Agriculture is one of the most important sources of production in Campania, even if irregularly distributed over the coastal areas and the hilly regions.

Cereal growing has been replaced by fruit and vegetables, and Campania is the largest producer in Italy of tomatoes, cauliflowers, beans, potatoes, fennel, broccoli, aubergines, cucumbers, cherries, peaches, apricots, plums, figs, walnuts and hazel-nuts.

The city was originally colonized by the Greeks around 750 B.C., the first settlement by the Euboeans being Pithecusa, now known as Ischia; the oldest traces have been found on Mt.Vico in the Lacco Ameno area.