Province of Vibo Valentia

The province of Vibo Valentia (Italian: provincia di Vibo Valentia; Vibonese: pruvincia i Vibbu Valenzia) is a province in the region of Calabria in Italy, Its capital is the city of Vibo Valentia and its vehicle licence plate code is VV.^[4] The province has an area of 1,150.64 square kilometres (444.26 sq mi) (7.6% of the total surface of Calabria),^[1] and a population of 150,197 as of 2025.^[2] There are 50 municipalities (comuni) in the province.^[5]

Province of Vibo Valentia Provincia di Vibo Valentia (Italian) Pruvincia i Vibbu Valenzia (Vibonese)
Province
Flag Coat of arms
Map of the province
Country	Italy
Region	Calabria
Capital(s)	Vibo Valentia
Municipalities	50
Government
• President	Corrado L'Andolina
Area [1]
• Total	1,150.64 km2 (444.26 sq mi)
Population  (2025)[2]
• Total	150,197
• Density	130/km2 (340/sq mi)
GDP [3]
• Total	€2.447 billion (2015)
• Per capita	€15,032 (2015)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	89811-89819, 89821-89824, 89831-89834, 89841-89844, 89851-89852, 89861-89868, 89900
Telephone prefix	0963, 0966, 0968
Vehicle registration	VV
ISTAT	102

History

It was first settled by Italic tribe the Sicels and Vibo Valentia was established as a city in the 6th or 7th century, known as Hipponion by the Greeks of Messina and Reggio. Following this, the city was later recolonised by people from town Locri in the region of Calabria.^[6] Dionysius I of Syracuse had the city of Hipponion destroyed, and authority of the city subsequently passed to Ancient Carthage, tribe Bruttii, Greek Agathocles of Syracuse, and then the Locrians, before being conquered by ancient Rome in around 230 BCE. In around 400 CE it was attacked repeatedly. Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor had the town rebuilt in the 13th century, and in 1284 it passed to the Ruffo family. Ferdinand I of Naples had a fort constructed in Pizzo Calabro in 1486.^[6]

The current province was set up by a national law of 6 March 1992, which came into effect on 1 January 1996, and formerly part of the province of Catanzaro.^[7][8]

In June 2010 a dormant volcano was discovered off the coast of the province on the line of the fault that led to the 1905 Calabria earthquake.^[9] It is a mountainous province and is situated on the Tyrrhenian Sea.^[10]

Government

President	Term start	Term end		Party
Enzo Romeo	7 May 1995	14 June 1999		Ulivo
Ottavio Bruni	14 June 1999	26 February 2008		PPI/DL/PD
Francesco De Nisi	15 April 2008	20 November 2012		PD
Mario Ciclosi	20 November 2012	29 September 2014		Commissioner
Andrea Niglia	29 September 2014	8 May 2018		Ind.
Salvatore Solano	31 October 2018	29 January 2023		Ind. CD
Corrado L'Andolina	29 January 2023	Incumbent		Ind. CD

Municipalities

• Acquaro
• Arena
• Briatico
• Brognaturo
• Capistrano
• Cessaniti
• Dasà
• Dinami
• Drapia
• Fabrizia
• Filadelfia
• Filandari
• Filogaso
• Francavilla Angitola
• Francica
• Gerocarne
• Jonadi
• Joppolo
• Limbadi
• Maierato
• Mileto
• Mongiana
• Monterosso Calabro
• Nardodipace
• Nicotera
• Parghelia
• Pizzo
• Pizzoni
• Polia
• Ricadi
• Rombiolo
• San Calogero
• San Costantino Calabro
• San Gregorio d'Ippona
• San Nicola da Crissa
• Sant'Onofrio
• Serra San Bruno
• Simbario
• Sorianello
• Soriano Calabro
• Spadola
• Spilinga
• Stefanaconi
• Tropea
• Vallelonga
• Vazzano
• Vibo Valentia
• Zaccanopoli
• Zambrone
• Zungri

Demographics

As of 2025, there are 151,558 people residing in the province, of whom 49.2% are male and 50.8% are female. Minors make up 15.1% of the population, and pensioners make up 24.2%. This compares with the Italian average of 14.9% minors and 24.7% pensioners.^[2]

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1861 128,323 —     1871 134,995 +5.2% 1881 136,352 +1.0% 1901 162,667 +19.3% 1911 172,799 +6.2% 1921 180,218 +4.3% 1931 183,808 +2.0% 1936 183,454 −0.2%	Year Pop. ±% 1951 206,533 +12.6% 1961 199,811 −3.3% 1971 184,084 −7.9% 1981 176,366 −4.2% 1991 179,640 +1.9% 2001 170,746 −5.0% 2011 163,409 −4.3% 2021 151,558 −7.3%
Source: ISTAT[11][12]