The birth rate in Italy is at an all-time low, and mortality is still high: less than 7 newborns and more than 12 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants. This is what emerges from the Istat demographic indicators for 2022. The decline in the resident population (-3% on 1 January 2023) "is the result - explain the researchers - of an unfavorable demographic dynamic that sees an excess of deaths on births, not compensated by migratory movements with foreign countries. The deaths were 713 thousand, the births 393 thousand, touching a new historical low, with a natural balance therefore of -320 thousand units ".

The resident population in Italy on 1 January 2023 - "in light of the first provisional results" - is 58 million and 851 thousand units, 179 thousand less than the previous year, for a reduction of 3. Therefore, the trend of population decrease continues, but with a lower intensity than both in 2021 (-3.5), and especially in 2020 (-6.7), years during which the effects of the pandemic had accelerated a process that began already in 2014. This is what emerges from the latest Istat report on demographic indicators 2022.

"Having ascertained that in 2022 the resident population shows a decrease similar to that of 2019 (-2.9) - reads the report - on the territorial level there is an important demographic decline that affects the South (-6.3). The Centre (-2.6) and especially the North (-0.9), which despite having a negative demographic balance, have better values than the national average". At regional level, the population is increasing only in Trentino-Alto Adige (+1.6), Lombardy (+0.8) and Emilia-Romagna (+0.4). The regions, however, where more population has been lost are Basilicata, Molise, Sardinia and Calabria, all with lower degrowth rates of -7.

Italy recovers attractiveness towards foreign countries: net migration rose from +88 thousand in 2020 and +160 thousand in 2021 to +229 thousand in 2022 (with 361 thousand registrations from abroad and 132 thousand cancellations abroad). Istat explains, however, that positive net migration with foreign countries appears "able to only partially offset the negative effect of the heavy balance of natural dynamics". The population of foreign citizenship on 1 January 2023 is 5 million and 50 thousand units, an increase of 20 thousand individuals (+3.9) on the previous year. The incidence of foreign residents on the total population is 8.6%, a slight increase compared to 2022 (8.5%). Almost 60% of foreigners, equal to 2 million 989 thousand units, reside in the North, for an incidence of 11%, the highest in the country. The Centre is also attractive for foreigners, where one million 238 thousand individuals (25% of the total) reside, with an incidence of 10.6%, above the national average. The South, on the other hand, has less foreign presence, 824 thousand units (16%), for an incidence of 4.2%.

Life expectancy is increasing for men but stable for women. This was revealed by Istat in the demographic indicators released this morning. Life expectancy at birth in 2022 is estimated at 80.5 years for men and 84.8 years for women, only for the former, compared to 2021, there is a recovery quantifiable in about 2 and a half months of life more. For women, however, the value of life expectancy at birth remains unchanged compared to the previous year.agency. Survival levels in 2022 are still below those of the pre-pandemic period, recording values 6 months lower than in 2019, both among men and women. Although the slowdown in women's life expectancy compared to men is a process that can already be seen in years before the pandemic, the latter - observes Istat - may have exacerbated the trend. The impact of the crisis on the health system, and the consequent difficulty in scheduling medical visits and check-ups, may have been particularly strong for women, who are more inclined than men to do prevention.