The number of births in Italy fell again last year, with the fertility rate dropping to a record low of 1.18 children per woman, the national statistics agency said Tuesday.
There were 369,944 births registered in Italy in 2024, down 2.6 percent on 2023, when there were 379,890, Istat said in a statement.
The fertility rate, defined as the average number of children per woman, reached its lowest point in history at 1.18 in 2024.
The trend looks to continue, even worsen, this year.
Provisional data for the January-July period showed 197,956 births, down 6.3 percent on the same period in 2024, when the figure as 211,000.
Italy has long had a sluggish birth rate and an ageing population.
Istat figures published earlier this year showed the average age as of January 1, 2025, was 46.8 years, up from 46.6 a year earlier.
Individuals aged over 65 now make up 24.7 percent of the population, compared to 24.3 percent a year earlier, while those aged over 85 account for 4.1 percent.
Italy's changing demographics are regularly cited as a concern for Italy's far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni.
