Maschito
The Province of Potenza: A Mix of Nature and Industry
The Province of Potenza, also known as ''Provìngë e' Putènzë'' in the Potentino dialect, is located in the Basilicata region and has a population of approximately 345,818. It borders Campania to the west, Puglia to the north, the Matera province to the east, and Calabria to the south. Facing southwest towards the Tyrrhenian Sea, the province offers a range of environments, including industrial hubs such as San Nicola di Melfi, as well as natural environments such as the Monticchio lakes and the Maratea coast, the province's only outlet to the sea.
Physical Geography
The Province of Potenza is characterized by a diverse range of environments. In addition to industrial hubs, there are natural environments such as the Monticchio lakes, the Lucanian forest, the Monte Sirino massif, and the vast Pollino National Park, shared with Calabria and headquartered in Rotonda in the southern part of the province. The main city is Potenza, where most public administration services are concentrated. The second-largest city in terms of population is Melfi, which owes its economic and demographic development mainly to the presence of the Fiat factory.
Hydrography and Glacialism
The Province of Potenza is crossed by the A3 motorway and the Raccordo Autostradale 5. It has been repeatedly hit by earthquakes, including the 1694 earthquake in Irpinia and Basilicata, the 1851 earthquake in Vulture, the 1857 earthquake in Basilicata, the 1930 earthquakes in Irpinia and Vulture, and the 1980 earthquake in Irpinia.
Municipalities
The Province of Potenza has more municipalities in the Basilicata region than the neighboring Province of Matera. Five of these municipalities are of Arbëreshë origin. There are one hundred municipalities within the province, including Abriola, Acerenza, Albano di Lucania, Anzi, Armento, Atella, Avigliano, Balvano, Banzi, Baragiano, Barile, Bella, Brienza, Brindisi Montagna, Calvello, Calvera, Campomaggiore, Cancellara, Carbone, Castelgrande, Castelluccio Inferiore, Castelluccio Superiore, Castelmezzano, Castelsaraceno, Castronuovo di Sant'Andrea, Cersosimo, Chiaromonte, Corleto Perticara, Episcopia, Fardella, Filiano, Forenza, Francavilla in Sinni, Gallicchio, Genzano di Lucania, Ginestra, Grumento Nova, Guardia Perticara, Lagonegro, Latronico, Laurenzana, Lauria, Lavello, Maratea, Marsico Nuovo, Marsicovetere, Maschito, Melfi, Missanello, Moliterno, Montemilone, Montemurro, Muro Lucano, Nemoli, Noepoli, Oppido Lucano, Palazzo San Gervasio, Paterno, Pescopagano, Picerno, Pietragalla, Pietrapertosa, Pignola, Potenza, Rapolla, Rapone, Rionero in Vulture, Ripacandida, Rivello, Roccanova, Rotonda, Ruoti, Ruvo del Monte, San Chirico Nuovo, San Chirico Raparo, San Costantino Albanese, San Fele, San Martino d'Agri, San Paolo Albanese, San Severino Lucano, Sant'Angelo Le Fratte, Sant'Arcangelo, Sarconi, Sasso di Castalda, Satriano di Lucania, Savoia di Lucania, Senise, Spinoso, Teana, Terranova di Pollino, Tito, Tolve, Tramutola, Trecchina, Trivigno, Vaglio Basilicata, Venosa, Vietri di Potenza, and Viggianello.
Most Populated Municipalities
According to official ISTAT statistics, the most populated municipalities in the Province of Potenza are Potenza, Melfi, Rionero in Vulture, and Barile.
In conclusion, the Province of Potenza offers a variety of environments, from industrial hubs to natural parks, mountain ranges, lakes, and small villages. It is a land that still preserves ancient traditions, with its Arbëreshë heritage, but at the same time, it has been able to open up to the future, hosting large companies such as the Fiat factory in Melfi.
