📜 A long story
Italy, 1800 → today
Italy grew from 19 million in 1800 to 59.5 million; a newborn can expect 53.9 more years of life than in 1872, and output per person is 14× its 1801 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 19 million people lived in Italy.
1900
33.3 million people.
1.8× the 1800 level
1950
46.4 million people.
1.4× the 1900 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1924.
2023
59.5 million people, the latest year in this series.
1.3× the 1950 level
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1872
In 1872, a newborn in Italy could expect to live 29.8 years, on average.
1900
41.9 years.
+12 years since 1872
Passed 40 years in 1894.
1950
65.7 years.
+24 years since 1900
Passed 50 years in 1922.
Passed 60 years in 1947.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 24 years between 1914 and 1918 (49.9 years → 25.8 years).
2023
83.7 years, the latest year in this series.
+18 years since 1950
Passed 70 years in 1964.
Passed 80 years in 2002.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1801
In 1801, Italy produced about Int$2,520 per person, in 2011 prices.
1900
Int$3,260.
1.3× the 1801 level
1950
Int$5,580.
1.7× the 1900 level
Reached twice the 1801 level in 1939.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 46% between 1939 and 1945 (Int$5,250 → Int$2,830).
2022
Int$36,200, the latest year in this series.
6.5× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1801 level in 1966.
Reached 10 times the 1801 level in 1989.
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1860
In 1860, fossil fuels and industry in Italy emitted about 0.0011 t of CO₂ per person.
1900
0.4 t.
369× the 1860 level
Reached twice the 1860 level, reached 5 times the 1860 level, reached 10 times the 1860 level, reached 20 times the 1860 level in 1861.
Reached 50 times the 1860 level in 1864.
1950
0.9 t.
2.1× the 1900 level
The sharpest fall in the data: down 93% between 1940 and 1944 (1.1 t → 0.1 t).
2024
5.1 t, the latest year in this series.
5.7× the 1950 level
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in Italy had spent 0.9 years in school, on average.
1900
1.7 years.
+0.85 years since 1870
1950
4.4 years.
+2.7 years since 1900
Passed 2 years in 1915.
Passed 4 years in 1945.
2015
11.1 years, the latest year in this series.
+6.7 years since 1950
Passed 6 years in 1975.
Passed 8 years in 1990.
Passed 10 years in 2005.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).