Italian population falls to under 59 million - ISTAT

As of December 31, 2022, the number of people living in the country fell to 58,997,201, according to the 2022 census.

Italy is “losing population and ageing despite the contribution of foreigners,” ISTAT said.

Some 51.2 per cent of the total population is female and 48.8 per cent is male.

The generational ratio is also increasingly unbalanced, ISTAT said.

For every child under the age of six, there are now more than five elderly people.

In 1971 there were 46 over-65s for every 100 people under 15, today there are 193.

The birth rate also fell to a new record low of 393,000 in 2022, almost 7000 fewer births than in 2021 (-1.7 per cent).

ANSA