Tuscany

Tuscany
	Toscana; Tuscany
Flag	Coat of arms
	Location
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
	Administration
Country	Italy
NUTS Region	ITC
Capital	Florence
President	Claudio Martini (Democratic Party)
	Basic statistics
Area	22,990 km² (8,876 sq mi); (Ranked 5th, 7.6 %)
Population	3,677,048 (12/2007); (Ranked 9th, 6.2 %)
- Density	160 /km² (414 /sq mi)
	Other information
GDP/ Nominal	€ 99.1 billion (2006)
Website	www.regione.toscana.it

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Tuscany (in Italian Toscana ) is a region in the center of Italy. It has an area of 22,990 km² and a population of about 3.6 million people (in 2004). The capital is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes and its artistic legacy. Six Tuscan localities have been made UNESCO protected sites: the historical center of Florence (1982), the historical center of Siena (1995), the square of the Cathedral of Pisa (1987), the historical center of San Gimignano (1990), the historical center of Pienza (1996) and the Val d'Orcia (2004).

[change] Geography

Tuscany, bordering Emilia-Romagna to the north, Liguria to the north-west, Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, Umbria and Marche to the east, Lazio to the south-east. The territory is two thirds hilly and one fourth mountainous. The remainder is constituted of the plains that form the valley of the Arno River.

[change] Economy

Tuscany is known for its wines (most famous of which are Chianti, Morellino di Scansano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and Brunello di Montalcino) and has 120 protected regions (nature reserves). Other agricultural products include Chianina cattle (particularly the famous "Fiorentina" steak) and the production of olive oil, principally in Lucca.

Tourism is the economic principally of the called "Cities of Art" (Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano), as well as on the coast and in the isles (Elba).

[change] Demographics

In the '80s and '90s the region attracted an intense influx of immigrants, in particular from China and Northern Africa. There is also a significant community of British and Americans. As of 2006, the Italian national institute of statistics ISTAT estimated that 215,490 foreign-born immigrants live in Tuscany, about THE 5.9% of people in Tuscany.

Towns of Tuscany with a population of 50,000 or more:

Comune	Population (2006 est.)
Florence	366,901
Prato	183,823
Livorno	160,534
Arezzo	95,229
Pisa	87,737
Pistoia	85,947
Lucca	84,422
Grosseto	76,330
Massa	69,399
Carrara	65,125
Viareggio	63,389
Siena	54,147