Number of Centenarians in Italy Surges Past 23,000 in 2025

Number of Centenarians in Italy Surges Past 23,000 in 2025
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The number of Italians aged 100 or older has reached a record high, surpassing 23,500 this year, The Guardian reported. According to the national statistics agency Istat, 23,548 residents are now centenarians, up from 21,211 in 2024 — more than double the figure recorded in 2009. Women make up 82.6% of those aged 100 and above and continue to dominate among Italy’s oldest citizens, including 724 aged over 105 and 19 aged 110 or older.

Italy’s oldest living person, Lucia Laura Sangenito, from the Campania region, will turn 115 on November 22. The southern regions of Molise, Aosta Valley, Liguria, and Sardinia have the highest concentration of centenarians, with Sardinia recognized as one of the world’s “blue zones” for exceptional longevity.

Experts attribute Italy’s longevity to the Mediterranean diet, strong social bonds, and a robust healthcare system. However, the rapid ageing of the population poses challenges for the government as the national birthrate continues to fall — reaching a historic low of 370,000 births in 2024, the smallest number since Italy’s unification in 1861.