LOC22:18
19:18 GMT
ROME, Oct 12 (KUNA) -- The number of foreigners residing in Italy continued
to grow, though less than the rate of two previous years, to account for seven
percent of the country's total population, official statistics showed here
Tuesday.
The number of foreign nationals staying in the country reached 4.235
million at the turn of January 2010 with an increase of 344,000 at a rate of 8.
8 percent of foreigners' total number last year, the National Institute of
Statistics of Italy (ISTAT) said in a special bulletin.
The hike in the number of foreigners in 2009 is less than those registered
in 2007 as it amounted in 2009 to 479,000 by 16.8 percent increase compared to
the previous year, while the hike amounted to 459,000 people at a rate of 13.4
percent in 2008, the official institute also remarked.
ISTAT pointed out that this slowdown is primarily attributed to the
decrease in the arrivals of Romanian citizens who represent the biggest
foreign community in Italy.
In the same vein, the number of foreign children born in Italy hit 77,000
in what makes them account for 13.6 percent of the total birth rate in 2010
with an increase amounting to 6.4 percent compared to the number of foreigners
born in 2008, noting births from foreign spouses as one of the main causes
behind an increase in the number of foreigners, ISTAT said. (end)
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KUNA 122218 Oct 10NNNN