strengthening its commercial relationships with the maritime republics of Genoa, Pisa, and Venice as well as the major Mediterranean ports (Marseille, Barcelona, etc.) and, during the sixteenth century, those of the Atlantic. Toward the end of the eighteenth century, Termini became the site of the Ereina Imerese branch of the Ereina di Palermo academy, followed soon thereafter by the establishment of the Accademia Euracea, later the Accademia Mediterranea Euracea. In the nineteenth century, however, the closing of the caricatore precipitated a profound economic crisis that lasted until the end of the century, when artisanal and proto-industrial activity began to replace the traditional agricultural base of the city's economy. A period of population decline, linked primarily to emigration to the Americas, was balanced at the beginning of the twentieth century by immigration from Agrigento, Messina, and Ragusa.
Between 1970 and 2011, Termini was home to a large Fiat automobile manufacturing facility, where small cars such as the 126, the original Panda, and the Punto have been manufactured. The plant was the sole assembly site for the second generation Lancia Ypsilon built between 2005 and 2011. In 2006 the plant celebrated its four millionth car produced. At the end of 2011, Fiat sold the plant to Chinese car manufacturer Chery.
There is also a power station operated by Enel with a generation capacity of 454
