Apulia, also known by its Italian name Puglia, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the southern peninsular section of the country, bordering the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Strait of Otranto and Ionian Sea to the southeast and the Gulf of Taranto to the south. The region comprises 19,540.90 square kilometers (7,544.78 sq mi), and has 3,865,277 inhabitants as of 2026. It is bordered by the regions of Molise to the north, Campania to the west, and Basilicata to the southwest. The regional capital is Bari.