5 ▁years ▁old . ▁However , ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁massive ▁imm igration ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁two ▁dec ades , ▁Italy ▁has , ▁in ▁recent ▁years , ▁experienced ▁a ▁significant ▁growth ▁in ▁birth ▁rates . ▁The ▁total ▁fert ility ▁rate ▁has ▁also ▁clim bed ▁from ▁an ▁all - time ▁low ▁of ▁ 1 . 1 8 ▁children ▁per ▁woman ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁to ▁ 1 . 4 1 ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁Since ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁Later an ▁Tre aty ▁agreement , ▁Italy ▁has ▁no ▁official ▁religion . ▁However , ▁it ▁recogn izes ▁the ▁role ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁plays ▁in ▁Italian ▁society . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁ 7 8 % ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁identified ▁as ▁Catholic , ▁ 1 5 % ▁as ▁non - bel ie vers ▁or ▁at he ists , ▁ 2 % ▁as ▁other ▁Christians ▁and ▁ 6 % ▁ad her ed ▁to ▁other ▁relig ions . ▁ ▁Urban ization ▁▁ 7 0 . 4 % ▁of ▁Italian ▁population ▁is ▁class ified ▁as ▁urban , ▁a ▁relatively ▁low ▁figure ▁among ▁developed ▁countries . ▁During ▁the ▁last ▁two ▁dec ades , ▁Italy ▁under w ent ▁a ▁de volution ▁process , ▁that ▁eventually ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁administrative ▁metropol itan ▁areas , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁give ▁major ▁cities ▁and ▁their ▁metropol itan ▁areas ▁a ▁provincial ▁status ▁( some how ▁similar ▁to ▁P RC ' s ▁direct - control led ▁municipality ). ▁▁ ▁According ▁to ▁O E