# Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola

The province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola (Italian: provincia del Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Italian:) is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. It was created in 1992 through the fusion of three geographical areas which had previously been part of the province of Novara. The area flanking the western shore of Verbano (or Lago Maggiore) forms the eastern part of the province; Cusio (or Lago d’Orta) and its environs form the southern part; while the north and west of the province consist of the Ossola, a region of Alpine mountains and valleys. The ISO code for the province is VB.
The province has a total population of some 160,000, distributed over an area of 2,255 square kilometres (871 sq mi), with the biggest population centres being its capital Verbania on the shores of Lago Maggiore, Domodossola the main town of the Ossola, and Omegna at the northern end of Lago d’Orta.

## Municipalities

There are 74 comuni (sg.: comune) in the province. The largest by population are:
| Comune | Population |
| Verbania | 30,836 |
| Domodossola | 18,362 |
| Omegna | 15,949 |
| Gravellona Toce | 7,595 |
| Villadossola | 6,915 |
| Cannobio | 5,113 |
| Stresa | 5,104 |
The full list is:
* Antrona Schieranco
* Anzola d'Ossola
* Arizzano
* Arola
* Aurano
* Baceno
* Bannio Anzino
* Baveno
* Bee
* Belgirate
* Beura-Cardezza
* Bognanco
* Borgomezzavalle
* Brovello-Carpugnino
* Calasca-Castiglione
* Cambiasca
* Cannero Riviera
* Cannobio
* Caprezzo
* Casale Corte Cerro
* Ceppo Morelli
* Cesara
* Cossogno
* Craveggia
* Crevoladossola
* Crodo
* Domodossola
* Druogno
* Formazza
* Germagno
* Ghiffa
* Gignese
* Gravellona Toce
* Gurro
* Intragna
* Loreglia
* Macugnaga
* Madonna del Sasso
* Malesco
* Masera
* Massiola
* Mergozzo
* Miazzina
* Montecrestese
* Montescheno
* Nonio
* Oggebbio
* Omegna
* Ornavasso
* Pallanzeno
* Piedimulera
* Pieve Vergonte
* Premeno
* Premia
* Premosello-Chiovenda
* Quarna Sopra
* Quarna Sotto
* Re
* San Bernardino Verbano
* Santa Maria Maggiore
* Stresa
* Toceno
* Trarego Viggiona
* Trasquera
* Trontano
* Valle Cannobina
* Valstrona
* Vanzone con San Carlo
* Varzo
* Verbania
* Vignone
* Villadossola
* Villette
* Vogogna

## Demographics

The top eight countries of origin of the inhabitants of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola with foreign citizenship at 31 December 2010 were:
* Ukraine: 1724
* Morocco: 1402
* Romania: 1233
* Albania: 770
* China: 737
* Senegal: 429
* Germany: 315
* Switzerland: 219

## Culture
### UNESCO Sacred Mountains

In 2003, the Sacred Mountain of Domodossola and the Sacred Mountain of Ghiffa were inserted by UNESCO in the World Heritage List.
* Sacro Monte di Domodossola View of the chapels IX and XI
* Sacro Monte di Domodossola Chapel IX
* Sacro Monte di Domodossola
* Sacro Monte di Ghiffa Crucifixion and Trinity, 16th century
* Sacro Monte di Ghiffa Unknown artist of the 18th century, Three Angels visiting Abraham
* Sacro Monte di Ghiffa Landscape from the Sacro Monte

### Cuisine

Common in the whole Insubria area are bruscitti, originating from Alto Milanese, which consist in a braised meat dish cut very thin and cooked in wine and fennel seeds, historically obtained by stripping leftover meat.
* Bruscitti served with polenta porridge
* Bruscitti served with purée
* Bruscitti served with polenta porridge

## Transport
### Motorways

The province is crossed by the following motorways (in Italian, autostrade):
* Autostrada A26: Genoa-Gravellona Toce

### Railway lines

* Domodossola–Milan railway
* Domodossola–Locarno railway line