Regionale Bevölkerungsentwicklung in Italien

Italy is characterised not only by major regional economic and cultural differences, but also by considerable regional differences in population dynamics. This contribution provides an overview of the salient aspects of the regional disparities of the dynamics of population and the age structure at the level of the 103 Italian provinces. The presentation of the individual components - fertility, mortality, internal and international migration - describe Italy as a country with on one hand persistent regional differences, even if they are weakening significantly, and on the other hand with newly-evolving regional patterns. The very low level of fertility, the high life expectancy and the highlevel of international migration have highly apparent regional disparities. The regional population dynamic is interrelated with the continuing significant social importance of the family, which provides many social services, such as childcare and assistance to those in need of long-term care. In Italy late parental-home-leaving of young adults is one element of the postponement of important life course events, such as entry into the labour market, marriage and childbirth. Demographic ageing and international immigration are the main challenges Italy must face, and which many provinces of the Northeast are already facing today.