Knowledge Center

Population

• In 2011, there was a total population of 60,789,000 people in Italy, and 31,024,000 women in Italy.1
• In 2010, there were 95.7 males for every 100 females.2
• The mean age of marriage for women is 30.3
• In 2010-2015, in Italy, the estimated number of children per woman is 1.48.4   
• The worldwide estimated number of children per woman was 2.4 in 2012.5
• Italy’s fertility rate has dropped so low that it is now ranked among the lowest in the world.6
• In 2003, the local government of Laviano, a small town in Italy, offered 10,000 euros to any woman who birthed and raised a child there.7

• In 2010, the median age was 43.2.8
• The healthy life expectancy is 76 years for women, and 73 years for men.9

Education

• In 2008, females were expected to receive 16.8 years of schooling compared to 15.9 years for males.10
• In 2009, women were 57.7% of all enrolled tertiary students.11
• In 2007, 59.6% of total tertiary graduates were women.12

Labor Force

• In 2008, 38.7% of women ages 15 and over participated in the labor force, compared to men’s participation rate of 60.6%.13

• Of the 5 months of maternity leave women in Italy receive, 80% of it is paid.14

Women in Management

• In 2011, women held 3.7% of all board director seats.15
• In 2008, women were 33.2% of all legislators, senior officials, and managers.16
• Italy is ranked 60th in women’s representation in Parliaments, out of 190 countries.17

• The main ethnic group in Italy are Italians (which includes small groups of  German-, French-,  Slovene-, Albanian-, and Greek-Italians).18

Global Gender Gap Ranking

• In 2011, Italy was ranked 74th in The Global Gender Gap Index.*19   
• The wage equality for similar work done by women vs. men was 51%.20

• 1. UN, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, “Population by Sex,” Detailed Indicators.
• 2. UN, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, “Population Sex Ratio,” Detailed Indicators.
• 3. Ricardo Hausmann, Laura D. Tyson, Saadia Zahidi, World Economic Forum, Global Gender Gap Report (2011).
• 4. UN, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, “Total Fertility,” Detailed Indicators.
• 5. Population Reference Bureau, DataFinder, “Total Fertility Rate” (2012).
• 6. "Italy’s Path to Very Low Fertility: The Adequacy of Economic and Second Demographic Transition Theories". Eur J Popul. 2009 February; 25(1): 89–115.
• 7. "No Babies?" Russell Shorto, June 29, 2008. The New York Times
• 8. UN, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, “Median Age+,” Detailed Indicators.
• 9. Ricardo Hausmann, Laura D. Tyson, Saadia Zahidi, Global Gender Gap Report (World Economic Forum, 2011).
• 10. World DataBank, “Expected Years of Schooling, Female” Gender Statistics (2011); World DataBank, “Expected Years of Schooling, Male” Gender Statistics (2012).
• 11. World DataBank, “Enrollment in Total Tertiary, Public and Private, Full and Part Time, Female,” Education Statistics (2012);World DataBank, “Enrolment in Total Tertiary, Public and Private, Full and Part Time, Total,” Education Statistics (2012).
• 12. World DataBank, “Total Graduates in All Programmes, Tertiary, Female,” Gender Statistics (2012); World DataBank, “Total Graduates in All Programmes, Tertiary, Total,” Gender Statistics (2012).
• 13. ILO, “Table 1A: Economically Active Population: Total and Economically Active Population, by Age Group (Thousands),” Laborsta (2012).
• 14. International Labor Organization, Maternity at Work: A Review of National Legislation: Findings from the ILO Database of Conditions of Work and Employment Laws (2010).
• 15. GovernanceMetrics International, 2011 Women on Boards Report (2011).
• 16. ILO, “Table 1D: Economically Active Population: Economically Active Population, by Occupation and Status in Employment (Thousands),” Laborsta (2012).
• 17. InterParliamentary Union, “Women in National Parliaments” (June 30, 2012).
• 18. CIA, The World Factbook,"Italy” (2012).
• 19. Ricardo Hausmann, Laura D. Tyson, Saadia Zahidi, Global Gender Gap Report (World Economic Forum, 2011).
• 20. Ricardo Hausmann, Laura D. Tyson, Saadia Zahidi, Global Gender Gap Report (World Economic Forum, 2011).