Pollino National Park in southern Italy

Today’s Image of the Day from the European Space Agency  features southern Italy and the Apennine Mountains in late January 2023. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission. 

“With the Ionian Sea to the east and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, the image features parts of Basilicata, Calabria and Puglia,” says ESA. 

“Lying between the two seas, this area is prone to extreme weather such as flooding. In January and February 2023, southern Italy experienced a period of unsettled weather, resulting in heavy rainfall and snow, even at low altitudes.”

Several protected areas, including Pollino National Park, are visible in the photograph. Pollino is a UNESCO Geopark and Italy’s largest protected area, covering almost 200,000 hectares between Calabria and Basilicata. 

“In the top right corner of the image, a few small towns, visible in shades of brown, are dotted along the Ionian coast. The elongated green patches between the towns denote pine forests that give rise to pockets of biodiversity,” says ESA.

Image Credit: ESA 

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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Editor

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