Strait of Messina metropolitan area
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Strait of Messina Metropolitan Area
Area Metropolitana dello Stretto di Messina | |
---|---|
Metropolitan Area | |
Country | Italy |
Regions | Sicily, Calabria |
Largest city | Messina |
Other Major Cities | Reggio Calabria Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto Milazzo |
Area | |
• Total | 1,907.50 km2 (736.49 sq mi) |
Population (November 2011) | |
• Total | 744,646 |
• Density | 390/km2 (1,000/sq mi) |
Website | www www |
The Metropolitan Area of Strait of Messina (Area Metropolitana dello Stretto di Messina, in Italian), is the urban agglomeration around the Strait of Messina, and is one of the most populated and important areas of Southern Italy. It includes part of the Province of Messina, in Sicily, and part of the Province of Reggio Calabria, in Calabria.
Geography
Population
Population (Nov 2011) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Region | City | Area (km2) | Population[1] |
Strait of Messina Metropolitan Area | |||
Calabria | Bagnara Calabra | 24.68 | 10,660 |
Bagaladi | 30 | 1,113 | |
Bova Marina | 29 | 3,883 | |
Calanna | 10 | 1,004 | |
Campo Calabro | 7.46 | 4,445 | |
Cardeto | 36 | 1,832 | |
Condofuri | 58 | 4,941 | |
Fiumara di Muro | 6 | 1,053 | |
Laganadi | 8 | 425 | |
Melito di Porto Salvo | 35 | 11,696 | |
Montebello Ionico | 55 | 6,380 | |
Motta San Giovanni | 45 | 6,329 | |
Reggio Calabria | 236.02 | 186,417 | |
Roccaforte del Greco | 54 | 568 | |
Roghudi | 36 | 1,202 | |
San Lorenzo | 64 | 2,825 | |
San Roberto | 34 | 1,181 | |
Sant'Alessio in Aspromonte | 4 | 347 | |
Santo Stefano in Aspromonte | 17 | 1,310 | |
Scilla | 43 | 5,125 | |
Villa San Giovanni | 12.22 | 13,847 | |
Total Calabria | 845.06 | 266,203 | |
Sicily | Alì | 16 | 838 |
Alì Terme | 6 | 2,600 | |
Antillo | 43 | 984 | |
Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto | 59.89 | 41,891 | |
Casalvecchio Siculo | 33 | 907 | |
Castelmola | 16 | 1,087 | |
Castroreale | 54 | 2,645 | |
Condrò | 5 | 492 | |
Fiumedinisi | 35 | 1,537 | |
Forza d'Agrò | 11 | 914 | |
Furci Siculo | 17.85 | 3,382 | |
Furnari | 13.48 | 3,663 | |
Gaggi | 7 | 3,153 | |
Gallodoro | 6 | 387 | |
Giardini Naxos | 5 | 9,687 | |
Gualtieri Sicaminò | 14 | 1,847 | |
Itala | 10 | 1,672 | |
Leni | 8.56 | 708 | |
Letojanni | 6 | 2,795 | |
Limina | 9 | 916 | |
Lipari | 88.61 | 11,531 | |
Malfa | 8 | 1,001 | |
Mandanici | 11 | 635 | |
Merì | 1.87 | 2,407 | |
Messina | 211.23 | 241,505 | |
Milazzo | 24.23 | 32,501 | |
Monforte San Giorgio | 32.33 | 2,889 | |
Nizza di Sicilia | 13 | 3,764 | |
Pace del Mela | 12 | 6,409 | |
Pagliara | 14 | 1,253 | |
Roccafiorita | 1.14 | 229 | |
Roccalumera | 8.77 | 4,252 | |
Roccavadina | 6 | 1,153 | |
Rometta | 32.50 | 6,680 | |
San Filippo del Mela | 9.81 | 7,300 | |
San Pier Niceto | 36 | 2,981 | |
Sant'Alessio Siculo | 6 | 1,536 | |
Santa Lucia del Mela | 82.89 | 4,758 | |
Santa Marina Salina | 8 | 894 | |
Santa Teresa di Riva | 8.13 | 9,354 | |
Saponara | 26 | 4,115 | |
Savoca | 8 | 1,821 | |
Scaletta Zanclea | 5 | 2,272 | |
Spadafora | 10.30 | 5,181 | |
Taormina | 13.16 | 11,108 | |
Terme Vigliatore | 13 | 7,295 | |
Torregrotta | 4.22 | 7,491 | |
Valdina | 2.75 | 1,283 | |
Venetico | 4.38 | 3,886 | |
Villafranca Tirrena | 14.34 | 8,854 | |
Total Sicily | 1062.44 | 478,443 | |
Total Metropolitan Area | 1907.50 | 744,646 |
Major cities
Messina, is a city situated in the extreme north-eastern tip of Sicily, also called "gate of Sicily", in ancient times was called "Zancle" and "Messana". Ancient city, has reached the pinnacle of his greatness, in the Late Middle Ages and in the mid-seventeenth century, when contending with Palermo, the Sicilian capital role. In 1678, after a historic anti-Spanish revolt, which resulted in the annihilation of its ruling class, a first devastating earthquake has partially destroyed the city in 1783, while in 1908 a devastating earthquake, followed by a tsunami, has razed to the ground the city, and have been generated about 80,000 victims. Rebuilt since 1912, the modern city presents a neat and regular mesh with wide straight streets. In recent years, there are ongoing projects aimed at regeneration of the city through works such as the waterfront, a new headquarters for the railway station, the bridge over the Strait. Messina is a city with an economy based on services, trade, tourism and a significant industrial activity in the shipbuilding craft. Its port is the first in Italy for the number of transit passengers and sixth for cruise traffic.
Reggio Calabria is the first municipality in the
Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, populous city close to Milazzo, it is characterized by an intense activity in: agriculture, trade and industry.
Milazzo is a peninsula, situated the Tyrrhenian Sea, in a strategic place. Located 43 km from Messina, is the benchmark for other little cities: job, trade, services. Originally a Greek city, and from 36 BC recognized as a Roman civitas, Milazzo is now a tourist destination and a great starting point for the Aeolian Islands, the Nebrodi Park, Tindari. There are numerous examples, symbols of the ancient history of the city. Plans are in progress aimed to enter the Castle, the fortified town and the ancient village in the UNESCO sites and to form the Marine Reserve of Capo Milazzo.
Economy
The economy of the area is very large being one of the largest economies of the metropolitan areas of Southern Italy. The container port of Gioia Tauro in Calabria is the largest in Italy port in Italy for container throughput, the 9th in Europe and 6th in the Mediterranean. The facilities in Milazzo and the Eolian islands as well as the port of Messina make for important transport hubs. The latter is constantly ranked in the top 3 busiest passenger ports in all of Europe and thanks to its depth, it is able to host cruise ships bringing tourism to Messina and the nearby areas.
Agriculture
Agriculture in the area has always prospered with the flatlands near Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto acting as a breadbasket for the area. The Val di Niceto also provides space for vineyards while the Peloritani Mountains and the Aspromonte act as important physical features which help to shape the landscape and provide unique foods.
Industry
Industry has developed in the area especially after the
Tourism
Tourism forms an important part of the economy with the province of Messina alone being the second most visited province in all of southern Italy. This is mostly because of the cruise ships that dock on its port but also because of Tourist attractions in Taormina on the Ionian coast and the Aeolian islands on the Tyrrhenian coast. The Aeolian are a UNESCO World Heritage Site while Taormina has been proposed to be one. Other important Tourist attractions include: Capo Peloro, the Peloritani, Milazzo, Barcellona, Tindari and villages in the mountains such as Novara di Sicilia, Castroreale and Montalbano Elicona on the Sicilian side and Reggio Calabria, Villa San Giovanni, Scilla and the Aspromonte on the Calabrian side.
Infrastructure and transport
Highways
The Metropolitan Area of Strait of Messina is connected to the
).Airport
The Strait of Messina Metropolitan Area is served by air links with the
Plans for an airport in the province of Messina in the flatlands near Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto or in the Peloritani have been suggested before but no airport of such a kind existed at the moment.
Strait of Messina Bridge
Since Roman times, a bridge has been proposed to link the Calabrian and Sicilian regions. These projects have been close to being approved many times, and Italy's Giorgia Meloni government, seems to carry the projects forward.
The Highway system would be linked to the A2 in Calabria at Villa San Giovanni and at the A20 on the Sicilian side near Giostra.
There is also planned rail connection which would involve tunnels in the Peloritani mountains of Messina.
Year | Traffic Data [2] |
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2000 | 538,048 |
2001 | 481,857 |
2002 | 463,662 |
2003 | 441,795 |
2004 | 272,859 |
2005 | 398,089 |
2006 | 607,727 |
2007 | 583,596 |
2008 | 536,032 |
2009 | 509,058 |
2010 | 548,648 |
2011 | 561,107 |
History
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (March 2013) |
Culture
Education
The
The
In addition, there are: "Dante Alighieri University" (for foreign student) situated in Reggio Calabria; and two "Academies of Fine Arts" (Decoration, Graphics, Painting, Sculpture and Scenography), situated in Messina and Reggio Calabria.
References
- ISTAT November 2011: http://demo.istat.it
- ^ Data Assaeroporti: http://assaeroporti.it/defy.asp