According to Istat, the national statistics bureau, Italy boasts 16,145 people over 100 years old. Of these centenarians, 13,040 are women and 3,105 are men.
Centenarians are most concentrated in the northwest (4190) with less living on the islands (1533). The center can claim more citizens over 100 (3984) than the south (3087).
Many believe that the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle is to thank for the longevity. The average lifespan for men in 2010 was 79.1 years, while the women averaged 84.3 years.
