Abstract

The paper look inside the great changes occurred in the geography of Emilia Romagna region, during the Twentieth Century. It is a synthetic profile of different aspects, because most of the changes produced modifications on the landscape, and then on the geographies of the area. Varied sources are used, like documents, data, cartographic and iconographic materials, at the regional scale. The first two chapters deals with the land and infrastructure, whose networks have helped to strengthen the human geography of the region, based on the axis of the Via Emilia. The third chapter presents some indicators on population, its geographical distribution, its social and economic characteristics, showing the momentous changes that have occurred in the twentieth century. The fourth and fifth chapter attempt to get the level investigation into rural areas and urban contexts, using some indicators and iconographic materials. The sixth part deals with the contemporary environmental challenges, ranging from emergency of high land consumption, implemented through its overbuilding and the reduction of agricultural use areas, up to attempts to nature conservation through parks, reserves, and new-naturalized areas.