Italy surpassed the mark of 23 people over 100 years old in January 2025, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (Istat). This number represents an increase of more than two thousand centenarians compared to the previous year and confirms a continuing trend of aging in the Italian population.
The majority of centenarians in the country are women. They represent more than 80% of registered cases. Supercentenarians—people over 110 years old—number only 19 individuals nationwide, and only one of them is a man.
Liguria leads among the regions with the longest life expectancy in Italy.
The Liguria region, in the north of the country, leads the national ranking. There are 59,4 centenarians for every 100 inhabitants. The region also has the highest rate of semi-supercentenarians, those aged between 105 and 110 years: 2,3 per 100 inhabitants. In total, 35 residents of Liguria are over 105 years old, with 20 in the Genoa metropolitan area alone.
Experts point out that longevity in the region is associated with a lifestyle rich in olive oil and seafood, an active life, and a slower pace—characteristics common in coastal and less urbanized areas. The mountainous geography also encourages walking, even in old age.
Liguria is known for emblematic cases, such as that of Mrs. Virginia Dighero, who died in 2005 at the age of 114, and Mr. Gio Batta, one of the longest-living men in the country.
Other regions with high rates of centenarians
Molise, in south-central Italy, surprisingly ranks second nationally, with approximately 61 centenarians per 100 inhabitants. Despite being one of the smallest regions in the country, this rate is attracting the attention of demographers.
The survey also highlights Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Tuscany, with more than 50 centenarians per 100 inhabitants. The provinces of Isernia, Nuoro, Siena, and Gorizia stand out when analyzing the local distribution of the elderly.
In 2009, the total number of centenarians in Italy was just over 10. Fifteen years later, that number had more than doubled, registering an increase of 130%.
According to Istat, the average life expectancy in the country is approaching 50 years of age, and the mortality curve tends to stabilize after 105 years, contradicting the idea that the risk increases indefinitely.
This pattern indicates that, especially in the South-Central region and in rural areas, the presence of centenarians is becoming a stable phenomenon — a reflection of cultural, environmental, and dietary factors.
FOLLOW-US
