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Despite Government Efforts, Italy Struggles to Reverse 15-Year Decline in Births
Italy faced another blow to its dwindling population as births hit a historic low in 2023, marking the 15th consecutive year of decline, according to the national statistics bureau ISTAT. The nation’s persistently falling birth rate is considered a pressing national emergency, yet efforts by successive governments have failed to stem the decline.
ISTAT reported that Italy recorded 379,000 births last year, reflecting a 3.6% decrease from 2022 and a staggering 34.2% drop since 2008—the last year the country witnessed a rise in newborns. This figure represents the lowest number of births since Italy’s unification in 1861. The fertility rate plummeted to 1.20 children per woman, well below the 2.1 rate needed to maintain a stable population.
In contrast, approximately 661,000 deaths were registered in 2023, a decline from the previous three years when COVID-19 significantly boosted mortality rates in Italy. Despite the increase in deaths, life expectancy surged to 83.1 years, up by six months compared to 2022.
While there were 282,000 more deaths than births in 2023, Italy’s overall population decreased by only 7,000 to 58.99 million, thanks to the influx of foreign migrants and returning Italian emigrants. Foreigners accounted for 8.99% of the population, totaling 5.3 million individuals, with a majority residing in the northern regions.
Italy’s population has been steadily declining since 2014, with a cumulative loss of over 1.36 million people, equivalent to the population of Milan, the nation’s second-largest city. Last September, ISTAT projected that Italy could lose nearly 10% of its residents in the next 25 years, with the population forecasted to decrease to 54.4 million by 2050.
Highlighting Italy’s rapidly aging demographic, ISTAT revealed that nearly one in four residents were above the age of 65, marking a significant demographic shift. For the first time, there were more individuals aged over 80 than under 10—a stark contrast to half a century ago when the ratio was one to nine. The number of centenarians reached a new peak of 22,500, underscoring the challenges posed by Italy’s aging population.
Despite these concerning trends, Italy continues to grapple with finding effective solutions to reverse its declining birth rate and address the broader demographic challenges facing the nation.
