Lombardy

Lombardy (Lombard and Italian: Lombardia; Romansh: Lumbardia) is an administrative region of Italy that covers 23,844 km2 (9,206 sq mi); it is located in northern Italy and with a population of about 10 million is the most populous region, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is located between the Alps mountain range and tributaries of the river Po, and includes Milan, its capital and largest city, whose metropolitan area is the largest in the country and among the largest in the EU. Its territory is divided into 1,501 municipalities (the region with the largest number of municipalities in the entire national territory), distributed among 12 administrative subdivisions (11 provinces plus the Metropolitan City of Milan). The region ranks first in Italy in terms of population, population density, and number of municipalities, while it is fourth in terms of surface area, after Sicily, Piedmont, and Sardinia. It is the second-most populous region of the European Union (EU), and the second region of the European Union by nominal GDP. Lombardy is the leading region of Italy in terms of economic importance, contributing to approximately one-fifth of the national gross domestic product (GDP). It is also a member of the Four Motors for Europe, an international economic organization whose other members are Baden-Württemberg in Germany, Catalonia in Spain, and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in France. Milan is the economic capital of Italy and a global centre for business, fashion, and finance. Of the 58 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy, 11 are in Lombardy, tying it with Castile and León in northwest-central Spain.