| General Aspects
Verona is one of the most ancient and beautiful Italian cities. It has 270,000 inhabitants and is the largest city of the Veneto Region after Venice. Near Lake Garda, the city spreads out from the shores of the Adige river, at the feet of the Venetian pre-alpine hills, enjoying a fortunate climatic position.
Territory |
Zones | Square kilometers | % |
| Mountains | 589 | 18.9 |
| Hills | 715 | 22.9 |
| Plains | 1818 | 58.2 |
| Total | 3.121 | 100.0 |
Verona is at the centre of the most important national and international routes of communication, so it has always been a major centre of commerce, fuelled – among other things – by the significant industrial and agricultural production of the province.
Historical Notes
The origins of the city are still uncertain, as is the meaning of the name of Verona itself. In the III century B.C. it was populated by the Venetians, but as early as 89 B.C. Verona became a wealthy Roman colony and was an important rossroads, since the Claudia-Augusta road, the Postumia and the Gallic road all passed through the city.
In the period of the barbaric invasions, Teodorico made Verona the headquarters of his reign and built a sumptuous castle on the hill of St. Pietro. Berengario, who had been elected king of Italy, chose Verona as his residence. During medieval times Verona became a free municipality and reached its maximum splendour with the dynasty of the Scala family.
After a brief dominion under the Visconti and the Carraresi families, in 1405 the city spontaneously accepted the rule of the Serenissima Republic. Venice’s dominion thus lasted about four hundred years, until the French invasion of 1797. With the Treaty of Campoformio (October 1797), Napoleon consigned Verona and its territory to Austria. Under Austrian dominion, Verona became one of the strongholds of the Quadrilateral and an important centre of the Lombardo-Veneto region. Finally, Verona was united to the Reign of Italy in 1866 by popular vote.
Verona on the Unesco’s World Heritage List
In november 2000 Unesco's World Heritage Committee has inscribed the City of Verona on the World Heritage List, that now numbers 830 sites (644 cultural, 162 natural and 24 mixed properties) of "exceptional universal value" in 138 countries. The City of Verona has been inscribed for its outstanding cultural values. Here follows the official justification for inscription as released by Unesco's World Heritage Committee.
"The historic city of Verona was founded in the 1st century B.C. It particularly flourished under the rule of the Scaliger family in the 13th and 14th centuries and as part of the Republic of Venice from the 15th to 18th centuries. Verona has preserved a remarkable number of monuments from antiquity, the medieval and Renaissance periods, and represents an exceptional example of a military stronghold.
In its urban structure and its architecture, Verona is an outstanding example of a town that has developed progressively and uninterruptedly over two thousand years, incorporating artistic elements of the highest quality from each succeeding period. Moreover, Verona represents in an exceptional way the concept of the fortified town at several seminal stages of European history".
Monuments and highlights
A trip to Verona is a plunge into the emotions of ages, of a city that conserves values and forms related to an ancient past of medieval and renaissance splendour, albeit it is in constant expansion in our own day. According to Shakespeare, “There is no world outside these walls…” but this also expresses the impression that strikes tourists when they enter the ancient walls that surround the city. The tragic story of the love of Romeo and Juliet, which Shakespeare situates in the Verona of the Scala seigniory, makes the city a preferred destination for tourists seeking emotions.
Tourism |
 | 2005 | 2005/04 |
| Hotel accomodations |
Guest
(foreigners) | 1.736.469
(965.384) | +1.1%
(+3.0%) |
Overnights
(foreigners) | 5.508.154
(3.459.468) | +6.6%
(+5.3%) |
| Extra-hotel accomodations |
Guest
(foreigners) | 829.213
(580.728 | +3.5%
(+0.1%) |
Overnights
(foreigners) | 6.465.933
(4.200.966) | +14.3%
(+3.9%) |
You experience a serene and relaxing rhythm in the historical centre, marked by the placid current of the Adige River, which crosses the city, forming a wide and soft S, with a suggestive network of bridges. During the summer months a stroll through the ancient city can reach a climax of emotions, in an evening at the Arena, Italy’s largest opera theatre. The Roman amphitheatre can seat 15,000 spectators and put on a show with scenery designed by the greatest artists in the world: an evening at the Arena is unforgettable and reason enough alone to make a trip to Verona.
Architecture... and cuisine
There are visual memories and suggestions for travellers stopping over in Verona, not only due to the ancient architecture and its testimonial value, which pervades the entire city; not only thanks to the suggestive atmosphere of the narrow streets and squares, but also because of the tastes and flavours of an inimitable traditional territorial cuisine that has been perpetuated, unaltered through time, which creates insoluble ties with Veronese wines, which are famous and highly appraised throughout the world.
The most important monuments of Verona can be found along five itineraries: the Historical Centre, the Modern Centre, Romeo and Juliet and the Right Bank of the Adige River, Veronetta and the Left Bank of the Adige River, Monasteries and Fortifications.
Economy and demographics
The population of the Verona Province is 870,000 with 260,000 people residing in the city of Verona itself. Recent data indicate that the working population numbers more than 379,000 employed (of which one third is female) in three principal areas: 230,000 in the service sector (commerce, tourism, banking, transports, etc.); 128,000 in industry and craftwork; 21,000 in agriculture.
Resident population |
| 2005 | 2005/04 |
| Province | 870,122 | +1.1% |
| Verona city | 259,380 | +0.1% |
| Density per square km. | 279 | +1.1% |
| Number of families | 349,853 | +1.6% |
| Members in an average family | 2,5 | = |
Active population |
| 2005 | 2005/04 |
| Agriculture | 21,000 | +5% |
Industry
(manufacturing) | 128,000
(95,000) | -3%
(-8,7%) |
| Services and other activities | 230,000 | -5% |
| Total of employed workers | 379,000 | +2.2% |
| Unemployed workers | 17,000 | -6.6% |
| Working force total | 396,000 | +1.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | -6.4% |
The economy of Verona is the most diversified in the Veneto Region. Consistent growth has enabled the agricultural sector to preserve and consolidate its position of leadership. The development of secondary manufacturing industry in the immediate post-war period was facilitated by the construction of an agro-industrial zone, and lead to the rapid development of light industry. This induced the development of the tertiary sector, with particular expertise in logistics and wholesale trade.
Industry and increasing added value
While the population of Verona has historically been predominantly Italian, in recent years the make-up of the population has changed due to waves of immigrants and temporary guestworkers from around the world that have made Verona their home. As of a 2005 census, 7.9% of the population (approximately 20,000 people) have been identified as non-Italian, with many immigrants originating from areas such as Eastern Europe, North Africa and South Asia.
Verona is one of the Italian provinces which have enjoyed a significant rise in the per capita income over the last decade. The provincial added value has reached over 20 billion Euros (almost 14 billion Euros in the service sector, over 6 billion in industry and craftwork and about 900 million Euros in agriculture, forestry and fishing).
Provincial added value (in million Euros) |
| 2004 | 2004/03 |
| Agriculture | 866.9 | +6.0% |
Industry
(manufacturing)
(construction) | 6,295.2
(5,259,1)
(1,036.1) | +3.0%
(+3.1%)
(+2.8%) |
| Services | 13,676.0 | +2.9% |
| Total | 20,838.1 | +3.0% |
| Per capita added value (euros) | 23,140 | +1.6% |
| National ranking | 30 | |
Industry is of fundamental importance to the development of the area, and has grown considerably over the last fifty years, as a result of heavy investment in human resources and capital. Today industry is dominated by small to medium sized enterprises serving global markets.
Import-export, a talent for international trade
Import and export (thousands of euros) |
| Import | Export |
| 2005 | 2005/04 | 2005 | 2005/04 |
| Agriculture | 426,171 | -0.8% | 277,922 | +13.5% |
| Mining | 154,429 | +1,1% | 34,368 | -1,2% |
| Food and beverages | 937,182 | +4.7% | 908,744 | +1.4% |
| Textile and clothing | 515,990 | +15.2% | 508,796 | +1.6% |
| Leather and shoes | 433,587 | -3.7% | 659,789 | -9.5% |
| Wood and furnitures | 91,692 | -9.3% | 13,427 | -0.9% |
| Paper and publishing | 258,309 | +5.1% | 225,529 | -0.1% |
| Oil and refining | 21,121 | +50.8% | 2,420 | +32.3% |
| Chemistry | 484,859 | +3.6% | 473,010 | +0.3% |
| Rubber and plastics | 92,958 | +5.7% | 85,802 | +8.3% |
| Marbles and stones | 73,450 | +0.8% | 678,588 | -1.7% |
| Metal works | 643,555 | -9.4% | 634,353 | +9.1% |
| Mechanics | 393,603 | -2.8% | 1,385,668 | +7.0% |
| Electric machinery | 338,735 | -7.3% | 285,873 | +7.6% |
| Transports | 5,301,614 | +16.4% | 441,936 | +3.9% |
| Other manufacturing | 112,866 | +13.7% | 134,769 | -13.5% |
| Others | 4,579 | -37.8% | 10,445 | +14.9% |
| Total | 10,284,270 | +8.2% | 6,761,439 | +2.1% |
The local economy has grown at the same rate as international trade. The export of the Verona province in 2005 - mostly toward European Union (in order of priority: Germany, France, Great Britain, Holland, Austria, USA, Spain, Switzerland) was almost 7 billion euros. Export include metallurgical and mechanic products, fashion, marble, granite and agglomerates, furniture, paper products and printing, chemical, pharmaceutical and food products.
The import in the same year amounted to over 10 billion Euros. This demonstrates the importance of Verona as a logistics and distribution centre for whole of Italy, both for Japanese and German cars, and Japanese office systems. The countries from which Verona Province imports are, in order of priority: Germany, France the U.K., Belgium, Holland, Spain, Austria Switzerland and Japan.
Due to its central position in Northern Italy, Verona serves as an important traffic nexus, including: the Brenner and Serenissima motorways; connections with Port cities on the Adriatic-Tyrrhenian coasts; a vital railway junction linking Italy and the rest of Europe and an international airport capable of handing both passenger and commercial traffic, one of the most important customs district in Northern Italy. Together with Rome, Milan, Florence, Bologna and Venice, Verona has become one of the major conference cities in Italy.
Growth and investments
Last year Verona has experienced a growth of about 4%, higher than the national and Veneto regional average (2,8%): it's an outstanding result that represents a boost for changing. Verona is the fastest growing italian province on the economic and industrial side, as recent data and figures confirm. And now - thanks to investments and research - it is time to develop new ways to compete on the global markets.
Main sectors of business |
| 2005 | 2005/04 |
| Agriculture | 20,301 | -0.5% |
| Fishing industry | 54 | +3.8% |
| Mining and minerals | 91 | +1.1% |
| Manufacturing | 11,585 | -0.7% |
| Electricity, water, power plants | 32 | +6.7% |
| Constructions | 14,298 | +5.8% |
| Commerce | 19,272 | +0.3% |
| Tourism | 4,613 | +1.7% |
| Transports and logistics | 3,629 | +0.5% |
| Banking and finance | 1,576 | +2.7% |
| Information technology and research | 9,366 | +6.5% |
| School and instruction | 200 | +9.3% |
| Health and social services | 267 | +7.7% |
| Public and personal services | 3,564 | +1.7% |
| Others | 157 | +57.9% |
| Total | 89,005 | +1,4% |
Trades and commerce |
| 2005 | 2005/04 |
| Wholesale trades | 7,897 | +0,8% |
| Retail trades | 8,860 | +0,2% |
| Vehicles sales and servicing | 2,515 | -0,7% |
| Hotels and restaurants | 4,813 | +1,7% |
The unemployment rate is among the lowest in Italy: in 2005 it was 4,4%. Verona has a strong commitment for international trade, reaching more than 10 billion Euros of import and about 7 billion Euros of export, still growing fast. In Verona territory operate more than 89 thousand enterprises: we have more than 10 businesses every hundred inhabitants, and industry generates one third of the added value of the province.
| Trademarks and patents |
Year | Licences |
| 2003 | 1,258 |
| 2004 | 1,554 |
| 2005 | 1,530 |
| 2006 (June 30) | 969 |
Rankings and wealth. Verona is at the fifth place among italian provinces for per-capita expenditures, at the eight place for airport traffic, at the fourteenth for tourist businesses, at the seventeenth for banking system and in the first fifty places for per-capita income, in any case higher than the national and regional averages. Thanks to its talent for international trade and an efficient infrastructural network knows how to create wealth for its society.
Banking and finance
Banking and finance |
| 2005 | 2005/04 |
| Bank branches in the province | 649 | +2.0% |
| Bank branches in Verona city | 206 | +1.0% |
| Population per bank branch | 1,341 | -0.9% |
| Businesses per bank branch | 137 | -0.7% |
With over 30 national and international banks and 649 branches distributed throughout the local territory, Verona is the province with the highest number of bank branches in the Veneto region, which in turn is the second region in Italy, with about 10% of the nation’s total bank branches. Verona is also home of two banks that operate at national level and are constantly expanding: Unicredit Banca d'Impresa and Banca Popolare di Verona e Novara. Industry and the banking system support and help each other in developing projects for progress, as a financial tool for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Verona, a crossroads for trade
Verona is one of the most important commercial sites in Italy, as is demonstrated by the success of Veronafiere, the exhibition centre. Veronafiere is a modern and dynamic organisation operating for the internationalisation of exhibitions and the acquisition of new strategic products within its business sectors, by analysing and implementing services as close as possible to customers’ needs.Building on its 100 years of history, Veronafiere joins tradition with innovation, mostly because of its first competitive advantage of ranking first in direct organisation of exhibitions. Veronafiere focuses essentially on the business-to-business sector and flanks its operations as a direct organiser of events with Exhibition Centre services capable of ensuring a versatile and efficient response to every kind of requirement in the exhibition and conference market. Over the years, this focus has also aimed to extend the range of products and expand the calendar of exhibition events which, in 2005, totalled 32 shows.
Established in 1898, VeronaFiere is now one of the three main international exhibition centres in Italy, leader in the food sector. Over the years it has entered new market sectors such as building, furniture, interior decoration, health and well-being. VeronaFiere is a member of the Union of International Fairs and of the Association of Principal European Exhibition Centres and it is is an economic driving force for the north-eastern production network. Its activities aim to establish Verona as a privileged communications and business centre for small and medium-sized enterprises.
New opportunities for business in Verona
• geographical position: natural crossroads of north-south and east-west traffic in Europe
• adequate logistical infrastructures: intermodal centres, specialized warehouses, railway, motorway, waterway, maritime and airport junctions
• food market and commodity exchange
• plenty of industrial estates for light and heavy industry
• subworking networks in sectors as: vegetable and meat preserves, furniture, fashion, footwear, marble, granite, stone and building materials, polygraphics
• international business services: World Trade Centre, exhibition centre, professional firms, international and local bank branches, specialized test and certification centres, language and translation centres, management consulting firms
• skilled working force from technical schools: industry, logistics, agriculture, computer science, electronics, mechanics, chemistry, graphics, marble processing
• university courses offering specialisation in business studies
• European Union incentives and funds for industrial development
• leading tourist and leisure centres, fourth most important art city in Italy, traditional holiday resorts on Lake Garda, traditional summer opera festival in the Arena, business tourism for the trade fairs and exhibitions, theme parks and resorts
• high quality of life in a pleasant city and province, with one of he highest per capita incomes (23,000 Euros)
Useful links
- Confindustria
- Confindustria Veneto
- Comune di Verona
- Provincia di Verona
- Camera di commercio
- Universitą di Verona
- VeronaFiere
- Arena di Verona
- Aeroporto di Verona
- Verona Mercato
- Quadrante Europa
- Consorzio Zai
- Autostrada Brescia-Padova |
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