What is the population of Italy
As one of the important countries in Europe, Italy's population data has always attracted much attention. In recent years, Italy's demographic structure has undergone significant changes, including increasing aging and declining birth rates. This article will combine the hot topics and hot content on the Internet in the past 10 days to present Italy's population data and related background in a structured way.
1. Total population and historical changes of Italy

According to the latest data released by the Italian National Statistics Institute (ISTAT) in 2023, Italy's current population is approximately 58.98 million, ranking fourth in Europe, second only to Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom. The following is the population change in Italy in the past 10 years:
| Year | Total population (10,000 people) | growth rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 6023 | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 5969 | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 5898 | -0.4% |
As can be seen from the table, Italy's population continues to decline, mainly due to low birth rates and outmigration. In 2022, the number of births in Italy was only 392,000, a record low.
2. Demographic Structure Analysis
Italy's demographic issues have become a hot topic in recent years, especially the issue of aging. The following is the age structure data of Italy’s population in 2023:
| age group | Proportion | Number of people (10,000) |
|---|---|---|
| 0-14 years old | 12.1% | 713 |
| 15-64 years old | 63.5% | 3745 |
| Over 65 years old | 24.4% | 1440 |
Italy is one of the most aging countries in the world, with the population over 65 accounting for 24.4%, far exceeding the world average (9.3%). This has put huge pressure on Italy’s social security systems such as pensions and medical care.
3. Regional population distribution
Italy's population is extremely unevenly distributed, with densely populated areas in the north and relatively sparse populations in the south. The following are population data for major regions:
| Region | Population (10,000 people) | National proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Lombardy | 1006 | 17.1% |
| Lazio | 587 | 10.0% |
| campania | 575 | 9.7% |
| Veneto | 487 | 8.3% |
Lombardy is the most populous region in Italy, and its capital, Milan, is the economic center. The Lazio region, where Rome is located, ranked second, and the Campania region, where Naples is located, ranked third.
4. Immigrant population situation
Immigration has been one of the hot topics in Italy recently. As of 2023, there are approximately 5.2 million foreign immigrants in Italy, accounting for 8.8% of the total population. The main countries of origin of immigrants are as follows:
| country of origin | Number of people (10,000) | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Romania | 110 | 21.2% |
| albania | 41 | 7.9% |
| Morocco | 39 | 7.5% |
| China | 30 | 5.8% |
Romania is Italy's largest source of immigrants, and the number of Chinese immigrants is also considerable, mainly concentrated in the central and northern regions engaged in business activities.
5. Population Issues and Policies
Recently, the Italian government has introduced a series of policies targeting population issues:
1.Fertility incentive policy: In September 2023, Italy passed the "Family Act" to provide subsidies of up to 7,500 euros for each newborn.
2.Immigration policy adjustments: Tighten the control of illegal immigration and introduce a "quota system" for skilled immigrants. In 2024, it plans to introduce 82,000 foreign workers.
3.Retirement system reform: Gradually raise the retirement age to 67 to cope with pension pressure.
Italy's population problem is difficult to reverse in the short term. Experts predict that Italy's population may drop below 55 million by 2050. How to balance economic development and demographic structure will become a long-term challenge for the Italian government.
In general, Italy's current population is about 58.98 million, which is in a stage of negative population growth and faces a serious aging problem. These demographic changes are profoundly affecting Italy's socioeconomic development model.
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