Province of Foggia

Infobox_ProvinceIT
fullname = Province of Foggia
name = Foggia
region = Apulia
capital = Foggia
commune = 64
area = 7,190
population_as_of = (2005)
population = 686,856
populationdensity = 96
vehicle = FG
postal_code = 71100
telephone_prefix = 0881
ISTAT = 071
president = Antonio Pepe

The Province of Foggia ( _it. Provincia di Foggia) is a province in the Apulia (Puglia) region of Italy.

This province is also known as "Capitanata", originally "Catapanata", because during the Middle Ages it was governed by a catapan, as part of the Catapanate of Italy. Its capital is the city of Foggia.

Geography

The province of Foggia can be divided in two parts: the one centered in its capital Foggia called "Tavoliere" and the other one that represents the spur of the boot-shaped Italian peninsula called "Gargano".

The "Tavoliere", a term that recalls the word "tavolo", table, it is so called because it is lowland and it is important for agriculture (grapefruit, olives, durum wheat, tomato). It is also called "the granary of Italy" because of its important production of wheat.

The "Gargano" is a peninsula partly mountainous and partly covered by a forest, "Foresta Umbra" with vegetation typical of Central Europe, the only lasting part in Italy of the ancient Black Forest. Allegedly its name comes from the word "ombra" (shadow) because of its thickness that prevents the light to enter in contrast with the typical "flora". The coast of "Gargano" is rich in beaches and touristic facilities. In the north are two major salt lakes Lesina and Varano. It is also important for the production of olives, olive oil and both mountain and sea typical food products.

Population

It has an area of 7,190 km², and a total population of 686,856 (2005). There are currently 64 "comuni" (singular: "comune") in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Foggia. The number of comuni will be reduced to 61 in the year 2009 when three of its "comuni", with a total population of 41,394 (2005 census) leave to form part of the new Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani. The three "comuni", along with their 2005 census populations, are Margherita di Savoia (12,749), San Ferdinando di Puglia (14,457), and Trinitapoli (14,414). (The seven other "comuni" that will comprise the new province will come from the current Province of Bari.) The resulting loss would leave the remaining territory of the Province of Foggia with an adjusted population of 645,236 as of the 2005 census. [http://www.upinet.it/indicatore.asp?id_statistiche=6] .

Important centers in the Province are:
*Foggia, the capital and native city of opera composer Umberto Giordano.
*San Severo, the old capital and city of comics artist Andrea Pazienza.
*San Giovanni Rotondo, home of Padre Pio and place of the church devoted to him.
*Manfredonia and Vieste archiepiscopal see of Apulia
*Vieste, Mattinata and Peschici, notorious sea-side resorts
*Lucera, residence of Frederick II at the beginning of the 13th century. During Middle-Ages it has been the most important town of the province.

Other centers of interest are:
*Cerignola, native town of philologist Nicola Zingarelli founder of the Zingarelli Italian dictionary and syndicalist Giuseppe Di Vittorio
*Torremaggiore, native town of Nicola Sacco
*Troia, belongs a cathedral of the 10th century
*Margherita di Savoia, major center of salt production (and will be one of the three municipalities leaving the province in 2009 to form the new Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani)
*Faeto/Fayet and Celle di San Vito, two towns where an extremely rare dialect of the Franco-Provençal language is spoken since the 14th century. The dialect, called Faetar, is only spoken by 1,400 people in the world.

External links

* [http://www.teleradioerre.it/ Foggia News and Television]
* [http://www.provincia.foggia.it/ Official website]
* [http://www.foggiaweb.it/ Foggia portal]
* [http://www.foggiaweb.it/ultimenotizie Foggia news]