Structural interpretation of geological and geophysical data available for the central Apennines (Italy) allowed us to draw, balance, and restore three geological profiles across the external zones of the Umbria-Marche thrust system and to evaluate the timing and rates of deformation in a roughly 4 Ma time window (from late Messinian to late Pleistocene time). From this data set we established a general correlation between spacing L and thickness D of the thrust sheets (which was used as a depth correction factor for deriving local versus regional depths to the sole thrust) and a time-space relationship between the closing time of activity of each thrust and the distance X from a reference point within the system. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1994