Thirteen municipalities around Mantua are included in the park’s territory, established in 1984. The territory is densely inhabited and used especially for farming, cattle breeding and craftsmanship of great value. The Mincio river, which is not very long but of great importance for carrying the water from lake Garda into the Po river, and also for the presence of much animal and plant life along its wide banks. In fact this river is used as an area for all kinds of studies on habitats and species.