Lazio or Latium, region, west central Italy, on the Tyrrhenian Sea, extending north from the Liri River, on the western slopes of the Apennines range. The region is composed of the provinces of Rome, Frosinone, Latina, Rieti, and Viterbo. The principal river is the Tiber. Rome, the capital of Italy, is also the chief industrial city of the region and the regional capital. Other important cities are Civitavecchia, the chief port, and Vatican City, the Holy See of the Roman Catholic church. The main agricultural areas of Lazio are in the reclaimed Campagna di Roma and the Pontine Marshes, where sheep and cattle are raised and vegetables, fruit, grain, and cotton are grown. Fishing and the extraction of mercury and coal are also important.
In ancient times, Latium was restricted to the region between the Tiber River and the Alban Hills. It was occupied by the Latins, a tribal people who formed a loose union of fortified communities. In 338bc the union, known as the Latin League, was subjugated by Rome. During the 8th century ad, control of the region passed to the newly formed Papal States. The modern boundaries of Lazio were established in 1870 after the establishment of the kingdom of Italy. Area, 17,207 sq km (6,644 sq mi); population 5,269,972 (2005 estimate).
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