Province of Imperia

Introduction

The province of Imperia is the westernmost portion of Liguria, facing the Ligurian Sea and bordering on France, with the municipality of Imperia as its capital. It covers just over 1,150 km² and comprises 66 municipalities, with a population of around 209,000 inhabitants in 2023.

Description

The province of Imperia's geographical position places it at the extreme western end of Liguria, on the southern border of northern Italy. It borders France to the west, the Piedmontese province of Cuneo to the north, the province of Savona to the east, and the Ligurian Sea to the south, drawing a narrow territory between the sea and the Alpine-Apennine reliefs.
From a physical point of view, the territory is largely mountainous and hilly: about 59% of the surface is mountainous, while the remaining 41% is occupied by hills that slope down towards the coast. The main valleys follow the course of the watercourses that descend from the Ligurian Alps towards the sea, with slopes that are often terraced, particularly in areas where olive-growing has shaped the agricultural landscape.
The administrative structure includes 66 municipalities - with some sources indicating 67 due to perimeter differences - and has Imperia as its main centre, a city created in 1923 from the union of eleven historic municipalities including Porto Maurizio and Oneglia. The province was established as a territorial entity in 1860 (then the province of Porto Maurizio) and took its current name of the province of Imperia following the administrative merger of the two main centres and other smaller nuclei in the 20th century.
Demographically speaking, the province has a density of around 180 inhabitants per km², with an estimated population of just over 208,000 residents in 2023. The census data show a gradual ageing of the population, an increase in the foreign presence - the highest in Liguria in 2011 - and an increase in mixed couples and families with elderly single persons, in line with trends in coastal contexts with a strong residential vocation.
The local economy combines activities linked to the coastal strip and the hinterland: along the coast, services and urban functions prevail, while in the inland areas specialised agriculture (in particular terraced olive groves) and some traditional activities still play a role, flanked by forms of excursion and environmental tourism. The mosaic of urban centres, hillside villages and mountain valleys gives the province a territorial articulation that reflects the different historical and geographical 'souls' of western Liguria.