Five pictures of Calabria (2001)

Citizenship: Calabria is very prolific, and the Calabrian family remains among the most ‘crowded’ and ‘solid’ in Italy. A look at schooling in Calabria, admissions to museums, exhibitions and archaeological sites, spending on cinema and theatre, and spending on sports events.

Economy and employment: Calabria is at the bottom of the Italian regions in terms of work and economic development and the bottom in terms of standard of living. However, the trend in the number of businesses registered in the five Calabrian provinces over the last year is surprising. It indicates a renewed spirit of enterprise, a consequence of the facilities introduced by the structural funds, but strongly conditioned by the pre-existing situation of severe immobility. Moreover, there may be an overestimation of the unemployment rate due to the scourge of undeclared work.

The environment: the Calabrians have a considerable amount of green space, but they have to deal with the hydrogeological instability of the territory, waste management and disposal, the condition of the coastline and forest fires. The situation of industrial plants at risk of significant accidents is better.

Critical areas: in the provinces of Calabria, the cities are safe. Nevertheless, the phenomenon of drug addiction should not be underestimated, both from the point of view of prevention policies and therapeutic facilities, which should be recalibrated according to new needs. The prison population in Calabria represents 3.6% of the Italian prison population. The non-EU regulars immigrants in Calabria are relatively low: 14,564, with an incidence on the total population of 0.71%. There are 933 non-EU children and young people attending nursery, primary and secondary schools, a relatively low number compared to the rest of Italy.  Compared with other regions, particularly those in northern and central Italy, legal immigrants tend to move to the centre and north in search of employment and prosperity.