L’AQUILA – The recent publication of the demographic elaborations of the Abruzzo Region Statistics Office on ISTAT data offers an in-depth look at the evolution of the resident population in the region and at a national level. “Pillole Statistiche”, as always, presents a series of key data and indicators that easily help to understand the current trends. In the latest bulletin, from last May, we also begin to deal with the data for 2024.
Resident Population in Abruzzo
As of January 1, 2023, the resident population in Abruzzo was estimated at 1,272,627 individuals, with a slight decrease compared to previous years. A figure that confirms the decreasing trend that saw the population drop from 1,300,645 in 2019 to a projection of 1,269,963 in 2024. This reduction generally reflects a demographic contraction that is greater than that observed at the national level.
The annual percentage changes in population show a steady decline in both Italy and Abruzzo. For Italy, the annual percentage changes range from -0.29% in 2020 compared to 2019, to a -0.01% forecast for 2024 compared to 2023. In Abruzzo, the decline was more marked, going from -0.52% in 2020 to a -0.21% forecast for 2024. The province of L’Aquila recorded the most significant decrease, with a -1.37% in 2021 compared to 2020, while Teramo showed a slight recovery with a positive change of 0.03% forecast for 2024.
The old-age index in Abruzzo as of January 1, 2023 indicates a rapidly aging population. The age groups show a prevalence of elderly population, with a significant increase in the number of individuals over 70 years old. Equally alarming is the old-age dependency ratio, which measures the ratio between the elderly population and the working-age population, which shows high values in Abruzzo. As of January 1, 2023, the data indicate a high dependency with values ranging from 101 to over 600, the result is a growing economic and social burden that weighs on the younger segments of the population.
Foreign Population in Abruzzo
Another significant trend concerns the foreign population residing in Abruzzo. As of January 1, 2023, foreigners in the municipalities of Abruzzo represented a percentage ranging from 3% to 27% of the resident population, with a heterogeneous distribution among the different provinces. The incidence of foreigners is higher in urban areas, reflecting a national trend of urbanization of the immigrant population. The province with the most foreigners is L’Aquila with 24,560 residents. Teramo, Chieti and Pescara follow.
