italian sources claim that about 350,000 ethnic italians had to leave the areas after the conflict. official data shows that between 1948 and 1961 (the "exodus" started in 1943 in dalmatia and in 1945 in the rest of the territory) the numbers of ethnic italians living in slovenia - almost exclusively in slovenian istria and along the italian border - actually decreased by nearly -87% (from 25,451 to 3,072). the data for the former yugoslavia shows a decrease in the same years from 113,278 to 25,615. according to slovenian historian matjaž klemenčič, "in 1953 only 36,000" (italians) "lived in the region of former yugoslavia, i.e. 16% of the italian population before world war ii. italians also emigrated in later decades (most of them to the australia, canada, south america or the usa). therefore their population declined in each subsequent census until 1981. we have to emphasize that the data of the yugoslav census are unrealiable in relation to the real number if italians, since many members of the italian minority, for various reasons, chose 'nationality undeclared' or their regional identity (most as 'istrians'). in the 1991 census there was a relatively large increase of italians," (19,213 in the regions of autochthonous settlements of italians in croatia) "compared to 1981 census" (15,132). "many italians who in previous census did not declare as such, declared themselves 'italians' in 1991 because they counted on the help of italy in forthcoming crises in the region".