Italy has the second-oldest population in the world. As of 2024, 24.3 percent of the Italian population were
, with a constantly increasing trend since 2009. The
of Italians is 46.6 years and has steadily been raising recently. Projections estimate that it will grow further in the coming decades. Among the
of the country are Liguria, Sardinia, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, while the youngest regions are Trentino-South Tyrol, in the north, and Campania, in the south.
Long lifespan and few births
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. Indeed, Italy is among the countries with the
highest life expectancy at birth. For females, it reached 85.2 years, while for males 81.1 years. Additionally, it ranks among the states with
the lowest fertility rates in the world. However, there are some
regional differences. The birth rate is highest in the southern regions and on the islands, while it is lowest in the central and northern regions.
Economic consequences
There are various economic consequences of an aging population. Different studies have found that when population and labor force growth stop, a country's GDP increase slows down. To sustain an elderly population, governments often come under financial pressure from overextended healthcare and
pension systems, while workers need to pay more to support the vast economically inactive population. Consequently, an aging population results in an increasing
old-age dependency. This indicator refers to the ratio between the number of elderly aged 65 years and older and the population aged between 15 and 64 years. In Italy, there are in 2024 38.3 elderly people per 100 individuals of working age.
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Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
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