Demographic Shifts and Economic concerns Highlight Challenges for Italy’s Pesaro and Urbino Province
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The province of Pesaro and Urbino in Italy is grappling with a declining population, particularly in its internal areas, while simultaneously seeking to bolster local economies and support small businesses. New statistical data released by the Province, in collaboration with Istat and the UPI, paints a complex picture of the region’s demographic and socio-economic landscape.
Declining Population, Uneven Growth
As of January 1, 2025, the provincial territory of Pesaro and Urbino had a population of 349,798, a slight decrease from the 349,882 residents recorded the previous year. The province is focusing on strategic areas through the National Areas Strategy (SNAI). Two such areas within Pesaro and Urbino are the “Montefeltro and Upper Metauro Valley” – with a population of 30,499 across 17 municipalities – and the “Lower Apennines of pesaro and Ancona,” home to 25,342 residents across 8 municipalities. Thes areas account for 8.7% and 7.2% of the provincial population, respectively.
While the overall population growth rate decreased slightly to -0.2% per thousand inhabitants, the natural increase rate – the difference between births and deaths – was -5.7%, an improvement over the regional rate of -6.2%.Though, this decline is more pronounced in smaller towns. Serra Sant’Abbondio experienced the steepest decline at -28.7%, followed by borgo Pace (-21.3%) and Urbino (-16.8%). Conversely, Monte Porzio (+1.1%) and Tavullia (-0.5%) were the only municipalities to report a positive natural increase rate.
Economic Concerns and the Future of Small Businesses
The province’s president, Giuseppe Paolini, emphasized the critical role of small shops and businesses in maintaining the social fabric of smaller towns. “Small shops and activities in small towns are crucial, being a point of social life between people,” he stated. He passionately advocated for a revised tax system, arguing that the current structure unfairly burdens local businesses. “It is absurd that a large international distribution chain that delivers to home pays three percent taxes while shopkeepers are taxed by the tax authorities.”
Paolini also stressed the importance of providing opportunities for young people to remain in the internal areas. “We need to give hope to the young people who remain: they can work for the territory,” he said. “It is not true that things are bad in the internal areas: it is bad if there are no services,schools,doctors,shops. As a province we must be the home of these requests, a support for small towns. Those who live in the hinterland must not be penalised.”
Demographic Structure and Emerging Innovation
The province’s population structure reveals that 11.4% are between 0 and 14 years old,62.9% are between 15 and 64, and 25.7% are 65 and over. The average age is 47.6 years, and there are 96.83 males for every 100 females. A noteworthy statistic is the turnover index, which indicates that for every 150.82 people aged 60-64, there are only 100 young people aged 15-19.
Despite the demographic challenges, the province is witnessing pockets of innovation. Municipalities like Mercatello sul Metauro (14.7%), Sant’Angelo in Vado (6.2%), and Tavoleto (6.4%) are demonstrating strength in high-tech manufacturing and knowledge-intensive services.
The data presentation, held at the Raphael College, included contributions from Gaetano Palombelli of the Union of Italian Provinces, Roberta Palmieri and Antonella Bianchino of Istat, Professor Fatima Farina of the University of Urbino, and Paola D’Andrea, head of statistics and Equal Opportunities for the Province of Pesaro and Urbino. A significant number of university students also attended the meeting, signaling a potential future workforce invested in the region’s success.
The Province of Pesaro and Urbino faces a critical juncture, requiring strategic interventions to address demographic decline, support local businesses, and foster innovation to ensure a lasting future for its internal areas.
