Taranto, Italy

Capital City

Taranto may be a historic city, but its gritty reality is hard to overlook. With a population of 236,400 as of 2025, this southern Italian municipality has faced a severe financial crisis, declaring bankruptcy in 2006. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache - the city's former mayor was even jailed for corruption related to a waste management contract. Pollution from the massive ILVA steel plant also casts a dark cloud, with the area producing a staggering 92% of Italy's dioxin emissions. While Taranto has its charms, its environmental and economic woes make it a tough sell for all but the most determined expats.