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Largest cities in Italy, 1975 to 2050

Naples leads Italy with 2.77 million people in 2025, ahead of Milan at 2.60 million in the UN city ranking.

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What the data shows

  • In 2025, Naples ranks #1 with 2.77M, ahead of Milan (2.60M) and Rome (2.38M).
  • By 2050, on the UN's projections, Milan is projected to rank #1 with 2.45M, ahead of Naples (2.40M) and Rome (2.27M).
  • Naples holds #1 for the whole period, 1975 to 2025.

About this chart

Naples and Milan head the 2025 ranking for Italy, at 2.77 million and 2.60 million people. Naples also appears first in 1975, at 2.59 million, so the top position is unchanged between those two endpoints. Rome occupies third place in 2025 at 2.38 million. These are populations of urban areas defined consistently by the UN, rather than administrative city limits.

The UN projects Milan to lead in 2050 at 2.45 million people. The figures after 2025 are projections. The Degree of Urbanization identifies contiguous dense settlements, so these totals can differ from municipal and metropolitan statistics. The historical ranking is useful for comparing positions; changing settlement boundaries mean it should not be treated as a measure of growth within fixed city limits.

The data

Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population.

Largest cities in Italy, Population in millions, 1975–2050; projected after 2025, 1975–2050
Date🇮🇹 Naples🇮🇹 Milan🇮🇹 Rome🇮🇹 Turin🇮🇹 Genoa🇮🇹 Palermo🇮🇹 Bologna🇮🇹 Catania🇮🇹 Florence🇮🇹 Cagliari🇮🇹 Bergamo
19752.59M2.54M1.94M1.28M0.74M0.67M0.45M0.43M0.43M0.24M0.15M
19762.62M2.55M1.95M1.28M0.74M0.68M0.45M0.44M0.43M0.24M0.16M
19772.64M2.56M1.97M1.28M0.73M0.68M0.45M0.44M0.43M0.25M0.16M
19782.67M2.57M1.98M1.29M0.73M0.69M0.45M0.45M0.44M0.25M0.17M
19792.69M2.58M1.99M1.29M0.73M0.69M0.45M0.45M0.44M0.25M0.17M
19802.72M2.59M2.01M1.29M0.72M0.70M0.45M0.46M0.44M0.26M0.18M
19812.73M2.59M2.03M1.29M0.72M0.70M0.45M0.46M0.44M0.26M0.18M
19822.74M2.59M2.06M1.28M0.71M0.71M0.45M0.46M0.44M0.26M0.19M
19832.75M2.58M2.09M1.28M0.70M0.71M0.45M0.46M0.43M0.26M0.19M
19842.76M2.58M2.11M1.27M0.70M0.71M0.44M0.46M0.43M0.26M0.20M
19852.77M2.58M2.14M1.27M0.69M0.72M0.44M0.46M0.43M0.27M0.20M
19862.77M2.58M2.16M1.26M0.69M0.72M0.44M0.46M0.43M0.27M0.21M
19872.78M2.57M2.18M1.25M0.68M0.72M0.44M0.46M0.43M0.27M0.21M
19882.78M2.56M2.20M1.23M0.67M0.72M0.44M0.46M0.43M0.27M0.21M
19892.79M2.55M2.22M1.22M0.66M0.72M0.44M0.46M0.42M0.27M0.21M
19902.79M2.55M2.25M1.21M0.66M0.72M0.43M0.47M0.42M0.27M0.21M
19912.80M2.54M2.25M1.20M0.65M0.72M0.43M0.47M0.42M0.27M0.21M
19922.81M2.54M2.26M1.20M0.65M0.73M0.43M0.47M0.41M0.28M0.21M
19932.82M2.53M2.26M1.19M0.64M0.73M0.43M0.47M0.41M0.28M0.22M
19942.83M2.53M2.26M1.18M0.64M0.73M0.43M0.47M0.40M0.28M0.22M
19952.84M2.52M2.27M1.18M0.63M0.73M0.42M0.47M0.40M0.28M0.22M
19962.84M2.52M2.26M1.17M0.62M0.73M0.42M0.47M0.40M0.28M0.22M
19972.84M2.51M2.25M1.16M0.62M0.73M0.42M0.47M0.39M0.28M0.22M
19982.84M2.51M2.24M1.16M0.61M0.73M0.42M0.47M0.39M0.28M0.22M
19992.84M2.50M2.22M1.15M0.60M0.73M0.41M0.47M0.39M0.28M0.22M
20002.84M2.49M2.21M1.14M0.60M0.72M0.41M0.47M0.38M0.27M0.23M
20012.84M2.50M2.22M1.14M0.59M0.72M0.41M0.46M0.39M0.27M0.24M
20022.84M2.50M2.22M1.14M0.59M0.72M0.41M0.46M0.40M0.27M0.25M
20032.84M2.50M2.22M1.14M0.58M0.72M0.41M0.46M0.41M0.27M0.26M
20042.84M2.50M2.22M1.14M0.58M0.72M0.41M0.46M0.41M0.27M0.27M
20052.84M2.50M2.22M1.13M0.57M0.72M0.41M0.46M0.42M0.27M0.28M
20062.84M2.51M2.23M1.14M0.57M0.71M0.41M0.46M0.42M0.27M0.29M
20072.84M2.51M2.24M1.14M0.57M0.71M0.42M0.46M0.42M0.27M0.29M
20082.84M2.52M2.24M1.14M0.56M0.71M0.42M0.46M0.42M0.27M0.30M
20092.84M2.52M2.25M1.14M0.56M0.71M0.42M0.46M0.42M0.27M0.30M
20102.84M2.52M2.25M1.14M0.56M0.71M0.43M0.47M0.42M0.27M0.30M
20112.84M2.53M2.26M1.14M0.56M0.71M0.43M0.47M0.42M0.27M0.31M
20122.84M2.54M2.27M1.15M0.56M0.71M0.43M0.47M0.43M0.26M0.32M
20132.84M2.54M2.28M1.15M0.55M0.70M0.43M0.46M0.43M0.26M0.32M
20142.84M2.55M2.29M1.15M0.55M0.70M0.43M0.46M0.43M0.26M0.33M
20152.84M2.55M2.30M1.15M0.55M0.70M0.43M0.46M0.43M0.26M0.34M
20162.83M2.56M2.31M1.15M0.55M0.70M0.44M0.47M0.43M0.26M0.35M
20172.83M2.57M2.33M1.16M0.54M0.69M0.44M0.47M0.43M0.26M0.36M
20182.83M2.58M2.34M1.16M0.54M0.69M0.44M0.47M0.43M0.26M0.37M
20192.82M2.59M2.36M1.16M0.54M0.68M0.44M0.47M0.43M0.26M0.39M
20202.82M2.60M2.37M1.16M0.54M0.68M0.44M0.47M0.43M0.26M0.40M
20212.81M2.60M2.37M1.16M0.54M0.68M0.44M0.47M0.43M0.26M0.40M
20222.80M2.60M2.37M1.16M0.54M0.68M0.44M0.46M0.43M0.26M0.40M
20232.79M2.60M2.38M1.16M0.53M0.67M0.44M0.46M0.43M0.26M0.40M
20242.78M2.60M2.38M1.15M0.53M0.67M0.44M0.46M0.43M0.26M0.40M
20252.77M2.60M2.38M1.15M0.53M0.67M0.44M0.45M0.43M0.25M0.40M
20262.75M2.60M2.37M1.15M0.53M0.66M0.44M0.45M0.43M0.25M0.40M
20272.74M2.59M2.37M1.14M0.53M0.66M0.44M0.45M0.43M0.25M0.40M
20282.73M2.59M2.37M1.14M0.53M0.66M0.44M0.45M0.43M0.25M0.40M
20292.72M2.58M2.36M1.13M0.53M0.65M0.44M0.44M0.43M0.25M0.40M
20302.70M2.58M2.36M1.13M0.52M0.65M0.44M0.44M0.43M0.25M0.40M
20312.69M2.58M2.36M1.13M0.52M0.64M0.44M0.44M0.43M0.25M0.39M
20322.68M2.57M2.35M1.12M0.52M0.64M0.44M0.44M0.43M0.25M0.39M
20332.67M2.57M2.35M1.12M0.52M0.64M0.44M0.43M0.43M0.25M0.39M
20342.66M2.56M2.35M1.11M0.52M0.63M0.44M0.43M0.42M0.24M0.39M
20352.64M2.56M2.34M1.11M0.51M0.63M0.44M0.43M0.42M0.24M0.39M
20362.63M2.55M2.34M1.11M0.51M0.63M0.44M0.43M0.42M0.24M0.39M
20372.61M2.55M2.34M1.10M0.51M0.62M0.44M0.42M0.42M0.24M0.39M
20382.60M2.54M2.33M1.10M0.51M0.62M0.43M0.42M0.42M0.24M0.39M
20392.58M2.54M2.33M1.09M0.51M0.62M0.43M0.42M0.42M0.24M0.39M
20402.57M2.53M2.32M1.09M0.51M0.61M0.43M0.42M0.42M0.24M0.39M
20412.55M2.52M2.32M1.09M0.50M0.61M0.43M0.41M0.42M0.24M0.39M
20422.53M2.52M2.32M1.08M0.50M0.61M0.43M0.41M0.42M0.24M0.39M
20432.52M2.51M2.31M1.08M0.50M0.60M0.43M0.41M0.42M0.23M0.38M
20442.50M2.50M2.31M1.07M0.50M0.60M0.43M0.41M0.42M0.23M0.38M
20452.48M2.49M2.30M1.07M0.50M0.59M0.42M0.40M0.41M0.23M0.38M
20462.47M2.49M2.30M1.06M0.49M0.59M0.42M0.40M0.41M0.23M0.38M
20472.45M2.48M2.29M1.06M0.49M0.59M0.42M0.40M0.41M0.23M0.38M
20482.43M2.47M2.28M1.05M0.49M0.58M0.42M0.39M0.41M0.23M0.38M
20492.42M2.46M2.28M1.04M0.49M0.58M0.42M0.39M0.41M0.23M0.38M
20502.40M2.45M2.27M1.04M0.48M0.57M0.42M0.39M0.41M0.23M0.38M

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Italy?

Naples is the largest city in Italy in the UN 2025 series, with about 2.77 million people. Milan follows at 2.60 million. These figures use the UN Degree of Urbanization definition, not municipal boundaries.

Which city is projected to be largest in Italy in 2050?

The UN projects Milan to rank first in 2050, with about 2.45 million people. This is a projection, not an observed population count.

Was Naples also the largest city in 1975?

The 1975 ranking was led by Naples, with 2.59 million people. The table preserves every city that reached the top ten in any year shown, including cities outside the top ten today.

Where does this data come from?

UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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