members are Baden-Württemberg in Germany, Catalonia in Spain, and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in France. Milan is the economic capital of Italy[18] and is a global centre for business, fashion and finance.
Of the 58 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy, 11 are in Lombardy, tying it with Castile and León in northwest-central Spain.[19]
The 2026 Winter Olympics (Italian: Olimpiadi invernali del 2026), officially the XXV Winter Olympic Games and commonly known as Milano Cortina 2026, is an international multi-sport event currently taking place from 6 to 22 February 2026 at sites across Lombardy and Northeast Italy, with competition in selected events beginning 4 February 2026
The Aosta Valley (Valle d'Aosta) is Italy's smallest autonomous region, located in the northwestern Alps, bordered by France and Switzerland, and known for its stunning mountain scenery, including Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and Gran Paradiso. It's a popular destination for winter sports, hiking, and exploring medieval castles, with a unique French and Italian cultural blend reflected in its language and cuisine. The capital, Aosta, is rich in Roman history, earning it the nickname "Rome of the Alps".
The Aosta Valley (Italian: Valle d'Aosta [ˈvalle daˈɔsta]), officially the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley,[a] is a mountainous autonomous region[8] in northwestern Italy. It is bordered by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, to the west; by Valais, Switzerland, to the north; and by Piedmont, Italy, to the south and east. The regional capital is Aosta.
Aosta Valley
Valle d'Aosta (Italian)
Vallée d'Aoste (French)
Val d'Aoûta (Arpitan)
In 1031–1032, Humbert I of Savoy, the founder of the House of Savoy, received the title Count of Aosta from Emperor Conrad II of the Franconian line and built himself a commanding fortification at Bard. Saint Anselm of Canterbury was born in Aosta in 1033 or 1034. The region was divided among strongly fortified castles, and in 1191, Thomas I of Savoy found it necessary to grant to the communes a Charte des franchises ("Charter of Liberties") which preserved autonomy—rights that were fiercely defended until 1770, when they were revoked to tie Aosta more closely to Piedmont, but which were again demanded during post-Napoleonic times. In the mid-13th century, Emperor Frederick II made the County of Aosta a duchy (see Duke of Aosta), and its arms charged with a lion rampant were carried in the Savoy arms until the reunification of Italy in 1870.[14]
The region remained part of Savoy lands, with the exceptions of French occupations from 1539 to 1563, later in 1691, and then between 1704 and 1706. It was also ruled by the First French Empire between 1800 and 1814. During French rule, it was part of Aoste arrondissement in Doire department.[15] As part of the Kingdom of Sardinia, it joined the new Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
French forces briefly controlled the area at the end of World War II, but withdrew under British and American pressure.[16] The region gained special autonomous status after the end of World War II; the province of Aosta ceased to exist in 1945.
Early inhabitants of the Aosta Valley were Celts and Ligures, whose language heritage remains in some local placenames. Rome conquered the region from the local Salassi around 25 BC and founded Augusta Prætoria Salassorum (modern-day Aosta) to secure the strategic mountain passes, and they went on to build bridges and roads through the mountains. Thus, the name Valle d'Aosta literally means "Valley of Augustus".[13]
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