Share of immigrant citizens in Italian metropolitan cities

The biggest communities of foreign nationals in Italy can be found in the metropolitan cities of Milan, Florence, Bologna, Rome, and Venice, where more than ten percent of the inhabitants are not of Italian origin. These cities are mostly located in the north of the country. On the contrary, in the southern metropolitan municipalities of Naples, Bari, and Palermo the incidence of the immigrant population is minimal, well below five percent. 

Italian demographics

In 2022, around 5.2 million foreign residents lived in Italy, compared to the total population of 59.03 million inhabitants. Projections assert that in the upcoming years, the number of Italian citizens will progressively decrease, mostly given to the aging population and low birth rates. In fact, it has been predicted that the median age could reach 53.6 years by 2050, whereas the country experienced a constant decline in the number of births. In 2010, almost 550,000 newborns came into life, but ten years later only 400,000 births were recorded.

The divide between north and south

From the distribution of immigrant residents there is an evident separation between the northern Italian regions and the southern part of the country, making those territories less attractive for foreigners in terms of work opportunities. Analysis on the index of the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in 2005, in 2015 and 2025 reveal that the total wealth produced by the southern region represents only half of the one recorded in the north. Moreover, in 2022 the unemployment rate in northern regions was around seven percent, whereas in the south it reached almost 20 percent.