The region is split into two provinces, named after their capitals:Campobasso andIsernia.Campobasso also serves as the regional capital. Molise's small size and relative obscurity led it to become the subject of a popular meme "Molise doesn't exist".[9][10]
Molise is bordered byAbruzzo to the north,Apulia to the east,Lazio to the west, andCampania to the south. It has 35 kilometres (22 miles) of sandy coastline to the northeast, lying on theAdriatic Sea looking out toward theTremiti Islands. The countryside of Molise is mostly mountainous, with 55% covered by mountains and most of the rest by hills that go down to the sea.[11]
Agriculture, involving small and micro holdings, is currently offering high-quality products. The agricultural holdings produce wine, cereals, olive oil, vegetables, fruits and dairy products. Traditional products areGrass Pea (cicerchia) andFarro. Molise's autochthonous grape isTintilia which has been rediscovered during the last ten years, and many other PDO (DOP) wines, both red and white.
Though there is a largeFiat plant (Termoli), the industrial sector is dominated by the farming industry with small and medium-sized farms spread widely throughout the region. Another important industry is food processing: pasta, meat, milk products, oil and wine are the traditional products of the region. In the services sector the most important industries are distribution, hotels and catering, followed by transport and communications, banking and insurance. With few exceptions, in all sectors firms are small, and this explains the difficulties encountered when marketing products on a national scale.[12]
International tourism is growing largely as a result of the recent opening of international flights from other European countries toPescara Airport, which is not far to the north in Abruzzo and connected to Molise by theA14 highway (the only highway passing through Molise, by Termoli).
Molise has many small and picturesque villages. Four of them have been selected byI Borghi più belli d'Italia (English:'The most beautiful villages of Italy'),[14] a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest,[15] founded on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities.[16]
The density of the population in Molise is well below the national average, at 64.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to a national figure of 195.1. The region is subdivided into two provinces:Campobasso andIsernia, which together cover 1.5% of Italy's territory and less than 1% of its population. The larger province in terms of area is Campobasso at 2,909 km2, while the smaller is Isernia at 1,529 km2. The province of Campobasso is the more densely populated of the two provinces, with 79.4 inhabitants per km2, whereas Isernia registers 58.9 inhabitants per km2.[19] As of 2025, the 3 largest municipalities by population areCampobasso at 47,519, Termoli at 31,858 and Isernia at 20,616.
In the period 1951–71, large-scale emigration to other countries of the European Union, to other parts of Italy and overseas led to a significant decline in the population of Molise. Negative net migration persisted until 1981. Large-scale emigration has caused many of the smaller towns and villages to lose over 60% of their population, while only a small number of larger towns have recorded significant gains. From 1982 to 1994, net migration has been positive, then followed by a negative trend until 2001. Between 2011 and 2021, the population decreased by 6.9%.
The region is home to two main ethnic minorities: theMolisan Croats (20,000 people who speak an old Dalmatian dialect of Croatian alongside Italian), and those who speak theArbëresh dialect of Albanian in five towns of "basso Molise" in the province of Campobasso.
The cuisine of Molise is similar to thecuisine of Abruzzo, though there are some differences in the dishes and ingredients. The flavors of Molise are dominated by the many aromaticherbs that grow there. Some of the characteristic foods include spicysalami, a variety of locally producedcheeses, dishes usinglamb orgoat,pasta dishes with hearty sauces, and vegetables that grow in the region.
In addition tobruschetta, a typicalantipasto will consist of any of several meat dishes, such as the sausagescapocollo, thefennel-seasoned salsiccie al finocchio,soppressata,ventricina, frascateglie or sanguinaccio. In addition to these sausages, a variety ofham is available, such as smokedprosciutto. Frequently, the sausages are enjoyed withpolenta.
Main dishes of the region include:
Brodosini made oftagliatelle in broth with pork cheek and fat
Spaghetti with diavolillo, a strong chili pepper sauce
Zuppa di cardi, a soup ofcardoons, tomatoes, onions,pancetta, olive oil
Zuppa di ortiche, a soup ofnettle stems, tomatoes, onions, pancetta, olive oil
Common second dishes (often meat and vegetable dishes) are:
Lamb, the most popular meat, served grilled, roasted, or stewed
Many organ meats of lamb, especiallytripe, are popular
Coniglio alla molisana, grilled rabbit pieces skewered with sausage and herbs
Mazzarelle, tightly wrapped rolls made with lung and tripe of lamb
Ragù d' agnello, braised lamb with sweet peppers, a specialty of Isernia
Torcinelli, rolled strips of lamb tripe, sweetbreads, and liver
Pamparella or pork pancetta dried with peperoncino, soaked in wine and cut into small pieces. Pamparella is used to flavor sauces, in particular the sauce for dressing the tacconi, a rustic pasta made with flour and water.
Saucicc', Paparuol' e Ova Fritte, sausage with sweet pepper and fried eggs
Peeled sweet peppers stuffed with breadcrumbs, anchovies, parsley,basil and peperoncino, sautéed in a frying pan and cooked with chopped tomatoes
Cipollacci con pecorino, fried strong onions and pecorino cheese
Frittata con basilico e cipolle, omelette with basil and onions
Fish dishes include red mullet soup, and spaghetti withcuttlefish.Trout from theBiferno river is notable for its flavor, and is cooked with a simple but tasty sauce of aromatic herbs. Zuppa di pesce, a fish stew, is a specialty ofTermoli.
The cheeses produced in Molise are not very different from those produced in Abruzzo. The more common ones are Burrino and Manteca, soft, buttery cow's-milk cheeses; Pecorino, sheep's-milk cheese, served young and soft or aged and hard, called also "Maciuocco" in Molise; Scamorza, bland cow's-milk cheese, often served grilled; andCaciocavallo, sheep's-milk cheese.
Sweets and desserts have an ancient tradition here and are linked to the history of the territory and to religious and family festivities. Most common are:
Calciumi (also calledcaucioni orcauciuni), sweetravioli filled with chestnuts, almonds, chocolate, vanilla, cooked winemusts, and cinnamon and then fried
Ciambelline, ring-shaped cakes made in the countryside. They may beall'olio (with olive oil) oral vino rosso (with red wine).
Ferratelle all'anice, anise cakes made in metal molds and stamped with special patterns
Ricotta pizza, a cake pan filled with a blend of ricotta cheese, sugar, flour, butter, maraschino liqueur, and chocolate chips[22]
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