Catalina Espinosa
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Europe and the EU
Venice - statistics & facts
Ranking among the largest Italian cities, Venice is one of the major centers of the Veneto region, in the north-east of the country. The municipality's territory is constituted by the two main areas of the historical center and Mestre, the mainland. Venice was the capital of the Republic of Venice, a sovereign state able to extend its commercial dominion to most part of the eastern Mediterranean. Thanks to millennia of history and its unique landscape it is one of the most renowned global and European travel destinations. However, overtourism also threatens Venice’s survival: excessive touristic flows have caused a dramatic depopulation of the city center, with residents relocating to the mainland to avoiding touristic pressure.
Growth and decline of a commercial superpower
Over the centuries, the Republic of Venice established a large mercantile and territorial influence, taking control of the coasts of Balkan peninsula and Aegean islands. These overseas territories constituted the Stato da Mar, including commercial hubs in the Black Sea and in the Middle East. On the Italian mainland, it seized the north-western regions, which comprised the Stato da Tera, the most populous territory of the Republic. Also, diplomatic ties were established with the Chinese empire thanks to Marco Polo. As a capital of a large empire, Venice grew in residents. However, from the 18th century, it lost its influence confronted with other European colonial powers, eventually capitulating to Napoleon in 1796. In 1866, Venice finally joined the Kingdom of Italy.Tourism: a resource or a danger?
Venice is the second most visited Italian city after Rome. It attracts millions of international tourists, mostly from the US, France, and the UK. The San Marco square, the Rialto bridge, and the Arsenal are among the major landmarks. However, given its geographic peculiarity, Venice is a fragile environment, threatened by overtourism, as it ranks among the European cities with the highest number of tourists per inhabitant. To combat overcrowding and pollution, a ban on cruise ships has been enacted since 2021, and daily visitors had to purchase an entrance ticket in 2024. Despite these measures, an alarming depopulation is still ongoing, as more and more residents are leaving the historical center and moving to the mainland.More visitors than residents
In the 1950s, around 175,000 people were living in Venice's historical center. Since then, a substantial decline started in favor of the mainland. In 2024, less than 49,000 Venetians resided on the islands. However, in the same year, 5.6 million tourists visited the center, causing a problematic disproportion with native residents. Aging population represents a further problem facing Venice, with 30 percent of the residents being 65 years or older, while the youngest generations are declining. On the contrary, the number of foreigners has recorded a continuous growth since 2000. Therefore, reconciling tourism and housing is a crucial challenge to counter depopulation and to prevent Venice from turning into a tourist-only city.
