LAZIO - Population
Ageing population
The population density ranges from 691 inhabitants per km2 in the province of Rome to 55 inhabitants per km2 in the province of Rieti (Census 2001). The overall population density in the region of Lazio is of 297 inhabitants per km2, which is the third highest amongst the Italian regions after Campania and Lombardia.
Between 1951 and 1991, the main age groups in the population (under 15, 15 to 64 and over 64) were affected by a pattern of change which was typified by a drop of population in the first age group over the period in question (the share of population under 15 years of age passed from 27% in 1951 to 15% in 1991), against an increase in the third group where the share passed in the same period from 7% to 14%. This sharp drop has been registered mainly since 1981 with a fast shift towards the ?aged? population.
This trend continued over the period 1991-2001, the share of the ?under 15? reaching 14% against more than 17% of total population registered for the ?over 64? age group.
Between 1981 and 1991 there was an increase of population mainly in the four smaller provinces, which indicates a new trend among the population to settle throughout the region. This benefits the smaller towns which are felt to offer a more 'human approach'.
This course has been confirmed by figures of the 2001 Census, according to which the population of the province of Viterbo increased by 3.7% in the last ten years, followed by the province of Latina (3%), the province of Rieti (1.7%), the province of Frosinone (1%), against a decrease registered by the province of Rome(-1.6%), showing a tendency to move towards better living conditions.
Between the 1991 and the 2001 Census, the population of the region has slightly decreased, registering 5 112 413 inhabitants in 2001, which is about 0.5% less than in 1991.
The birth rate in Lazio has slightly fallen during the 1990s, and in 2001 equalled 9 per thousand (the average rate for Italy was 9.2 per thousand in the same year). In 1999, the infant mortality rate was slightly under the national average with 5 deaths per 1000 births.
The death rate has remained slightly below the national average throughout the 1990s. In 2001 it was equal to 8.9 per thousand (the average rate for Italy was 9.5 per thousand). As a consequence, the natural balance of the population is almost in equilibrium, with 47 800 live births and 47 100 deaths registered in the region in 2001.
The immigration in Lazio has been well above the level of emigration throughout the 1990s, although the figure for net migration has varied from year to year.
In 2000, 233 800 foreign residents were registered in the region.
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