Italy is the most populous country in Southern Europe and is divided into twenty regions. In 1946, the modern regions were formed from the start of the Republic in 1946 to 1963, when Abruzzo and Molise were separated.
Unlike the United States, where fifty states make up the country, Italy has one unitary state, which is divided into twenty regions. Regions can promulgate laws in the matters specified by the Constitution, most notably healthcare, while the rest is handled by the central government. Due to their particular history, geography and/or the presence of lingustic minorities, five such regions—Trentino-Sud Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sardegna, Sicily, and Val d'Aosta—are regioni a statuto speciale (special statutory regions)—that is, they have a larger degree of autonomy and the right to withhold a significant portion of their taxes. Perhaps unsurprisingly, most Italians from ordinary regions aren't happy about it.
Regions are further divided into provinces (roughly equivalent to American counties) which, in turn, are divided into comuni (municipalities); there's no such thing as unincorporated or federal territories. Since 2014, the provinces of fourteen large cities were replaced by new entities called "metropolitan cities", which fuse in a way of sorts the provincial government with the municipal one in the seat city itself.
Rome, being the national capital, is an exception and is governed by a sui generis entity named "Roma Capitale," holding all the powers of a municipality and more (a bit like Washington D.C. Rome's got a government of its own, albeit much less powerful and independent than its American counterpart). Unlike Washington, Rome is still the seat of the metropolitan city and the regional government.
The lists below are arranged in the macroregions of the first-level NUTS of Italy in The European Union. Unless otherwise noted, provinces are usually named after their capitals.
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Centro (Centre)
Lazio
Lazio
- Capital (and largest city): Roma (Rome)
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 17,232 square kilometres (6,653 square miles) [9th of 20]
Population (2021): 5,730,399 [2nd of 20]
Alternate name: Latium [Latin]
Second most populous and second-richest region in Italy after Lombardy. This area has long been the centre of several kingdoms in the Italian peninsula, further increasing in prominence as the heart of the Ancient Roman civilization spanning much of the land around the Mediterranean Sea, then suffering a political decline with the city's fall to the Ostrogoths during the late fifth century, the only centralizing power at the area having shifted to the Papacy, which consolidated much of the area as The Papal States, before they were absorbed into the newly-founded Kingdom of Italy, during which the area regained its prestige as the centre of the newly-reunified peninsula.
Frosinone
- Postal code: FR
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 3,247 square kiloemtres (1,254 square miles) [3rd of 5 regionally; 31st of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 472,559 [3rd of 5 regionally; 39th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Frusina [Latin]
Strategically located in the centre of the Latin Valley spanning between the south of Rome and Cassino, the province is noted for being frequently subjected to earthquakes and its strategic position bearing witness to many battles. The provinces is famed for the hilltop Benedictine Abbey of Monte Cassino (which was almost completely destroyed and saw a fierce battle in 1944), one of the most important centres of medieval Christianity, where the order's founder, Benedict of Nursia, is buried, as is his twin sister Scholastica, who founded a parallel order for women.
Latina
- Postal code: LT
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,256 square kilometres (871 square miles) [5th of 5 regionally; 64th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 566,224 [2nd of 5 regionally; 30th of 107 nationally]
While Latina is the smallest province in the region, it has a wide variety of geographical features, from hills and mountains to the since dried-up Pontine Marshes and the penitentiaries-turned-resorts of the Pontine Islands, as well as the Dominican Abbey of Fossanova, where Thomas Aquinas died en route to the Second Council of Lyon in 1274.
Rieti
- Postal code: RI
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,750 square kilometres (1,062 square miles) [4th of 5 regionally; 44th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 151,335 [5th of 5 regionally; 104th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Reate [Latin], Riete [Sabino]
The province covers the historical territory of the pre-Roman Sabine people, half of which willingly joined the nascent Roman people and the other joining opposing tribes which were eventually subsumed by Rome.
Roma (Rome)
- Postal code: RM
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 5,363 square kilometres (2,071 square miles) [1st of 5 regionally; 12th of 107 nationally
Population (2021): 4,231,451 [1st of 5 regionally; 1st of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Roma [Latin],
Capital and largest city of Italy, as well as third most populous in The European Union after Berlin and Madrid. Its history as the namesake capital of Ancient Rome gave it an outsized influence in the history and culture of Western civilization; after suffering a decline after the fall of The Roman Empire, it regained its influence as capital of The Papal States until it was conquered by the Kingdom of Italy and declared it the unified peninsula's capital in 1871. Dozens of relics of the ancient Roman era and churches make Rome the most famous tourist city in Italy, as well as home to several UNESCO World Heritage sites, while to this day the Roman Catholic Church, the largest movement of Christianity in the world, continues to govern the spiritual lives of over 1.3 billion people worldwide from the sovereign enclave of the Vatican City, a remnant of the Papal States established in a 1929 treaty between Pope Pius XII and Benito Mussolini. The outskirts are not short on sights, either, such as the Etruscan era ruins of Cerveteri, the Roman-era port town of Civitavecchia, and the hilltop monastery town of Subiaco, the birthplace of the Benedictines, one of the oldest monastic orders in Christianity.
Viterbo
- Postal code: VT
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 3,615 square kilometres (1,396 square miles) [2nd of 5 regionally; 22nd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 308,830 [4th of 5 regionally; 70th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Veterbe [Viterbese], Viterbium [Medieval Latin]
Most northerly province of the region, famed for the Etruscan-era necropolis of Tarquinia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its eponymous capital, famed as the seat of the Papacy during the late thirteenth century.
Marche
Marche
- Capital (and largest city): Ancona
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 9,401 square kilometres (3,630 square miles) [15th of 20]
Population (2021): 1,498,236 [13th of 20]
A mostly hilly region except for a few river valleys and a narrow coastal strip, making it until recently one of the most difficult regions to travel over.
Ancona
- Postal code: AN
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,963 square kilometres (758 square miles) [3rd of 5 regionally; 71st of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 464,419 [1st of 5 regionally; 40th of 107 nationally]
The eponymous capital is the economic and demographic centre of the region since the Greek era for its strategic location on a bulge of the peninsula towards the Adriatic Sea, as well as a traditional ally of Ragusa (modern-day Dubrovnik, Croatia) across the Sea in their mutual rivalry with Venice during the middle ages before being absorbed by the Papal States in the mid-sixteenth century. The city was also home to one of the oldest Jewish populations in Italy, dating back to the early fourteenth century. Nearby, the town of Loreto is a Catholic pilgrimage destination famous for what is believed to be the house of the Virgin Mary miraculously transported by angels from Nazareth in modern-day Israel.
Ascoli Piceno
- Postal code: AP
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,228 square kilometres (474 square miles) [4th of 5 regionally; 90th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 203,425 [4th of 5 regionally; 90th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Asculum Picenum [Latin]
The eponymous city was located on an important pre-Roman trade route connecting Latium (modern-day Lazio) with the salt mines of the Adriatic coast and is a major centre of the Sabines that constantly fought against the nascent Roman kingdom, and is famous for its attractive city centre and being the birthplace of olive all'ascolana (meat-stuffed fried olives).
Fermo
- Postal code: FM
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 863 square kilometres (333 square miles) [5th of 5 regionally; 101st of 107 nationally]]
Population (2021): 169,710 [5th of 5 regionally; 97th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Firmum Picenum [Latin]
The area aligned itself with Rome in its early days; nowadays, it is famous for three large necropolis excavated near the eponymous capital dating back between the ninth and seventh centuries BC, as well as one of the best preserved Roman-era cisterns underneath the city.
Macerata
- Postal code: MC
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,779 square kilometres (1,073 square miles) [1st of 5 regionally; 42nd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 307,410 [3rd of 5 regionally; 71st of 107 nationally]
The eponymous capital existed since Roman times and home to one of the oldest universities in Europe, dating back to 1260, its open-air opera, and being the starting point of annual pilgrimages to Loreto, as well as the birthplace of Matteo Ricci, a sixteenth-century Jesuit priest famous for his missions to China.
Pesaro e Urbino (Pesaro and Urbino)
- Postal code: PU
Capital (and largest city): Pesaro
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,568 square kilometres (991 square miles) [2nd of 5 regionally; 52nd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 353,272 [2nd of 5 regionally; 57th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Pisaurum [Pesaro, Latin], Urbinum Mataurense [Urbino, Latin]
The province bordering the southern third of the sovereign state of San Marino (the rest by Rimini in Emilia-Romagna). Its name signifies the distinctiveness of its two major areas: Pesaro, the capital, is a Roman-era trading post famed for its environmentalism and encouragement of cycling, as well as being the birthplace of composer Gioachino Rossini; Urbino, the fourth most populous city, is a historic centre of Renaissance culture under the patronage of Duke Federico da Montefeltro during the mid-fifteenth century, as well as the birthplace of artist Raphael Sanzio and highly successful motorcycle racing driver Valentino Rossi.
Toscana
Toscana (Tuscany)
- Capital (and largest city): Firenze (Florence)
Area: 22,987 square kilometres (8,876 square miles) [5th of 20]
Population (2021): 3,692,865 [9th of 20]
Known as the cradle of the Renaissance, Tuscany is host to major landmarks such as the Florence, Pisa, and Siena. People from other regions tend to mock Tuscans for not putting salt in their bread and for not pronouncing the letter C. After all, with that murmured C and their cheap humour, Tuscans have devastated this country.
Arezzo
- Postal code: AR
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 3,233 square kilometres (1,248 square miles) [4th of 10 regionally; 32nd of 107 nationally[
Population (2021): 336,501 [4th of 10 regionally; 64th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Arretium [Latin]
The eponympus capital was settled since Etruscan times, disappeared shortly after the fall of the Roman Empire, then grew in population during the middle ages despite the presence of such powerful neighbours as Florence and Siena, thus becoming a prize possession that constantly changed hands between both; nowadays, it is famous for its sloping piazza which hosts a monthly antiques fair, as well as the initial setting of Life Is Beautiful. The town of Camaldoli is the birthplace of the Camaldolese Hermits, one of the oldest eremitical orders in Christianity.
Firenze (Florence)
- Postal code: FI
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 3,514 square kilometres (1,357 square miles) [3rd of 10 regionally; 26th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 998,431 [1st of 10 regionally; 12th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Florentia [Latin]
Eighth most populous city in Italy. For centuries a medieval trade centre and one of the wealthiest cities in its time, it also became a cultural powerhouse during The Renaissance under the patronage of the House of Medici, as well as capital of the Kingdom of Italy from 1865 to 1871. Today the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to hundreds of pieces of art and architecture from the Renaissance, and continues to exert an influence in art, culture, and politics. Among its most famous literary sons are Dante Alighieri (whose magnum opus, The Divine Comedy, achieved such prestige that the local dialect with which he wrote his epic poem formed the basis of Standard Italian), Petrarch, Giovanni Boccaccio, and Niccolò Machiavelli.
Grosseto
- Postal code: GR
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 4,503 square kilometres (1,739 square miles) [1st of 10 regionally; 18th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 217,846 [9th of 10 regionally; 85th of 107 nationally]
Southernmost province of Tuscany, located along the former coastal marshes of the Maremma, namesake of several breeds of domesticated animals such as horses, cattle, dogs, and pigs, and a prize possession once fought over between Florence and Siena.
Livorno
- Postal code: LI
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,214 square kilometres (469 square miles) [7th of 10 regionally; 91st of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 328,996 [5th of 10 regionally; 66th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Leghorn [English, traditional], Liburnum [Latin]
The eponymous capital, the third most populous in Tuscany, is a coastal town which once prospered under the House of Medici and served as the main port of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, reminders of which are still visible in the city's art and architecture.
Lucca
- Postal code: LU
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,774 square kilometres (685 square miles) [6th of 10 regionally; 77th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 383,957 [3rd of 10 regionally; 52nd of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Luca [Latin]
The province sits through the Via Francigena, a medieval pilgrimage route between Rome and Canterbury in England to the north. Its eponymous capital is famed for its preserved Renaissance-era city walls and centre, while its cathedral is home to a wooden crucifix said to have been carved by Nicodemus, an early follower of Jesus. The capital is also host to Lucca Comics and Games, Europe's largest and the world's second-largest comic con by average attendance, which is held every year around Halloween and All Saints' Day within the historic city center.
Massa-Carrara
- Postal code: MS
Capital (and largest city): Massa
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,155 square kilometres (446 square miles) [8th of 10 regionally; 95th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 189,836 [10th of 10 regionally; 94th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Masa [Massa, Emilian], Carara [Carrara, Emilian]
Northernmost province in the region, whose proximility to Emilia-Romagna has given it an Emilian cultural tinge. Its name alludes to its two major cities, which are famed for the white and blue-gray marble quarried in their vicinity.
Pisa
- Postal code: PI
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,445 square kilometres (944 square miles) [5th of 10 regionally; 57th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 417,983 [2nd of 10 regionally; 44th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Pisae [Latin]
A former maritime power and a rival of Genoa before being absorbed into the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, today Pisa thrives on its college life surrounding an elite university founded in 1343, as well as famed as the birthplace of Galileo Galilei. The city is far better known, however, for its freestanding bell-tower
that leans on one side due to the soft soil being unable to hold its massive weight (and from which Galileo Galilei first conducted experiments on gravity), as well as, to a lesser extent, its accompanying cathedral, baptistry, and cemetery containing soil said to have been shipped from Golgotha in Jerusalem, the hill where Jesus was crucified.
that leans on one side due to the soft soil being unable to hold its massive weight (and from which Galileo Galilei first conducted experiments on gravity), as well as, to a lesser extent, its accompanying cathedral, baptistry, and cemetery containing soil said to have been shipped from Golgotha in Jerusalem, the hill where Jesus was crucified.Pistoia
- Postal code: PT
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 964 square kilometres (372 square miles) [9th of 10 regionally; 97th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 290,245 [6th of 10 regionally; 74th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Pistoria [Latin]
A small province beloved by skiers. The eponymous capital is a pretty medieval town famous for its plant nurseries as well as in nearby Pescia.
Prato
- Postal code: PO
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 366 square kilometres (141 square miles) [10th of 10 regionally; 106th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 265,269 [7th of 10 regionally; 78th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names:
Second-smallest province in Italy, whose eponymous capital is nonetheless the second most populous in the region, and is famed as a hotspot of the Renaissance.
Siena
- Postal code: SI
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 3,821 square kilometres (1,475 square miles) [2nd of 10 regionally; 20th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 263,801 [8th of 10 regionally; 79th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Sena Iulia [Latin]
A medieval centre of banking and education, with the Monte dei Paschi bank being the oldest of its kind in the world, operating since 1472, and its university one of the oldest, dating back to 1240, as well as a centuries-long rival of Florence until the latter absorbed it during the rise of the House of Medici. Today it is famed for the Palio, an annual horse race in the city square, its Romanesque-Gothic catehdral, one of the largest in Italy, distinctive for its striped white-and-greenish-black marble walls, and veneration to its native daughter Saint Catherine, a Dominican laywoman and mystic. The surrounding region is also home to Chianti wine.
Umbria
Umbria
- Capital (and largest city): Perugia
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 8,464 square kilometres (3,268 square miles) [16th of 20]
Population (2021): 865,452 [17th of 20]
A region famed for its mountains, hills, valleys, and such historical towns as Perugia and Assisi.
Perugia
- Postal code: PG
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 6,337 square kilometres (2,447 square miles) [1st of 2 regionally; 9th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 645,506 [1st of 2 regionally; 25th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Perusia [Latin]
Almost the entire province is famous for its medieval castles, palaces, and fortresses, as well as scenic cities such as the eponymous capital, also a vibrant college city centred around one of the oldest universities in Italy, founded 1308; Gubbio, famed for its annual group race; Spoleto, the old capital of the Lombard Kingdom overlooked by a medieval fortress; and Norcia, birthplace of Saints Benedict and Scholastica, siblings and founders of the Benedictine orders of monks and nuns. Overshadowing them all, however, is Assisi, which is forever associated with native son Francis, one of the most beloved saints in Christianity for his austerity and humility, and founder of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans), as well as the Order of Poor Ladies (Poor Clares) with his contemporary Clare, both of whom lived and ministered around the area for most of their lives.
Terni
- Postal code: TR
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,127 square kilometres (821 square miles) [2nd of 2 regionally; 67th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 219,946 [2nd of 2 regionally; 84th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Interamna [Latin]
Carved out of Perugia in 1927, its name alludes to the eponymous capital's location on the confluence of the Nera and Serra Rivers, famed for its steel industry which saw it become an economic powerhouse during the nineteenth century, while Orvieto is famed for its medieval city centre surrounding a Gothic cathedral, which houses a thirteenth-century altar cloth from Viterbo, said to be stained with blood from a host that miraculously poured from the eucharistic host of a priest who doubted the belief in its transubstantiation into the body of Christ.
Nord-Ovest (North-West)
Liguria
Liguria
- Capital (and largest city): Genova (Genoa)
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 5,416 square kilometres (2,091 square miles) [18th of 20]
Population (2021): 1,518,495 [12th of 20]
Alternate name: Ligûria [Ligurian]
A thin arc sandwiched between the Alps and the sea, Liguria is the home region of pesto alla genovese and where Genoa, the Cinque Terre, and the Italian Riviera can be found.
Genova (Genoa)
- Postal code: GE
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 1,834 square kilometres (708 square miles) [1st of 4 regionally; 75th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 823,612 [1st of 4 regionally; 21st of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Zêna [Ligurian], Genua [Latin]
Regional capital and Italy's sixth-largest city, home to the busiest port in Italy and twelfth-busiest in the European Union, as well as one of the four ancient Maritime Republics (alongside Amalfi, Pisa, and Venezia) and a likely birthplace of Christopher Columbus, as well as the ancestral home of the House of Grimaldi, rulers of the Principality of Monaco further west.
Imperia
- Postal code: IM
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,155 square kilometres (446 square miles) [3rd of 4 regionally; 94th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 209,244 [4th of 4 regionally; 89th of 107 nationally]
A popular holiday destination for its glitzy Italian Riviera, beloved by wealthy Europeans and royalty (including, so it is claimed, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom), centred on the town of Sanremo, famed for hosting the eponymous Music Festival, the longest-running annual TV music competition in the world and a precursor to the Eurovision Song Contest (to which nowadays it serves as Italy's national selection show).
, the longest-running annual TV music competition in the world and a precursor to the Eurovision Song Contest (to which nowadays it serves as Italy's national selection show).La Spezia
- Postal code: SP
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 881 square kilometres (340 square miles) [4th of 4 regionally; 99th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 215,887 [3rd of 4 regionally; 86th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: A Spèza [Ligurian]
Famed for the Cinque Terre ("Five Lands", Çinque Tære in Ligurian), five scenic coastal villages—Corniglia, Manarola, Monterosso al Mare, Riomaggiore, and Vernazza—built on terraces carved out of the cliffs facing the Ligurian Sea.
Savona
- Postal code: SV
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,546 square kilometres (597 square miles) [2nd of 4 regionally; 82nd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 269,752 [2nd of 4 regionally; 76th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Sann-a [Ligurian], Savo [Latin]
A long-time rival to Genoa to the east (having allied with the Carthaginians during the Punic wars, the Holy Roman Empire during the middle ages, and France in the sixteenth century). The eponymous capital was a centre of Italian ironworks, and where Christopher Columbus farmed a nearby land in between his expeditions.
Lombardia
Lombardia (Lombardy)
- Capital (and largest city): Milano (Milan)
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 23,863 square kilometres (9,214 square miles) [4th of 20]
Population (2021): 9,981,554 [1st of 20]
Alternate name: Lumbardia [Romansh]
The most populous region in Italy and centre of its economy. Its capital Milan is Italy's second largest city and it's a major international hub, especially for fashion and design. This doesn't mean that natural sights aren't to be found, especially in the northern Alpine provinces or on the shores of Lake Como and Lake Garda.
Bergamo
- Postal code: BG
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,755 square kilometres (1,064 square miles) [4th of 12 regionally; 43rd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 1,103,556 [3rd of 12 regionally; 8th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Bèrghem [Lombard], Bergomum [Latin]
The eponymous capital is famed for an old city centre nestled within a series of hills. Its airport in nearby Orio al Serio is also one of the busiest in the country.
Brescia
- Postal code: BS
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 4,785 square kilometres (1,848 square miles) [1st of 12 regionally; 17th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 1,255,709 [2nd of 12 regionally; 5th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Brèsa [Lombard], Brixia [Latin]
Brescia, the fifth most populous province in Italy, is famed for a series of eight lakes, of which Lake Garda is the largest in all of Italy. Its eponymous capital is also one of the oldest in Italy and is an important regional centre since pre-Roman times. Giacomo Agostini, widely regarded as the greatest motorcycle racer of all time, was born here.
Como
- Postal code: CO
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,279 square kilometres (494 square miles) [8th of 12 regionally; 87th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 596,456 [6th of 12 regionally; 28th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Comm [Comasco Lombard], Comum [Latin]
The same-named capital is a famed tourist destination for its location next to the Alps and a same-named lake, a favourite with aristocrats and the wealthy since Roman times, as well as the home of Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus), Pope Innocent XI (Benedetto Odescalchi), and scientist Alessandro Volta, a pioneer of electricity, inventor of the electric battery, and namesake of the SI unit for electric potential.
(Gaius Plinius Secundus), Pope Innocent XI (Benedetto Odescalchi), and scientist Alessandro Volta, a pioneer of electricity, inventor of the electric battery, and namesake of the SI unit for electric potential.Cremona
- Postal code: CR
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,770 square kilometres (684 square miles) [6th of 12 regionally; 78th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 352,242 [9th of 12 regionally; 59th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Cremùna [Cremunés Lombard], Cramòna [Casalasco-Viadanese]
Cremona's flat topography lends well to a strong agricultural profile, while the eponymous capital is famed for its musical tradition, with the violin-making Stradivari, Amati, Guarneri, and Bergonzi families among the most renowned.
Lecco
- Postal code: LC
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 806 square kilometres (311 square miles) [10th of 12 regionally; 102nd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 333,569 [10th of 12 regionally; 65th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Lècch [Lecchese Lombard]
A quiet Alpine province lying at the southeastern end of Lake Como, whose capital was once a major ironworks centre.
Lodi
- Postal code: LO
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 783 square kilometres (302 square miles) [11th of 12 regionally; 103rd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 227,343 [11th of 12 regionally; 83rd of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Lod [Lodigiano Lombard], Laus Pompeia [Latin]
The province saw a young Napoléon Bonaparte begin to distinguish himself after defeating the Austrians in 1796, and is famed for its ceramics industry.
Mantova (Mantua)
- Postal code: MN
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,341 square kilometres (904 square miles) [5th of 12 regionally; 60th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 406,061 [8th of 12 regionally; 47th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Mantua [Latin]
A province centred on an Etruscan-era city surrounded by several nature reserves, famed for being one of the cultural (especially musical) hubs of northern Italy through the patronage of the House of Gonzaga from the fourteenth to eighteenth centuries, as well as the birthplace of Virgil.
Milano (Milan)
- Postal code: MI
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 1,575 square kilometres (608 square miles) [7th of 12 regionally; 81st of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 3,241,813 [1st of 12 regionally; 2nd of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Mediolanum [Latin]
Capital of Lombardy and second-largest (and wealthiest) city in Italy. Having served at one point as capital of the Western Roman Empire, Milan became an economic hub since the Middle Ages, and is also famed for being one of the four "fashion capitals" of the world (alongside London, New York City, and Paris), strong association with Leonardo da Vinci (who worked for the ruling Sforza family and painted his iconic The Last Supper for a Dominican convent), a cathedral iconic for its spires, and a proud sporting tradition through a pair of successful football teams (A.C. Milan and Inter Milan) and a storied basketball team (Olimpia Milano) and playing host to the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
Monza e Brianza (Monza and Brianza)
- Postal code: MB
Capital (and largest city): Monza
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 405 square kilometres (157 square miles) [12th of 12 regionally; 105th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 870,113 [5th of 12 regionally; 18th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Monscia e la Brianza [Monzese Lombard], Modicia [Monza, Latin]
A small province centered around an important textile-producing city which also hosts the Formula One Italian Grand Prix. The capital city of Monza is, appropriately enough, twinned with Indianapolis.
Pavia
- Postal code: PV
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,969 square kilometres (1,146 square miles) [3rd of 12 regionally; 38th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 535,801 [7th of 12 regionally; 33rd of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Ticinum [Latin]
Pavia was where the Germanic Lombard peoples first set up their kingdom. Nowadays it is a largely agricultural province, whose capital is home to one of the oldest universities in the world.
Sondrio
- Postal code: SO
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 3,196 square kilometres (1,234 square miles) [2nd of 12 regionally; 34th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 178,798 [12th of 12 regionally; 95th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Sùndri [Lombard], Sunder [Romansh]
A quiet province surrounding a city which began as a Roman military camp.
Varese
- Postal code: VA
Largest city: Busto Arsizio
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,198 square kilometres (463 square miles) [9th of 12 regionally; 92nd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 880,093 [4th of 12 regionally; 17th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Varés [Varesino Lombard], Baretium [Latin]
The same-named capital is famed for its many villas and footwear industry. AgustaWestland, the largest helicopter manufacturer in the world, is based on the town of Samarate.
Piemonte
Piemonte (Piedmont)
- Capital (and largest city): Torino (Turin)
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 25,387 square kilometres (9,802 square miles) [2nd of 20]
Population (2021): 4,274,945 [7th of 20]
Alternate names: Piemont [Piedmontese, Lombard, Occitan, Arpitan], Piémont [French]
The region was the core territory of the Kingdom of Sardinia (along with Liguria, Aosta Valley, Liguria, plus Savoy and Nice in modern-day France), which eventually expanded over the whole peninsula to become the Kingdom of Italy (later the Italian Republic). Of course, people today might be more interested in the other thing born in Piedmont: the awfully addictive chocolate-and-hazelnut spread Nutella. It is also the center of the Italian automotive industry; FIAT and Alfa Romeo are based in Turin, the capital and the country's fourth-largest city, and appropriately twinned with Detroit.
Alessandria
- Postal code: AL
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 3,559 square kilometeres (1,374 square miles) [3rd of 8 regionally; 25th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 409,392 [3rd of 8 regionally; 46th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Lissandria [Standard Piedmontese], Lissändria [Alessandrian Piedmontese]
Founded in 1168 as a vantage point during the Wars of Guelphs and Ghibellines, it is best known today as the birthplace of Umberto Eco and as a major railway hub in the region. Novi Ligure, the third-largest town in the province, is an industrial and tourism hotspot.
Asti
- Postal code: AT
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1510 square kilometres (583 square miles) [6th of 8 regionally; 85th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 209,390 [5th of 8 regionally; 88th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Ast [Piedmontese], Hasta [Latin]
Most people would instantly recognize Asti for its famous red and white wines, including its namesake sparkling white vine. However, it is also known for the Palio di Asti, one of the biggest horse races in Italy.
Biella
- Postal code: BI
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 913 square kilometres (353 square miles) [8th of 8 regionally; 98th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 170,724 [6th of 8 regionally; 96th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Biela [Piedmontese]
Often called the "Italian Manchester" for its historical role in the region's industrial sector, particularly wool manufacturing, Biella is also home to the Santo Monte di Oropa, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Cuneo
- Postal code: CN
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 6,895 square kilometres (2,662 square miles) [1st of 8 regionally; 4th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 581,798 [2nd of 8 regionally; 29th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Coni [Piedmontese]
Fourth-largest province in Italy. Its name literally means "wedge," befitting its namesake capital's location between the rivers Stura and Gesso. Alba, the province's second-largest town, is famous for its truffles and for being the birthplace of Nutella.
Novara
- Postal code: NO
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,340 square kilometres (517 square miles) [7th of 8 regionally; 86th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 362,925 [4th of 8 regionally; 56th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Nuàra [Piedmontese], Novaria [Latin]
Despite being on the smaller end for a province, Novara was blessed with an advantageous position that makes it a crossroads for commercial traffic between Milan and Turin and from Genoa to the Swiss border. It is also famed for its red and white wines.
Torino (Turin)
- Postal code: TO
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 6,827 square kilometres (2,636 square miles) [2nd of 8 regionally; 5th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 2,219,206 [1st of 8 regionally; 4th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Turin [Piedmontese], Augusta Taurinorum [Latin]
Fifth-largest and fourth most populous in Italy, as well as the first capital of a unified Italy. Located mainly on the western bank of the Po river, it is oftentimes called as the birthplace of modern-day Italy as it was the political and intellectual center of the Risorgimento, and is part of the Italian industry triangle alongside Milan and Genoa. Beyond that it is also famous for its art galleries and other museums (e.g. its Egyptian Museum, one of the largest and finest collections of Ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world), its football clubs (Juventus and Torino FC), automotive heritage (FIAT, Lancia, and Alfa Romeo operate from here although Alfa's origins are in Milan), the reputed shroud used on Jesus after his crucifixion, and playing host to the 2006 Winter Olympic Games and the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest.
Verbano-Cusio-Ossola
- Postal code: VB
Capital (and largest city): Verbania
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,261 square kilometres (873 square miles) [4th of 8 regionally; 63rd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 154,926 [8th of 8 regionally; 101st of 107 nationally]
A relatively new province, formed in 1992, and least populous in Piemonte, sitting just below the border with Switzerland on the northern tip of the region, it straddles part of Lago Maggiore, where the capital Verbania sits next to. Its official name refers to the province's three main parts: Verbano to the east, Cusio to the south, and Ossola to the northwest, though most people call the province simply Verbania for simplicity's sake.
Vercelli
- Postal code: VC
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,082 square kilometres (804 square miles) [5th of 8 regionally; 69th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 166,584 [7th of 8 regionally; 98th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Vërsèj [Piedmontese], Vercellae [Latin]
This province is nestled right between Turin and Milan, and thanks to its frequent rainfalls and fertile soil is host to much of the region's production of rice. The eponymous capital was host to the world's first publicly funded university in 1228, though it has closed in 1372.
Valle d'Aosta
Valle d'Aosta (Aosta Valley)
- Capital (and largest city): Aosta
Type: Autonomous Region
Area: 3,260 square kilometres (1,259 square miles) [20th of 20; 30th of 107 if counted alongside provinces]
Population (2021): 124,089 [20th of 20; 106th of 107 if counted alongside provinces]
Alternate name: Augusta Praetoria Salassorum [Latin]
The smallest and least populous region in Italy, Aosta is a mountainous area nestled next to France and Switzerland. As a result, it has a significant Francophone population, and French is its second official language. Mont Blanc, Italy's (and France's) tallest mountain, is found here, right on the border between both countries.
Nord-Est (North-East)
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna
- Capital (and largest city): Bologna
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 22,445 square kilometres (8,666 square miles) [6th of 20]
Population (2021): 4,438,937 [6th of 20]
Alternate names: Emégglia-Rumâgna [Emilian], Emélia-Rumâgna [Romagnol]
One of the main industrial hubs of the country and home to Italy's third-largest economy. It mostly encompasses the Po Valley (the village of Brescello from the Don Camillo books and films with Fernandel and Gino Cervi is in that valley) going from the rolling hillsides of Parma and Bologna all the way to the pristine beaches of Rimini and Ravenna. It is also a hotspot of the Italian automobile industry, being home to brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, and Dallara.
Bologna
- Postal code: BO
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 3,702 square kilometres (1,430 square miles) [1st of 9 regionally; 21st of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 1,015,608 [1st of 9 regionally; 11th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Bulåggna [Bolognese], Bononia [Latin]
Largest and most populous province in the region, its eponymous capital is also the seventh most populous in Italy. Originally called Felsina by the Etruscans, it is home to the oldest university in the world, the University of Bologna, established in AD 1088. It is well known for its vast intellectual and artistic heritage ranging from writers to musicians and painters, and also for being the birthplace of a namesake pasta sauce (called ragù, pronounced "ra-goo", in Italian) as well as mortadella. Car manufacturer Lamborghini is based in nearby Sant'Agata Bolognese. Bologna itself is basically the hotbed of Italian basketball, with the city so defined by the rivalry between its historic clubs Fortitudo and Virtus that it's generally known as "Basket City".
Ferrara
- Postal code: FE
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,627 square kilometres (1,014 square miles) [4th of 9 regionally; 48th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 342,061 [7th of 9 regionally; 61st of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Fràra [Emilian]
Best known as the town of the House of Este, who founded a university in the late fourteenth century, Ferrara's identity is still strongly intertwined with its old Renaissance self. Thanks to its picturesque locales dating all the way to the Middle Ages, the entire city has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Forlì-Cesena
- Postal code: FC
Capital (and largest city): Forli
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,378 square kilometres (918 square miles) [6th of 9 regionally; 59th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 392,642 [5th of 9 regionally; 49th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Furlè-Cisêna [Romagnol], Forum Livii [Forli, Latin], Caesena [Cesena, Latin]
Located just alongside the Adriatic Sea, the province's namesake major towns also known for their intellectual backgrounds; Cesena in particular hosts the Malatestiana Library, the first civic library in Europe.
Modena
- Postal code: MO
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,688 square kilometres (1,038 square miles) [3rd of 9 regionally; 46th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 703,696 [2nd of 9 regionally; 23rd of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Mòdna [Emilian], Mutina [Latin]
Although it also has other claims to fame, such as being the birthplace of opera star Luciano Pavarotti, Modena is far better known as the heart of the Italian automotive industry: Ferrari, Italy's most famous car brand, is based in nearby Maranello, Maserati and De Tomaso in Modena itself, and Pagani in nearby San Cesario sul Panaro.
Parma
- Postal code: PR
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 3,447 square kilometres (1,331 square miles) [2nd of 9 regionally; 28th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 449,628 [7th of 9 regionally; 41st of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Pärma [Emilian]
Divided by the namesake river in half, this city's biggest claim to fame is being the birthplace of Giuseppe Verdi, one of the world's greatest opera composers. It is also well-known for its namesake cheese and its cut of ham, while sports car manufacturer Dallara is based in nearby Varano de' Melegari.
Piacenza
- Postal code: PC
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,586 square kilometers (998 square miles) [5th of 9 regionally; 50th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 283,742 [9th of 9 regionally; 75th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Piaṡëinsa [Piacentine], Placentia [Latin]
Located just below the border with Lombardy, its biggest landmark is the "Gotico" town hall built in the thirteenth century. It is well-known for its production of meat, particularly pork.
Ravenna
- Postal code: RA
Type: Ordinary province
Area: 1,859 square kilometers (718 square miles) [8th of 9 nationally; 74th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 386,643 [6th of 9 regionally; 50th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Ravèna [Romagnol], Ravenna [Latin]
The last capital of the Western Roman Empire from AD 402 to the Ostrogothic conquest in 476, who in turn made it capital of their kingdom until the Byzantines conquered it in 540, and then the Lombards in 751, its Byzantine and late Roman architecture is well-preserved to this day. The city was also home to Dante Alighieri for the last years of his life after being exiled from his native Florence.
Reggio Emilia
- Postal code: RE
Type: Ordinary province
Area: 2,291 square kilometres (885 square miles) [7th of 9 regionally; 61st of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 527,140 [3rd of 9 regionally; 35th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Rèz [Emilian], Regium Lepidi [Latin]
Not to be confused with Reggio Calabria. The town of Canossa and its hilltop castle bore witness to an incident in 1077 when the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV walked barefoot and fell on his knees in the middle of winter to have his excommunication lifted by the then-visiting Pope Gregory VII amidst controversy over whether kings or popes had the authority to appoint bishops. The city is a known center of education; the so-called Reggio Emilia approach, one of the most commonly used educational methods, takes its name from the city.
, one of the most commonly used educational methods, takes its name from the city.Rimini
- Postal code: RN
Type: Ordinary province
Area: 865 square kilometres (334 square miles) [9th of 9 regionally; 100th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 337,777 [8th of 9 regionally; 63rd of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Rémin [Romagnol], Ariminum [Latin]
A province almost entirely surrounding the sovereign state of San Marino, the namesake capital is a resort town which served as a hotbed of the Risorgimento and the antifascist resistance during World War II, as well as the birthplace of Federico Fellini.
Friuli Venezia Giulia
Friuli Venezia Giulia
- Capital (and largest city): Trieste
Type: Autonomous Region
Area: 7,932 square kilometres (3,063 square miles) [17th of 20]
Population (2021): 1,201,510 [15th of 20]
Alternate name: Friûl Vignesie Julie [Friulian], Furlanija Julijska Krajina [Slovene], Friaul Julisch Venetien [German]
A hotbed of diversity stemming from its history as the crossroads between Latin, Germanic, and Slavic cultures. Until 30 September 2017 it was divided in four provinces; as of present they are in the process of being replaced by Unioni Territoriali Intercomunali (Intercommunal Territorial Unions) which have undertaken some of the powers of the previous provinces. This folder will instead focus on the old provinces for simplicity's sake as there are eighteen planned UTIs, which will be noted below.
Gorizia
- Postal code: GO
Type: Ordinary Province
Successor UTIs (and capitals): Carso Isonzo Adriatico (Monfalcone), Collio-Alto Isonzo (Gorizia)
Area: 475 square kilometres (184 square miles) [3rd of 4 regionally; 104th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 139,070 [4th of 4 regionally; 105th of 107]
Alternate names: Gurize [Friulan], Gorica [Slovene], Goritia [Latin]
Fourth-smallest and third least populous province in Italy. Located very close to the border with Slovenia, the eponymous capital was subject to territorial disputes between Italy and Yugoslavia after World War II. After the new boundaries were established in 1947, Nova Gorica was built on the then-Yugoslav side of the city giving birth to a trans-national conurbation.
Pordenone
- Postal code: PN
Type: Ordinary Province
Successor UTIs (and capitals): Livenza-Cansiglio-Cavallo (Sacile), Noncello (Pordenone), Sile e Meduna (Azzano Decimo), Tagliamento (San Vito al Tagliamento), Valli e delle Dolomiti Friulane (Maniago)
Area: 2,275 square kilometres (879 square miles) [2nd of 4 regionally; 62nd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 310,634 [2nd of 4 regionally; 69th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Pordenon [Venetian/Friulan], Portus Naonis [Latin]
This old province was part of Udine until 1968, and was ping-ponged back and forth between the Republic of Venice and the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.
Trieste
- Postal code: TS
Type: Ordinary Province
Successor UTI (and capital): Giuliana (Trieste)
Area: 213 square kilometres (82 square miles) [4th of 4 regionally; 107th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 230,689 [3rd of 4 regionally; 82nd of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Triest [Friulan], Trst [Slovene], Tergeste [Latin]
Smallest province of Italy. Sandwiched on a small strip of land between the Adriatic Sea and Slovenia, the eponymous city was a point of contention between the Western and Eastern Blocs throughout the Cold War due to its strategic position, having been the premier seaport of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and its fourth-largest city (following Prague, Budapest, and Vienna). Nowadays it has gained prominence as a hotspot for researchers due to many scientific institutions being based there.
Udine
- Postal code: UD
Type: Ordinary Province
Successor UTIs (and capitals): Agro Aquileiese (Cervignano del Friuli), Camia (Tolmezzo), Canal del Ferro-Val Canale (Tarvisio), Collinare (San Daniele del Friuli), Friuli Centrale (Udine), Gemonese [Gemona del Friuli), Mediofriuli (Codrolpo), Natisone (Cividale del Friuli), Riviera-Bassa Friulana (Latisana), Torre (Tarcento)
Area: 4,969 square kilometres (1,919 square miles) [1st of 4 regionally; 15th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 521,117 [1st of 4 regionally; 37th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Udin [Friulan], Videm [Slovene], Vydän [Resian], Weiden [German], Utinum [Latin]
The eponymous capital was Italy's military capital until their defeat at the Battle of Caporetto in World War I; after that it was briefly occupied by Austro-Hungarian forces before the Italians took it back at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto. Widely regarded as the capital and cultural center of Friuli, it is best known for its eponymous castle which overlooks the town's skyline from atop a hill.
Trentino-Alto Adige
Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (Trentino-South Tyrol)
Capital (and largest city): Trento
Type: Autonomous Region
Area: 13,605 square kilometres (5,253 square miles) [12th of 20]
Population (2021): 1,077,078 [16th of 20]
Type: Autonomous Region
Area: 13,605 square kilometres (5,253 square miles) [12th of 20]
Population (2021): 1,077,078 [16th of 20]
The northernmost region in Italy, where its other official languages are German and Ladin, an Alpine Romance language related to Friulan. The region itself is a largely ceremonial entity, with most of the effective powers being held by its two component provinces, both of which rank among the wealthiest throughout Italy.
Bolzano–Alto Adige (Bolzano-South Tyrol)
Postal code: BZ
Type: Autonomous province
Area: 7,398 square kilometres (2,856 square miles) [1st of 2 regionally; 2nd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 534,912 [2nd of 2 regionally; 34th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Bozen–Südtirol [German], Bulsan–Südtirol [Ladin], Bauzanum [Latin]
Type: Autonomous province
Area: 7,398 square kilometres (2,856 square miles) [1st of 2 regionally; 2nd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 534,912 [2nd of 2 regionally; 34th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Bozen–Südtirol [German], Bulsan–Südtirol [Ladin], Bauzanum [Latin]
Second-largest and northernmost province of Italy, as well as the wealthiest thanks to its self-governance. It was originally part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, hence it is the only predominantly Germanophone province, before being surrendered to Italy at the end of World War I; it then suffered a forced "Italianization" process by the fascist regime which has been mostly undone since the dawn of the Republic, giving the province autonomy in order to placate separatists.
Trentino
Postal code: TN
Capital (and largest city): Trento
Type: Autonomous Province
Area: 6,207 square kilometres (2,397 square miles) [2nd of 2 regionally; 10th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 542,166 [1st of 2 regionally; 32nd of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Trient [German], Trent [Ladin], Tria [Cimbrian], Trea't [Mócheno], Tridentum [Latin]
Capital (and largest city): Trento
Type: Autonomous Province
Area: 6,207 square kilometres (2,397 square miles) [2nd of 2 regionally; 10th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 542,166 [1st of 2 regionally; 32nd of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Trient [German], Trent [Ladin], Tria [Cimbrian], Trea't [Mócheno], Tridentum [Latin]
Annexed by Italy alongside neighboring Bolzano at the end of World War I, Trentino's culture is a mish-mash of both Italian and Germanic and could be best described as a more "Italianized" counterpart to Bolzano. It is also the home province of Alcide De Gasperi, the first Prime Minister of post-World War II Italy. The province is famed for the sharp-inclined Dolomite mountain range, while the eponymous capital is famed for hosting a Roman Catholic council between 1545 and 1563 that set forth reforms in its doctrine, worship, and governance as a response to the Protestant Reformation, most notably the "Tridentine" Mass observed for centuries until the reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the late 1960s.
Veneto
Veneto
- Capital: Venezia (Venice)
Largest city: Verona
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 18,345 square kilometres (7,083 square miles) [8th of 20]
Population (2021): 4,869,830 [4th of 20]
Fourth most populous region in Italy. Once the centre of the sovereign Most Serrene Republic of Venice from AD 697 as a medieval thalassocracy to 1797, when, long in decline as an economic power following the discovery of the Americas and establishment of westward trade routes to Asia and subsequent defeats to the Ottoman Empire, it was partitioned between the Austrian Empire and Napoleonic France, ultimately being merged into the Kingdom of Italy in 1866.
Belluno
- Postal code: BL
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 3,610 square kilometres (1,394 square miles) [1st of 7 regionally; 23rd of 107 nationally]]
Population (2021): 199,704 [7th of 7 regionally; 92nd of 107 nationally]]
Alternate names: Belùn [Venetian], Belum [Ladin], Bellunum [Latin]
An alpine province noted for its harsh climate, its production of beans and cheese, and a booming tourist industry (the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo hosted the 1956 Winter Olympic Games, and is also scheduled to co-host the 2026 edition alongside Milan).
Padova (Padua)
- Postal code: PD
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,144 square kilometres (828 square miles) [6th of 7 regionally; 65th of 107 nationally]]
Population (2021): 932,629 [1st of 7 regionally; 13th of 107 nationally]]
Alternate names: Pàdova (Venetian), Patavium [Latin]
Most populous province in the region. Its eponymous capital is famed for its medieval and Renaissance art and architecture, its two UNESCO World Heritage Sites (the Orto Botanico, the oldest botanical garden in the world dating back to 1545, and a group of fresco-lined chapels, most famously those in the Scrovegni Chapel done by Giotto), its medieval university where Galileo Galilei once taught, and pilgrimage to the tomb of the city's beloved patron saint, Anthony, a Portuguese-born Franciscan friar frequently invoked by people who seek lost items.
Rovigo
- Postal code: RO
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,820 square kilometres (703 square miles) [7th of 7 regionally; 76th of 107 nationally]]
Population (2021): 230,763 [6th of 7 regionally; 81st of 107 nationally]]
Alternate names: Ruig [Emilian], Rodigium [Latin]
The eponymous capital is famed for a combination of Venetian and Ferrarese influences.
Treviso
- Postal code: TV
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,480 square kilometres (957 square miles) [4th of 7 regionally; 53rd of 107 nationally]]
Population (2021): 880,417 [3rd of 7 regionally; 16th of 107 nationally]]
Alternate names: Trevixo [Venetian], Tarvisium [Latin]
The eponymous capital is famed for its preserved medieval city centre, as well as its reputation as home to the Tiramisu dessert and Prosecco wine.
Venezia (Venice)
- Postal code: VE
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 2,473 square kilometres (955 square miles) [5th of 7 regionally; 54th of 107 nationally]]
Population (2021): 843,545 [5th of 7 regionally; 20th of 107 nationally]]
Alternate name: Venesia [Venetian]
Regional capital and twelfth most populous city in Italy, built on an archipelago of 118 small islands in a lagoon, linked together by over 400 bridges. Throughout the medieval and Renaissance periods the city was once a maritime power and one of the wealthiest cities in the world, culminating in Marco Polo's eastward journeys to China and back in the late thirteenth century; long after its decline, the artistic, architectural, and cultural remnants of its golden age now fuel the city's booming tourism, in particular its carnival and a city square graced by a cathedral said to contain the relics of Saint Mark, one of the four evangelists.
Verona
- Postal code: VR
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 3,096 square kilometres (1,196 square miles) [2nd of 7 regionally; 35th of 107 nationally]]
Population (2021): 927,810 [2nd of 7 regionally; 14th of 107 nationally]]
Alternate name: Veròna [Venetian]
A cosmopolitan province strategically located between Venice, Milan, Bologna, and the Italian Tyrol. Its eponymous capital, the eleventh most populous city in Italy (surpassing even Venice), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its artistic heritage, such as its well-preserved, still functional Roman amphitheatre, as well as the setting of Romeo and Juliet and the birthplace of Isotta Nogarola, said to be the first major female humanist.
Vicenza
- Postal code: VI
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,722 square kilometres (1,051 square miles) [3rd of 7 regionally; 45th of 107 nationally]]
Population (2021): 854,962 [4th of 7 regionally; 19th of 107 nationally]]
Alternate names: Vicensa [Venetian], Vincentia [Latin]
The eponymous capital is a cosmopolitan city famed for its rich history and culture, including museums, art galleries, palaces, and churches, in particular the works of its most famous son, the architect Andrea Palladio, as well as the birthplace of Federico Faggin, a co-inventor of the microprocessor.
Sud (South)
Abruzzo
Abruzzo
- Capital: L'Aquila
Largest city: Pescara
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 10,832 square kilometres (4,182 square miles) [13th of 20]
Population (2021): 1,281,012 [14th of 20]
Alternate names: Abbrùzze, Abbrìzze, or Abbrèzze [Abruzzese Neapolitan]
Though located northeast of Lazio, Abruzzo is, for statistical purposes, considered part of the Italian South for its cultural and historical associations with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and is also well-known for having more national parks and nature reserves than any other administrative division in the European Union.
L'Aquila
- Postal Code: AQ
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 5,047 square kilometres (1,949 square miles) [1st of 4 regionally; 13th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 290,811 [4th of 4 regionally; 73rd of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Aquilia in Vestinis [Latin]
The province is famed for its castles, hill towns, and national parks, with its eponymous capital undergoing a slow recovery from a devastating 2009 earthquake.
Chieti
- Postal Code: CH
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,600 square kilometres (1,004 square miles) [2nd of 4 regionally; 49th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 375,215 [1st of 4 regionally; 55th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Chiete [Neapolitan], Chjìte [Abruzzese], Theate [Latin]
The eponymous capital was, according to Classical Mythology, founded by either Achilles and named in honour of his mother Thetis, the Greeks following the destruction of Troy, or Herakles/Hercules; nowadays, it is known for its Roman-era ruins and churches. To the east, the port town of Ortona is famed for a bloody World War II battle between Nazi Germans and British/Canadian Allies, as well as the home of the relics of Saint Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, while to the south, Lanciano is the site of what Catholics believe is the first recorded miracle of Eucharistic bread and wine turning into human flesh and blood in the eighth century.
Pescara
- Postal code: PE
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,230 square kilometres (475 square miles) [4th of 4 regionally; 89th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 313,882 [2nd of 4 regionally; 68th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Aternum [Latin], Pescàrë [Abruzzese], Piscàrë [Pescarese]
The eponymous capital is the most populous city in Abruzzo, famed for its beaches and being a strategic port on the Adriatic Sea since the Roman period, the latter which caused it to be a prize possession fought over by various powers, including being nearly flattened by Allied bombing during the closing days of World War II.
Teramo
- Postal code: TE
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,954 square kilometres (755 square miles) [3rd of 4 regionally; 72nd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 301,104 [3rd of 4 regionally; 72nd of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Interamnia Praetutiana [Latin], Tèreme [Abruzzese]
Northernmost province of Abruzzo, the province was once the northernmost end of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
Basilicata
Basilicata
- Capital (and largest city): Potenza
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 10,073 square kilometres (3,889 square miles) [14th of 20]
Population (2021): 545,130 [18th of 20]
Alternate name: Lucania [Latin]
Third least-populous region of Italy and one of its most impoverished regions until only after land reforms following World War II.
Matera
- Postal code: MT
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 3,479 square kilometres (1,343 square miles) [2nd of 2 regionally; 27th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 192,640 [2nd of 2 regionally; 93rd of 107 nationally]]
Alternate name: Matàrë [Materano], Mateola [Latin]
The smaller of the two provinces of Basilicata, its eponymous capital, one of the longest continually inhabited human settlements in the world (since the Paleolithic period [tenth millennium BCE]), is famous for its cave dwellings and rock-hewn houses and churches, which make the city a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as a favourite filming location for such bilical-period films as Pier Paolo Pasolini's The Gospel According to St. Matthew and Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ.
Potenza
- Postal code: PZ
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 6,594 square kilometres (2,546 square miles) [1st of 2 regionally; 7th of 107 nationally]]
Population (2021): 352,490 [1st of 2 regionally; 58th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Potentia [Latin], Putenz [Potentino Neapolitan], Putenza [Standard Neapolitan]
The larger of the two provinces, the eponymous capital has the highest elevation among the regional and provincial capitals of Italy at 819 metres (2,687 feet) above sea level.
Calabria
Calabria
Capital: Catanzaro
Largest city: Reggio Calabria
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 15,222 square kilometres (5,877 square miles) [10th of 20]
Population (2021): 1,860,601 [10th of 20]
Largest city: Reggio Calabria
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 15,222 square kilometres (5,877 square miles) [10th of 20]
Population (2021): 1,860,601 [10th of 20]
The region, which resembles the "foot" of the Italian peninsula, is the first territory in history to take the name "Italy". Its strategic location in the Mediterranean Sea allowed it to bear witness to the flourishing of several civilizations, in particular the establishment of Greek city-states from the eighth century BCE, later known to Romans as Magna Graecia. This multiculturalism is today still reflected in its three large ethnolinguistic minorities: Greeks, Albanians, and Occitans.
Catanzaro
- Postal code: CZ
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,415 square kilometres (933 square miles) [3rd of 5 regionally; 58th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 344,439 [3rd of 5 regionally; 60th of 107 nationally]]
Alternate names: Catacium [Latin], Catanzaru [Catanzarese]
The eponymous capital is both the regional capital and second most populous city in the region, as well as a centre of textile production, in particular silk during the Byzantine period.
Cosenza
- Postal code: CS
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 6,710 square kilometres (2,591 square miles) [1st of 5 regionally; 6th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 676,119 [1st of 5 regionally; 24th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Cusenza [Cosenzan]
Sixth-largest province in Italy, the eponymous hilltop capital is famed for its preserved city centre and the Accademia Cosentina, one of the oldest philosophical and literary academies in Europe.
Crotone
- Postal code: KR
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,736 square kilometres (670 square miles) [4th of 5 regionally; 79th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 164,059 [4th of 5 regionally; 99th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Cutrone or Cutruni [Crotonese]
The eponymous capital is a successor to a Greek-era one established in 710 BCE and famed for its athletic prowess and producing many champions during the ancient Olympic Games, while its strategic location between the ports of Taranto (in Apulia) and Messina (in Sicily) made it an industrial powerhouse of the region in between the two World Wars, before reinventing itself as a tourist destination.
Reggio Calabria
- Postal code: RC
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 3,210 square kilometres (1,240 square miles) [2nd of 5 regionally; 33rd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 523,791 [2nd of 5 regionally; 36th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Rhegium [Latin], Riggiu [Southern Calabrian], Ρήγι/Rìji [Calabrian Greek]
Largest city in the region and southernmost major city in the Italian peninsula, as well as the chief port between the peninsula and Sicily. Once one of the most important towns of Magna Graecia, the city revitalized itself following a devastating 1908 earthquake, evidenced by its unusually modern urban layout, as well as home to a museum dedicated to Magna Graecia.
Vibo Valentia
- Postal code: VV
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,151 square kilometres (444 square miles) [5th of 5 regionally; 96th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 152,193 [5th of 5 regionally; 103rd of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Monteleone [before 1861], Vibbu Valenzia/Muntalaùni [Calabrian]
Fifth least-populous province in Italy. Its eponymous capital, founded by the Greeks as Hipponion, is home to a castle built by the Norman kings of Sicily during the eleventh century using materials from nearby Greek temples.
Campania
Campania
- Capital (and largest city): Napoli (Naples)
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 13,671 square kilometres (5,278 square miles) [11th of 20]
Population (2021): 5,624,260 [3rd of 20]
Third most populous region in Italy, as well as the wealthiest in the Italian South. During the first millennium BCE the hinterlands were occupied by the Osci, Samnites, and Etruscans, while the coast became part of Magna Graeca. Today it is famed for its food, music, architecture, and archaeological sites such as the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as such natural wonders as the coastlines of Naples and the Amalfi and the islands of Capri and Ischia.
Avellino
- Postal code: AV
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,806 square kilometres (1,083 square miles) [2nd of 5 regionally; 40th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 402,929 [4th of 5 regionally; 48th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Abellinum [Latin], Avel'lino [Irpinian]
Nowadays sadly more well-known for a 1980 earthquake that near-totally flattened it and killed almost 2500 people, its more positive claims to fame include La Starza, the oldest known prehistorical settlement in the region, as well as its numerous castles and its production of chestnuts. The eponymous capital is referenced in The Sopranos as the ancestral hometown of the titular American Mafia family.
Benevento
- Postal code: BN
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,080 square kilometres (803 square miles) [4th of 5 regionally; 70th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 266,716 [5th of 5 regionally; 77th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Beneventum [Latin], Beneviénte [Beneventano]
Originally called Maleventum, it holds fast to many archeological wonders of different kinds due to its numerous occupations over the years. It also has a long tradition of witchcraft-related legends that is also represented in its most well-known export, the Liquore Strega (literally, "Witch Liquor"). The eponymous capital is home to several Roman-era ruins, and one of the oldest dioceses in Christianity, and is said to hold the relics of Saint Bartholomew, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus.
Caserta
- Postal code: CE
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,651 square kilometres (1,024 square miles) [3rd of 5 regionally; 47th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 901,903 [3rd of 5 regionally; 15th of 107 nationally]
Famed for an anti-fascist resistance during World War II, today the eponymous capital is better known for the Reggia di Caserta, originally built for the House of Bourbon in their role as rulers of Naples and the largest royal residence in the world.
Napoli (Naples)
- Postal code: NA
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 1,179 square kilometres (455 square miles) [5th of 5 regionally; 93rd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 2,986,745 [1st of 5 regionally; 3rd of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Napule [Neapolitan], Neapolis [Latin]
Regional capital and third most populous city in Italy, as well as one of the oldest continually inhabited urban areas in the world, dating all the way back to the first-millennium-BCE Ancient Greek colony of Parthenope, later serving as capital of a sovereign Italian South before being absorbed into the unified Italy, during which it experienced massive economic growth through its port, the second-busiest in the country after Genoa and headquarters of NATO's Mediterranean fleet. Its city centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the largest of its kind in Europe. Gastronomy-wise it is famed as the birthplace of the pizza. Outside the city lay the Roman Empire rea ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, which were preserved through centuries of being buried following the cataclysmic eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.
Salerno
- Postal code: SA
Type: Ordinary province
Area: 4,954 square kilometres (1,913 square miles) [1st of 5 regionally; 16th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 1,065,967 [2nd of 5 regionally; 10th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Saliernë [Salernitano]
Regarded by some as Naples' little sister (although labelling them as such is a huge Berserk Button for them), Salerno, the tenth most populous province of Italy, is well-known for its scenery, particularly in the Amalfi Coast and the Parco Nazionale del Cilento. It also has a respectable culinary background thanks to its production of lemons and buffalo mozzarella cheese. Its eponymous capital is a strategic port since the Greek era, having seen Allied landings during the closing days of World War II, as well as home to the relics of Saint Matthew, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus as well as one of the four evangelists.
Molise
Molise
- Capital (and largest city): Campobasso
Type: Ordinary Region
Area: 4,460 square kilometres (1,722 square miles) [19th of 20]
Population (2021): 294,294 [19th of 20]
Second-smallest and second least populous region after the Aosta Valley (and first in both among the Ordinary Regions), claiming that it doesn't actually exist has become a meme among Italians, who sometimes call it Molisn't. Also the youngest region in Italy, having been broken off from Abruzzo in 1970.
Campobasso
- Postal code: CB
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,925 square kilometres (1,130 square miles) [1st of 2 regionally; 39th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 212,879 [1st of 2 regionally; 87th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Cambuàsce [Campobassan], Campus Vassorum [Latin]
The larger and more populous of the two provinces of Molise, its Latin name, meaning "Vassals' Territory", has been assigned by the Lombards who noted its history of frequently changing hands between various political overseers. Its eponymous capital is known for its production of pears and cheese, as well as craftsmanship of blades, while Termoli to the east is a former fishing port turned beach holiday destination.
Isernia
- Postal code: IS
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,535 square kilometres (593 square miles) [2nd of 2 regionally; 84th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 81,415 [2nd of 2 regionally; 107th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Aesernia [Latin]
Isernia is the least populous province in Italy and continues to make a living mostly through agriculture.
Puglia
Puglia (Apulia)
- Capital (and largest city): Bari
Area: 19,541 square kilometres (7,545 square miles) [7th of 20]
Population (2021): 3,933,777 [8th of 20]
Alternate names: Pùglia [Neapolitan], Puia [Salentino], Pulia [Albanian]
Easternmost region of Italy and the "heel" of the peninsula. Having been settled by Mycenaean Greeks, Apulia is among the most archaeologically bountiful regions in Italy. It is also one of the least economically robust regions of Italy, its output largely limited to materials or components and agriculture.
Bari
- Postal code: BA
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 3,863 square kilometres (1,491 square miles) [2nd of 6 regionally; 19th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 1,230,158 [1st of 6 regionally; 6th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Bare [Barese], Barium [Latin]
Sixth most populous province/city in Italy and the second most important economic centre in the Italian South after Naples, being a major port and university city. It is also famed as the resting place of Saint Nicholas of Myra, a third-century bishop whose legendary acts of generosity served as inspiration for Santa Claus.
Barletta-Andria-Trani
- Postal code: BT
Largest city: Andria
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,543 square kilometres (596 square miles) [6th of 6 regionally; 83rd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 381,091 [6th of 6 regionally; 54th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Baruli [Barletta, Latin]
Second-youngest province of Italy, established in 2010 from municipalities (comuni) separated from Bari and Foggia. Its name alludes to its three capitals: Barletta, the vicinity of which bore witness to a major battle in 216 BCE during the Punic Wars, won by Hannibal; Andria, the largest city and home to an octagonal hilltop citadel by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; and Trani, a port town allied with Venice.
Brindisi
- Postal code: BR
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 1,861 square kilometres (719 square miles) [5th of 6 regionally; 73rd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 381,946 [5th of 6 regionally; 53rd of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Brindisium [Latin]
The eponymous capital is a major port city to Greece and the Near East since Roman times, as the southern terminus of the famed Appian Way.
Foggia
- Postal code: FG
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 7,007 square kilometres (2,706 square miles) [1st of 6 regionally; 3rd of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 602,394 [3rd of 6 regionally; 27th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Fògge [Foggian]
Third-largest province in Italy. The eponymous capital saw a crucial battle during World War II where British and Canadian Allies drove back Nazi Germans. Meanwhile, the towns of Monte Sant'Angelo and San Giovanni Rotondo are Roman Catholic pilgrimage destinations—the former, situated on the massif of Gargano, for a shrine located on where Saint Michael the Archangel was believed to have appeared in the late fifth century to aid Christian Beneventians against pagan Neapolitans; the latter, in honour of Padre Pio, a mid-20th-century Capuchin priest and saint believed to have borne the stigmata, or emulations of the wounds of Jesus on his hands, feet, and side, for most of his life.
Lecce
- Postal code: LE
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,799 square kilometres (1,081 square miles) [3rd of 6 regionally; 41st of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 776,230 [2nd of 6 regionally; 22nd of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Lècce [Salentino], Lupiae [Latin]
The eponymous capital is the easternmost major city of Italy, located at the far end of the Salentine Peninsula, and perhaps the most beautiful city of the region for its rich trove of Baroque architectural monuments, as well as a major producer of olive oil, wine, ceramics, and limestone.
Taranto
- Postal code: TA
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,467 square kilometres (953 square miles) [4th of 6 regionally; 56th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 561,958 [4th of 6 regionally; 31st of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Tàrantu [Salentino], Tarde [Tarantino], Tarento [Early Italian], Tarentum [Latin]
The eponymous capital is a coastal city of strategic importance since the Greek era, when it was founded by the Spartans in the eighth century BCE as Taras and, by the sixth, was among the most populous cities in the world. Nowadays, the city is famed for its steelworks and oil industry, as well as a strategic naval base.
Isole (Islands)
Sardegna
Sardegna (Sardinia)
Capital (and largest city): Cagliari
Type: Autonomous Region
Area: 24,099 square kilometres (9,305 square miles) [3rd of 20]
Population (2021): 1,590,044 [11th of 20]
Alternate names: Saldigna (Gallurese), Sardegna (Tabarchino), Sardenya (Algherese), Sardhigna (Sassarese), Sardigna (Sardinian)
Second-largest Italian island, lying in the middle of the Western Mediterranean and directly to the south of Corsica. The Sardinian language is related yet arguably distinct from Italian, and it's the other official language of the region. Curiously, Groundskeeper Willie from The Simpsons speaks with a Sardinian accent in the Italian dub, possibly referencing the stereotypical Scot and Sardinian shared, ahem, love of sheep.Type: Autonomous Region
Area: 24,099 square kilometres (9,305 square miles) [3rd of 20]
Population (2021): 1,590,044 [11th of 20]
Alternate names: Saldigna (Gallurese), Sardegna (Tabarchino), Sardenya (Algherese), Sardhigna (Sassarese), Sardigna (Sardinian)
Cagliari
Postal code: CA
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 1,249 square kilometres (482 square miles) [5th of 5 regionally; 88th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 421,488 [2nd of 5 regionally; 42nd of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Caralis (Latin), Casteddu (Sardinian)
Capital and largest city of Sardinia and one of the oldest continually settled places in the world, dating back to the Neolithic period, and home to one of the busiest ports in the Mediterranean Sea.Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 1,249 square kilometres (482 square miles) [5th of 5 regionally; 88th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 421,488 [2nd of 5 regionally; 42nd of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Caralis (Latin), Casteddu (Sardinian)
Nuoro
Postal code: NU
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 5,638 square kilometres (2,177 square miles) [3rd of 5 regionally; 11th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 201,517 [4th of 5 regionally; 91st of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Nùgoro (Sardinian)
The eponymous capital is home to several renowned wrters, poets, painters, and schulptors, hence its nickname "Sardinian Athens".Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 5,638 square kilometres (2,177 square miles) [3rd of 5 regionally; 11th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 201,517 [4th of 5 regionally; 91st of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Nùgoro (Sardinian)
Oristano
Postal code: OR
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,990 square kilometres (1,155 square miles) [4th of 5 regionally; 37th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 152,418 [5th of 5 regionally; 102nd of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Aristanis (Sardinian)
Sixth least populous province in Italy, whose eponymous capital has one of the most best-preserved city centres in Italy.Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 2,990 square kilometres (1,155 square miles) [4th of 5 regionally; 37th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 152,418 [5th of 5 regionally; 102nd of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Aristanis (Sardinian)
Sassari
Postal code: SS
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 7,692 square kilometres (2,970 square miles) [1st of 5 regionally; 1st of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 476,357 [1st of 5 regionally; 38th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Sàssari (Sassarese), Tàtari (Sardinian)
Largest province of Italy. Its eponymous capital, the second most populous city in the island, is a university town whose centuries of Pisan, Genoese, Aragonese, and Spanish rule infused it with a rich historical and artistic heritage.Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 7,692 square kilometres (2,970 square miles) [1st of 5 regionally; 1st of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 476,357 [1st of 5 regionally; 38th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Sàssari (Sassarese), Tàtari (Sardinian)
Sud Sardegna (South Sardinia)
Postal code: SU
Capital (provisional): Carbonia
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 6,531 square kilometres (2,522 square miles) [2nd of 5 regionally; 8th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 338,264 [3rd of 5 regionally; 62nd of 107 nationally]
Eighth-largest province of Italy as well as its youngest, carved in 2016 from the old province of Cagliari, the rest incorporated into the same-named Metropolitan City.Capital (provisional): Carbonia
Type: Ordinary Province
Area: 6,531 square kilometres (2,522 square miles) [2nd of 5 regionally; 8th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 338,264 [3rd of 5 regionally; 62nd of 107 nationally]
Sicilia
Sicilia (Sicily)
Capital (and largest city): Palermo
Type: Autonomous Regions
Area: 25,833 square kilometres (9,974 square miles) [1st of 20]
Population (2021): 4,833,705 [5th of 20]
Alternate name: Sicilia (Sicilian)
Largest and fifth most populous region of Italy, as well as the larger of the two major islands. Its location at the heart of the Mediterranean Sea has made it a crossroads of civilizations, cultures, and powers: Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Spaniards, and Italians. All these influences have melded together to form an eclectic culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature, cuisine, and architecture.Type: Autonomous Regions
Area: 25,833 square kilometres (9,974 square miles) [1st of 20]
Population (2021): 4,833,705 [5th of 20]
Alternate name: Sicilia (Sicilian)
Agrigento
- Postal code: AG
Type: Free Municipal Consortium
Area: 3,053 square kilometres (1,179 square miles) [4th of 9 regionally; 36th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 416,181 [5th of 9 regionally; 45th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Agrigentum (Latin), Girgenti (Sicilian)
Caltanissetta
- Postal code: CL
Type: Free Municipal Consortium
Area: 2,138 square kilometres (826 square miles) [7th of 9 regionally; 66th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 253,688 [8th of 9 regionally; 80th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Calatanixecta (Latin), Cartanissetta (Sicilian)
Catania
- Postal code: CT
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 3,574 square kilometres (1,380 square miles) [2nd of 9 regionally; 24th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 1,074,089 [2nd of 9 regionally; 9th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Catana (Latin)
Enna
- Postal code: EN
Type: Free Municipal Consortium
Area: 2,575 square kilometres (994 square miles) [5th of 9 regionally; 51st of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 157,690 [9th of 9 regionally; 100th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Castrogiovanni (Italian, until 1926), Castrugiuvanni (Sicilian), Henna (Latin)
Messina
- Postal code: ME
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 3,266 square kilometres (1,261 square miles) [3rd of 9 regionally; 29th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 603,980 [3rd of 9 regionally; 26th of 107 nationally]
Alternate name: Messana (Latin)
Palermo
- Postal code: PA
Type: Metropolitan City
Area: 5,009 square kilometres (1,934 square miles) [1st of 9 regionally; 14th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 1,208,819 [1st of 9 regionally; 7th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Palermu (Sicilian), Panormus (Latin), Sis (Phoenician)
Ragusa
- Postal code: RG
Type: Free Municipal Consortium
Area: 1,624 square kilometres (627 square miles) [9th of 9 regionally; 80th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 314,910 [7th of 9 regionally; 67th of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Ragusia (Latin), Rausa (Sicilian)
Siracusa (Syracuse)
- Postal code: SR
Type: Free Municipal Consortium
Area: 2,124 square kilometres (820 square miles) [8th of 9 regionally; 68th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 386,071 [6th of 9 regionally; 51st of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Sarausa (Sicilian), Syracusae (Latin)
Trapani
- Postal code: TP
Type: Free Municipal Consortium
Area: 2,470 square kilometres (954 square miles) [6th of 9 regionally; 55th of 107 nationally]
Population (2021): 418,277 [4th of 9 regionally; 43rd of 107 nationally]
Alternate names: Drepanum (Latin), Tràpani (Sicilian)
