Demographic indicators

On 1^st January 2019, the population was estimated to be 60,391,000 and the decrease on the previous year was around 90,000 units (-1.5 per thousand).

The population of Italian citizenship dropped to 55 million 157 thousand (-3.3 per thousand). Non nationals at 1^st January 2019 were 5 million 234 thousand (+17.4 per thousand; 8.7% of the total population).

The number of live births dropped to 449 thousand (9 thousand less than in 2017), reaching a new minimun level. Compared with 2008, there were 128 thousand live births less.

The number of deaths was 636 thousand, 13 thousand less than in 2017. in 2018, in relative terms 10.5 individuals died per thousand inhabitants (10.7 in 2017), and the natural balance was the second lowest ever (-187 thousand; -191 thousand in 2017).

The net international migration amounted to +190 thousand, recording a slight increase on the previous year (+188 thousand). Both immigration (349 thousand) and emigration (160 thousand) increased (+1.7% and +3.1% respecitvely).

Out of 349 thousand registrations from abroad, 302 thousand concerned individuals of foreign nationality, the highest level in the last six years. Only 40 thousand cancellations to abroad on overall 160 thousand in 2018 were due to non-national citizens.

Among Italians, departures continued to be more consistent than returns. More in detail, there were 120 thousand emigrations against just 47 thousand repatriations.

The total fertility rate was unchanged from the previous year (1.32 children per woman) and the mean age at childbearing reached for the first time 32 years, confirming the trend towards children at later ages.

According to cohort fertility indicators, the propensity to have less children decreased regularly from 2.16 to 1.53 children among women born in 1940 and in 1968 respectively.

In 2018 there was a new increase in life expectancy at birth compared with the previous year, 80.8 years for men (+0.2) and 85.2 years for women (+0.3). At 65 years of age, the residual life expectancy amounted to 19.3 years for men (+0.3) and 22.4 years for women (+0.2).