The Province of Foggia (Italian: Provincia di Foggia) is a province in the Apulia (Puglia) region of Italy.
This province is also known as Capitanata, originally Catapanata, because during the Middle Ages it was governed by a catepan, as part of the Catepanate of Italy. Its capital is the city of Foggia.
The province of Foggia can be divided in two parts: the one centered in its capital Foggia called Tavoliere and the other one that represents the spur of the boot-shaped Italian peninsula called Gargano.
The Tavoliere, a term that recalls the word tavolo, table, is so called because it is lowland and it is important for agriculture (grapefruit, olives, durum wheat, tomato). It is also called "the granary of Italy" because of its important production of wheat.
The Gargano is a peninsula partly mountainous and partly covered by a forest, Foresta Umbra with vegetation typical of Central Europe, the only lasting part in Italy of the ancient Black Forest. Allegedly its name comes from the word ombra (shadow) because of its thickness that prevents the light to enter in contrast with the typical flora. The coast of Gargano is rich in beaches and touristic facilities. In the north are two major salt lakes Lesina and Varano. It is also important for the production of olives, olive oil and both mountain and sea typical food products.
Foggia ([ˈfɔddʒa]) is a city and comune of Apulia, in southern Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. In 2013 its population was 153,143. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also known as the "granary of Italy".
The name Foggia derives from Latin "fovea", meaning "pit", referring to the pits where wheat was stored. Although the area had been settled since Neolithic times, and a Greek colony known as Argos Hippium (in Greek, Ἀργόριππα or Ἀργύριππόι) existed nearby, the first document attesting the existence of the modern city dates from 1000 AD. According to the legend, the first settlers were peasants who had found a panel portraying the Madonna, on which three flames burnt.
The area was marshy and unhealthy. Robert Guiscard directed draining the wetland, boosting the economic and social growth of the city. The city was the seat of Henry, Count of Monte Sant'Angelo during the last twenty years of the 11th century. In the 12th century, William II of Sicily built a cathedral here and further enlarged the settlement.