Province of Lecce

{{Short description|Province of Italy}} {{Distinguish|Province of Lecco}} {{Infobox settlement <!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->| name = Province of Lecce | native_name = {{native name|it|Provincia di Lecce}}<br>''Provincia te Lècce'' (Salentino) | settlement_type = Province | image_skyline = Gallipoli_cathedral.jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = The Cathedral of Gallipoli | image_flag = Flag of the Province of Lecce.svg | flag_alt = | image_shield = Coat of Arms of the Province of Lecce.svg | shield_alt = | image_map = Lecce in Italy.svg | map_alt = | map_caption = Map highlighting the location of the Province of Lecce in Italy | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Italy}} | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Apulia}} | established_title = | established_date = | seat_type = Capital(s) | seat = Lecce | parts_type = Municipalities | parts_style = para | p1 = 97 | government_footnotes = | leader_party = | leader_title = President | leader_name = Stefano Minerva | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = <ref name="area">{{cite web|url=https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/156224|title=Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011|language=it|publisher=ISTAT}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 2799.07 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | population_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-01 |title= Resident population by age, sex and marital status on 1st January 2026 |url=https://demo.istat.it/app/?i=POS&l=en |website=demo.istat.it |publisher=ISTAT |access-date=2026-04-01}} (On the search form, choose the statistical region of the municipality in the Area section, the Region, the Province, and the name of the Municipality)</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-01 |title= Resident population by age, sex and marital status on 1st January 2026 |url= https://demo.istat.it/data/posas/POSAS_2026_en_All_files.zip |website=demo.istat.it |publisher=ISTAT |access-date=2026-04-01}}The file URL linking on technical dataset.</ref> | population_total = 761,927 | population_as_of = 2026 | population_density_km2 = auto | demographics_type2 = GDP | demographics2_footnotes = <ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=http://stats.oecd.org/ |title=Regions and Cities > Regional Statistics > Regional Economy > Regional Gross Domestic Product (Small regions TL3) |work=OECD.Stats |access-date=16 November 2018}}</ref> | demographics2_title1 = Total | demographics2_info1 = €12.715 billion (2015) | demographics2_title2 = Per capita | demographics2_info2 = €15,789 (2015) | timezone1 = CET | utc_offset1 = +1 | timezone1_DST = CEST | utc_offset1_DST = +2 | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 73001-73100 | area_code_type = Telephone prefix | area_code = 0832, 0833, 0836 | iso_code = | registration_plate = LE | blank_name_sec1 = ISTAT | blank_info_sec1 = 075 | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> | footnotes = }}

thumb|240px|Torre Sant'Andrea thumb|Torre dell'Orso beach [[File:Nardò Colonna.JPG|thumb|Salandra square in Nardò]] The '''province of Lecce''' ({{langx|it|provincia di Lecce}}; Salentino: {{lang|scn|provincia te Lècce}}) is a province in the region of Apulia in Italy. Its capital is the city of Lecce. Located on the Salento peninsula, the province is called the "Heel of Italy".<ref name="Understanding">{{cite web|title=Province of Lecce|url=http://www.understandingitaly.com/puglia-content/lecce-province.html|website=Understanding Italy|access-date=24 September 2014}}</ref> Located on the Salento peninsula, <ref>{{cite web|title=Statistiche demografiche ISTAT|url=http://demo.istat.it/bilmens2009gen/index.html|publisher=demo.istat.it|date=2009-12-30|language=it}}</ref>

The province has a population of 761,927 in an area of {{convert|2799.07|km2|mi2}} across its 97 municipalities. It is the second most-populous province in Apulia and the 22nd most populous province in Italy.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-01 |title= Resident population by age, sex and marital status on 1st January 2026 |url=https://demo.istat.it/app/?i=POS&l=en |website=demo.istat.it |publisher=ISTAT |access-date=2026-04-01}} (On the search form, choose the statistical region of the municipality in the Area section, the Region, the Province, and the name of the Municipality)</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-01 |title= Resident population by age, sex and marital status on 1st January 2026 |url= https://demo.istat.it/data/posas/POSAS_2026_en_All_files.zip |website=demo.istat.it |publisher=ISTAT |access-date=2026-04-01}}The file URL linking on technical dataset.</ref><ref name="area" />

It is surrounded by the provinces Taranto and Brindisi in the northwest, the Ionian Sea in the west, and the Adriatic Sea in the east.{{sfn|Domenico|2002|p=26}} This location has established it as a popular tourist destination. It has been ruled by the Romans, Byzantine Greeks, Carolingians, Lombards, and Normans.{{sfn|Domenico|2002|p=27}} The important towns are Lecce, Gallipoli, Nardò, Maglie, and Otranto.{{sfn|Domenico|2002|p=28}} Its important agricultural products are wheat and corn.{{sfn|Macgregor|1843|p=1171}} Lecce stone extracted from the province has been used to decorate several historical monuments and is widely used for interior decoration.{{sfn|Cassar|Winter|2014|p=140}}

==History==

The province of Lecce has its origins in the medieval Giustizierato, known then as the province of Terra d'Otranto. During the medieval era, Muslim slaves were transported from the province's ports and the practice of keeping slaves was common.{{sfn|Mikropoulos|p=138}} Since the eleventh century the Terra d'Otranto included the territories of the provinces of Lecce, Taranto and Brindisi, with the exception of Fasano and Cisternino. During this time Lecce was severely affected by poverty despite the production of olive oil.{{sfn|Gentilcore|1992|p=28}} People from Lecce migrated to the Province of Bari, where they worked in the wine industry.{{sfn|Cinel|2002|p=181}} Up to 1663, the province of Terra d'Otranto also included the territory of Matera (Basilicata). Its first capital was Otranto but in the Norman period (twelfth century), Lecce city was made the capital. After the unification of Italy, the name Terra d'Otranto was changed to province of Lecce and its territory was divided into the four districts; Lecce, Gallipoli, Brindisi and Taranto. Its break-up began in 1923 when the district of Taranto was transformed into the new province of the Ionian.<ref>{{cite web|title=R.D. 2 settembre 1923, n. 1911 - Istituzione della provincia di Taranto|trans-title=R.D. September 2, 1923, n. 1911 - Establishment of the Province of Taranto|url=https://it.wikisource.org/wiki/R.D._2_settembre_1923,_n._1911_-_Istituzione_della_provincia_di_Taranto|publisher=G.U. di pubblicazione|access-date=24 September 2014|language=it|date=21 November 1923}}</ref>

After the first world war economic conditions worsened and unemployment peaked. These factors, coupled with the negligence of the weak government, prompted farm workers to revolt against their employers. Farm owners were captured and paraded in public places.{{sfn|Snowden|2004|p=163}}

== Municipalities == {{Main|List of municipalities of the Province of Lecce}} {{div col|colwidth=18em}} *Alessano *Alezio *Alliste *Andrano *Aradeo *Arnesano *Bagnolo del Salento *Botrugno *Calimera *Campi Salentina *Cannole *Caprarica di Lecce *Carmiano *Carpignano Salentino *Casarano *Castri di Lecce *Castrignano de' Greci *Castrignano del Capo *Castro *Cavallino *Collepasso *Copertino *Corigliano d'Otranto *Corsano *Cursi *Cutrofiano *Diso *Gagliano del Capo *Galatina *Galatone *Gallipoli *Giuggianello *Giurdignano *Guagnano *Lecce *Lequile *Leverano *Lizzanello *Maglie *Martano *Martignano *Matino *Melendugno *Melissano *Melpignano *Miggiano *Minervino di Lecce *Monteroni di Lecce *Montesano Salentino *Morciano di Leuca *Muro Leccese *Nardò *Neviano *Nociglia *Novoli *Ortelle *Otranto *Palmariggi *Parabita *Patù *Poggiardo *Porto Cesareo *Presicce-Acquarica *Racale *Ruffano *Salice Salentino *Salve *San Cassiano *San Cesario di Lecce *San Donato di Lecce *San Pietro in Lama *Sanarica *Sannicola *Santa Cesarea Terme *Scorrano *Seclì *Sogliano Cavour *Soleto *Specchia *Spongano *Squinzano *Sternatia *Supersano *Surano *Surbo *Taurisano *Taviano *Tiggiano *Trepuzzi *Tricase *Tuglie *Ugento *Uggiano La Chiesa *Veglie *Vernole *Zollino{{div col end}}

== Demographics == {{Historical populations|1861|225678|1871|250520|1881|278915|1901|348530|1911|389476|1921|427166|1931|489202|1936|526553|1951|623905|1961|678338|1971|696503|1981|762017|1991|803977|2001|787825|2011|802018|2021|775348|cols=1|align=right|source=ISTAT<ref>{{cite web |title=Popolazione residente dei comuni. Censimenti dal 1861 al 1991|trans-title=Resident population of the municipalities. Censuses from 1861 to 1991|url=https://ebiblio.istat.it/digibib/Censimenti%20popolazione/Censimentipopolazioneresidentedal1861/RML0050288Pop_res_cens_1861_1991.pdf|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251112200324/https://ebiblio.istat.it/digibib/Censimenti%20popolazione/Censimentipopolazioneresidentedal1861/RML0050288Pop_res_cens_1861_1991.pdf |archive-date=2025-11-12|lang=it|publisher=ISTAT}}</ref><ref name="timeseries">{{cite web |title=Resident population - Time series|url=https://esploradati.istat.it/databrowser/#/en/censpop/dashboards|publisher=ISTAT}}</ref>}} As of 2026, the population is 761,927, of which 48.3% are male, and 51.7% are female. Minors make up 13.7% of the population, and seniors make up 27%.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-01 |title= Resident population by age, sex and marital status on 1st January 2026 |url=https://demo.istat.it/app/?i=POS&l=en |website=demo.istat.it |publisher=ISTAT |access-date=2026-04-01}} (On the search form, choose the statistical region of the municipality in the Area section, the Region, the Province, and the name of the Municipality)</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-01 |title= Resident population by age, sex and marital status on 1st January 2026 |url= https://demo.istat.it/data/posas/POSAS_2026_en_All_files.zip |website=demo.istat.it |publisher=ISTAT |access-date=2026-04-01}}The file URL linking on technical dataset.</ref>

Lecce has several ethnic and linguistic minority groups. A Griko community of around 40,000 lives in the Grecia Salentina region in the central area of the province, and there is an Arbëreshe community in Soleto.

=== Immigration === As of 2025, of the known countries of birth of 745,595 residents, the most numerous are: Italy (706,210 – 94.7%), Germany (7,775 – 1%).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-01 |title= Resident population by sex, municipality and individual citizenship or country of birth from year 2002 |url=https://demo.istat.it/app/?i=RCS&a=&l=en |website=demo.istat.it |publisher=ISTAT |access-date=2025-02-27}} (Click on 'View by country of birth', and on the search form, choose the statistical region of the municipality in the Area section, the Region, the Province, and the name of the Municipality)</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-01 |title= Resident population by sex, municipality and individual citizenship or country of birth from year 2002 |url= https://demo.istat.it/data/rcs/Dati_RCS_nascita_2025.zip |website=demo.istat.it |publisher=ISTAT |access-date=2025-02-27}}The file URL linking on technical dataset.</ref>

==Tourism== The {{ill|San Cataldo Nature Reserve|it|Riserva naturale San Cataldo}} is located in the province.<ref name="ITALIA">{{cite web|title=Lecce, Apulia|url=http://www.italia.it/en/discover-italy/apulia/lecce.html|website=ITALIA|access-date=24 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006151302/http://www.italia.it/en/discover-italy/apulia/lecce.html|archive-date=6 October 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is a {{Convert|28|ha|acre}} protected area that was set up in 1977 along the Adriatic coast near Lecce.<ref name="Nature Reserve of San Cataldo">{{cite web|title=Nature Reserve of San Cataldo|url=http://www.pugliaandculture.com/parks-of-puglia/nature-reserve-of-san-cataldo|website=pugliaandculture|access-date=15 October 2018}}</ref> The Reserve is home to a large number of animals such as foxes, hedgehogs, badgers, weasels, reptiles and birds. A variety of Mediterranean plants species is also found here.<ref name="Nature Reserve of San Cataldo">{{cite web|title=Nature Reserve of San Cataldo|url=http://www.pugliaandculture.com/parks-of-puglia/nature-reserve-of-san-cataldo|website=pugliaandculture|access-date=15 October 2018}}</ref> Lakes Alimini Grande and Alimini Piccolo are also located in the province.<ref name="Understanding" /> Lake Alimini Grande is surrounded by a rocky area covered with pine woods and Mediterranean vegetation; also, its depth does not exceed four meters, and the water is rich with shellfish. <ref name="Lake Alimini">{{cite web|title=Lake Alimini|url=http://www.pugliaandculture.com/parks-of-puglia/laghi-alimini-protected-oasis|website=pugliaandculture|access-date=17 October 2018}}</ref> Lake Alimini Piccolo is found further inland and consists of freshwater; this water comes from the groundwater channel of the Rio Grande. Alimini Piccolo's depth does not exceed half a meter. <ref name="Lake Piccolo">{{cite web|title=Lake Piccolo|url=http://www.pugliaandculture.com/parks-of-puglia/laghi-alimini-protected-oasis|website=pugliaandculture|access-date=17 October 2018}}</ref>

Another tourist destination is the '''Ciolo''', which is a canyon and includes also many caves. It is a natural habitat for many species of vagile meiofauna and ferns.

==References== {{reflist}}

==Sources== * {{cite book|last1=Cassar|first1=J.|last2=Winter|first2=M.G.|last3=Marker|first3=B.R. |author4=N.R.G. Walton |author5=D.C. Entwisle |author6=E.N. Bromhead |author7=J.W.N. Smith|title=Stone in Historic Buildings: Characterization and Performance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JFl1AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA140|date=2014|publisher=Geological Society of London|isbn=978-1-86239-376-9|ref={{sfnRef|Cassar|Winter|2014}}}} * {{cite book|last=Cinel|first=Dino|author-link=Dino Cinel|title=The National Integration of Italian Return Migration, 1870-1929|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tTjMKbU9E7UC&pg=PA181|date=2002|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-52118-5}} * {{cite book|first=Roy Palmer |last=Domenico|title=The Regions of Italy: A Reference Guide to History and Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wZ-PMNC5XOkC&pg=PA26|year=2002|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-30733-1}} * {{cite book|last=Gentilcore|first=David|title=From Bishop to Witch: The System of the Sacred in Early Modern Terra D'Otranto|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6x-8AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA28|date=1992|publisher=Manchester University Press|isbn=978-0-7190-3640-8}} * {{cite book|last=Macgregor|first=John|author-link=John Macgregor|title=Commercial Statistics: A Digest of the Productive Resources, Commercial Legislation, Customs Tariffs ... of All Nations, Including All British Commercial Treaties with Foreign States ...|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1LxMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1171|year=1843|publisher=Nott}} * {{cite book|last=Mikropoulos|first=Tassos A.|title=Elevating and Safeguarding Culture Using Tools of the Information Society: Dusty traces of the Muslim culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=optXTg3ovBYC&pg=PA138|publisher=Earthlab|isbn=978-960-233-187-3}} * {{cite book|last=Snowden|first=Frank M.|author-link=Frank M. Snowden|title=Violence and the Great Estates in the South of Italy: Apulia, 1900-1922|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZyKnvUtwy1UC&pg=PA163|date=2004|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-52710-1}}

== External links ==

{{commons category|Province of Lecce}} * {{Official website|http://www.provincia.le.it/}}

{{Apulia}}

{{Province of Lecce|nocat=yes}} {{Authority control}} {{coord|40|21|7.24|N|18|10|8.9|E|source:itwiki_type:adm2nd|display=title}}

Category:Province of Lecce Lecce