Italian population ages further, record drop in births

(ANSA) - Rome, February 8 - The Italian population aged further in 2017, when there was a new record low in the number of births, ISTAT said on Thursday. The national statistics agency said around 464,000 babies were born in Italy last year, down 2% on 2016.
    It said around 647,000 people passed away, an increase of 31,000 (5.1%) on 2016, for a drop in the 'natural population' - excluding new migrants - of 183,000. It said the overall population of Italy fell by around 100,000 last year to 60.494 million.