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Italy by Numbers: Country Snapshot- Published 3/25/02
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27 million: Italians in 1870
56 million: Italians 2001
26% live in North
24.5% South
19% Central Italy
for every 1,000 Italians = 17 resident foreigners
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Initial results for Italy's 14th census are almost two months late -- and 
arrived amid claims that entire towns either never received or never returned 
the 11-page poll.
 
The results show a steady, if shrinking population at about 56.8 million 
people.

Families also decreased to 2.6 members -- down slightly from 2.8 in the 1991 
census -- but almost half the size of postwar families composed of 4.2 
members.
 
The number of families is increasing (from around 19 to 21 million since 
1991) as more one-person families or single-parent families are created. As a 
result there are also considerably more houses, more telephones and 
television sets.

While the immigrant population is growing (tripled since the last census), 
Italy still has one of the lowest ratio of nationals to foreigners: 2% 
compared to Germany's 9%. 

National statistics agency ISTAT plans to release final figures in 2003. 

http://www.censimenti.it