Region of Abruzzo, Italy
This is a region of peninsular Italy stretching between the central Apennines and the Adriatic coast in the area defined by the mouths of the rivers Tronto to the north and Trigno to the south. Of medium size, it borders to the north with the Marches, to the west with Latium, to the south with Molise, while to the east it lies on the Adriatic Sea: it is one of the least populated regions of Italy; its population density is lower than the national average.
From a morphological point of view, it can be divided into two parts, each with its own characteristics. The mountainous western stretch is formed by calcareous rocks with marked Karst phenomena; it extends beyond the Apennine watershed of the Mounts della Laga (2,455 m.), of Gran Sasso (2,912 m.) and of the massif of Maiella (2,795 m.) and includes the upper basins of the Liri and the Salto, flowing into the Tyrrhenian Sea, the eastern slope of the Mounts Simbruini and of Meta and the large inland basins of Fucino, Sulmona and Piano delle Cinquemiglia, isolated by the chains of Velino (2,487 m.), Sirente (2,349 m.) and Montagna Grande (2,151 m.).
From a morphological point of view, it can be divided into two parts, each with its own characteristics. The mountainous western stretch is formed by calcareous rocks with marked Karst phenomena; it extends beyond the Apennine watershed of the Mounts della Laga (2,455 m.), of Gran Sasso (2,912 m.) and of the massif of Maiella (2,795 m.) and includes the upper basins of the Liri and the Salto, flowing into the Tyrrhenian Sea, the eastern slope of the Mounts Simbruini and of Meta and the large inland basins of Fucino, Sulmona and Piano delle Cinquemiglia, isolated by the chains of Velino (2,487 m.), Sirente (2,349 m.) and Montagna Grande (2,151 m.).
The eastern area consists of a broad hilly Pre-Apennine stretch, constituted of clay and Cenozoic limestone rock, severely eroded. This slopes gently down to the coast, fringed with wide, sandy beaches, frequently interrupted by river mouths. The mountains condition the river formation in Abruzzo. The inland waterways flow longitudinally and subsequently make their way through deep transverse gorges (gorges of Popoli and of Barrea), then flowing nearly parallel to one another across the mountains.
The main rivers are the Aterno-Pescara, the Sangro and the Vomano, all of them flowing into the Adriatic Sea. The Sagittario, tributary of the Aterno-Pescara, receives the waters of Lake Scanno, the only natural lake of a certain importance in the region.
The climate in Abruzzo is influenced by the altitude and the lie of the mountains. The Adriatic side of the Apennines is characterized by an average annual temperature fluctuating between 12 and 16 ºC, while the average on the western slopes rarely reaches 12 ºC. The precipitations on the mountains exposed to the influence of the Tyrrhenian Sea can exceed 1,700 mm/year. Snowfall on the mountains is generally heavy. The region even has a small glacier, the only one in the Apennines.
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