"The community of Italian descendants in the world is estimated at about one hundred and eighty million people, in addition to over six million Italian citizens residing abroad. The human, cultural and professional significance of this presence is of inestimable value in the context of of that soft-power that makes it possible to place our country among those whose model of life enjoys the greatest attraction and consideration ".
This was underlined by the Head of State Sergio Mattarella in a message to Migrantes on the occasion of the presentation of the Report on Italians in the world.
As of January 1, 2021, the structural community of compatriots residing abroad is made up of 5,652,080 units, 9.5% of the more than 59.2 million Italians residing in Italy.
While in the year of Covid Italy lost almost 384,000 residents in its territory (Istat figure), it gained 166,000 abroad (Aire figure): an increase in presence abroad of 3% in the last year .
This is what emerges from the Report on Italians Abroad by Migrantes.
Departures slowed due to the pandemic and lockdowns, new births from citizens already residing abroad affect the growing figure.