In the north, the Gargano promontory extends out into the Adriatic sea like a "sperone" ("spur"), while in the south, the Salento peninsula forms the "tacco" ("heel") of Italy's boot.

[5] The highest peak in the region is Monte Cornacchia 1,152 m (3,780 ft) above sea level) within the Daunian Mountains, in the north along the Apennines.

The coastal areas, particularly on the Adriatic Sea and in the southern Salento peninsula, are frequently exposed to winds of varying strengths and directions, strongly affecting local temperatures and conditions, sometimes within the same day.

[9] Human settlement in Apulia dates back to at least 250,000 years ago, as evidenced by the fossil remains of the Altamura Man, an archaic form of Neanderthal.

With the construction of the Appian Way and, in the imperial era, of the Via Traiana along which cities such as Troia, Ordona, Gravina, Canosa, Ruvo and Bitonto prospered.

Heruli and Ostrogoths invaded the territory, but in the end it became the dominion of the Eastern Roman Empire, from the 6th to the 11th century except for a brief partial occupation of the region by the Emirate of Bari.

During the Sicilian domination Apulia achieved great material and civil progress, which reached its peak with Frederick II, who was responsible for the construction of a series of secular and religious buildings, some of high artistic value, including Castel del Monte, near Andria.

From 1282, following the separation of the island of Sicily from the rest of the south of the peninsula, Apulia was under the rule of the Kingdom of Naples, from that moment the power of the landowners began to take root in the territory.

[16] From the middle of the 18th century the region of Apulia experienced a period of strong economic prosperity and excellent development of trade and agriculture.

Between 1806 and 1815, during the Napoleonic era, provided the modernization of Apulia with the abolition of feudalism and judicial reforms until the return of the Bourbons and the birth of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

During fascism, Apulia was affected by numerous land reclamations in vast areas and, following the post-war agrarian reform, the region enjoyed strong agricultural development.

Other significant fishing ports are Manfredonia, Trani, Molfetta, Mola di Bari, Monopoli, Castro, and Gallipoli.

The mussels farmed here are particularly tasty and valued because they grow in a special environment, a mixture of salt seawater and karst freshwater.

These special environmental conditions of the seas of Taranto are ideal not only for the mussels but also for the fish and crustaceans that find food and shelter between the piles.

It is mainly intensive and modern agriculture that allows the region to be among the first in Italy for the production of many products: Vegetable growing (lettuce, artichoke, fennel, cabbage, celery, barattiere, borage, sweet potato, caper, portulaca, broccoli rabe) and horticulture (peach, orange, clementine, lemon, kumquat, fig, pomegranate, persimmon, prickly pear) are also developed.

[30] Olive varieties include: Baresane, Biancolilla, Brandofino (Castiglione), Buscionetto (Biancolilla), Carolea, Cellina di Nardò, Cerasuola (Ogliara), Cerignola (Bella di Cerignola), Cima di Bitonto, Cima di Mola, Coratina,[31] also grown in Corning, California, a 2018 Gold Medal New York International Olive Oil Competition (NYIOOC) winner,[32] Frantoio, Garganica, La Minuta, Leccino, Moresca, Nocellara Etnea, Nocellara Messinese, Ogliarola, Ogliarola Barese, Ogliara Messinese, Ottobratica, Peranzana, Rotondella, Santagatese, Saracena, Tonda Iblea, and Verdello (subspecies of San Benedetto).

[33][34] Since 2008–2010, the olive oil industry in Apulia has been under threat from the pathogen Xylella fastidiosa, a disease that inhibits the trees' uptake of water and nutrients.

Apulia has many small and picturesque villages, 14 of them have been selected by I Borghi più belli d'Italia (English: The most beautiful Villages of Italy),[35] a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest,[36] that was founded on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities.

With the approval of a redevelopment project in 2018, the Grottaglie Airfield (IATA: TAR) will host a spaceport for the Italian Space Agency and Virgin Galactic.

[39] Since 1 June 2015, former judge and mayor of Bari Michele Emiliano of the Democratic Party has served as President of the Apulian region.

[40][41] Apulia is divided into six provinces: Important locally produced ingredients include olive oil, artichokes, tomatoes, eggplant, asparagus, and various kinds of seafood.

Popular street foods include panzerotti, sgagliozze (fried polenta), popizze (small fried balls of pizza dough that are sometimes also called pettule), rustici (puff pastries stuffed with tomatoes, béchamel sauce, mozzarella, and black pepper), the famous pasticiotto (a flaky shortbread dough filled with custard), and focaccia barese.