The seven provinces which make up Veneto provide an interesting point of departure for analysis and reflection on the regional territory as each province has its own particular morphological and socio-economic characteristics. The territory in fact covers: a high-altitude alpine range, a lower 'middle-level' mountain range, a number of broad hilly areas, a vast plain, the eastern shore of the largest lake in Italy and an extensive coastline with over 150 kilometres of sandy beaches. (Figure 13.1).
Of the seven provinces there are those which are more industrialised, others which tend more towards the service industries and others with a marked urbanisation. The territory is, however, largely given over to agriculture, and the open countryside limited to the hills and mountain areas. The areas of production extend around the central part of the region. The built-up areas extend over much of the plain beyond and even though the urban centres are large, urban sprawl is still common. (Figure 13.2).
The figures demonstrate that, on the whole, the provinces of Veneto are in good economic health. The main characteristics and the differences in many aspects of their socio-economic realities will be described in the pages that follow, where population figures, the presence of immigrants, education, employment, production, tourism, wealth and mobility will be taken into account.
The province of Padova can be considered the economic centre of development in Veneto. Its geographichal position at the centre of the region has, over the years, favoured the growth of industrial establishments and services throughout Veneto.
The province of Verona has also been important in the development of regional wealth. Its growth has always been characterised by dynamism, in particular in the service industries, plus good levels of employment. It is an area which specialises in the food and furniture industries. Its position near Lago di Garda and the emphasis on cultural activities have also made it an important focus for tourism.
Vicenza, apart from being the province with the highest export figures, is characterized by a healthy growth in the manufacturing sector and good levels in economic indicators. It also attracts tourists to its many mountain resorts and historical cities.
Treviso, with its part flat and part hilly landscape, is a destination for tourists interested in the beauty of its many historical towns and cities. It is characterised by good economic growth with both a strong industrial presence and agricultural traditions at the same time. The agricultural sector is largely devoted to the production of wine and also includes a large number of artisan businesses.
The province of Venezia possesses a particularly open type of territory and an open-minded population which draws both Italian and foreign tourists, who come not only to visit its provincial capital. It has much to offer the tourist from long-stay beach-style holidays to short weekend visits to the historical cities.
Belluno, which is distinguished by its position in the moutain area, has good economic and employment indicators in an active production sector and specialises in optical and wood products.
During recent years economic growth in the province of Rovigo has managed to emerge in spite of a more disadvantaged position in relation to the other provinces. The food sector, textiles and fashion, and artisan businesses constitute the backbone of the area's production industries. Tourism is also of major importance thanks to a focused campaign to promote and develop tourism in the area. (Figure 13.3).
From a physical point of view, Belluno differentiates itself from the other provinces by being the only one which is entirely mountainous. Rovigo and Venezia have most of their territory on the plain, Padova and Treviso have both hills and plain, whilst Verona and Vicenza have the most varied territories with areas pertaining to each physical type.
Demographically, the seven provinces of Veneto have been characterised by a general population increase over recent years, with significant differences within the region: Treviso shows the greatest population increase and, according to Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) data, will maintain this rate over the next ten years. This is due to the economic attraction of the area as well as natural growth levels which are boosted by the number of babies born to foreign residents in particular.
It is interesting to note that the population of Belluno has increased slightly over the last five years and there is a reversal of the trend towards de-population normally associated with mountain areas.
The population density of the region is 263 residents per square kilometre. The high density of the municipalities in the central band of the region contrasts with the low concentration in the mountain areas and in the lower Po valley. Padova is the most densely populated province of Veneto-the only one that exceeds 400 residents per square kilometre-followed by Treviso and Venezia.
The low birth rate together with greater life expectancy mean that Veneto and Italy itself are territories with an ageing population. The process of ageing in Veneto appears to be slower than the national average: in 2007 there was a quota of 139 over-65-year-olds for every 100 0-14 year-olds, the lowest quota is 119 in Vicenza and the highest 204 in Rovigo.
Foreign residents are part of every day life in Veneto and their number is growing, as can be seen in the larger cities, more industrialised areas, in schools and at work. In 2007 foreign residents amounted to 8.4% of the population in Veneto as a whole, a figure which is markedly greater than the national average (5.8%). Their presence is concentrated mainly in the more industrial provinces of Treviso, Vicenza and Verona (which together host 63% of foreigners) where it is easier to find work and better living conditions for those who have escaped the poverty and hardship of their countries of origin. The foreign residents come mainly from Romania, Morocco and Albania. Of note is the striking 59% increase in Romanians over the last year, and they are now the largest foreign community overtaking the Moroccans, the former largest foreign presence.
The educational level in Veneto is constantly improving and the number of people in possession of a university degree or at least a school-leaving certificate is rising steadily. The rate of schooling in the region, i.e. the proportion of children aged 14-18 enrolled at secondary school is increasing and in 2007 exceeded 89%, with a peak of over 98% in Rovigo. Schools have also had to adapt to the growing presence of foreigners, requiring innovative and efficient measures to cope with this evolving situation. During the 2006/2007 school year the schools in Veneto admitted 12.3% of the foreign students in Italy and these accounted for 9% of total enrollments in Veneto. The lowest numbers were in Belluno where there were 6 foreign students to every 100, and the highest in Treviso where there were 11 to every 100, putting Treviso among the top 10 provinces in Italy to this respect.
By completing their education to university level young people are better able to find suitable employment and achieve professional fulfillment. An increase in the number of students completing higher education, a trend which can be seen throughout the provinces, also signals a greater willingness of families to invest in the future of their children.
Successful completion of a course in higher education has increased in Veneto over the last six years with a two-thirds rise in the quota of students graduating from the universities in the region. The year 2007 saw a total of about 20,500 graduates from different backgrounds and origins. Taking into account the residents of Veneto alone, figures from Padova indicate that in 2007 there were 6 new graduates for every 1000 residents over the age of 20, closely followed by Treviso with 5.7.
With regards employment rates the provinces of Veneto are in the top positions for Italy as a whole, despite the current climate of uncertainty in the job market. The Unemployment rate in the area was 3.5% in 2008, noticeably lower than the national average of 6.7%. Veneto has managed to maintain its privileged position among the Italian regions, with the fourth lowest unemployment rate. The levels of unemployment are marginally higher in Verona where the rate is at 3.8%, the highest in Veneto.
In spite of this rise in the employment rate, the figures are still far from the goals set at Lisbon which aimed at a 70% employment rate in the European Union by 2010. The province of Treviso is the closest to this target where in 2008 68.3% of the population aged 15-64 was in gainful employment compared with the regional average of 66.4%. This is in part due to the greater employability of the foreign residents and the capacity of the economic system of the province to absorb female labour.
There is currently a widespread perception of the inadequacy of the means used to accurately assess the growth and wellbeing of an area. For any calculation of this type it is still held necessary to take the much disputed GDP of the area into account as an indicator of the region's value added in that it is the means most commonly used to describe economic status. For 2007 and 2008 there are only estimates available with regard to the creation of wealth at provincial level. In 2007 the greatest contributions to regional growth can be attributed to the provinces of Belluno, Rovigo and Vicenza. The estimates for 2008 show a general stagnation which is slightly more acute in the province of Treviso.
Estimates for the agricultural sector in 2008 are positive for all the provinces while the construction sector shows a marked decline in the province of Verona. There is a general decline in the industrial sector throughout all the provinces. A slight improvement for the service industries can be seen in Belluno while in the other provinces the situation should remain stable compared to the 2007 figures.
On 31 December 2008, active businesses in Veneto numbered 462,567, with a negative balance of -0.75%, which was the sum of 32,427 newly registered businesses and 35,884 cessations of activity registered during that year. The year 2008 recorded the lowest balance for the area over the past fifteen years, which is certainly a sign of the economic crisis that began during this same year.
The situation is reflected in the high business turnover, also at a national level, with high rates both in start-ups, +7.0%, and in cessations, +7.8%, in the business system during 2008.
Rovigo showed a rise of 1.5% in the number of businesses during 2008 compared to the previous year, next are Verona +0.8% and Venezia +0.7%, increases which are above the regional average compared to 2007. The provinces of Padova, Verona and Treviso maintained the highest level of active businesses in the region, confirming the strong business presence along the central axis of the territory.
A measure of the strength of the business system may be seen in the degree of penetration into international markets, and foreign trade represents a good means for measuring this engagement with foreign markets. Vicenza is certainly the province with the greatest tendency to export with a rate which is almost 30 percentage points over the total for the region (followed by Treviso with 21 percentage points) and with a ratio between export value and value added of 64%.
Veneto is the most important region for the tourism industry in Italy and has for a number of years been in top position for the number of nights spent by tourists in the region (more than 16% of the national total). During 2008 more than 14 million tourists visited the region accounting for a total of 60.6 million nights spent with more than half of these recorded in the province of Venezia and a further 21% in Verona.
The transport system and its infrastructure are amongst the most important elements necessary to sustain both regional economic growth and the quality of life of the population.
With this in mind mobility in Veneto is a key issue given its geographic and economic importance as a transport corridor for through-traffic and the nature of the sprawling urbanisation so characteristic of the central area of the region.
Although the indicators for infrastructure in the provinces are good on average (five out of seven are above the national average), daily traffic congestion is a serious problem and indicates an inefficient road system unable to satisfy the demands of both domestic and commercial use.
Padova has the highest number of circulating vehicles (almost 729,000) whilst Verona has the highest number of cars (around 548,000). The number of vehicles in use by adult citizens varies from a maximum of 98 for every 100 residents in the province of Vicenza to a minimum of 79 per 100 residents in the province of Venezia.