Tuscany, << TUHS kuh nee, >> is a political region, or state, in Italy. Its Italian name is Toscana << toh SKAHN uh >> . Tuscany lies on the west coast of Italy. It is made up of nine provinces. It covers 8,878 square miles (22,994 square kilometers) and has a population of about 3 2/3 million. Tuscany is an important agricultural and industrial center. Its Chianti district is famous for its wine. Straw hats made in Tuscany are known as Leghorns. Tuscany includes the famous Italian cities of Florence, Pisa, Siena, and Livorno.
Tuscany has long been an important Italian center of art and learning. In early times, the territory was the home of an ancient people known as Etruscans. The Italian poets Dante and Petrarch used the language of Tuscany for their poems.
