Molise is the region of Italy with the largest number of emigrants in relation to the resident population.

The data contained in the ‘Italians in the World Report of 2019’, edited by Fondazione Migrantes, are irrefutable: a substantial part of the Molise population – a third – is resident abroad.
In absolute terms, 89,192 people from Molise are registered in the Registry of Italians Abroad (AIRE) on a total of 305,617 resident people (as of January 1, 2019), equal to 29.2%.
Note that the national average is 8.8%. To be exact, out of a total of over 60 million citizens residing in Italy in January 2019, more than 5 million people are resident abroad. Almost half of them come from Southern Italy and are mainly young people, with a high level of education.

Where do people from Molise live abroad? A large part in Argentina (25.4% equal to 22,618 people). Canada ranks second (13.2%, 11,811 people) and Germany third (with 9.9% equal to 8,867 people).

Brunella Muttillo

From the ‘Italians in the World Report of 2019’, edited by Fondazione Migrantes. The data are updated to January 1, 2019.
*AIRE: Registry of Italians Abroad