Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Italy
Italy: Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents was 14.9% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Italy, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Italy recorded 14.9% for share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in 2020.
The figure is up 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Italy peaked at 15.4% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 10.3%, in 1950.
That places Italy 96th out of 180 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Italy, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 10.3% | — |
| 1955 | 10.9% | +5.7% |
| 1960 | 11.7% | +7.8% |
| 1965 | 14.2% | +21.2% |
| 1970 | 14.8% | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 15.1% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 15.3% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 15.4% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 15.4% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 15.3% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 15.2% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 14.9% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 14.6% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 14.6% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 14.9% | +2.4% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 14.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 15.3%, 98% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Italy's 14.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.6%, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 10.6% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 2 |
| 1960s | 13.0% | 11.7% | 14.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 15.0% | 14.8% | 15.1% | 2 |
| 1980s | 15.3% | 15.3% | 15.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 15.4% | 15.3% | 15.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 15.0% | 14.9% | 15.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 14.6% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 2 |
| 2020s | 14.9% | 14.9% | 14.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Italy
More reference data data for Italy
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 8.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.927 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 8.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 8.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 41.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.05 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Italy?
- Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Italy was 14.9% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 15.4% in 1985.
- What is the lowest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.3% in 1950.
- How does Italy rank for share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents?
- Italy ranks 96th out of 180 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Italy data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the total population living in cities with 1 million or more people. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.