Italy population pyramid 2026
58,926,166 people in 2026 (projected). Italy’s pyramid is widest in its fifties and sixties: a large 1960s baby-boom generation sits on top of four decades of very low fertility.
- 2026 population
- 58.9Mrank 25 of 237
- Median age
- 48.6 yearsoldest rank 7
- Fertility rate
- 1.22births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older25.6% age 65+
Italy population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Italy age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 11.4% of the population, while 25.6% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 63.0% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Italy’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 58.8: about 59 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (18.2 children and 40.7 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Italy’s population pyramid
A boom generation now near retirement
The broadest part of Italy’s 2026 pyramid is not at the bottom but at ages 50–64. These are people born in 1962–76, the cohorts of Italy’s postwar economic boom, when annual births peaked in the mid-1960s at about one million. Ages 55–59 alone hold about 8.1% of the population, roughly two and a half times the share at ages 0–4. Over the next fifteen years this generation moves into pension ages, which is why Italy appears near the top of the oldest populations ranking.
An older scar is still traceable in earlier charts. In 1950 the 30–34 band, born in 1915–19, is far narrower than its neighbors because births fell sharply while Italy fought in the First World War; by 1975 the same hollow cohort sits at ages 55–59.
Lowest-low fertility and a shrinking base
From the late 1970s Italian fertility fell steeply, reaching about 1.25 children per woman by the mid-1990s, one of the lowest levels recorded anywhere at the time. Demographers coined the term “lowest-low fertility” partly to describe Italy and Spain. Fewer births per woman, delayed childbearing and, more recently, smaller cohorts of potential parents have narrowed the pyramid band by band: each five-year group under 45 is smaller than the one above it, and ages 0–4 are now the narrowest band below 80. ISTAT has reported successive record lows in annual births during the 2020s.
Immigration since the 1990s has added young adults and partly offset the decline, but not enough to restore the base. The Italy vs Spain comparison shows a very similar story, while Germany vs Italy contrasts a boom generation of similar timing with different fertility paths. The general pattern is described in constrictive population pyramids.
Under the UN medium scenario Italy’s population falls from about 58.9 million in 2026 to about 51.9 million by 2050, with a median age near 53 and the widest bands at ages 70–84.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Italy’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Deaths have exceeded births every year since 2007; they also did so in 1993, but births then outnumbered deaths again. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 1990 and 1995.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Italy is projected to record 379,621 births (about 1,039 births a day) and 669,403 deaths, a natural decrease of 289,782. Net migration adds +58,272 people, ranking #73 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 12,032,303 births, 14,661,085 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +4,811,049. Over that period migration moved the total more than the balance of births and deaths did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of +1,211,457 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 86.1 years67.4 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 82.1 years63.9 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 21.7 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 2.1per 1,000 births · 64 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 2.5per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 32.3 yearssex ratio at birth 105.9
Women in Italy are projected to live 4.0 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 64 to 2.1 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #220 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 32.3 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Italy
The median age of 48.6 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.22 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 84.2 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 58,926,166 | #25 | Largest first |
| Median age | 48.6 years | #7 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.22 | #217 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | -0.4% | #200 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 84.2 years | #11 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 25.6% | #7 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Italy
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55–59 | 4,777,553 | 8.1% | 2.3M / 2.4M |
| 2 | 50–54 | 4,644,379 | 7.9% | 2.3M / 2.3M |
| 3 | 60–64 | 4,615,772 | 7.8% | 2.2M / 2.4M |
| 4 | 45–49 | 3,994,681 | 6.8% | 2M / 2M |
| 5 | 65–69 | 3,916,102 | 6.6% | 1.9M / 2M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Italy has 28,838,797 males and 30,087,370 females. That is 95.9 males per 100 females, ranking #169 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 48.9% of the population and females for 51.1%. There are 1,248,573 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 79.7 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 105.9 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Italy has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 46,391,673 in 1950 to 58,926,166 in 2026, a change of 27%. Over the same span, median age moved from 27.5 to 48.6 years.
The under-15 share changed from 26.6% to 11.4%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 8.1% to 25.6%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the Italy population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Italy’s population is projected to decline by about 12%, reaching 51,891,098 in 2050. The median age changes from 48.6 to 52.9 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 11.2 percentage points to 36.8%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 10.9%. The Italy population pyramid for 2050 shows the projected shape in detail. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest estimated population of 60,664,171 in 2014. Historical population totals are estimates rather than exact head counts. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 46,391,673 | 27.5 | 2.52 | 65.7 | 912,801 | 452,166 | −27,539 | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 49,514,555 | 30.5 | 2.38 | 69.2 | 903,976 | 480,134 | −140,765 | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 53,390,236 | 31.9 | 2.40 | 71.6 | 900,250 | 521,512 | −62,216 | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 56,412,084 | 33.0 | 1.65 | 74.1 | 639,671 | 551,286 | +295,642 | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 57,031,454 | 36.1 | 1.33 | 77.0 | 569,623 | 544,946 | +35,317 | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 57,272,196 | 39.2 | 1.25 | 79.6 | 540,787 | 558,193 | +56,065 | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 60,164,213 | 42.5 | 1.44 | 82.1 | 562,390 | 582,908 | +274,387 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 59,912,769 | 46.4 | 1.24 | 82.2 | 408,035 | 750,380 | +85,281 | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 59,499,453 | 47.5 | 1.20 | 83.7 | 384,627 | 663,448 | +150,189 | -0.2% |
| 2024* | 59,342,867 | 47.8 | 1.21 | 83.9 | 384,703 | 664,494 | +95,246 | -0.3% |
| 2026* | 58,926,166 | 48.6 | 1.22 | 84.2 | 379,621 | 669,403 | +58,272 | -0.4% |
| 2030* | 57,946,072 | 50.0 | 1.25 | 84.7 | 374,445 | 681,098 | +43,722 | -0.5% |
| 2040* | 55,221,168 | 52.0 | 1.30 | 86.0 | 381,655 | 718,877 | +48,000 | -0.5% |
| 2050* | 51,891,098 | 52.9 | 1.35 | 87.2 | 341,845 | 774,362 | +42,787 | -0.8% |
| 2060* | 47,584,459 | 53.0 | 1.39 | 88.4 | 303,665 | 803,717 | +43,106 | -1.0% |
| 2070* | 43,353,332 | 53.4 | 1.42 | 89.5 | 300,637 | 709,591 | +32,856 | -0.9% |
| 2080* | 40,225,870 | 53.0 | 1.43 | 90.6 | 284,229 | 588,390 | +38,764 | -0.7% |
| 2090* | 37,748,595 | 52.9 | 1.46 | 91.7 | 259,341 | 531,441 | +32,580 | -0.6% |
| 2100* | 35,376,821 | 53.4 | 1.48 | 92.8 | 249,015 | 513,238 | +25,086 | -0.7% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 1,013,533 | 955,984 | 1,969,517 | 3.3% |
| 5–9 | 1,136,595 | 1,074,789 | 2,211,384 | 3.8% |
| 10–14 | 1,314,886 | 1,242,326 | 2,557,212 | 4.3% |
| 15–19 | 1,486,395 | 1,402,701 | 2,889,096 | 4.9% |
| 20–24 | 1,590,408 | 1,498,841 | 3,089,249 | 5.2% |
| 25–29 | 1,624,822 | 1,472,488 | 3,097,310 | 5.3% |
| 30–34 | 1,630,926 | 1,528,767 | 3,159,693 | 5.4% |
| 35–39 | 1,692,622 | 1,648,109 | 3,340,731 | 5.7% |
| 40–44 | 1,757,873 | 1,737,104 | 3,494,977 | 5.9% |
| 45–49 | 2,002,656 | 1,992,025 | 3,994,681 | 6.8% |
| 50–54 | 2,306,702 | 2,337,677 | 4,644,379 | 7.9% |
| 55–59 | 2,346,735 | 2,430,818 | 4,777,553 | 8.1% |
| 60–64 | 2,246,557 | 2,369,215 | 4,615,772 | 7.8% |
| 65–69 | 1,874,976 | 2,041,126 | 3,916,102 | 6.6% |
| 70–74 | 1,569,061 | 1,779,209 | 3,348,270 | 5.7% |
| 75–79 | 1,398,207 | 1,677,062 | 3,075,269 | 5.2% |
| 80–84 | 941,277 | 1,258,635 | 2,199,912 | 3.7% |
| 85–89 | 620,380 | 987,058 | 1,607,438 | 2.7% |
| 90–94 | 231,791 | 486,585 | 718,376 | 1.2% |
| 95–99 | 48,150 | 146,788 | 194,938 | 0.3% |
| 100+ | 4,247 | 20,059 | 24,306 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Italy’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Portugal97% overlap · median age 47.2
- Greece97% overlap · median age 47.1
- Isle of Man97% overlap · median age 46.3
- San Marino96% overlap · median age 49.1
- Spain96% overlap · median age 46.3
- Bermuda95% overlap · median age 46.4
Compare Italy with other countries
Side-by-side pages put two pyramids on the same percentage scale, with a full indicator table and the projected change to 2050.
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Italy.
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Charts and tables may be reused with attribution. Please link to this page and credit the United Nations as the data source.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Italy Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/italy/
MLA
“Italy Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/italy/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Italy Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/italy/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Italy in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Italy's population in 2026 is projected at 58,926,166.
What is the median age in Italy?
The projected median age in Italy in 2026 is 48.6 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Italy?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.22 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Italy's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will decline by about 12%, from 58.9M to 51.9M.
What share of Italy is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 25.6% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 36.8%.
How many babies are born in Italy each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 379,621 births and 669,403 deaths in 2026, about 1,039 births a day. Deaths exceed births by 289,782.
What is life expectancy in Italy for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 86.1 years for women and 82.1 years for men, a gap of 4.0 years in favour of women.
Does Italy have more immigrants or emigrants?
Italy is projected to gain about 58,272 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +4,811,049.
What is the sex ratio in Italy?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 95.9 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.