Birth rate in Italy 2021, by region

In 2021, Trentino-South Tyrol was the region in Italy with the highest birth rate nationwide, with 8.7 births per every 1,000 inhabitants. The following three positions of the ranking were occupied by Southern regions: Campania, Sicily, and Calabria. Indeed, South-Italy was the macro-region with the largest birth-rate in Italy.

Population change in Italy

Over the last years, the natural increase in population dropped and the number of deaths exceeded the number of births. This phenomenon can be observed in every region of the country, except in Trentino-South Tyrol, the only area in which the number of births was slightly higher than those of deaths in 2020. Consequently, on a national scale the share of people aged over 65 years and over grew constantly, whereas the young population declined over the last decade. Certainly, the median age is increasing as well.

High lifespans for Italians

Another factor that contributes in making the population older is that people are living longer than ever before. Data about life expectancy reveals that the expected lifespan at birth is rising: in 2020, it stood at 79.7 years for men and 84.4 years for women. In fact, lifespans in Italy are one of the highest worldwide, even above the European average.