Apulia

Apulia, also known by its Italian name Puglia, is a region in southern Italy. It is found along the coast, with the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Strait of Otranto and Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Gulf of Taranto to the south. The region covers an area of 19,345 square kilometers and is home to over 3.8 million people as of 2025. Its capital city is Bari.

Long ago, around the start of the first millennium BC, the area was home to a group of people called the Iapygians. Later, during the 8th century BC, ancient Greeks settled along the coast. Over time, the region was taken over by the ancient Romans, then the Byzantines, followed by the Normans, the Aragonese, and the Spanish. Eventually, it became part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies before joining the unified Kingdom of Italy after the Expedition of the Thousand.

Geography

Apulia has the longest coastline of any mainland Italian region. In the north, the Gargano promontory reaches out into the Adriatic Sea, and in the south, the Salento peninsula looks like the heel of Italy's boot. The highest point in the region is Monte Cornacchia, which stands 1,152 meters above sea level in the Daunian Mountains.

Lecce

The area has two national parks: the Alta Murgia National Park and Gargano National Park. Much of Apulia, especially around the Salento peninsula, is flat with only small hills.

The weather is usually warm and dry in summer and mild with rain in winter. While snow is rare, it has sometimes fallen along the coast. Apulia can get very hot in summer, with temperatures sometimes above 40 °C (104 °F) in places like Lecce and Foggia.

Coastal areas often feel different winds. The Bora wind from the north can cool things down, while the Sirocco wind from North Africa can make it warmer and sometimes bring dust from the Sahara Desert. Some days, it might be warm enough to swim on one coast while needing a jacket on the other.

History

Landscape of the Murge plateau

Antiquity

People have lived in Apulia for a very long time, since at least 250,000 years ago. You can see this from old bones found there, like those of the Altamura Man, an early type of Neanderthal. There are also many old stones called menhir and dolmen from long ago.

Castel del Monte, built by the King of Sicily and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II between 1240 and 1250 in Andria

Around the year 1000 BC, groups like the Iapygians with tribes such as the Daunians, Peucetians, and Messapians settled in Apulia. Later, during a time called the Hellenic era, many colonies from a place called Magna Graecia appeared, especially in the south, including the city of Taras, now called Taranto.

When Rome was growing, they tried to take control of Apulia. In 321 BC, during a war called the second Samnite war, the Roman army lost a big battle at the Battle of the Caudine Forks. Later, Rome saw how important Apulia was. By the time of Emperor Augustus around 7 BC, Apulia became part of a region called Regio II Apulia et Calabria. New roads were built, like the Appian Way and the Via Traiana, helping cities such as Troia, Ordona, Gravina, Canosa, Ruvo, and Bitonto to grow. Apulia became known for producing lots of grain and olive oil.

The medieval town of Ostuni

Middle Ages and Renaissance period

When the Western Roman Empire fell in 476, Apulia went through many changes. First, it was ruled by the Ostrogoths, then the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I took control after a long war. Later, Lombards tried to take over parts of Apulia.

In the 9th century, people called Saracens from a place called the Emirate of Bari briefly controlled some coastal areas but were driven out. Byzantine rule returned, and Bari became an important city.

Then, in the 11th century, groups called the Normans arrived. They made Taranto the capital of a place called the Principality of Taranto. In 1043, a Norman named William of Hauteville started a county in Apulia, which later joined with County of Apulia and Calabria. From 1130, Apulia became part of the Kingdom of Sicily under Roger II of Sicily. During this time, Frederick II built many important buildings, like Castel del Monte near Andria. Foggia became one of his homes. After 1282, Apulia was ruled by the Kingdom of Naples.

Early modern period

In the middle of the 18th century, Apulia grew strong in trade and farming. Between 1806 and 1815, during a time called the Napoleonic era, changes were made to improve the region, like ending old unfair rules. After that, new movements started, with groups like Freemasonry and Carbonari forming.

When the Kingdom of Italy was created in 1861, Apulia was split into areas called provinces: Foggia, Bari, and Lecce. Later, Brindisi and Taranto were added. During this time, some groups of people called brigands appeared in places like Capitanata and Terra di Bari.

Modern period

As big farms called latifundium declined, smaller farms also changed. During a time called fascism, many lands were changed for farming. After World War II, Apulia grew a lot in farming. By the 1970s and 1980s, the economy shifted more toward tourism and services.

Economy

Apulia helps Italy by adding about 4.6% to the country’s total value in 2000, even though its population was only 7% of Italy’s. The area makes less money per person than the rest of Italy, about 68.1% of the European Union’s average.

Apulia grows lots of food like wheat for pasta, tomatoes, grapes, almonds, and olive oil. It also makes things like cars, furniture, and airplane parts in places such as Foggia, Barletta, and Taranto. The area has grown a lot between 2007 and 2013.

Awning vineyard in the countryside of Barletta

Apulia has many jobs in different areas. Some of these areas include making airplane parts, car parts, machines, furniture, food and drinks, farming, publishing, tourism, and logistics.

In Taranto, there is a very big factory that makes iron and steel. In Brindisi, there are factories that make chemicals and other products.

The unemployment rate in Apulia was 14.1% in 2020.

Terre Tarentine extra-virgin olive oil

Apulia’s coast has many fishing boats. The sea there has many kinds of fish and mussels. Taranto is the biggest place for farming mussels in the world, with about 30,000 tons made each year.

Apulia grows a lot of important crops. It is one of the top places in Italy for growing durum wheat for pasta, tomatoes, grapes, almonds, and olive oil. The area also grows many vegetables and fruits.

Apulia has lots of vineyards and is the top region in Italy for grape-growing area. It also makes special wines, though it ranks lower in the production of high-quality wines.

Olive trees near Modugno

The area has millions of olive trees and makes a big part of Italy’s olive oil. Many different kinds of olive trees grow there.

Apulia is known for its beautiful small villages. Fourteen of these villages are part of a group called “The most beautiful Villages of Italy.”

Year	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
unemployment rate (in %)	12.6%	11.1%	11.6%	12.6%	13.5%	13.2%	15.7%	19.7%	21.5%	19.7%	19.4%	18.8%	16.1%	14.8%	14.1%

Transport

Apulia has many roads for travel, but its train system is not as complete, especially in the southern part. There are no super-fast train tracks yet, but work is happening to build a fast line between Naples and Bari that might finish in 2027.

The region is linked by the A14 highway, running from Bologna through Taranto. This road connects important cities like the capital, Bari, and the second-largest city, Taranto. It also links Foggia to places along the Adriatic coast such as Pescara, Ancona, Rimini, and Bologna. Another highway, the A16, goes from Naples to Canosa, crossing the country from east to west.

Apulia has two airports for international travel: Karol Wojtyła Airport in Bari (code BRI) and Brindisi Airport (code BDS). In 2018, plans were approved to turn the Grottaglie Airfield (code TAR) into a place for space travel, working with the Italian Space Agency and Virgin Galactic.

Demographics

Many people left Apulia between 1956 and 1971 to find better jobs in northern Italy and other parts of Europe. As the economy got better, fewer people left, and for a short time between 1982 and 1985, more people were moving in than leaving. But starting in 1986, jobs became scarce again, causing people to leave once more.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1861	1,334,619	—
1871	1,440,079	+7.9%
1881	1,608,766	+11.7%
1901	1,986,806	+23.5%
1911	2,195,335	+10.5%
1921	2,365,169	+7.7%
1931	2,508,305	+6.1%
1936	2,642,076	+5.3%
1951	3,220,485	+21.9%
1961	3,421,217	+6.2%
1971	3,582,787	+4.7%
1981	3,871,617	+8.1%
1991	4,031,885	+4.1%
2001	4,020,707	−0.3%
2011	4,052,566	+0.8%
2021	3,922,941	−3.2%
Source: ISTAT

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Apulia

Since January 7, 2026, Antonio Decaro, who used to be the mayor of Bari, has been the leader of the Apulia region. He belongs to the Democratic Party.

Administrative divisions

Apulia has six areas called provinces.

Province	Population
Metropolitan City of Bari	1.221.682
Province of Lecce	767.231
Province of Foggia	593.078
Province of Taranto	553.501
Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani	377.929
Province of Brindisi	377.240

Culture

Main article: Culture in Apulia

Cuisine

Apulia has many tasty foods. Local ingredients include olive oil, artichokes, tomatoes, eggplant, asparagus, and seafood. Special dishes include a type of muskmelon called carosello, often eaten when it is still unripe. The region also has special cheeses, olive oils, fruits, vegetables, and a special kind of bread that are protected by law.

Popular pasta shapes in Apulia include orecchiette, cavatelli, troccoli, strascinati, and pizzarieddi. Street foods loved by locals include panzerotti, fried polenta called sgagliozze, small fried pizza balls called popizze, puff pastries stuffed with tomatoes and cheese called rustici, and a type of flatbread called focaccia barese. Famous desserts include pasticiotto, chiacchiere, tette delle monache, sannacchiudere, and cupeta. Taralli are also a popular snack.

Language

Italian is the main language spoken in Apulia, as it is in all of Italy. However, because of the region's long history, other languages have also been used. In northern and central Apulia, people speak dialects of Southern Italo-Romance, such as the Bari dialect and the Tarantino dialect. In the southern area called Salento, people speak the Salentino dialect. There is also a small group of people who speak Griko, an Italiot Greek language. In some mountain villages, a rare language called Faetar is spoken, which is related to Franco-Provençal. Additionally, a small community speaks Arbëreshë, a dialect of the Albanian language.