Italy is home to over 5 million foreign residents, about 8.5% of the population. But the distribution is far from uniform: in some Northern municipalities the percentage exceeds 30%, while in many areas of the South it doesn't reach 2%. ISTAT data processed by DatiItalia makes it possible to explore this reality municipality by municipality.
National Overview
Regularly registered foreign residents number approximately 5.1 million. The largest communities are Romanian (over 1 million), Albanian (430,000), Moroccan (420,000), Chinese (330,000), and Ukrainian (240,000).
The geographic distribution follows the labor market: the North absorbs 60% of foreigners, the Centre 25%, and the South and Islands 15%.
Municipalities with the Most Foreign Residents
The municipalities with the highest percentage of foreign residents are concentrated in Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Veneto β the regions with the greatest demand for labor in manufacturing, logistics, and personal services.
The 15 Municipalities with the Highest Percentage of Foreigners
Percentage of foreign residents β Top 15 municipalities
Regional Distribution
The distribution of foreigners by region tells the story of Italy's economic geography. Lombardy leads with over 1.1 million foreigners, followed by Lazio (680,000) and Emilia-Romagna (550,000). In the South, Campania and Sicily have significant absolute numbers but low percentages relative to total population.
Regional Distribution of the Top 50 Municipalities by Foreign Residents
Which regions host the municipalities with the most foreign residents
Map of Foreign Residents
Each municipality colored by percentage of foreign residents
Where Immigrants Work
The 3D map crosses percentage of foreigners (height) and employment rate (color). Tall green municipalities are the productive engine: high foreign presence AND high employment β integration that works. Tall red ones are the warning: many foreigners but low registered employment β possible informal economy. The South, low and red, shows the double absence: few immigrants and little work for anyone.
Immigration and Work: Where It Works
Height = % foreigners, color = employment rate β green where integration produces jobs
Trends Over Time
After steady growth from 2000-2010, the number of foreign residents stabilized around 5 million. New citizenship acquisitions (about 130,000 per year) partly offset new arrivals, making the "foreigner" figure less representative of the country's actual multicultural composition.
The most significant fact: in municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, foreigners are often the only growing demographic component. Without them, depopulation would be even faster.
The Most Represented Nationalities
The top 10 nationalities β Romania, Albania, Morocco, China, Ukraine, Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Pakistan β account for over 70% of the total. But the composition varies enormously by municipality: university cities see more Chinese and Indians, agricultural areas in the South more Africans and Eastern Europeans.
Explore data on foreign residents in your municipality in the dedicated section of DatiItalia.