Geography of Liguria
The geography of Liguria illustrates the geographic characteristics of the Italian region of Liguria .
Data
The Liguria region is located in northern Italy and has an area of 5421 km², which is 1.8% of the area of Italy. It runs parallel to the Ligurian Sea . The coastline is bounded in the west by the Balzi Rossi near Ventimiglia and in the southeast by Marinella near Sarzana .
72% of the territory belong to the south side of the Ligurian Alps and the Ligurian Apennines . Some smaller sections of the metropolitan city of Genoa and the province of Savona , however, lie north of the main ridge of the Apennines . In front of the mountain area is the narrow Ligurian coast (Riviera).
Orography
The Ligurian landscape is strongly characterized by mountains and hills, which is due to the presence of the Ligurian Apennines and the Ligurian Alps. 65.1% of the territory consists of elevations with a height of over 1000 meters. The remaining 34.9% consist of hilly landscapes. The two main mountain ranges of Liguria are separated from each other by the mountain pass Bocchetta di Altare (459 meters) according to traditional and conventional definition . Liguria does not have extensive plains, as the mountains mostly reach the coast. Smaller plains are located at the mouth of the Magra , in the province of La Spezia , and at Albenga , in the province of Savona.
mountains
The highest mountain peaks can be found in the Ligurian Alps, which are divided into the Pre-Alps and the Marguareis Alps . The highest mountain in Liguria is Monte Saccarello at 2201 meters above sea level. This is part of the Marguareis Alps and lies on the border with the Piedmont region to the north , near the Maritime Alps . The highest peaks of the pre-Alps are the Monte Galero (1708 meters), Monte Carmo di Loano (1389 meters) and the Monte Settepani (1386 meters).
The highest mountains of the Ligurian Apennines are in Val d'Aveto and Val Trebbia . At 1796 meters, Monte Maggiorasca is the highest of them. It lies on the border point of the metropolitan city of Genoa and the provinces of Piacenza and Parma .
Ligurian Alps
The highest mountains of the Ligurian Alps on Ligurian territory:
- Monte Saccarello (2201 m)
- Monte Frontè (2152 m)
- Monte Pietravecchia (2038 m)
- Monte Grai (2014 m)
- Monte Toraggio (1973 m)
- Cima di Piano Cavallo (1896 m)
- Monte Monega (1881 m)
- Monte Cimone (1832 m)
- Pizzo Reulfo (1815 m)
- Monte Collardente (1776 m)
- Monte Gerbonte (1727 m)
- Monte Galero (1708 m)
Ligurian Apennines
The highest mountains of the Ligurian Apennines on Ligurian territory:
- Monte Maggiorasca (1796 m)
- Monte Penna (1741 m)
- Monte Aiona (1701 m)
- Monte Nero (1676 m)
- Monte Carmo (1641 m)
- Monte Gottero (1639 m)
- Rocca del Scaggio (1617 m)
- Monte Tomarlo (1603 m)
- Monte Antola (1597 m)
- Monte Groppo Rosso (1594 m)
- Monte degli Abeti (1539 m)
- Monte Oramara (1522 m)
- Monte Montarlone (1500 m)
Mountain passes
Numerous passes connect the Ligurian coast with the Po plain. Most of them are less than 1000 meters high, which allows them to be used all year round. The Passo dei Giovi (472 meters) and the Bocchetta di Altare (459 meters) are of particular strategic importance . They connect the Po Plain with the largest Ligurian ports. Another important, inner-Ligurian mountain crossing is the Passo del Bracco (613 meters), which connects the Val di Vara with the Ligurian region of Tigullio .
Interregional pass crossings
- Colle di Santa Libera (441 m)
- Bocchetta di Altare , also: Colle di Cadibona (459 m)
- Crocetta d'Orero (468 m)
- Passo dei Giovi (472 m)
- Colle del Giovo (516 m)
- Passo del Turchino (594 m)
- Colle di Creto (605 m)
- Passo della Scoffèra (674 m)
- Passo della Bocchetta (772 m)
- Giogo di Toirano (807 m)
- Colle Scravaion (814 m)
- Passo della Forcella (875 m)
- Colla di Praglia (880 m)
- Passo della Scoglina (926 m)
- Colle di Nava (941 m)
- Passo del Bocco (956 m)
- Colle del Melogno (1028 m)
- Passo di Centocroci (1055 m)
- Passo del Faiallo (1061 m)
- Passo del Portello (1092 m)
- Passo di Pralè (1258 m)
- Colle San Bernardo di Mendatica (1263 m)
Intraregional pass crossings
- Passo del Bracco (613 m)
- Colle San Bartolomeo (620 m)
- Passo del Ginestro (677 m)
- Passo del Biscia (892 m)
- Passo di Ghimbegna (898 m)
- Passo del Rastello (1044 m)
- Passo del Tomarlo (1494 m)
- Colla Melosa (1540 m)
Hydrography
sea
The entire length of the region runs along the Ligurian Sea, which is part of the western Mediterranean . The coast itself is subdivided into the western Riviera di Ponente and the eastern Riviera di Levante , which border between Crevari and Voltri , near Genoa. The Gulf of Genoa is an important part of the Ligurian Sea . Smaller bays are the Gulf of La Spezia , the Gulf of Tigullio and the Golfo Paradiso .
Islands
The largest island in Liguria is Palmaria near Porto Venere with an area of 1.6 km². In the immediate vicinity of Palmaria, also on the Riviera di Levante , are the two small islands of Tino and Tinetto . In the western section of Liguria, the Riviera di Ponente , are the islands of Bergeggi (in front of Punta del Maiolo ) and Gallinara (in front of Albenga ). The only inhabited island is Palmaria.
Lakes
There are few natural lakes in Liguria, and most of them are small. A number of small lakes can be found in the Val d'Aveto , of which the Lago delle Lame and the Laghi delle Agoraie are of particular aesthetic value.
Significant, man-made lakes ( reservoirs for water and electricity generation) are the Laghi del Gorzente on the regional border between Liguria and Piedmont, in the Piani di Praglia district , the Lago del Brugneto in Val Trebbia , the Lago di Val di Noci in the Valle Scrivia , the Lago di Giacopiane in the Valle Sturla , the Lago di Osiglia in the Val Bormida and the Lago di Tenarda near Colla Melosa .
