Rome - statistics & facts
With 2.75 million inhabitants and around 1,285 square kilometers, Rome is the largest Italian city, before Milan and Naples. The Città eterna (Eternal city) is the capital of the country since 1871, the seat of all the major state institutions, and the main center of Lazio, the second most populous region in Italy. Moreover, it hosts the headquarters of several United Nations organizations and specialized agencies, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Most notably, Rome is the only city which includes within its borders a sovereign state, Vatican City, the smallest country in the world. Founded in 1929, it constitutes the continuation of the Papal States, which ruled on Rome and neighboring territories for more than one millennium. With the iconic Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, it represents the center of the Catholic Church, led since 2013 by Pope Francis.
After the fall of the Empire in 476 AD, Rome became gradually the seat of power of the Catholic Church, whose influence and presence is evident from the numerous churches and religious monuments hosted in the city. Moreover, the Popes have been the main sponsors of various painters, sculptors, and architects, making Rome one of the capitals of the Italian Renaissance. The masterpieces of Michelangelo Buonarroti, Raffaello Sanzio, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini attract every year millions of visitors and prove the notable power that the Church was able to attract over the centuries.
Similarly to other Italian cities, residents in Rome are progressively aging as the number of deaths significantly exceeds every year the newborn babies and life expectancy in Lazio reached 85 years for women and 81 for men. However, the city can attract new residents relocating from other municipalities, as well as many non-Italian nationals who decide to move to the Città eterna. In fact, in 2022 more than 100,000 new citizens registered their main residence in Rome.
Three millennia of history and art
Roma caput mundi, i.e, Rome capital of the world. This is how Roman historians used to describe the greatness achieved by the city as the major political, economic, and cultural center of the Republic first and the Roman Empire after. Founded according to the tradition the 21st April 753 BC, in more than 1,000 years of history, the Roman state was able to seize all the territories bordering the Mediterranean Sea, in Latin called Mare nostrum (Our sea). In 117 AD, under the emperor Trajan, the Empire reached its greatest extent, covering an area of around five million square kilometers, including Western Europe, North Africa, the Balkan peninsula, Anatolia, and the Middle East.After the fall of the Empire in 476 AD, Rome became gradually the seat of power of the Catholic Church, whose influence and presence is evident from the numerous churches and religious monuments hosted in the city. Moreover, the Popes have been the main sponsors of various painters, sculptors, and architects, making Rome one of the capitals of the Italian Renaissance. The masterpieces of Michelangelo Buonarroti, Raffaello Sanzio, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini attract every year millions of visitors and prove the notable power that the Church was able to attract over the centuries.
One of the largest cities in Europe
The population residing in Rome gradually decreased over the last years, settling below three million inhabitants. Nevertheless, its urban area exceeds the municipality borders and comprises other 120 smaller cities and towns, included in the metropolitan city of Rome (Città Metropolitana di Roma Capitale). Hence, Rome agglomeration ranks among the largest metropolises of the European continent, with more than four million citizens. Despite being the most populous municipality in the country, the residents of the Italian capital are not highly concentrated. In fact, the density is significantly inferior compared to other cities, such as Naples and Milan, with only 2,140 inhabitants per square meter. The amplitude of the municipal territory leaves space for numerous city parks and natural reserves, such as Villa Borghese, Monte Mario, and the Castelporziano Presidential Estate.Similarly to other Italian cities, residents in Rome are progressively aging as the number of deaths significantly exceeds every year the newborn babies and life expectancy in Lazio reached 85 years for women and 81 for men. However, the city can attract new residents relocating from other municipalities, as well as many non-Italian nationals who decide to move to the Città eterna. In fact, in 2022 more than 100,000 new citizens registered their main residence in Rome.
