Quick facts
Palermo overview
Palermo (orange) and the other large cities of Italy
Palermo lies in Sicily in Italy at 38.12°N, 13.36°E, about 14 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/Rome (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Turin (847,287) and larger than Genoa (580,097). The largest city in Italy is Rome with 2,318,895 people; the capital, Rome, has 2,318,895.
The national capital, Rome, is about 426 km away; the nearest large city is Catania, 165 km from Palermo.
Italy as a whole has a live population of 58,858,426 (-0.4% a year) and ranks #25 of 238 countries — see the Italy population page for the full statistics and the Italy atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Palermo
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Catania Sicily | 165 km | 311,584 |
| Messina Sicily | 192 km | 219,948 |
Largest cities in Italy
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Palermo?
Palermo has about 648,260 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Palermo the capital of Italy?
No. The capital of Italy is Rome (2,318,895 people), about 426 km away. Palermo is the 5th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Palermo compared with the rest of Italy?
Its 648,260 residents are 1.1% of the 58,858,426 people living in Italy today. Rome is larger with 2,318,895 people.
Where is Palermo?
In Sicily, Italy, at latitude 38.12 and longitude 13.36, 14 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Catania (165 km), Messina (192 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Palermo Population 2026 — Italy. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/italy/palermo/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/italy/palermo/">Palermo Population 2026 — Italy</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.