Arpitania (Arpitan and Italian: Arpitania, French: Arpitanie) consists of the lands where the Arpitan language is spoken or used to be the prevalent idiom.Arpes in Arpitan means Alps, thus the territory name would be translated as "Land of the Alps".
Arpitania and Arpitan Language are retronyms. They were neologisms from the 20th century. It was initially used for the Alpine regions where Arpitan was spoken. The name was popularised by Mouvement Harpitanya, a left-wing political grouping in Aosta Valley in the 1970s. In the 1990s, the term lost its particular political context. However, the use of the word "Arpitania" indicates a common cultural heritage and a regional identity beyond linguistic limitations.
Inhabitants of the region, whether they are actual speakers of the language or not, are called Arpitans.
Arpitania includes parts of:
The northwestern salient (roughly a strip between Mâcon and Roanne) is seen linguistically transitional between Arpitan, Occitan, and other Oïl languages.
Coordinates: 46°9′N 5°52′E / 46.150°N 5.867°E