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Trentino-Alto Adige: a mountainous region with an alpine climate
Trentino-Alto Adige, with Trento as its capital, is the northernmost region of Italy. It is characterized as a mountainous region with the exception of the Adige Valley and the Valley of the Lakes, which are considered as plains. The mountain ranges rise to heights of over 3900 meters, while on the Trentino side of Lake Garda the altitude drops to 65 meters above sea level.
The area is divided into two autonomous provinces: Trento and Bolzano. With its 1,078,893 inhabitants, Trentino-Alto Adige is one of the least densely populated Italian regions, ranking fifth from the bottom before Valle d'Aosta, Basilicata, Sardinia, and Molise in the ratio of inhabitants to territorial surface area.
The prevailing climate is alpine, characterized by cold and snowy winters and mild and windy summers. Being a mountainous region, the temperature can vary even in just one day. Depending on the altitude, the vegetation changes considerably, ranging from meadows to high mountains and from small woods to forests.
History and culture
The region was annexed to Italy in 1919 by the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and, as opposed to what happened in the previous century, no plebiscite was called for to sanction the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy.
Today, Trentino-Alto Adige presents a high cultural and linguistic heterogeneity. The population is mainly composed of Italians and Germans, with a minority of Ladin speakers, a Romance language.
The culture of Trentino and Alto Adige is rich in secular traditions, mainly related to mountain life. Among the best-known traditions are those of Krampus, the legendary character who wanders through the streets of towns on the evening of December 5th, and the Palio of Legnano, which takes place annually in Trento.
The autonomy of Trentino-Alto Adige
The region was largely stripped of competencies in 1972, and most of them were transferred directly to the Autonomous Province of Trento and the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, following the entry into force of the new Statute of Autonomy.
This institutional choice is due to the different linguistic composition of the region's population, almost entirely Italian-speaking in Trentino and mostly German-speaking in Alto Adige, with the exception of a few municipalities where the majority language is Italian or Ladin.
Regional autonomy has allowed Trentino-Alto Adige to develop autonomously with respect to decisions made at the central level, both with regard to the management of the territory and the definition of the rules governing the daily life of citizens.
Trentino-Alto Adige beyond borders
The region is not just an Italian territory but also extends beyond national borders. In fact, together with the state of Tyrol, it is part of the Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino Euroregion, a transborder cooperation association established within the European Union.
Furthermore, Trentino-Alto Adige, along with Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, belongs to the geographic macro-area of Tre Venezie. The region is a destination for winter sports enthusiasts and offers hiking opportunities in the mountains or visits to places of cultural and gastronomic interest.
