The resident population in Sicily, defined on the basis of the Census as of 31 December 2022, amounts to 4,814,016 residents, down compared to 2021 (-19,313 individuals; -0.4%); approximately half of the population lives in the provinces of Palermo and Catania (47.3%). This is what emerges from Istat’s permanent population census in Sicily. The decrease compared to 2021 is the result of the negative values of the natural and internal migration balance, which are insufficiently counterbalanced by the positive values of the foreign migration balance and the statistical adjustment.
RECORD REDUCTION OF BIRTH
In Sicily, as in the rest of the country, a new birth rate record has been reached. There were 36,810 births (-425 compared to 2021). The mortality rate grew from 12.2 per thousand in 2021 to 12.3 per thousand in 2022, with a peak of 14.3 per thousand recorded in the province of Enna. Women make up 51.3% of the resident population, exceeding men by over 123 thousand units, mainly due to greater female longevity. The average age increased compared to 2021 from 44.9 to 45.2 years. Ragusa and Catania are the youngest provinces (44.1 and 44.2 years respectively), Messina and Enna the older ones (46.7 and 46.5 years).
Foreigners registered are 191,368 (+6,763 compared to 2021), 4.0% of the regional population. They come from 164 countries, mainly from Romania (24.0%), Tunisia (12.0%) and Morocco (8.1%). More than a quarter of the population (26.3%) lives in the four municipalities with over 100,000 inhabitants (Palermo, CataniaMessina and Syracuse) and just under a quarter in those with populations between 20,001 and 50,000 inhabitants (24.3%).
ISLANDERS IN BENDING
In Sicily there are 4,814,016 units, 8.2% of the Italian population. Compared to 2021, the census data show a decrease of 19,313 units in the region, higher in percentage (-0.4%) than the national average (-0.1%). The only province to record an increase in population is Ragusa (+1,651 residents). Among other provinces, Palermo loses 4,802 residents, followed by Catania (-3,081) and from Messina (-3,049).
Almost half of the population resides in the two provinces of Palermo (25.0%) and Catania (22.3%), the only ones to exceed one million inhabitants. Followed by the province of Messina, which with more than 600 thousand residents accounts for 12.5% of the region’s residents. The other six provinces are home to 30.2% of residents.
The significant decrease in the population resident in Sicily in 2022 is the result of the sum of two negative balances, the natural one (-22,656 units) and the internal migratory one (-16,884), not compensated by the positive values of the migratory balance with foreign countries (+14,210 ) and statistical adjustment (+6.017).
All the provinces follow the regional trend, in particular Messina is the province with the lowest natural balance (-4,540), Palermo is the one with the lowest internal migration balance (-4,113), while Ragusa has the highest foreign migration balance (+2,957) The natural balance in the region confirms the ongoing unfavorable dynamic, characterized by an excess of deaths (59,466) over births (36,810).
BIRTHS AT A MINIMUM
In Sicily, as in the rest of the country, a new record low for births was recorded, with a reduction of almost a third compared to the 53 thousand births at the beginning of the millennium. The negative trend in the birth rate continues, going from 7.7 per thousand in 2021 to 7.6 in 2022, although remaining higher than the national average (6.7 per thousand inhabitants). At the provincial level, the greatest decrease (from 6.9 to 6.5 per thousand in 2022) is found in Messina, which together with Enna has the minimum value in the region; Agrigento bucked the trend (from 7.2 to 7.5 per thousand), Palermo and Trapani stable.
Compared to the previous year, the number of deaths increased by 637 units, in line with the progressive aging of the population. The 1.1% increase is however lower than the national figure (+2.0%). The highest number of deaths was recorded during the coldest months, from January to March, and in the hottest months, particularly July. In these four months, 23,785 deaths were detected, 40% of the total, mainly due to adverse climatic conditions which penalized elderly or fragile individuals from the point of view of health conditions.
Despite the presence of a younger population on average, mortality in Sicily is higher than the national average (12.1 deaths per thousand inhabitants) and stands at 12.3 per thousand in 2022 (from 12.2 the previous year): the provincial values vary from 11.0 per thousand in Ragusa to 14.3 per thousand in Enna, where the most significant increase was recorded. The loss of population to the rest of the country does not stop. In fact, the internal migration balance (with the other Italian municipalities) recorded a negative balance of almost 17 thousand people, about a quarter of which related to the province of Palermo.
MIGRATION RATES
The internal migration rate goes from -2.5 in 2021 to -3.5 per thousand in 2022; the observed decline is more marked in the province of Enna (from -4.2 to -6.0 per thousand), more limited in Syracuse (from -1.8 to -2.1 per thousand). Positive signs can also be seen, also in 2022, for international migratory movements. The difference between entries and exits abroad gives a positive net migration balance in all the provinces, equal to just over 14 thousand units at a regional level. Ragusa and Messina, with a positive balance of almost 3 thousand units each, confirm their vocation as the most attractive areas in the region.
WOMEN
AT 51.3% The prevalence of the female component in the structure by gender is confirmed also in 2022. Women exceed men by over 123 thousand units and represent 51.3% of the resident population. The weight of the female component is particularly evident in older ages following greater female longevity.
AVERAGE AGE GROWING
In 2022, the Sicilian population has a significantly less elderly age structure compared to the country as a whole, as emerges from the profile of the overlapping age pyramids. The average age, which increased slightly in 2021 (44.9), is 45.2 years, compared to the national average of 46.4 years. The old age index increased, which went from 167.6 in 2021 to 172.0 in 2022, and the elderly dependency index increased slightly, which stood at 35.8 compared to 35.2 in 2021.
The structure index of the active population is also growing, going from 129.3 in 2021 to 130.1. At the provincial level, Ragusa and Catania have the youngest demographic structure; on the contrary, the aging process is more evident in the provinces of Enna and Messina.
FOREIGNERS ON THE GROWTH
The foreign population in Sicilyas of 31 December 2022, amounts to 191,368 people, 3.7% of foreigners resident in Italy. Over half reside in the three provinces of Catania (18.2%), Palermo (18.0%) and Ragusa (16.5%). The incidence of the foreign population on the resident population is lower than the national figure (4% versus 8.7%); the values are between 2.5% of Enna and 10% of Ragusa. The demographic balance (Table 6) highlights an overall growth of the foreign population resident in the region compared to 2021 of 6,763 units, corresponding to a positive increase rate of 3.7%.
The majority of foreigners residing in Sicily come from Europe (39.2%), 35.0% from Africa, 22.3% from Asia and 3.5% from America. The presence from Oceania and stateless people is minimal. Foreign citizens come from 164 countries around the world, especially from Romania (24.0%), Tunisia (12.0%), Morocco (8.1%) and Sri Lanka (6.4%). Foreign residents of Tunisian, Sinhalese and Bangladeshi citizenship have a higher concentration in Sicily compared to the national percentages, while the shares are lower for Albanian and Chinese citizens.
