Italy’s population stood at just under 59 million (58,943,673) as of the end of H1 2026, a marginal (-845) decline from the start of the year, according to new data from Istat.
Births during the first six months totalled approximately 166,000, a decline of 0.8% compared with the corresponding period in 2025, and continuing the long-running decline in Italy‘s birth rate.
Deaths totalled approximately 330,000 during the same six-month period, down 0.2% compared with the first half of 2025.
Migration increases
Population movements associated with migration partly offset this decline, with immigration from foreign countries rising by 4.4%, or 223,000. Emigration was down 25.8%, or 58,000.
Lastly, some 719,000 individuals reported a change of residence between municipalities, a marginal decrease (-0.2%) on the corresponding period in 2025.
Istat’s figures are based on the population register and cover the resident population of Italy and changes recorded by municipalities.
‘The balance is released within the first quarter following the reference date, so as to provide users with a prompt initial return of basic demographic information,’ it said. ‘With each monthly update, the database is also consolidated with respect to previous months, in order to take into account events recorded subsequent to the previous release.’
GDP growth
Elsewhere, Italy’s economy grew by 0.2% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the previous quarter, according to Istat. The statistical agency said the expansion was driven by private consumption and investment and represented a continuation of the expansion phase that began in the third quarter of 2025.
Istat’s current projection puts Italian GDP growth for 2026 at 0.8%. The estimate is included in its July-August economic assessment and comes as the international economic outlook has become more uncertain. Read more here and here.
