The Impact of Sub-national Demographic Transitions on Demographic Dividends in Italy

This long-term historical analysis shows a different interpretation of the implica-tions that the demographic dividend might entail for a country, such as Italy, that completed its demographic transition at the beginning of 1970s. The analysis fol-lows a dual approach. First, it examines the evolutionary features found at na-tional level through the explanatory variable of urbanisation. The transitional pathways observed in the four Italian territorial divisions (North-west, North-east, Centre, South and Islands) lead an interpretation according to the different eco-nomic developments that have always characterised the different regions of the country. Through the examination for urbanisation and some of the great chang-es that took place during the 19th and 20th centuries, which led to the end of peas-ant societies and to the start of a progressive industrialisation, it can be seen how demographic transition has played an important role in each of these epochal changes.