Piedmont

Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy, found in the northwest part of the country. It shares borders with Liguria to the south, Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna to the east, and the Aosta Valley to the northwest. It also touches Switzerland to the north and France to the west.

Covering an area of 25,387.07 km² (9,802.00 mi²), Piedmont is the second-largest region in Italy, after Sicily. As of 2026, it is also the seventh-most populous region in the country, with over four million people living there.

The capital of Piedmont is Turin, a city with a rich history. Turin served as the first capital of the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 to 1865, playing an important role in the country's early unification.

Etymology

The names Piedmont in French, Piemonte in Italian, and similar words all come from an old Latin phrase, Pedemontium or Pedemontis. This means "at the foot of the mountains," referring to the Alps. People started using this name in documents around the end of the 12th century.

History

Piedmont has a rich and ancient history. In early times, it was home to Celtic and Ligurian tribes, such as the Taurini and the Salassi, before the Romans arrived around 220 BC. The Romans established important towns like Turin (known then as Augusta Taurinorum) and Ivrea (Eporedia).

The Roman Palatine Towers in Turin

Over the centuries, Piedmont experienced many changes in rule. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was invaded by various groups including the Burgundians, Ostrogoths, East Romans, Lombards, and Franks. Later, it became part of the Kingdom of Italy within the Holy Roman Empire. In 1046, Otto of Savoy added Piedmont to the County of Savoy, and in 1563, the capital was moved to Turin. In 1720, the ruler of Savoy became King of Sardinia, founding the Kingdom of Sardinia.

During the late 1700s and early 1800s, Piedmont saw the rise and fall of several short-lived republics under French influence. It played a key role in Italian unification in the 1850s and 1860s, and the rulers of Savoy eventually became Kings of Italy, with Turin briefly serving as the nation’s capital. Today, Piedmont remains an important region in Italy, known for historic sites such as the Palazzina di caccia of Stupinigi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Sacra di San Michele.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Piedmont

A Langhe landscape

Piedmont is a beautiful region in northwest Italy, surrounded by the Alps on three sides. It shares borders with France, Switzerland, and several Italian regions, including Lombardy, Liguria, Aosta Valley, and a small part of Emilia Romagna. The land here is very diverse, featuring rugged mountain peaks, rolling hills, and wide plains.

The river Po, Italy's largest river, begins in Piedmont and flows through the region. The climate in Piedmont is generally temperate, with cold, sunny winters and warm summers that can sometimes bring thunderstorms. The area includes many parks and protected spaces, such as the famous Gran Paradiso National Park.

Demographics

As of 2026, Piedmont has a population of 4,255,006 people, with slightly more females than males. Young people under 18 make up about 13.7% of the population, while older adults over 65 account for 27.2%.

The population density in Piedmont is less crowded than the rest of Italy, with about 167.5 people living in each square kilometer. The Metropolitan City of Turin is more crowded, with 323.0 people per square kilometer, while Verbano-Cusio-Ossola is much less crowded, with only 67.5 people per square kilometer. In recent years, Piedmont has seen a small increase in population due to people moving in from other countries.

Among the residents, most are from Italy, but there are also many people from Romania, Morocco, and Albania.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1861	2,758,500	—
1871	2,928,156	+6.2%
1881	3,089,928	+5.5%
1901	3,319,025	+7.4%
1911	3,413,837	+2.9%
1921	3,439,050	+0.7%
1931	3,457,731	+0.5%
1936	3,418,300	−1.1%
1951	3,518,177	+2.9%
1961	3,914,250	+11.3%
1971	4,432,313	+13.2%
1981	4,479,031	+1.1%
1991	4,302,565	−3.9%
2001	4,214,677	−2.0%
2011	4,363,916	+3.5%
2021	4,256,350	−2.5%
Source: ISTAT

Foreign population by country of birth (2025)
Country of birth	Population
Romania	112,220
Morocco	67,635
Albania	53,931
Peru	20,090
Ukraine	16,953
Brazil	15,493
China	15,246
Moldova	14,682
Egypt	13,059
France	12,568
Argentina	12,501
Nigeria	11,988
Tunisia	10,424
Senegal	10,184
Pakistan	9,687

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Piedmont

Provinces of Piedmont

The government of Piedmont is led by a president who is elected for five years. The president works with 14 ministers, including a vice president. In 2010, Roberto Cota from Lega Nord won the election. In 2014, Sergio Chiamparino from the Democratic Party became president and served until 2019, when Alberto Cirio from Forza Italia took over.

Main article: List of municipalities of Piedmont

Piedmont is divided into 8 provinces.

Province	Population (2025)	Area (km²)	Density
Province of Alessandria	407,202	3,558.83	114.4
Province of Asti	207,203	1,510.19	137.2
Province of Biella	168,328	913.28	184.3
Province of Cuneo	581,526	6,894.94	84.3
Province of Novara	364,140	1,340.28	271.7
Metropolitan City of Turin	2,204,276	6,827.00	322.9
Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola	153,283	2,260.91	67.8
Province of Vercelli	165,910	2,081.64	79.7

Economy

Fiat 500e

The economy of Piedmont is quite strong. In 2018, the region’s total amount of goods and services, called gross domestic product (GDP), was 137.4 billion euros, making up 7.8% of all of Italy’s GDP. On average, each person in Piedmont earned about 31,300 euros that year, which is a bit more than the average across the European Union.

Piedmont is well-known for its industry, especially around the city of Turin. Turin was home to the Fiat car company, which no longer makes regular cars but still produces luxury vehicles like Maserati. Many former Fiat factories now belong to other companies, making things like airplanes, train engines, and machinery. The area also has companies that supply parts for cars, such as exhaust systems and tires. Other important industries in Piedmont include making high-tech machines, airplanes, and computers. The region also grows a lot of rice, grapes for wine, and milk, and it is famous for its wines like Barolo and Barbaresco. Tourism is also important, with many visitors coming to see places like the lakes and the historic Royal Residences of the Savoy family.

Year	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Unemployment rate	4.1%	4.2%	5.1%	6.8%	7.5%	7.6%	9.2%	10.5%	11.3%	10.2%	9.3%	9.1%	8.2%	7.7%	7.5%	7.3%	6.5%	6.2%

Transport

Piedmont has important air and land travel options. Turin-Caselle International Airport offers flights within Italy and to other countries. By land, Piedmont connects to France through tunnels like the Fréjus and Colle di Tenda, and to Switzerland via passes such as the Simplon. The region also has many roads, with the longest network of motorways in Italy, stretching about 800 kilometers. There is a fast train service between Turin and Milan that takes just 52 minutes.

Education

School of architecture of the Polytechnic University of Turin: Castello del Valentino

Piedmont has a long history of supporting education and is home to some of Italy's most important universities. The University of Turin is one of the leading universities in the country. Other well-known schools include the Polytechnic University of Turin and the University of Eastern Piedmont. These institutions help make Piedmont a center for learning and research.

Main article: University of Turin and Category:Universities in Piedmont

Culture

Languages

Italian is the official language of Piedmont, just like in the rest of Italy. But there are also many local languages spoken there. Piedmontese is the most common, but you can also hear Insubric in the east, Occitan in some valleys, Franco-Provençal in the high mountains, and Walser in a few places.

Cuisine

Piedmontese cuisine is famous and special because the region borders France and Switzerland. It has many delicious foods, like appetizers before the main meal. Piedmont makes lots of cheeses and wines, more than any other region in Italy. Some popular dishes are agnolotti (a type of pasta), vitello tonnato (tuna-flavored veal), and bagna càuda (a warm dip). The region is also known for tagliolini, a kind of egg pasta that was a favorite of King Victor Emmanuel II.

Piedmont is home to the Slow Food Movement, which started in the town of Bra. This movement helps protect traditional ways of making food. The town of Alba is famous for its white truffles, which are a special kind of mushroom used in many dishes. Piedmont also makes many types of wine, like Barolo and Asti Spumante, and is a big producer of chocolate, coffee, and sweets like Nutella and torrone.

Museums

Piedmont has many museums that show beautiful art, history, and more. Some of the famous ones are the Accorsi - Ometto Museum, Castle of Moncalieri, Castle of Racconigi, Castle of Rivoli, and the National Automobile Museum. There are also museums for art, like the Sabauda Gallery and the Pinacoteca Albertina, and special places like the Palace of Venaria and the Royal Palace of Turin.

Sport

Piedmont is home to some of Italy's most famous football clubs, such as Turin-based Juventus and Torino. Together, they have won 43 top-flight league championships, more than any other city in Italy. Juventus is especially successful, having won many league titles, Coppa Italia titles, and Supercoppa Italiana titles.

Turin also hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics. Held from February 10 to 26, these games were Italy's second time hosting the Winter Olympics. The event's logo featured the Mole Antonelliana building, symbolizing snow and the sky. The Olympic mascots were Neve, a female snowball, and Gliz, a male ice cube.