Lazio, also referred to Latium, is one of 20 regions in Italy. It encompasses the provinces of Frosinone, Latina, Rieti, Roma, and Viterbo. Lazio was once home to the Etruscan and Latin peoples which eventually evolved into the Romans. Lazio was part of the Papal States, the territory held by the Vatican until the 1860s. The capital of the Lazio region is Rome which is also the capital of the Italian republic. Rome did not join the united Italy until 1870. Lazio, also referred to Latium, is one of 20 regions in Italy. It encompasses the provinces of Frosinone, Latina, Rieti, Roma, and Viterbo. Lazio was once home to the Etruscan and Latin peoples which eventually evolved into the Romans. Lazio was part of the Papal States, the territory held by the Vatican until the 1860s. The capital of the Lazio region is Rome which is also the capital of the Italian republic. Rome did not join the united Italy until 1870. Like most areas that were once part of the Papal State, Lazio was traditionally poor with little in the way of economic development until recently. Lazio now contributes 10% of the GDP and is one of the most important regions in Italy. Aside from tourism Lazio derives is wealth from agriculture pursuits such as vegetable farming and wine making as well as key industries such as machinery manufacturing, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and publishing. The film industry has a steady base in Lazio. Lazio sports a population of nearly 5.2 million, constituting 9% of the total Italian population. 75% of the population in the region is employed activities related to the public administration and research fields.
