(ANSA) - Mantua, in the region of Lombardy, is the most 'liveable' Italian province, according to the annual ranking of Italy's 103 provinces drawn up by the economic daily Italia Oggi based on factors ranging from quality of life to crime.
Siena was second in the standings, after coming in sixth in 2004, followed respectively by Aosta, Bolzano and Aosta, which climbed up from 15th. Last year's number one Treviso tumbled to 16th place, while Milan slid 14 positions.
Vibo Valentia was considered the worst province to live in, just below Catanzaro, Pescara, Messina and Cosenza.
Confirming a basic north-south divide in regards to quality of life was the fact that Naples was in 97th place
and Palermo 84th, while Florence was 25th and Bologna 27th. There was, however, some improvement in the south where Taranto climbed from 101st place to 71st and Agrigento rose from 95th to 75th.
According to this year's study, the number of provinces where quality of life was considered low or insufficient rose from 48 in 2004 to 54. This was said to be a national phenomenon and involved seven provinces in the northwest, two in the northeast, seven in central Italy and 34 in the south and the islands.
After a minor recovery in 2004, the situation in Italy's major cities took a turn for the worse this year in regards to employment and business opportunities. The quality of life was said to have diminished in all
northern cities, while there was some improvement in the south, with the exception of Naples, in regards to the
environment and crime.
Matera was the Italian province with the lowest crime rate, followed by Campobasso, while there was general
improvement for most provinces, Italia Oggi said. Among the big cities, Rome this year rose to 85th place
and Naples jumped 30 positions to 45th, while Palermo tumbled 35 places to 66th and Milan, Genoa and Bologna remained close to the bottom.
Crime was defined in the study as "disturbing" in Turin and Milan, as well as Rome.
According to the study, the deteriorating situation in Italy's major cities was in part responsible for residents
leaving the big urban areas for the smaller provincial capitals where better business opportunities coincided with a an improved quality of life.
In the category of quality of life, Bologna beat out Novara for the top spot and they were followed by Modena and Mantua.
Rome fell to 27th place because of soaring real estate prices while Salerno came in last, just below Cosenza.
In regards to business opportunities and employment, Bolzano was number one for the fifth year in a row, followed by Cuneo and Aosta.
Rome also lost ground in this category, falling to 73rd place.
The category for services saw Gorizia on top followed by Siena and Aosta but all the big cities were absent from the upper positions, with the exception of Bologna.
Cremona topped the environment category followed by Mantua and Livorno, which climbed from 12th place, while Pisa leapt 34 positions to come in fourth. Catania sat at the bottom, just below Siracusa and Messina.
