Italy's Population Stabilized as Immigration Offsets Decline
Italy's population stabilized at 58.94 million on Jan 1, ending 12 years of decline. Net immigration reached 296,000 with 440,000 arrivals and 144,000 emigration. Births dropped to 355,000, a record low since Italy's 1861 unification. Fertility rate fell to 1.14 children per woman below replacement level. Life expectancy increased to 81.7 years for men and 85.7 for women. Foreign resident population rose 188,000 to 5.56 million. Stats bureau warns sustained migration is needed to offset demographic decline