Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Italy
Italy: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 139.91 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
139.91 people per square kilometre
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
53rd
of 215 countries
All-time high
142.74 people per square kilometre
in 2014
All-time low
101.31 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Italy, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
Italy recorded 139.91 people per square kilometre for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in 2023.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Italy peaked at 142.74 people per square kilometre in 2014 and was at its lowest, 101.31 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
Italy ranks 53rd of 215 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Italy, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 101.31 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 102.9 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1963 | 104.64 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1964 | 106.53 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1965 | 108.48 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1966 | 110.38 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1967 | 112.23 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1968 | 113.95 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 115.54 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 117.01 people per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 118.33 people per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 119.67 people per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 121.05 people per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 122.39 people per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 123.67 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 124.8 people per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 125.79 people per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 126.66 people per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 127.39 people per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 128.22 people per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 128.84 people per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 129.01 people per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 129.09 people per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 129.16 people per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 129.21 people per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 129.2 people per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 129.18 people per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1988 | 129.21 people per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 129.27 people per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 129.36 people per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 129.44 people per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 129.56 people per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 129.71 people per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 130.35 people per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 130.41 people per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 129.98 people per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 130.19 people per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 130.4 people per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 130.61 people per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 130.13 people per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 130.37 people per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 130.78 people per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 131.66 people per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 132.81 people per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 133.75 people per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 134.47 people per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 135.49 people per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 136.78 people per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 137.85 people per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 138.79 people per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 139.63 people per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 140.75 people per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 142.15 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 142.74 people per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 142.59 people per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 142.34 people per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 141.97 people per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 141.62 people per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 141.33 people per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 140.85 people per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 140.34 people per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 140.08 people per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 139.91 people per square kilometre | -0.1% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 139.91 people per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 78.87 people per square kilometre, 1.8× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Italy's 139.91 people per square kilometre is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 54.24 people per square kilometre, 2.6× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 108.44 people per square kilometre | 101.31 people per square kilometre | 115.54 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 122.68 people per square kilometre | 117.01 people per square kilometre | 127.39 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 129.04 people per square kilometre | 128.22 people per square kilometre | 129.27 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 130 people per square kilometre | 129.36 people per square kilometre | 130.61 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 133.41 people per square kilometre | 130.13 people per square kilometre | 137.85 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 141.39 people per square kilometre | 138.79 people per square kilometre | 142.74 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 140.3 people per square kilometre | 139.91 people per square kilometre | 140.85 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Italy
- 50 Andorra 152.8 people per square kilometre compare
- 51 Comoros 151.48 people per square kilometre compare
- 52 British Virgin Islands 144.61 people per square kilometre compare
- 54 North Korea 139.41 people per square kilometre compare
- 55 Nepal 137.84 people per square kilometre compare
- 56 Denmark 131.68 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for Italy
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 52,250 Persons (2050)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5615 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.6708 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.7397 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.6708 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.26 million people (2100)
- Population density 119.63 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3246 % change on previous year (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Italy?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Italy was 139.91 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 142.74 people per square kilometre in 2014.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 101.31 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Italy rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Italy ranks 53rd out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Italy data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.