Sardinia ranks at the bottom of Europe for birth rates and tertiary education levels. But unemployment and drought also remain alarming issues that cannot be underestimated.
This is what emerges from the latest “Eurostat regional yearbook” report published today by the EU statistical office , which compares the data and statistics (relating to 2024), divided by topic and theme, of all the regions and provinces of the Old Continent's states.
Fertility – The report first highlights how the island continues to struggle with the chronic problem of low birth rates: while the EU average is 1.34 children per woman, Sardinia has one of the lowest rates on the continent, especially in the Cagliari area (0.84 children per woman) and in southern Sardinia in general (0.89 children per woman).
Education – Among the major critical issues highlighted by the Eurostat report is the percentage of young people between 25 and 34 who have achieved the “third” level of education, that is, a degree or a further specialization after high school: on the island they are only 23.8%, against an EU target for 2030 set at 45%.
Employment – Sardinia also ranks below the European average in terms of employment: 62.3% versus the 76.1% average for the rest of the continent. The unemployment rate for the island, however, is 9%, compared to the EU average of 6%. Looking at Italy as a whole, the situations are even more critical in Calabria (only 50.3% employed), Campania (50.8%), and Sicily (51.4%).
Drought – Regarding the environment, the Eurostat report highlights how the water emergency remains one of the major critical issues facing the island: Sardinia is among the 19 regions of Europe where over half of the total land area has been affected by drought.
