The Geography of
Piedmont
Why visit Piemonte?
Piedmont is where the river Po has its origin as a mountain torrent descending from the north flank of Monte Viso. After a course of less than 20 miles it enters the plain and flows through the ancient city of Turin. The province is bordered to the north and west by the short spurs and deep valleys of the Alpine mountains
Contents
Map
Relief map of Piemonte
What is the landscape of Piemonte like?
Piedmont is enclosed by the vast semicircle of the Pennine, Graian, Cottian, Maritime and Ligurian Alps. France lies to the west and Switzerland to the north. Altogether more than forty percent of the region is made up of mountains and there are many tourist resorts in the Alpine valleys. The remainder of the region is made up of low hills and plains where the rivers flowing from the Alps gather into the valley of the river Po. In the southeast are the beginnings of the Apennine mountains which form the backbone of Italy.
What is the nature of Piemonte like?
The plains of Piedmont are a great agriculture region where much of Italy's rice production is situated, and the region is known for its high concentration of vineyards, especially in the south. Luxuriant greenery and a wealth of flowers flourish in the mild climate of Piedmont. On the hill and mountain slopes are forests of Scots pine, beech, and other broadleaves such as downy oak, chestnut, maple, ash, and linden.
What is the climate of Piemonte like?
Piedmont has a mild continental climate, which on the Alps becomes progressively cooler with altitude. In the lowlands, winters are relatively cold but not very rainy and often sunny, with the possibility of snowfall, sometimes abundant. Summers are hot and muggy with the possibility of thunderstorms. Rain falls mainly in spring and autumn in most of the region. On the shores of Lake Maggiore there is a particular microclimate, with milder winters than in the rest of the region and cooler summers. Even in the valleys and hills facing south there are milder and sunnier climates.
| Climate data for Turin (1971–2000) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 6.6 (43.9) | 9.1 (48.4) | 13.4 (56.1) | 16.6 (61.9) | 20.7 (69.3) | 24.8 (76.6) | 27.9 (82.2) | 27.1 (80.8) | 23.0 (73.4) | 17.3 (63.1) | 11.1 (52.0) | 7.6 (45.7) | 17.1 (62.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.0 (35.6) | 4.3 (39.7) | 8.1 (46.6) | 11.1 (52.0) | 15.5 (59.9) | 19.4 (66.9) | 22.4 (72.3) | 21.8 (71.2) | 17.8 (64.0) | 12.4 (54.3) | 6.5 (43.7) | 3.1 (37.6) | 12.0 (53.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −2.5 (27.5) | −0.7 (30.7) | 2.7 (36.9) | 5.7 (42.3) | 10.4 (50.7) | 14.0 (57.2) | 16.9 (62.4) | 16.5 (61.7) | 12.7 (54.9) | 7.4 (45.3) | 1.9 (35.4) | −1.6 (29.1) | 7.0 (44.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 47.8 (1.88) | 47.1 (1.85) | 72.5 (2.85) | 113.3 (4.46) | 145.3 (5.72) | 104.3 (4.11) | 70.5 (2.78) | 76.1 (3.00) | 83.8 (3.30) | 106.1 (4.18) | 69.1 (2.72) | 45.1 (1.78) | 981.0 (38.62) |
| Source: Servizio Meteorologico | |||||||||||||
Monte Granero in the Cottian Alps
The official websites
Piemonte
The foot of the Alps
| Location: | Northwest Italy |
| Coordinates: | 45° 00′ N, 07° 45′ E |
| Size: | • 265 km N-S; 205 km E-W • 165 miles N-S; 125 miles E-W |
| Terrain: | A central plain, hilly in parts, enclosed by the mountains of the Alps to the north and west, and the Apennines to the south |
| Climate: | Summers are hot and muggy at low altitudes; winters are cool but often sunny. The Alps become progressively cooler at altitude, with frequent winter snow |
| Highest point: | Grenzgipfel (Monte Rosa) 4,618 m |
| Forest: | 31% (2010 est.) (source) |
| Population: | 4,269,714 (2021) |
| Population density: | Medium (170/km²) |
| Capital: | Torino (English: Turin) |
| Languages: | Italian; Piedmontese |
| Human Development Index: | Very High (0.898) |