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Latina
Comune di Latina
Panorama of Latina
Panorama of Latina
Flag of Latina
Flag
Coat of arms of Latina
Coat of arms
Country Italy
Region Lazio
Province Latina (LT)
Frazioni See list
Area
 • Total 277 km2 (107 sq mi)
Elevation
21 m (69 ft)
Population
 (31 December 2015)
 • Total 125,985
 • Density 454.8/km2 (1,178.0/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Latinensi
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
04100, 04010, 04013
Dialing code 0773
Patron saint Saint Maria Goretti and St. Mark
Saint day April 25, July 6

Latina (Italian: [laˈtiːna]) is the capital of the province of Latina, in the Lazio region, in Central Italy. As of 2024, the city has 127,486 inhabitants and is the second-largest city of the region, after the national capital Rome.

Historical population
Year Pop. ±%
1871 407 —    
1881 509 +25.1%
1901 916 +80.0%
1911 990 +8.1%
1921 1,227 +23.9%
1931 1,812 +47.7%
1936 19,654 +984.7%
1951 35,187 +79.0%
1961 49,331 +40.2%
1971 78,210 +58.5%
1981 93,738 +19.9%
1991 106,203 +13.3%
2001 107,898 +1.6%
2011 117,892 +9.3%
2021 127,861 +8.5%
Source: ISTAT

It is one of the youngest cities in Italy, being founded as Littoria in 1932 under the fascist administration, when the area surrounding it which had been a swamp since antiquity was drained.

History

Inaugurazione Littoria 001
The inauguration of Littoria in 1932

Although the area was first settled by the Latins, the modern city was founded by Benito Mussolini on 30 June 1932 as Littoria, named for the fascio littorio. The city was inaugurated on 18 December of the same year. Littoria was populated with settlers coming mainly from Friuli and Veneto, who formed the so-called Venetian-Pontine community (today surviving only in some peripheral boroughs). The edifices and the monuments, mainly in rationalist style, were designed by famous architects and artists such as Marcello Piacentini, Angiolo Mazzoni and Duilio Cambellotti.

In 1934 it became a provincial capital and, after World War II, renamed Latina in 1946. With the arrival of other people mostly from Lazio itself, the original Venetian-like dialect was increasingly substituted by a form of Romanesco dialect.

The city coat of arms is a blue shield with a stylized drawing of the City Hall Clock Tower in the middle, standing on a field of green, and flanked by two stalks of wheat tied at the base with a red ribbon engraved with the motto LATINA OLIM PALUS ("Latina, once a swamp") in Latin. The shield is surmounted by a mural crown.

Economy

The city has some pharmaceutical, chemical industry and a strong service sector. Latina is also an important centre for agriculture (vegetables, flowers, sugar, fruit, cheese and derivates).

The former Latina nuclear power plant has been shut down and is currently undergoing decommissioning.

Frazioni

The frazioni of Latina are: Latina Lido, Latina Scalo, Borgo Bainsizza, Borgo Carso, Borgo Faiti, Borgo Grappa, Borgo Isonzo, Borgo Montello, Borgo Piave, Borgo Podgora, Borgo Sabotino, Borgo Santa Maria, Borgo San Michele, Chiesuola, and Tor Tre Ponti.

Geography

Latina is located in the Province of Latina, part of the southern section of the region of Lazio. The city is about 62 kilometres (39 miles) south of Rome The municipality borders on Aprilia, Cisterna di Latina, Nettuno, Pontinia, Sabaudia, Sermoneta and Sezze.

Climate

Latina has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa) like most of southern Italy.

Climate data for Latina
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 14.2
(57.6)
15.1
(59.2)
18.1
(64.6)
22.0
(71.6)
24.9
(76.8)
29.7
(85.5)
32.1
(89.8)
31.6
(88.9)
28.8
(83.8)
24.3
(75.7)
18.7
(65.7)
15.3
(59.5)
22.9
(73.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 4.1
(39.4)
4.6
(40.3)
7.3
(45.1)
11.2
(52.2)
14.3
(57.7)
18.2
(64.8)
20.7
(69.3)
21.5
(70.7)
18.1
(64.6)
12.9
(55.2)
8.6
(47.5)
5.0
(41.0)
12.2
(54.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 81.3
(3.20)
68.6
(2.70)
73.7
(2.90)
66.0
(2.60)
38.5
(1.52)
9.3
(0.37)
2.8
(0.11)
6.4
(0.25)
35.7
(1.41)
93.8
(3.69)
111.5
(4.39)
99.1
(3.90)
686.7
(27.04)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 165.9 179.5 213.1 230.1 278.5 325.8 367.6 343.2 280.9 225.6 161.3 154.9 2,926.4
Source: Weatherbase

People

  • Manuela Arcuri, actress
  • Calcutta, stage name of Edoardo d'Erme, musician and composer
  • Fabrizio del Monte, racing driver
  • Tiziano Ferro, pop singer
  • Antonio Pennacchi, writer
  • Mattia Perin, football goalkeeper
  • Karin Proia, actress
  • Ilaria Spada, actress
  • Elena Santarelli, actress, model and television presenter

International relations

Twin towns / Sister cities

Latina is twinned with:

Gallery

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