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Naples Sample Answer
Naples Sample Answer
Naples (or Napoli in Italian) is the largest city in the Mezzogiorno region of
Italy. It has a population of over 1 million, with over 3 million people in the Bay
of Naples.
The Mezzogiorno is a large peripheral region, including the mainland south of
Rome and the islands Sicily and Sardinia. Like other peripheral regions, it is
characterised by its difficult terrain (85% of the region is hilly or mountainous,
e.g. Apennines), challenging climate (drought in summer), poor soils (mostly
Terra Rossa), high unemployment, lower average wages, high levels of
emigration and poor infrastructure. Other large cities in the Mezzogiorno
include Palermo, Catania and Messina on Sicily, Cagliari on Sardinia and Bari,
Brindisi and Taranto on the mainland, but Naples is the biggest and most
important city in the region.
Naples has a long history, dating back to around the 7th century BC(E). It was
originally a Greek city. The large bay was the perfect place to keep boats safely.
It is a beautiful location, but also offers safe harbour and a constant supply of
fresh seafood. It has a shallow seafloor, caused by seismic uplift. The region
has a very favourable Mediterranean Climate, with long hot summers and
mild, occasionally damp winters. This allowed people to grow fruit and
vegetables in the summer and crops like wheat in winter. The flat corridor of
land on the coast allowed the development of the city and agriculture, unlike
inland, where the Apennines repelled settlement. In addition, the soil in the
region is fertile, unlike further south. This was partly due to the rich minerals
left behind from ancient eruptions of the volcanic Mt. Vesuvius. When
Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, it killed thousands of people and destroyed the
nearby cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
After the Greeks, Naples was also controlled by the Roman Empire, Spain and
Normans, amongst others. As a result, the city remains wary of outside
influence today, including the Italian capital, Rome.
Modern Naples is a busy city, still dominated by the bay and port, the ancient
narrow streets and the shadow of Vesuvius. Tourists come to see these sights
and the nearby Isle of Capri and towns of Sorrento and Positano on the Amalfi
Coast, and to enjoy the local cuisine (including pizza!) and sunny weather.
Tourism is important in Naples but needs to be marketed much better. For
example, only 13% of overseas visitors to Italy visit the Mezzogiono.
Organised crime and the influence of the Camorra has a very negative impact
on Naples and its tourism, businesses, and development in general. Corruption
and intimidation and the high murder rate are huge problems for the image of
the city and its development. However, today, with more success in
prosecuting these criminals and the development of manufacturing hubs (e.g.
textiles and jewellery) on the city’s edges, Naples is slowly developing a better
image. It must continue to incentivise it’s young, skilled people to stay in the
region and attract outside investment.