Projections estimate that the population in Italy will decrease in the following years. In January 2025, the Italian population added up to 59 million people, but in 2030 Italians will be 58 million individuals. Twenty years later, the population will be around 52 million people. Low birth rate and old population The birth rate in Italy has constantly dropped in the last years. In 2023, 6.4 children were born per 1,000 inhabitants, three babies less than in 2002. Nationwide, the highest number of births was registered in the southern regions, whereas central Italy had the lowest number of children born every 1,000 people. More specifically, the birth rate in the south stood at 7 infants, while in the center it was equal to 5.9 births. Consequently, the population in Italy has aged over the last decade. Between 2002 and 2024, the age distribution of the Italian population showed a growing share of people aged 65 years and older. As a result, the share of young people decreased. The European exception Similarly, the population in Europe is estimated to decrease in the coming years. In 2024, there were 740 million people living in Europe. In 2100, the figure is expected to drop to 586 million inhabitants. However, projections of the world population suggest that Europe might be the only continent experiencing a population decrease. For instance, the population in Africa could grow from 1.41 billion people in 2022 to 3.92 billion individuals in 2100, the fastest population growth worldwide.

Of the G7 countries, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States were forecast to have a constant population ******** until 2050. In Japan, Germany, and Italy, the population is forecast to constantly ******* due to aging populations and falling fertility rates. In France, the population was first expected to decline by 2048.

As of January 2025, Italy had a population of around 59 million people. Over the past years, Italy's population decreased. An aging population and a very low birth rate are the main causes of such a contraction. Population forecasts predict that the number of residents in the country will be roughly 52.3 million by 2050. Birth rates and foreign population The birth rate in Italy declined continuously from 2002, when 9.4 babies per 1,000 inhabitants were born, to 2023, when this number dropped to 6.3. However, there was one increasing demographic trend in the country over the last years. The foreign-born population, in fact, increased from 2009 to 2023, surpassing six million people. Regional and gender distribution In Italy, female citizens were slightly more numerous than their male counterparts. The most populated region in 2025 was Lombardy, accounting for a sixth of the whole Italian population. Lazio and Campania followed, both around 5.6 million inhabitants. On the other hand, the smallest Italian region in terms of population was Aosta Valley, with only around 123,000 inhabitants.

In 2025, Italy’s resident population is estimated to be almost 59 million inhabitants. About one-sixth of them lived in Lombardy, the most populous region in the country. Lazio and Campania followed, with roughly 5.7 million and 5.6 million inhabitants, respectively. These figures are mainly driven by Rome and Naples, the administrative capitals of these regions, and two of the largest metropolitan areas in the country. Which region has the oldest population? The population in Italy has become older and older over the last years. The average age in the country is equal to 46.8 years, but in some regions this figure is even higher. Liguria records an average age of 49.6 years and has one of the lowest birth rates in the country. Demographic trends for the future Liguria’s case, however, is not an outlier. Italy is already the country with the highest share of old people in Europe. At the same time, the very low number of new births means that, despite an always-increasing life expectancy, the Italian population is declining. Indeed, projections estimate that the country will have five million fewer inhabitants by 2050.

In 2023, the biggest communities of foreign nationals in Italy were in Milan, Bologna, Florence, Turin, Rome, and Genoa, where more than ten percent of the inhabitants were not of Italian origin. These cities are mostly located in the north of the country. On the contrary, in the southern municipalities of Bari, Catania, and Palermo the incidence of the immigrant population is minimal, well below **** percent. Italian demographics In 2024, beyond **** million foreign residents lived in Italy, compared to the total population of ** million inhabitants. Projections assert that in the upcoming years, the number of Italian citizens will progressively decrease, mostly given to the aging population and low birth rates. In fact, it has been predicted that the median age could reach **** years by 2050, whereas the country experienced a constant decline in the number of births. In 2010, almost ******* babies came into life, but ten years later only ******* births were recorded. The divide between north and south From the distribution of immigrant residents, there is an evident separation between the northern Italian regions and the southern part of the country, making those territories less attractive for foreigners in terms of work opportunities. Analysis on the index of the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in 2005, in 2015 and 2025 reveal that the total wealth produced by the southern region represents only half of the one recorded in the north. Moreover, in 2023 the unemployment rate in northern regions was around **** percent, whereas in the south it reached ** percent.

In 2023, the highest regional Gross Domestic Product in Italy was registered in the northern region of Lombardy, roughly 490 billion euros, followed by Lazio, about 239 billion euros, and Veneto, 137 billion euros. The lowest GDP was recorded in Aosta Valley, in the north, and in Molise, in the south of Italy. A deep economic gap Among the top-10 Italian regions with the highest GDP, five are located in the north of the country: Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Piedmont, and Liguria. Campania, the most populous region in the south, ranked only seventh nationally. These results highlight the deep economic disparities between the north and the south of Italy. The GDP of the northwestern regions reached 709 billion euros in 2023, while the south recorded less than half of the northern regions’ figures. Thus, Lombardy, Piedmont, Liguria, and Aosta Valley constitute Italy's economic driving force. In particular, Lombardy is the region with the highest salaries nationwide, 33,635 euros gross per year, 4,300 euros more than in Campania. Actions by policymakers aimed at closing the economic and wage gap are essential for the full development of southern Italian regions. The demographic divide Despite weaker economic indicators compared to the north, southern regions record better demographic figures. Italy’s population is progressively aging and the number of residents has declined recently. The median age of Italians is expected to reach 52.9 years by 2050. However, the south of the country contributes to mitigating the demographic decline. In fact, birth rates are the highest in the southern regions, in Sicily, and in Sardinia, with 6.6 childbirths per 1,000 inhabitants, well above the 6.2 births per 1,000 residents recorded in the northwest. Additionally, the southern population is on average two years younger than the those living in the northern regions.