Preliminary estimate of GDP and employment at a regional level

In 2015 Gross Domestic Product (GDP), at chained values, grew up, in line with the national trend, in the North-east (+0.8%). The growth was more modest in the Centre (+0.2%) and slightly higher than the national average in the North-west (+1.0%) and in the South and Islands area (+1.0%).

In the North-west the best performances were recorded for the industry (+1.6%), construction (+1.2%) and financial services, real estate and professional services (+1.5%). For agriculture activities and other services, the value added decreased respectively of -0.9% and -0.7%.

Even in North-east the most positive outcome was observed in industry (+2.6%), followed by agriculture (+1.0%) and financial services, real estate and professional services (+0.9%). For construction activities and other services, the value added reduced respectively of -2.7% and -0.7%.

In the Centre regions the value added recorded a marked increase in the agriculture sector (+5.6%). A lower increase was observed in other services (+ 0.9%). A sharp decline occured in construction activities
(-4.1%), while marking a slight reduction in financial services, real estate and professional services (-0.4%) and industry (-0.2%).

The South recorded the first recovery of GDP after seven years of recession. The growth of value added was significant in the agricultural sector (+7.3%). Other important increases were observed in commerce, hotels, transport, telecommunications (+2.6%) and in construction (+1.4%). The industry marked an almost null change, while the financial services, real estate and professional services was the only aggregate registering a drop (-0.6%).

Employment (measured in terms of number of persons employed) grew in 2015 by 0.6%. On a regional basis, the largest increase was observed in the regions of Southern Italy (+1.5%), followed by the North-west and the Centre (in both +0.5%), while the North-east marked a drop of 0.5%.

As for sectoral employment trends, the growth in the South was driven not only by the positive result of agriculture, but also by a marked increase in trade, hotels, transport and telecommunications (+2.7%) and constructions. Conversely, the negative result of the North-east derived mainly from the decrease recorded in construction (-4.2%) and in the trade, hotels, transport and telecommunications (-1.6%).

For information:

Filippo Oropallo
ph. +39 06 4673.3163
oropallo@istat.it
Danilo Birardi
ph. +39 06 4673.3146
birardi@istat.it