Lorenzo Macchi
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Italy
Get in touch with us nowResidents in Venice from 1871 to 2023
The population residing in Venice continuously grew from 1871, the year of the first census, reaching its peak in 1968 with 367,832 inhabitants right after the baby boom period. In the following decades, the municipality registered a slow but constant decline of residents, loosing 115,492 citizens in 55 years, especially in the historical city center.
Depopulation of the historical city center
Venice is one of the most visited cities in Italy. The San Marco square and the hundreds of bridges that connect the 118 islands of the historical city center attracted 5.7 million people in 2023. However, given its geographical peculiarity, Venice is a fragile environment that must face the serious problem of overtourism. In fact, the city has the second-highest number of tourists per inhabitant in Europe. As a result, Venice is overcrowded and environmental pollution has risen, substantially decreasing the life quality of residents. Accessing to essential public services has become more difficult for inhabitants, and residential properties have been converted to accommodation facilities. As many residents have decided to relocate to the dry land, the historical city center recorded a dramatic depopulation trend. In 2023, less than 50,000 people still lived in the lagoon.
Venice and Veneto: not only tourism
Venice is the administrative center of Veneto, one of the most economically developed regions of the country. Veneto’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) amounted to 180.5 billion euros in 2022. Only Lombardy, the most populated region, and Lazio, where Rome is located, recorded higher figures. North-eastern Italy, that comprises the regions of Veneto, Trentino-South Tyrol, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Emilia-Romagna, is the second economic driving force of the country. House furniture, wearing apparel, footwear, and clothing are the key business sectors of the regional industry. Internationally renowned companies and high-quality brands like Luxottica, Geox, and Calzedonia have their headquarters in Veneto.
