Italy’s population, known for being the second-oldest in the world, only Japan beats it in that dubious distinction, is getting even older. According to figures released on Thursday by ISTAT, not only is it aging, but it has shrunk even more in 2021. The national statistics agency said Italy’s resident population on December 31, 2021 was 59,030,133, down by 206,080 (0.3%) with respect to the end of the previous year.
The decrease in the population mainly affected central and northern Italy, with drops of 0.5% and 0.4% respectively and the average age of people residing in Italy last year was 46, up from 43 in 2011. There are two main explanations for Italy’s aging population; a high life expectancy and a low birth rate. The result is that people live longer, alongside a declining number of births. Italy is among the countries with the highest life expectancy at birth worldwide.
