[Society] Demographics

With a population density of 69 inhabitants/km2, slightly more than a third of the national average, Sardinia is the fourth least populated region in Italy. 
The population distribution is anomalous compared to that of other Italian regions lying on the sea and the other mediterranean islands. Infact, contrary to the general trend, urban settlement has not taken place primarily along the coast but towards the centre of the island. Historical reasons for this include repeated Saracen raids during the Middle Ages (making the coast unsafe), widespread pastoral activities inland, and the swampy nature of the coastal plains (reclaimed only in the 20th century). 
The situation has been reversed with the expansion of seaside tourism; today all Sardinia's major urban centres are located near the coasts, while the island's interior is very sparsely populated.

Sardinia is the Italian region with the lowest total fertility rate and the region with the second-lowest birth rate.

Average life expectancy is 81 years (85 for women and 78 for men).

Sardinians share with the inhabitants of Japanese island of Okinawa the highest rate of centenarians in the world (22 centenarians/100,000 inhabitants).


Demographic Indicators

• Total Population: 1,675,411                 
• Birth Rate: 8.3 (per 1,000 inhabitants - 2005)
• Fertility Rate: 1.07 (births per woman - 2005)
• Mortality rate: 8.7 (per 1,000 inhabitants - 2005)
• Infant mortality rate males: 4.6 (per 1,000 births- 2000)
• Infant mortality rate females: 3.0 (per 1,000 births - 2000)
• Marriage rate: 4.0 (per 1,000 inhabitants - 2005)
• Suicide rate:11.4 (per 100,000 inhabitants)
• Literacy rate: 98.2% ; Literacy rate under 65 years old: 99.5%

Historical Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1861	609,000	—
1871	636,000	+4.4%
1881	680,000	+6.9%
1901	796,000	+17.1%
1911	868,000	+9.0%
1921	885,000	+2.0%
1931	984,000	+11.2%
1936	1,034,000	+5.1%
1951	1,276,000	+23.4%
1961	1,419,000	+11.2%
1971	1,474,000	+3.9%
1981	1,594,000	+8.1%
1991	1,648,000	+3.4%
2001	1,632,000	−1.0%
2011	1,675,000	+2.6%
Source: ISTAT 2001

Division by Gender and Age                                       Total Population by Age

              

Population in the Sardinian Provinces (2008)

Province	Code	Population	Surface	Density	Municipalities	Chief Towns
Cagliari	CA	560,244	4,569	122.6	71	Cagliari (157,590)
Carbonia-Iglesias	CI	130,581	1,495	87.3	23	Carbonia (30,086), Iglesias (27,599)
Medio Campidano	VS	103,135	1,516	68.1	28	Villacidro (14,544), Sanluri (8,544)
Nuoro	NU	161,118	3,934	41.0	52	Nuoro (36,469)
Ogliastra	OG	58,152	1,516	31.4	23	Tortolì (10,651), Lanusei (5,711)
Olbia-Tempio	OT	154,706	3,399	45.5	26	Olbia (53,923), Tempio Pausania (14,241)
Oristano	OR	167,689	3,040	55.2	88	Oristano (32,461)
Sassari	SS	336,764	4,282	78.6	66	Sassari (130,701)
Sardegna		1,672,422	24,090	69.4	377	Cagliari

Main cities and towns

Rank	Comune	Province	Population	Density	Family Units
1st	Cagliari	Province of Cagliari	157,780 (370,000 metropolitan area)	1,800/km2 (4,700/sq mi)	71,920
2nd	Sassari	Province of Sassari	130,656 (275,000 metropolitan area)	240/km2 (620/sq mi)	55,325
3rd	Quartu Sant'Elena	Province of Cagliari	71,254	740/km2 (1,900/sq mi)	28,534
4th	Olbia	Province of Olbia-Tempio	56,231	150/km2 (390/sq mi)	25,253
5th	Alghero	Province of Sassari	43,831	200/km2 (510/sq mi)	20,339
6th	Nuoro	Province of Nuoro	36,672	190/km2 (490/sq mi)	14,306
7th	Oristano	Province of Oristano	32,453	380/km2 (990/sq mi)	12,812
8th	Carbonia	Province of Carbonia-Iglesias	30,081	200/km2 (530/sq mi)	11,950
9th	Selargius	Province of Cagliari	29,169	1,089/km2	11,243
10th	Iglesias	Province of Carbonia-Iglesias	27,493	132/km2	11,452

Localization of the main urban centers (over 10,000 inabithants) and the two metropolitan areas
of Cagliari and Sassari.