Geography Of Piedmont
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The Geography of Piedmont is that of a territory predominantly mountainous, 43.3%, but with extensive areas of
hill A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit, and is usually applied to peaks which are above elevation compared to the relative landmass, though not as prominent as Mountain, mountains. Hills ...
s which represent 30.3% of the territory, and of
plain In geography, a plain, commonly known as flatland, is a flat expanse of land that generally does not change much in elevation, and is primarily treeless. Plains occur as lowlands along valleys or at the base of mountains, as coastal plains, and ...
s (26.4%). To the north and to the west
Piedmont Piedmont ( ; ; ) is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the northwest Italy, Northwest of the country. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the ...
is surrounded by the
Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...
, to the south by the
Apennines The Apennines or Apennine Mountains ( ; or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; or – a singular with plural meaning; )Latin ''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which would be segmented ''Apenn-inus'', often used with nouns s ...
, and to the east by the
Po plain The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain (, , or ) is a major geographical feature of northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetic extension not actually related t ...
. To the west Piedmont borders with
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, to the north with
Valle d'Aosta The Aosta Valley ( ; ; ; or ), officially the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley, is a mountainous Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region in northwestern Italy. It is bordered by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Fr ...
and
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
, to the east with
Lombardy The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...
and
Emilia Romagna Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; or ; ) is an administrative region of northern Italy, comprising the historical regions of Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of , and a population of 4.4 million. Emilia-Romagna is one of ...
, and to the south with
Liguria Liguria (; ; , ) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is roughly coextensive with ...
. Piedmont is the second largest of the 20 administrative
regions of Italy The regions of Italy () are the first-level administrative divisions of the Italy, Italian Republic, constituting its second Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics, NUTS administrative level. There are twenty regions, #Autonomous regio ...
, after
Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
. It is broadly contiguous with the upper part of the
drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land in which all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...
of the Po which rises from the slopes of
Monviso Monte Viso or Monviso (; ; or simply ) is the highest mountain of the Cottian Alps, located in Piedmont, Italy, close to the French border. Monte Viso is well known for its pyramid-like shape. Because it is higher than all its neighbouring peak ...
in the west of the region and is Italy’s largest river. The Po collects all the waters provided within the semicircle of mountains (Alps and Apennines) which surround the region on three sides. From the highest peaks the land slopes down to hilly areas (not always, though, sometimes there is a brusque transition from the mountains to the plains), and then to the upper, and then the lower
Pianura Padana The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain (, , or ) is a major geographical feature of northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetic extension not actually related to ...
. The boundary between the first and the second is characterised by ''risorgive'', springs typical of the pianura padana which supply fresh water both to the rivers and to a dense network of irrigation canals.
Lago Maggiore Lake Maggiore (, ; ; ; ; literally 'greater lake') or Verbano (; ) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the List of lakes of Italy, second largest lake in Italy and the List of lakes of Switzerland, largest in southern Sw ...
and the line of the rivers
Ticino Ticino ( ), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino, is one of the Canton of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eight districts ...
and
Sesia The Sesia (Latin ''Sesites'' or ''Sessites'') is a river in Piedmont, north-western Italy, tributary to the Po. Geography Its sources are the glaciers of Monte Rosa at the border with Switzerland. It flows through the Alpine valley Valsesia an ...
separate Piedmont from
Lombardy The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...
. The countryside, then, is very varied: one passes from the rugged peaks of the
massif A massif () is a principal mountain mass, such as a compact portion of a mountain range, containing one or more summits (e.g. France's Massif Central). In mountaineering literature, ''massif'' is frequently used to denote the main mass of an ...
s of
Monte Rosa Monte Rosa (; ; ; or ; ) is a mountain massif in the eastern part of the Pennine Alps, on the border between Italy (Piedmont and Aosta Valley) and Switzerland (Valais). The highest peak of the massif, amongst several peaks of over , is the D ...
and of
Gran Paradiso The Gran Paradiso () or Grand Paradis ( ) is a mountain in the Graian Alps in Italy, located between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont regions. It is located in Gran Paradiso National Park. Etymology The Italian toponym ''Gran Paradiso'' deriv ...
(national park), to the damp rice paddies of the
Vercellese Vercelli (; ) is a city and ''comune'' of 46,552 inhabitants (January 1, 2017) in the Province of Vercelli, Piedmont, northern Italy. One of the oldest urban sites in northern Italy, it was founded, according to most historians, around 600 BC. ...
and
Novarese Novarese is an English and Italian adjective meaning ‘pertaining to Novara’, a city in Piedmont in north-west Italy, or ‘pertaining to the Province of Novara’. As a noun the primary meaning is ‘a person (etc.) from Novara’; it is also an ...
; from the gentle hillsides of the
Langhe The Langhe (; ''Langa'' is from old dialect Mons Langa et Bassa Langa) is a hilly area to the south and east of the river Tanaro in the provinces of Cuneo and Asti in Piedmont, northern Italy. It is famous for its wines, cheeses, and truffles ...
and of
Monferrato Montferrat ( , ; ; , ; ) is a historical region of Piedmont, in northern Italy. It comprises roughly (and its extent has varied over time) the modern provinces of Alessandria and Asti. Montferrat is one of the most important wine district ...
to the plains, often polluted and studded with a mixture of farms and industrial concerns.


Orography


Mountains

Principal mountains: *
Monte Rosa Monte Rosa (; ; ; or ; ) is a mountain massif in the eastern part of the Pennine Alps, on the border between Italy (Piedmont and Aosta Valley) and Switzerland (Valais). The highest peak of the massif, amongst several peaks of over , is the D ...
4634 m *
Gran Paradiso The Gran Paradiso () or Grand Paradis ( ) is a mountain in the Graian Alps in Italy, located between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont regions. It is located in Gran Paradiso National Park. Etymology The Italian toponym ''Gran Paradiso'' deriv ...
4061 m *
Monviso Monte Viso or Monviso (; ; or simply ) is the highest mountain of the Cottian Alps, located in Piedmont, Italy, close to the French border. Monte Viso is well known for its pyramid-like shape. Because it is higher than all its neighbouring peak ...
3841 m * Uia di Ciamarella 3676 m *
Monte Leone Monte Leone is the highest mountain of the Lepontine Alps and is located on the border between Switzerland and Italy. The mountain stands on the extreme west of the Lepontine Alps, a few kilometres east of Simplon Pass. Etymology ''Leone'' in ...
3552 m *
Rocciamelone Rocciamelone (, or ''Roche Melon'') is a 3,538 m high mountain in Piedmont, Italy, near the border between Italy and France. Geography Rocciamelone is located between Val di Susa and Maurienne, 50 km west of Turin. Its summit i ...
3538 m * Pierre Menue 3505 m *
Corno Bianco Corno Bianco (''Weisshorn'' in German Language, German) is a mountain of the Pennine Alps. It's a popular climbing destination of Valsesia. Etymology The literal English translation of ''Corno Bianco'' is ''White Horn''. Geography The moun ...
3320 m *
Punta Ramiere The Punta Ramiere (in Italian) or Bric Froid (in French) is a mountain in the Cottian Alps belonging to the department of Hautes-Alpes ( FR) and the province of Turin ( IT). It's the highest peak of the long stretch of the Po/ Rhone water div ...
3303 m * Bric Bouchet 3216 m * Monte Matto 3097 m * Monte Albergian 3041 m *
Rocca la Meia Rocca la Meja is a mountain in the Cottian Alps, in the comune of Canosio, Piedmont, northern Italy. It has an altitude of 2,831 m and it is located in the Maira Valley. Of pyramidal shape, it is mostly composed of dolomitic limestone, a ...
2831 m *
Monte Giavino Monte may refer to: Places Argentina * Argentine Monte, an ecoregion * Monte Desert * Monte Partido, a ''partido'' in Buenos Aires Province Italy * Monte Bregagno * Monte Cassino * Montecorvino (disambiguation) * Montefalcione Portugal * Monte ...
2766 m * Punta Marguareis 2651 m *
Monte Bram Monte may refer to: Places Argentina * Argentine Monte, an ecoregion * Monte Desert * Monte Partido, a ''partido'' in Buenos Aires Province Italy * Monte Bregagno * Monte Cassino * Montecorvino (disambiguation) * Montefalcione Portugal * Monte ...
2357 m * Monte Barone 2044 m *
Monte Antola Monte Antola (in Ligurian language (Romance), Ligurian ''munte Antua'') is a mountain in Liguria, northern Italy, part of the Ligurian Apennines. Geography The mountain is located between the provinces of province of Genoa, Genoa and provinc ...
1597 m *
Mottarone Mottarone is a mountain in the Western Alps of Piedmont, north-western Italy, with an elevation of . It is located between the provinces of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola and Novara. Geography The peak is in the communal territory of Stresa, between Lak ...
1492 m *
Monte Musinè Monte Musinè or simply Musinè (in Piedmontese mont Musinè) is a mountain in the Graian Alps in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, north Italy. Musinè is well known for the high cross on its peak, as well as for being the mountain clo ...
1150 m


Valleys

As Piedmont is bounded to the north and to the west by the Alps, and to the south by the Apennines it is rich in valleys of very varied dimensions. There follows a list of some of the valleys of the region starting at the north of the boundary with
Lombardy The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...
and proceeding anti-clockwise: *
Val d'Ossola The Ossola (; ), also Valle Ossola or Val d'Ossola (; ), is an area of Northwest Italy situated to the north of Lago Maggiore. It lies within the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. Its principal river is the Toce, and its most important town Do ...
**
Valle Anzasca Valle Anzasca (Anzasca Valley) is a valley of the Alps, situated in the Pennine Alps, Pennine range. The valley is drained by the Anza (river), Anza, a tributary of the Toce at Piedimulera. The valley is located in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Os ...
**
Valle Antrona Valle Antrona (Antrona Valley) is a valley of the Alps, situated in the Pennine range. The valley is drained by the Ovesca, a tributary of the Toce at Villadossola. The highest mountain in the valley is the Pizzo d'Andolla (). There are severa ...
**
Val Bognanco Val Bognanco (Bognanco Valley) is a valley of the Alps, situated in the Pennine range. The valley is drained by the Bogna, a tributary of the Toce at Domodossola that in turn drains into Lake Maggiore. The west side of the valley is mountain rid ...
**
Val Divedro The Simplon Valley or Divedro Valley ( German: ''Simplontal'', Italian: ''Val Divedro'') is a valley of the Alps, situated between the Pennine and the Lepontine ranges. The valley is drained by the Diveria or ''Chrummbach'', a tributary of the ...
** Valle Antigorio **
Val Formazza The Val Formazza () is a valley in the Lepontine Alps, in the Piedmontese Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Italy. Bordering Switzerland, it represents the northernmost part of Val d'Ossola and Piedmont.Val Vigezzo Valle Vigezzo (Vigezzo Valley) is a valley in the Lepontine Alps in northwestern Italy on the border with Canton Ticino of Switzerland. It forms the eastern branch of the Ossola valley. It is also called the Valle dei Pittori (Valley of the Pai ...
*
Valsesia Valsesia (; Walser German: ''Tseschrutol'') is a group of valleys in the north-east of Piedmont in the Province of Vercelli, Italy; the principal valley is that of the river Sesia. The major towns located here are Varallo Sesia, Borgosesia ...
**
Val Mastallone Val may refer to: Military equipment * Aichi D3A, a Japanese World War II dive bomber codenamed "Val" by the Allies * AS Val, a Soviet assault rifle Music *''Val'', album by Val Doonican *VAL (band), Belarusian pop duo People * Val (given ...
**
Val d'Otro Val may refer to: Military equipment * Aichi D3A, a Japanese World War II dive bomber codenamed "Val" by the Allies * AS Val, a Soviet assault rifle Music *''Val'', album by Val Doonican *VAL (band), Belarusian pop duo People * Val (given ...
**
Val Vogna Val Vogna (''I' Vejin'' in Walser) is a lateral valley of Valsesia, inside the municipality of Riva Valdobbia, Italy. West of Riva Valdobbia town, opens the Val Vogna, a side valley just in part served by paved road, on the old so-called ''Antica ...
*
Val Sessera Sessera Valley (in Italian ''Valle Sessera'') is a valley in north-east of Piedmont in the Province of Biella, Italy. Etymology The valley takes its name from the river Sessera, a right-hand tributary of the Sesia which flows through the valley. ...
* Valle Strona di Mosso *
Valle Cervo Cervo Valley (in Italian ''Valle Cervo'' or ''Valle di Andorno'', in Piedmontese ''Val d'Andorn'', in Walser German ''Bürsch'') is a valley in north-east of Piedmont in the Province of Biella, Italy. Etymology The valley takes its name from Ce ...
* Valchiusella * Valle dell'Orco *
Valli di Lanzo The Lanzo Valleys (in Italian ''Valli di Lanzo'', in Piedmontese ''Valade ëd Lans'') is a group of three valleys in the north-west of Piedmont in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Italy. They are located in the Graian Alps of Piedmont, between the ...
**
Val grande di Lanzo Val may refer to: Military equipment * Aichi D3A, a Japanese World War II dive bomber codenamed "Val" by the Allies * AS Val, a Soviet assault rifle Music *''Val'', album by Val Doonican *VAL (band), Belarusian pop duo People * Val (given ...
**
Val d'Ala Val may refer to: Military equipment * Aichi D3A, a Japanese World War II dive bomber codenamed "Val" by the Allies * AS Val, a Soviet assault rifle Music *''Val'', album by Val Doonican *VAL (band), Belarusian pop duo People * Val (given ...
** Valle di Viù *
Val Ceronda Val may refer to: Military equipment * Aichi D3A, a Japanese World War II dive bomber codenamed "Val" by the Allies * AS Val, a Soviet assault rifle Music *''Val'', album by Val Doonican *VAL (band), Belarusian pop duo People * Val (given ...
*
Val di Susa The Susa Valley (; ; ; ; ) is a valley in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont region of northern Italy, located between the Graian Alps in the north and the Cottian Alps in the south. It is one of the longest valleys of the Italian Alps. It ...
* Val Sangone *
Val Chisone The Val Chisone is one of the Occitan valleys of western Piedmont, situated in the Cottian Alps in the Metropolitan City of Turin in north-west Italy. Geography Traditionally, the valley's entrances are considered the towns of Pinerolo and Sestr ...
**
Val Germanasca The Valle Germanasca is a valley in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, north-western Italy run by the Germanasca stream, a right affluent of the Chisone. The valley, in the past affected by a strong depopulation, is now partially characte ...
*
Val Pellice The Pellice (in Piedmontese ''Pélis'') is a Italian torrent, which runs through the Metropolitan City of Turin. The stream is a tributary of the Po River, into which it flows near Villafranca Piemonte. Geography The stream is formed at the weste ...
*
Valle Po The Valle Po (literally "Po valley") is a valley of the Cottian Alps in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Northern Italy. Geography The valley gives rise to the longest river in Italy, the Po, before it enters the Pianura Padana (or the Plain ...
*
Valle Maira Maira Valley (in Italian ''Val Maira'' or ''Valle Macra'') is a valley in south-west of Piedmont in the Province of Cuneo, Italy. Etymology The valley takes its name from the river Maira, a right-hand tributary of the Po which flows through the ...
*
Val Varaita Varaita Valley (in Italian ''Valle Varaita'') is a valley in south-west of Piedmont, in the Province of Cuneo - Italy. Etymology It takes its name from the Varaita, a right-hand tributary of the Po which flows through the valley. Geography Close ...
*
Valle Stura di Demonte The Stura di Demonte Valley (in Italian ''Valle Stura di Demonte'') is a valley in south-west of Piedmont in the Province of Cuneo, Italy. Etymology The valley takes its name from the river Stura di Demonte, a left-hand tributary of the Tanaro wh ...
* Valle Gesso * Val Bormida *
Val Curone Val may refer to: Military equipment * Aichi D3A, a Japanese World War II dive bomber codenamed "Val" by the Allies * AS Val, a Soviet assault rifle Music *''Val'', album by Val Doonican *VAL (band), Belarusian pop duo People * Val (given ...
* Valle Scrivia *
Val Borbera The Val Borbera ( or ''Borbéia''; ) is a valley formed by the River Borbera, a tributary of the Scrivia, located in the province of Alessandria. It was historically linked to the Republic of Genoa, the Ligurian Republic and is still strongly tied ...


Hydrography


Rivers

The largest river in Piedmont is the Po. Other important rivers, in order of their mean rate of discharge, include:


Lakes

The principal lakes of Piedmont are: *
Lago Maggiore Lake Maggiore (, ; ; ; ; literally 'greater lake') or Verbano (; ) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the List of lakes of Italy, second largest lake in Italy and the List of lakes of Switzerland, largest in southern Sw ...
212 km2 * Lago d'Orta 18.2 km2 *
Lago di Viverone Lago di Viverone or Lake Viverone () is a lake in northern Italy. Named after the town of Viverone, lies at 230 m AMSL between the districts of Biella, Vercelli and Ivrea in the area of morainic hills known as Serra. It has an area of about 6  ...
5.8 km2 *
Lago di Mergozzo Lago di Mergozzo (En. ''Lake Mergozzo'') is a small sub-alpine lake in northern Italy just to the west of Lago Maggiore and north of Lago d'Orta, at the mouth of the Val d’Ossola in the province of Verbano Cusio Ossola, Piedmont. In ancient ...
1.85 km2 * Lago di Candia 1.52 km2 *The five lakes of the
Serra di Ivrea Serra (Latin for "saw") may refer to: People and fictional characters * Serra (surname), a list of people and fictional characters * Serra (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Serra (footballer), Portuguese footballer Jos ...
br>
**
Lago Sirio __NOTOC__ Lago, which means "lake" in several languages, may refer to: Places *Lago, Calabria, a ''comune'' in the Province of Cosenza, Italy * Lago, Mexico, a municipality zone in the State of Mexico *Lago District, a ''distrito'' in Niassa Provi ...
1.4 km2 **Lago San Michele **Lago Nero **Lago Pistono **Lago di Campagna (or Lago di Cascinette)


References

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