Basilicata

Basilicata is a region in the south of Italy. The capital is Potenza. The population was about 597,768 in 2004. The region is very mountainous. Because of this, communication in the area was very difficult until modern times. This has also caused Basilicata to be one of the least developed areas of Italy. Basilicata borders the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Gulf of Taranto at its lowest elevations. The highest point in the area is Monte Pollino at 2233m (7325ft). The area also includes a dead volcano, Monte Vulture. The region has an area of 9,992 km2 (3,858 sq mi). Basilicata also used to be one of the poorest regions in Italy. It has become richer over the past couple of years because of the discovery of oil. Provinces Basilicata is divided into two provinces. Matera Potenza Other websites Official Site (IT) Archived 2010-03-05 at the Wayback Machine