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Molise, Italy

Interactive Map of Molise, Italy

Molise, Italy Map Links:

 

Molise, Italy is located in southern Italy with only 22 miles of coastline on the eastern border of the Adriatic Sea. Molise is the second-smallest region in both size and population. Molise is also one of the youngest regions of Italy, as it split from the Abruzzo region in 1963, which was not officially recognized until 1970.

Cities as Seen on a Map of Molise, Italy:

  • Termoli
  • Larino
  • Campobasso
  • Bojano
  • Sepino

Quick Facts:

  • Population = 308,000
  • Language = Italian (Molise Neapolitan dialect)
  • Ethnicities = Croatian (Molisan Croats or Italian Croats), Albanian
  • Capital = Campobasso

The History of Molise

Most of the history of Molise is connected to its neighboring region of Abruzzo, as Molise did not split from Abruzzo until 1963 before becoming official in 1970. 

To give a brief history of the region of Abruzzo: 

Abruzzo was part of the Ancient Roman Empire until its fall in 476. Architecture and transportation infrastructure in the region are credited to the Romans during this time. By the first millennium, the Normans invaded the area. The Normans were from a Viking region in France.

Years later, Abruzzo became annexed into the Kingdom of Two Sicilies and then finally absorbed into the Kingdom of Italy in 1860.

The region of Abruzzo suffered greatly during World War II. In 1963, years after the war ended, the region of Molise was split from Abruzzo and was finally recognized as its own region in 1970.

Language

Italian is the primary language in the region with Neapolitan Molise, the most common dialect. 

Religion

Roman Catholicism is the primary religion in Molise. Roman Catholicism is Christianity that is practiced in areas that were directly controlled by the Roman Empire. This includes both Molise, Italy, as well as the region of Croatia, where a large number of the population originated from. 

Geography

Because Molise was part of Abruzzo until 1963, we will describe the geography of the southern area of Abruzzo as it is related to what we know now as present-day Molise.

The southern territory of Abruzzo is where the region of Molise is located. This area is mostly mountainside with a small coastline to the east.

Historically, the region was mostly used for agriculture, farming, and fishing, which provided a way-of-life for most in the area. Today, the area is sought after because of its nature, snow-capped mountains, and beautiful coastlines.

Culture

Similar to the geography and history of the region, we have to look at Abruzzo to know more about the culture of Molise. The Abruzzese culture was founded on agriculture and religion, the same of which can be said about the status of present-day Molise. 

Migration Patterns

In 1915, approximately 500,000 Abruzzese Italians had emigrated the area in search of work. It is estimated that only 150,000 of those emigrants returned to the area. 

As Molise was not established during this time period and was included in the territory of Abruzzo, it is safe to say that these numbers are likely indicative of Molisans who emigrated as well. 

Because Molise is the second-smallest region in Italy in both size and population, immigration trends have not truly been established for the area. What we do know is that emigrants left the area during the early 1900s in search of work, and only a fraction of those emigrants repatriated. 

Genealogy

People with a genealogy connected to the Molise region of Italy can have ties to Croatia, Albania, Ancient Rome, and France. It is possible for Molise genealogy to include German and Spanish lineage. The most common lineage connected to Molise is Italian, Albanian, and Croatian.

List of Itlay Regions