Italy's population shrinks by 0.3% in 2022

ROME. KAZINFORM - Italy's resident population in 2022 shrunk by 0.3% or 179,000 units over the previous year according to national statistics institute (ISTAT) figures released on Monday, Kazinform cites ANSA.

The birth rate in 2022 fell by 1.9%, despite signs of a slight uptick in southern regions.

In the north, the population fell by 0.1% against a drop of 0.4% the previous year, according to the ISTAT report 'Demographic dynamics - year 2022'.

Central regions also reported a smaller decrease, of 0.3% compared to 0.5% in 2021.

In the south, the drop instead rose from 0.2% in 2021 to 0.6% in 2022, ISTAT said.