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Italian births drop, with larger proportion out-of-wedlock

CWN - November 15, 2012

The average age of Italy’s population is rising steadily, as the number of new births continues to drop.

New national statistics showed that the total number of births was 546,607 in 2011) the last year for which figures are available, down 15,000 from the previous year’s count. The decline in births has continued since 2009. The falling birth rate is sharpest among Italian-born couples.

The new birth statistics showed an increase, however, in the number of babies born to unmarried couples. That figure rose from 23.6% to 24.5%, again continuing a trend.

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