Puglia

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Puglia (Apulia) Region in se Italy, consisting of the provinces of Bari, Brindisi, Foggia, Lecce, and Taranto; the capital is Bari. Colonized by the Greeks, it was taken by the Romans in the 3rd century bc. Conquered in turn by Goths, Lombards and Byzantines, it later formed part of the Holy Roman Empire. The region became part of Italy in 1861. Products: wheat, almonds, figs, tobacco, wine, salt. Industries: petrochemicals, iron and steel. Area: 19,357sq km (7472sq mi). Pop. (1999) 4,086,422.

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