Its strategic location in Central Alps, where Italy, France and Switzerland merge, has made Aosta Valley a much-coveted territory for different empires, kingdoms and states. In spite of this, Valdotanian people have always managed to keep their identity and their political, economic and cultural autonomy.

The country went through its darkest period of the XX century during Mussolini's dictatorship, who tried to eliminate its particularities by imposing Italian and forbidding the French language. The fall of the fascist regime in 1945 marked the beginning of the recognition and self-government for the Valley, which obtained regional status during the same year and was granted its current special autonomous status in 1948.

The second half of the XX century were years of deep economic and demographic transformation in the Valley. An economy based on agriculture and livestock which produced emigration outflows was left behind and it the country became a prosperous region of 200.000 inhabitants and one of the main tourist attractions of Northern Italy.

Nowadays, the Aosta Valley has its own institutions which enjoy a great degree of political and economic autonomy. The Regional Council, a 35 seats legislative chamber, elects the Regional government, which is the executive body. Powers under the autonomous administration include agriculture and environment policies, urban affairs and territorial planning, third sector, education, culture and regulation of place names.

Agriculture (cheese, wine and fruit) and above all, tourism, are the main source of income. Within tourism, mountain tourism such as hiking and climbing (there is one climbing route to the Mont Blanc -the highest mountain in the Alps- starting in the Valley) and skiing are particularly noteworthy, as well as eco-tourism, thermal springs and the capital's great Casino. Benefits from transit of vehicles through the Mont Blanc tunnel, which links the country with France, are also of remarkable importance.

Valdotanian political spectrum shows again the distinctiveness of the Valley vis-à-vis Italy. The representation of autonomist parties (Valdotanian Union, Edelweiss Aosta Valley, Autonomist Federation and Lively Aosta Valley-Valdotanian Renewal) amount to 29 out of 35 seats in the Regional Council, whereas majority parties in Italy (Partito Democratico i La Casa della Libertà) only have 6 seats. Union Valdôtain, a party organized in local assemblies across the Valley, is by far the political force which gains more popular support. It is also known as 'le mouvement' (the movement), a designation which depicts the party's deep connection with the country.

See Aosta Valley profile for further information.