Annual survey once again underlines north-south divide in Italy.

Trieste in northern Italy has come first in the annual quality of life index of Italian provinces published on Monday by leading business newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.

The survey, now in its 32nd year, saw Trieste climb four places from last year, with Milan in second place followed by Trento (3) Aosta (4) and Bolzano (5).

In sixth place is Bologna, followed by Pordeone (7), Verona (8), Udine (9) and Treviso in tenth position.

The rankings are based on 90 indicators divided into six major thematic areas: wealth and consumption; business and work; demographics, society and health; environment and services; justice and security; and culture and leisure.

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There was good news for Rome, which climbed to 13th place from 32nd last year, and Florence which jumped to 12th from 27th place.

The survey once again underlined the divide between north and south, with the bottom of the rankings occupied by southern provinces.

The 10 that fared worst in the quality of life rankings are Siracusa (98th place), Taranto (99), Caserta (100), Reggio Calabria (101), Catania (102), Caltanisetta (103), Vibo Valentia (104), Trapani (105), Foggia (106) and Crotone, last - again - out of 107.