Demographics of Italy

Evolution of the resident population in Italy since the unification of Italy. ISTAT data development

Historical population of Italy

According to ISTAT (Italian Statistical Institute) data, Italy had 60,317,000 inhabitants on January 1, 2020. Italy has the fifth highest population density in Europe, with an average of 199.68 inhab./km²

Features

Starting in the mid-seventies of the 20th century, the Italian population experienced a change in its growth rate, which decreased to 0.0% on average per year between 1985-1990. The decline in the death rate was accompanied by a considerable decline in the birth rate.

Demographic trends were also affected by the traditional migratory movements that until then had made Italy one of the largest reserves of labor in Europe and America. Italy became a point of arrival for immigrants from developing countries; but, above all, important internal migratory currents were established, with a massive population movement from the south towards Rome and the industrialized north (Turin, Milan, Genoa, Florence, Bologna).

The concentration of the Italian population in urban centers (69% of the urban population) has generated a homogeneous network of large cities, which play the role of regional centers (Naples, 959,188 inhabitants; Turin, 875,698; Palermo, 663,401; Genoa, 578,000; Bologna, 390,636, and Florence, 378,839), with two prominent nuclei at the national level; Rome (2,856,133 inhabitants), the political capital, and Milan (1,378,689), the economic capital.

Minority groups are small, with the largest being German-speaking in South Tyrol (according to the 2011 census, the population is approximately 315,000 German-speaking and only 115,000 Italian-speaking) and the Slovenes around Trieste. Other minority groups with partly official languages include the Franco-Provençal-speaking minority in the Valle d'Aosta region, the Sardinians, and Catalan in Alghero (Sardinia).

Catholicism is the predominant religion (74.4% of the population in 2017), followed by non-believers and atheists (22.6%) and believers in other religions (3%) among whom there are mature communities of Protestants and Jews and a growing Islamic community.

Roman Italy

• In the year 200 BC is estimated at 4-5 million.
• In the year 164, between 6 and 8 million are estimated.
• In the year 200 they are estimated at 10 million.
• In the year 400 they are estimated at 12 million.

Medieval Italy

• In the year 1000 they are estimated at 5 million.
• In 1340 they are estimated at 10 million.
• In 1350 they are estimated at 12 million.
• In 1500 it is estimated at 11 million

Modern Italy

• In 1690 there are 12.5 million.
• In 1700 there are 11-16.5 million.
• In 1770 there are 14.7 million.
• In 1795 there are 16.3 million.
• In 1800 there are 17.2 million.
• In 1816 there are 18.4 million.
• In 1825 there are 19.7 million.
• In 1840 there are 22 million.
• In 1850 there are 24.3 million.
• In 1861 there are 25 million.
• In 1862 there are 25.8 million.

Kingdom of Italy

• In 1870 there are 25.9 million.
• In 1880 there are 28.2 million.
• In 1890 there are 30.3 million.
• In 1900 there are 32.4 million.
• In 1910 there are 34.4 million.
• In 1920 there are 36.4 million.
• In 1930 there are 40.9 million.
• In 1940 there are 44,5 million.

Italian Republic

• In 1950 there are 46 million.
• There are 58.6 million in 2000.
• In 2011 there are 60.6 million.

Cities and metropolitan areas

Major cities and metropolitan areas

Major Cities

Historical evolution

Between the 16th and 19th centuries the main cities were in the center (Rome) and south (Naples, Palermo). Since the industrialization of the late 19th century, the northern cities (Milan, Turin, Genoa) have considerably increased their population. The following table summarizes the historical evolution of the period 1800-1980:

Ethnography of Italy

In 2007, Italy had 58,883,000 inhabitants.

The ethnic composition was as follows:

• Europeans: 97.6 % (Italians 95.5 % + other Europeans 2.1 %)
• Africans: 1.1 % (major Moroccans)
• Asian: 0.7 % (Chinese majority)
• American: 0.4 % (Peruvian majority)
• Other: 0.2 %

	2005	Increase 2005-2011	2011
Romania Romania	248.849	289,3	968.576
Albania Albania	316.659	52.4	482.627
MoroccoMorocco	294.945	53.4	452.424
ChinaChina	111.712	87.9	209.934
Ukraine Ukraine	93.441	114.8	200.730
PhilippinesPhilippines	82.625	62.4	134.154
MoldovaMoldova	37.971	244.9	130.948
India	54.288	123.0	121.036
PolandPoland	50.794	114.6	109.018
TunisiaTunisia	78.230	35.9	106.291
Peru Peru	53.378	84.8	98.630
EcuadorEcuador	53.220	72.2	91.625
EgyptEgypt	52.865	70.9	90.365
Northern MacedoniaNorthern Macedonia	58.460	53.8	89.900
BangladésBangladés	37.785	118.2	82.451
Sri LankaSri Lanka	45.572	77.9	81.094
SenegalSenegal	53.941	50.1	80.989
SerbiaSerbia Montenegro Montenegro KosovoKosovo	58.174	38.1	80.320
PakistanPakistan	35.509	113.2	75.720
NigeriaNigeria	31.647	69.4	53.613
BulgariaBulgaria	15.374	232,6	51.134
Note: Communities constitute 85% of foreigners residing in Italy as at 01/01/2011.

Languages of Italy

Linguistic minorities are:

Source: Ministero degli Interni del Governo Italiano.