Italy Population: 61,482,297
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| Background | |
| Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy is a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include sluggish economic growth, high youth and female unemployment, organized crime, corruption, and economic disparities between southern Italy and the more prosperous north. |
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| Geography | |
| Strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe | |
| Location: | Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia |
| Geographic coordinates: | 42 50 N, 12 50 E |
| Area: | total: 301,340 sq km land: 294,140 sq km water: 7,200 sq km note: includes Sardinia and Sicily Size comparison: slightly larger than Arizona |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 1,899.2 km border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 199 km, Switzerland 740 km |
| Coastline: | 7,600 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
| Climate: | predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south |
| Terrain: | mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc) |
| Natural resources: | coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land |
| Land use: | arable land: 26.41% permanent crops: 9.09% other: 64.5% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 39,500 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Etna (elev. 3,330 m), which is in eruption as of 2010, is Europe's most active volcano; flank eruptions pose a threat to nearby Sicilian villages; Etna, along with the famous Vesuvius, which remains a threat to the millions of nearby residents in the Bay of Naples area, have both been deemed "Decade Volcanoes" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Stromboli, on its namesake island, has also been continuously active with moderate volcanic activity; other historically active volcanoes include Campi Flegrei, Ischia, Larderello, Pantelleria, Vulcano, and Vulsini |
| Current Environment Issues: | air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities |
| International Environment Agreements: | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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| People | |
| Population: | 61,482,297 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 13.8% (male 4,335,746/female 4,148,249) 15-24 years: 9.9% (male 3,059,140/female 3,035,991) 25-54 years: 43.2% (male 13,133,733/female 13,416,626) 55-64 years: 12.3% (male 3,675,324/female 3,913,918) 65 years and over: 20.8% (male 5,454,283/female 7,309,287) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 43.8 years male: 42.7 years female: 45 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.38% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 9.06 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 9.93 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 4.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 3.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.56 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 81.86 years male: 79.24 years female: 84.63 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.41 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.3% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 140,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Italian(s) adjective: Italian |
| Ethnic groups: | Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south) |
| Religions: | Christian 80% (overwhelming Roman Catholic with very small groups of Jehova Witnesses and Protestants), Muslims NEGL (about 700,000 but growing), Atheists and Agnostics 20% |
| Languages: | Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.4% male: 98.8% female: 98% (2001 census) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Italian Republic conventional short form: Italy local long form: Repubblica Italiana local short form: Italia former: Kingdom of Italy |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | name: Rome geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 29 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
| Administrative divisions: | 15 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 5 autonomous regions (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma) regions: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte (Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Toscana (Tuscany), Umbria, Veneto (Venetia) autonomous regions: Friuli-Venezia Giulia; Sardegna (Sardinia); Sicilia (Sicily); Trentino-Alto Adige (Trentino-South Tyrol) or Trentino-Suedtirol (German); Valle d'Aosta (Aosta Valley) or Vallee d'Aoste (French) |
| Independence: | 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870) |
| National holiday: | Republic Day, 2 June (1946) |
| Constitution: | passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended many times |
| Legal system: | civil law system; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25) |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Giorgio NAPOLITANO (since 15 May 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Mario MONTI (since 16 November 2011); note - in Italy the prime minister is referred to as the President of the Council of Ministers; Mario MONTI resigned on 21 December 2012, but remains as caretaker Prime Minister until a new government is formed; the February 24-25 elections proved to be a political stalemate which will be settled by formal talks to form a new government to start on 10 March 2013 cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the Prime Minister and nominated by the President of the Republic (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of parliament and 58 regional representatives for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held on 10 May 2006 (next to be held in February 24-25, 2013); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by parliament; note - elections were held in February, but resulted in a political stalemate to be determined by formal talks beginning in March election results: Giorgio NAPOLITANO elected president on the fourth round of voting; electoral college vote - 543 |
| Legislative branch: | bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats; members elected by proportional vote with the winning coalition in each region receiving 55% of seats from that region; members to serve five-year terms; and up to 5 senators for life appointed by the president of the Republic) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; members elected by popular vote with the winning national coalition receiving 54% of chamber seats; members to serve five-year terms); note - it has not been clarified if each president has the power to designate up to five senators or if five is the number of senators for life who might sit in the Senate elections: Senate - last held on 24-25 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 24-25 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - P.L. BERSANI coalition 123 (PD 111, SEL 7, SVP 2, other 3), S. BERLUSCONI coalition 117 (PdL 98, LN 18, other 1), M5S 54, M.MONTI coalition 19, other 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - P. L. BERSANI coalition 345 (PD 297, SEL 37, CD 6 SVP 5), S. BERLUSCONI coalition 125 (PdL 98, LN 18, FdI 9), M5S 109, M. MONTI coalition 47, other 4; note - President NAPOLITANO dissolved Parliament on 22 December 2012 |
| Judicial branch: | Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15 judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative Supreme Courts); Supreme Court of Cassation or Corte Suprema di Cassazione |
| Political parties and leaders: | Center-right coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI]: People of Freedom or PdL [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Northern League or LN [Roberto MARONI]; Brothers of Italy or Fdl [Giorgia MELONI and Ignazio LA RUSSA]; The Right or LD [Francesco STORACE]; other minor parties Italy Common Good (Center-Left) [Pier Luigi BERSANI]: Democratic Party or PD [Pier Luigi BERSANI]; Left Ecology Freedom or SEL [Nichi VENDOLA]; Italian Socialist Party or PSI [Riccardo NENCINI]; Democratic Centre or CD [Bruno TABACCI and Massimo DONADI] With Monti for Italy (Centrist): Civic Choice or SC [Mario MONTI]; Union of the Center or UdC [Pier Ferdinando CASINI]; Future and Freedom for Italy or FLI [Gianfranco FINI] other coalitions and parties: Civil Revolution or RC [Antonio INGROIA]; Act to Stop the Decline or FiD [Oscar GIANNINO]; Five Star Movment or M5S [Beppe GRILLO] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | manufacturers and merchants associations - Confcommercio; Confindustria; organized farm groups - Confcoltivatori; Confagricoltura; Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations - Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL [Susanna CAMUSSO] which is left wing; Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Raffaele BONANNI], which is Roman Catholic centrist; Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist |
| International organization participation: | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Claudio BISOGNIERO chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 FAX: [1] (202) 518-2154 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco consulate(s): Detroit, Newark (NJ), San Francisco |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador David THORNE embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187-Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 46741 FAX: [39] (06) 4674-2244 consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples |
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| Economy | |
| Italy has a diversified industrial economy, which is divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, highly subsidized, agricultural south, where unemployment is high. The Italian economy is driven in large part by the manufacture of high-quality consumer goods produced by small and medium-sized enterprises, many of them family-owned. Italy also has a sizable underground economy, which by some estimates accounts for as much as 17% of GDP. These activities are most common within the agriculture, construction, and service sectors. Italy is the third-largest economy in the euro-zone, but its exceptionally high public debt and structural impediments to growth have rendered it vulnerable to scrutiny by financial markets. Public debt has increased steadily since 2007, topping 126% of GDP in 2012, and investor concerns about the broader euro-zone crisis at times have caused borrowing costs on sovereign government debt to rise to euro-era records. During the second half of 2011 the government passed three austerity packages to reduce its budget deficit and help bring down borrowing costs. These measures included a hike in the value-added tax, pension reforms, and cuts to public administration. The government also faces pressure from investors and European partners to sustain its recent efforts to address Italy's long-standing structural impediments to growth, such as labor market inefficiencies and widespread tax evasion. In 2012 economic growth and labor market conditions deteriorated, with growth at -2.3% and unemployment rising to nearly 11%, with youth unemployment around 35%. The government has undertaken several reform iniatiatives designed to increase long-term economic growth. Italy's GDP is now 7% below its 2007 pre-crisis level. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.834 trillion (2012 est.) $1.877 trillion (2011 est.) $1.869 trillion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $1.98 trillion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | -2.3% (2012 est.) 0.4% (2011 est.) 1.8% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $30,100 (2012 est.) $31,000 (2011 est.) $31,000 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 2% industry: 23.9% services: 74.1% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 25.28 million (2012 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 3.9% industry: 28.3% services: 67.8% (2011) |
| Unemployment rate: | 10.9% (2012 est.) 8.4% (2011 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 19.6% (2011) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 26.8% (2000) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 31.9 (2011) 27.3 (1995) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2012 est.) 2.9% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 18.2% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $956.6 billion expenditures: $1.014 trillion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 126.1% of GDP (2012 est.) 120.1% of GDP (2011 est.) note: Italy reports its data on public debt according to guidelines set out in the Maastricht Treaty; general government gross debt is defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year, in the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); the general government sector comprises the central government, state government, local government and social security funds |
| Agriculture - products: | fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish |
| Industries: | tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 0.2% (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 302.6 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 313.8 billion kWh (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 1.787 billion kWh (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 47.52 billion kWh (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 8.364 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 77.83 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 123 million cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 70.37 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 66 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$30.3 billion (2012 est.) -$71.87 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $483.3 billion (2012 est.) $524.9 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals, and nonferrous metals |
| Exports - partners: | Germany 13.3%, France 11.8%, US 5.9%, Spain 5.4%, Switzerland 5.4%, UK 4.7% (2011) |
| Imports: | $469.7 billion (2012 est.) $549.6 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages, and tobacco |
| Imports - partners: | Germany 16.5%, France 8.8%, China 7.7%, Netherlands 5.5%, Spain 4.7% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $173.3 billion (31 December 2011 est.) $158.9 billion (2010 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $2.46 trillion (30 June 2012 est.) $2.684 trillion (30 June 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $369.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $338.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $537 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $492.2 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $431.5 billion (31 December 2011) $318.1 billion (31 December 2010) $317.3 billion (31 December 2009) |
| Exchange rates: | euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7838 (2012 est.) 0.7185 (2011 est.) 0.755 (2010 est.) 0.7198 (2009 est.) 0.6827 (2008 est.) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 22.116 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 13 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 96.005 million (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: modern, well-developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks international: country code - 39; a series of submarine cables provide links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .it |
| Internet hosts: | 25.662 million (2012) |
| Internet users: | 29.235 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 130 (2012) country comparison to the world: 44 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 99 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 12 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 19 (2012) |
| Heliports: | 5 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | gas 18,348 km; oil 1,241 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 20,255 km standard gauge: 18,611 km 1.435-m gauge (12,662 km electrified) narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (123 km electrified); 1,290 km 0.950-m gauge (151 km electrified); 231 km 0.850-m gauge (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 487,700 km paved: 487,700 km (includes 6,700 km of expressways) (2007) |
| Waterways: | 2,400 km (used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail) (2012) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 681 by type: bulk carrier 105, cargo 42, carrier 1, chemical tanker 164, container 21, liquefied gas 28, passenger 25, passenger/cargo 154, petroleum tanker 59, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 39, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 30 foreign-owned: 90 (Denmark 4, France 2, Greece 7, Luxembourg 14, Netherlands 2, Nigeria 1, Norway 6, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 13, Taiwan 10, Turkey 4, UK 2, US 23) registered in other countries: 201 (Bahamas 1, Belize 3, Cayman Islands 7, Cyprus 6, Georgia 2, Gibraltar 4, Greece 5, Liberia 47, Malta 45, Marshall Islands 1, Morocco 1, Netherlands 6, Panama 25, Portugal 12, Russia 14, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Singapore 5, Slovakia 2, Spain 1, Sweden 5, Turkey 1, UK 3, unknown 1) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Augusta, Cagliari, Genoa, Livorno, Taranto, Trieste, Venice oil terminals: Melilli (Santa Panagia) oil terminal, Sarroch oil terminal |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Italian Armed Forces: Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI), Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri, CC) (2011) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18-27 year of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2005; women may serve in any military branch; 10-month service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 45 (Army and Air Force) or 39 (Navy) (2006) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 13,865,688 females age 16-49: 14,003,755 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 11,247,446 females age 16-49: 11,348,695 (2010 est.) |
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