Italy has approximately 59 million residents spread across 7,896 municipalities. But the distribution is far from even: 40% of the population is concentrated in just 200 municipalities, while thousands of villages are fighting depopulation. ISTAT data processed by DatiItalia makes it possible to map this reality municipality by municipality.
National Overview
Italy's population has been in slow decline since 2015. The negative natural balance (more deaths than births) is no longer offset by immigration. The result is a net loss of about 100-150,000 residents per year.
The most populated regions are Lombardy (over 10 million), Lazio (5.7 million), and Campania (5.6 million). The least populated: Valle d'Aosta (125,000), Molise (290,000), and Basilicata (540,000).
Municipal Rankings
Rome dominates with over 2.7 million residents β more than the entire region of Umbria. Milan follows with 1.4 million, then Naples with 900,000. But the numbers hide opposing dynamics: Milan is growing, Rome is stagnating, Naples is losing inhabitants.
The 20 Municipalities with the Most Residents
Resident population β ISTAT data
Regional Distribution
The population distribution reflects the country's economic history. The North and Centre concentrate the largest and most attractive cities, while the South has been steadily losing population for decades. Lombardy alone is home to one sixth of all Italians.
Which Regions Are Home to the 50 Largest Municipalities
Regional distribution of the 50 most populated municipalities
Italian Population Map
All 7,896 municipalities colored by number of residents
3D Map: Population by Municipality
Columns proportional to population β drag to rotate
The Future: Who Will Grow and Who Will Vanish
ISTAT projections to 2050 paint a divided Italy. Height represents current population, color the projected change by 2050. Green municipalities will grow β concentrated around Milan, Bologna and along the Adriatic coast. Red municipalities will empty out β inland Sardinia, southern Apennines, inland Sicily. Italy loses 3.2 million inhabitants in 25 years, but not uniformly.
Who Will Grow and Who Will Vanish: 2050 Projections
Height = current population, color = projected change 2050 β green grows, red vanishes
Demographic Trends
The population decline doesn't affect everyone equally. University cities and economic hubs in the North attract young people, while inland areas of the South are emptying out. Municipalities like Bologna, Milan, and Parma are growing; municipalities in the Apennines and inland Sardinia lose 2-3% of their population each year.
The most alarming figure: over 2,500 municipalities now have less than half the inhabitants they had in 1951. An Italy that is disappearing, village by village.
Explore the demographic data of every municipality in the Demographics section of DatiItalia and compare up to 4 municipalities in the Compare section.