Contrary to widespread belief, Italy's mountain communities are not experiencing depopulation—in fact, recent data shows the opposite. Over the past five five-year periods, the 387 designated mountain communities have seen their populations grow by about 100,000 residents.
Much of this growth has been driven by immigration, especially during times of economic difficulty, such as the 2009–2013 global financial crisis. During that period alone, 150,000 foreign nationals settled in mountain towns across both the Alps and the Apennines, helping to revive struggling economies and maintain essential services.
