The Italian North South Divide
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 20 October 2023
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Despite the unification of the country in 1861, a process known as the Risorgimento, the Italian North South Divide remains a cultural division which can at times run into very strong emotions.
Some may view the cultural differences between northern and Southern Italy quite lightly and perceive them as no more than friendly banter, while at the other end of the scale there are major political parties who are determined to separate the two halves. The debate ebbs and flows to the extent that those with strong feelings on the subject firmly believe their end of the country is superior with a raft of reasons given by both sides. |
Umbilicus Italiae, Rieti
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Where is the line drawn between Southern and Northern Italy?
This is a question that has either a very specific or a very vague answer, depending on your point of view. The city of Rieti in the Lazio region, a short distance north-east of Rome, is accredited as being the exact centre of Italy. Moreover, there's a piazza in Rieti that marks the very spot, called the Umbilicus Italiae, and you can't get much more specific than that!
The assumption then is that anything south of Rieti is a part of Southern Italy. The more fervently-minded of the northern based separatists may draw the line a little further north than that to exclude Lazio altogether and make Tuscany the southernmost point of their yet-to-exist nation. The Lega Nord party which is the most powerful with this particular belief at present, even have a name for the new country that they would like to come to fruition. Finding its origin from the Po Delta that stretches across northern Italy, the northern Italian nation would be called Padania and its borders have long been established by those who would like to see it happen.
This is a question that has either a very specific or a very vague answer, depending on your point of view. The city of Rieti in the Lazio region, a short distance north-east of Rome, is accredited as being the exact centre of Italy. Moreover, there's a piazza in Rieti that marks the very spot, called the Umbilicus Italiae, and you can't get much more specific than that!
The assumption then is that anything south of Rieti is a part of Southern Italy. The more fervently-minded of the northern based separatists may draw the line a little further north than that to exclude Lazio altogether and make Tuscany the southernmost point of their yet-to-exist nation. The Lega Nord party which is the most powerful with this particular belief at present, even have a name for the new country that they would like to come to fruition. Finding its origin from the Po Delta that stretches across northern Italy, the northern Italian nation would be called Padania and its borders have long been established by those who would like to see it happen.
