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Situated in the centre of Italy, Umbria is a somewhat small region, the only one in central Italy without a coastline. It belongs to the Tyrrhenian side of the peninsula and borders with the Marches to the north-east and east, with Latium to the south and Tuscany to the west and north-west. It has the fourth lowest population of all the Italian regions (only Basilicata, Molise and Valle d'Aosta have fewer inhabitants) while the density of population is about half the Italian average.

History. Morphologically, Umbria consists of mountains (29%) and hills (71%). The deep divide formed by the Tiber Valley and Valle Umbra separates the Apennines (to the east) from the Pre-Apennine hills (to the west), the former being higher and steeper while the latter are low and rounded. Some of the highest mountain ranges and massifs are the Sibillini Mountains, on the border with the Marches, Mount Maggio (1,416 m.) and mount Subasio (1,290 m.).

In the region tectonic hollows of varying sizes are found; early in the Quaternary they formed lakes, gradually silted later by fluvial deposits. Only the Trasimeno hollow, the largest in the area, is still filled by a lake of the same name. The other hollows, true intermontane alluvial plains, are the Ternana Plain, the Valle Umbra (with the Topino River), the Tiber Valley, with the S-shaped extension of the alluvial Tiber Plain and the innermost plains of Gubbio, Gualdo Tadino and Norcia. The major river of the region is the Tiber, with tributaries Nestore and Paglia discharging from the right, and Chiascio and Nera from the left; the latter also channelling the waters of the Topino and Velino. The biggest lake is Trasimeno, situated near the Tuscan border; it is the fourth largest Italian lake and the principal basin on the peninsula. Mention should also be made of the picturesque lake of Piediluco.

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