The province of Prato (Italian: provincia di Prato) is a province in the region of Tuscany in Italy Its capital and largest city is Prato. It was carved out as a separate province from the province of Florence in 1992. It has a population of 261,152 across its 7 municipalities.[2]

Province of Prato
Provincia di Prato (Italian)
Palazzo Banci, the provincial seat at Prato
Palazzo Banci, the provincial seat at Prato
Flag of Province of Prato
Coat of arms of Province of Prato
Location of the province of Prato in Italy
Location of the province of Prato in Italy
Country Italy
Region Tuscany
Capital(s)Prato
Municipalities7
Government
  PresidentSimone Calamai (PD)
Area
  Total
365.72 km2 (141.21 sq mi)
Population
 (2026)[2]
  Total
261,152
  Density714.08/km2 (1,849.4/sq mi)
GDP
  Total€7.395 billion (2015)
  Per capita€29,222 (2015)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
59100
Telephone prefix0574
Vehicle registrationPO
ISTAT100
Websitetrasparenza.provincia.prato.it

Spread over an area of 365.72 km2 (141.21 sq mi), it is the smallest province by land area in Tuscany.[1] It is bordered by the province of Pistoia, and the metropolitan cities of Bologna and Florence.

History

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The region is known for its textile industries, which date back to the 12th century CE.[4] The region experienced an economic decline after the late Middle Ages, before the textile industry reinvigorated in the late 18th century.[5] The province was carved out as a separate province from the province of Florence in 1992.[6]

Geography

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The province is situated in the Tuscany region of Central Italy. It is bordered by Pistoia province, and the metropolitan cities of Bologna and Florence.[6] Spread over an area of 365.72 km2 (141.21 sq mi), it is the smallest province by land area in Tuscany.[7] Its capital and largest city is Prato.[6] The Bisenzio River, a tributary of the Arno River flows through the province. The region is located at the foothills of the Apennines.[4] The geology of the region is largely made up of Tuscan nappe, made up stones such as alberese, and pietra serena.[8]

Government

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The provincial government is headed by a president, elected every four years by the assembly composed of the mayors and municipal councillors of the municipalities of the province.[9] It is headquartered in the Palazzo Banci Buonamici in Prato. Since November 2022, the office has been held by Simone Calamai of the Democratic Party.[10]

Municipalities

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There are 7 municipalities in the province:

Demographics

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As of 2026, the population is 261,152, of which 49.4% are male, and 50.6% are female. Minors make up 14.5% of the population, and seniors make up 23.4%.[2]

Immigration

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As of 2025, immigrants make up 21.7% of the total population. The 5 largest foreign countries of birth are China, Albania, Pakistan, Romania, and Morocco.[13]

Notable residents

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References

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  1. 1 2 "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011" (in Italian). ISTAT.
  2. 1 2 3 "Resident population". ISTAT.
  3. "Regions and Cities > Regional Statistics > Regional Economy > Regional Gross Domestic Product (Small regions TL3)". OECD. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  4. 1 2 Stocktaking and assessment of typologies of Urban Circular Collaborative Economy Initiatives (PDF). European Union (Report). pp. 4–5.
  5. "Prato". Europeana. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 "Province of Prato". Mineral data. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  7. "Province/Città Metropolitane per superficie" (in Italian). Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  8. Fabio Fratini; Emma Cantisani; Elena Pecchioni (December 2020). "Pietra Alberese: Building Material and Stone for Lime in the Florentine Territory (Tuscany)". Heritage. 3 (4): 1520–1538. doi:10.3390/heritage3040084. hdl:2158/1218721.
  9. "Administration". Administration of Prato. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  10. "Passaggio di consegne. Provincia, ecco Calamai". La Nazione. 29 November 2022.
  11. "Popolazione residente dei comuni. Censimenti dal 1861 al 1991" [Resident population of the municipalities. Censuses from 1861 to 1991] (PDF) (in Italian). ISTAT. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-11-12.
  12. "Resident population - Time series". ISTAT.
  13. "Resident population by sex, municipality and citizenship". ISTAT.
  14. Bulbarelli, Auro (2012). Magni. Il terzo uomo. Roma: Rai Eri. p. 19. ISBN 978-88-397-1579-1.
  15. "Jury Chechi". Technogym. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  16. Paolo Rossi (in Italian). Il Corriere della Sera. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  17. Intorcia, Francesco Saverio (25 April 2012). "Ho visto esplodere Paolo Rossi e Bobo Vieri anche mio nipote Alino merita la Nazionale". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  18. Waxman, Sharon (1 November 1998). "Embracing life in death camps". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
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43°52′50.93″N 11°5′47.62″E / 43.8808139°N 11.0965611°E / 43.8808139; 11.0965611