Different theories exist as to the etymological origin of the word " Puglia " (Apulia). According to one, it means land without rain, a-pluvia; an aridity such that "the earth sometimes loses all its richness and little grows". Another states that it derives from lapudia that is from the land inhabited by the lapyges, a race that in ancient times emigrated from the northern regions, or from Illyria, to the extreme eastern strip of Italy. Yet others would have the word to mean " land without mountains", or " highly-po­pulated land ". It seems, in any case, that the real meaning has been lost in the mists of time. In one period, the word was taken to refer to an area other than the present one and it was often used in the plural, "Puglie". In 1921, however, it was officially defined as " Puglia" and has remained such in the territorial division of the Italian Republic.

The region is characterized by the following geographical traits: a lack of moun­tains, a diffusion of plains and hills, a scarcity of surface moisture, extended contact with the sea, and a Mediterranean climate. But, within this fundamental uniformity, there are perceptible differences between zones. So, the region is divided into the following sub-regions: Daunia, the Gargano, the Tavoliere, the Murgia, and Salento. It faces the Adriatic and Ionian seas, and borders on Molise, Campania and Basilicata. For administrative purposes it is divided into the provinces of Foggia, Bari, Taranto, Brindisi and Lecce.