Metropolitan City of Bari

Overlooking the Adriatic Sea in south-eastern Italy, the Metropolitan City of Bari is located in the central part of Apulia and is bordered on the west by the provinces of Matera and Potenza, to the north by the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, and to the south by the provinces of Taranto and Brindisi. The old province of Bari was formerly a part of the region of Terra di Bari, which once included the towns of Fasano and Cisternino, now in the province of Brindisi.^[9]

The area is dominated by the Murgia hills in the inner part, a karst plateau which is the home of the Alta Murgia National Park, one of the newest national parks in Italy, established in 2004.^[10] Only the Bari hinterland and the coastal strip are flat. The north of the province, with Bari, Altamura, Bitonto, Corato, Gravina in Puglia, and Molfetta, is heavily populated. The south, on the contrary, does not have large population centers; its only southern municipality near 50,000 inhabitants is Monopoli. In the southern part, on the border with Taranto, is the Itria Valley, between the towns of Alberobello, Locorotondo, Cisternino and Martina Franca. Bari is largely devoid of rivers and lakes, although underground rivers in the karst landscape have formed numerous caves, including those of Castellana and Putignano.^[11]

With the establishment of the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani in 2004, in addition to the provincial capitals, the province of Bari lost another four municipalities: Bisceglie, Canosa di Puglia, Minervino Murge and Spinazzola. This left the remaining Province of Bari with 41 municipalities.^[12]

As of 2026, the population is 1,218,073, of which 48.9% are male, and 51.1% are female. Minors make up 14.6% of the population, and seniors make up 24.8%.^[15][16]

As of 2025, of the known countries of birth of 1,208,873 residents, the most numerous are: Italy (1,152,785 – 95.4%), Albania (12,601 – 1%).^[17][18]

The arable land in the province of Bari is exploited with the cultivation of olive and grapes, but also cherries, peaches, and almonds. From that agricultural activity is derived olive oil, wine and table grapes.^[19] Bitonto is especially noted for its extra virgin olive oil, and Corato (with the Coratina olive variety) and Giovinazzo are along notable producing areas. The centers of wine production are mainly concentrated in Gravina and Ruvo di Puglia, in the north of Bari, and Adelfia, Noicattaro, Rutigliano and Locorotondo, in the south of Bari. Also important is the production of cherries; the Apulian red is especially prevalent in the countryside of Turi and Putignano.^[20]