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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

two Italian media giants dominate - the publicly owned Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI) with 3 national terrestrial stations and privately owned Mediaset with 3 national terrestrial stations; a large number of private stations and Sky Italia - a satellite TV network; RAI operates 3 AM/FM nationwide radio stations; some 1,300 commercial radio stations (2007)

Internet country code [time series]

.it

Internet users [time series]

total: 37 million | percent of population: 59.9% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 20.57 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 15

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total: 94.2 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 153 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $990.7 billion | expenditures: $1.055 trillion (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-3% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117

Central bank discount rate [time series]

0.25% (31 December 2013) | 0.75% (31 December 2012) | note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area | country comparison to the world: 149

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

5.1% (31 December 2014 est.) | 5.14% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 153

Current account balance [time series]

$38.94 billion (2014 est.) | $20.88 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17

Debt - external [time series]

$2.604 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) | $2.516 trillion (31 December 2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

31.9 (2012 est.) | 27.3 (1995) | country comparison to the world: 110

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Italy has a diversified economy, which is divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, highly subsidized, agricultural south, where unemployment is higher. 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 132% of GDP in 2014, but investor concerns about Italy and the broader euro-zone crisis eased in 2013, bringing down Italy's borrowing costs on sovereign government debt from euro-era records. The government still faces pressure from investors and European partners to sustain its efforts to address Italy's long-standing structural impediments to growth, such as labor market inefficiencies and tax evasion. In 2014 economic growth and labor market conditions continued to deteriorate, with overall unemployment rising to 12.2% and youth unemployment around 40%. Italy's GDP is now nearly 10% below its 2007 pre-crisis level.

Exchange rates [time series]

euros (EUR) per US dollar - | 0.7489 (2014 est.) | 0.7634 (2013 est.) | 0.78 (2012 est.) | 0.7185 (2011 est.) | 0.755 (2010 est.)

Exports [time series]

$500.3 billion (2014 est.) | $501.7 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 12

Exports - commodities [time series]

engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; foodstuffs, beverages, and tobacco; minerals, nonferrous metals

Exports - partners [time series]

Germany 12.8%, France 10.7%, US 7.2%, UK 5.3%, Switzerland 4.7%, Spain 4.6% (2014)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$2.148 trillion (2014 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$2.128 trillion (2014 est.) | $2.137 trillion (2013 est.) | $2.174 trillion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 13

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]

agriculture: 2.2% | industry: 23.9% | services: 73.9% (2014 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$35,500 (2014 est.) | $35,600 (2013 est.) | $36,300 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 49

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

-0.4% (2014 est.) | -1.7% (2013 est.) | -2.8% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 202

Gross national saving [time series]

18.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | 18.3% of GDP (2013 est.) | 17.4% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.3% | highest 10%: 26.8% (2000)

Imports [time series]

$448.3 billion (2014 est.) | $453.6 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13

Imports - commodities [time series]

engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages, tobacco

Imports - partners [time series]

Germany 16.1%, France 9%, China 7.3%, Netherlands 5.8%, Spain 5%, Belgium 4.5% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

-0.2% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172

Industries [time series]

tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

0.2% (2014 est.) | 1.3% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 32

Labor force [time series]

25.51 million (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 26

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 3.9% | industry: 28.3% | services: 67.8% (2011)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$480.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.) | $431.5 billion (31 December 2011) | $318.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 23

Population below poverty line [time series]

29.9% (2012 est.)

Public debt [time series]

134.1% of GDP (2014 est.) | 132.6% of GDP (2013 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 | country comparison to the world: 5

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$145.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | $145.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17

Stock of broad money [time series]

$2.134 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | $2.284 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$763.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $733.2 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 14

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$552.1 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $538.6 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$3.319 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | $3.613 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$1.185 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.264 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) | note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders | country comparison to the world: 6

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

46.5% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 20

Unemployment rate [time series]

12.8% (2014 est.) | 12.2% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

385.8 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18

Crude oil - exports [time series]

14,640 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57

Crude oil - imports [time series]

1.387 million bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 7

Crude oil - production [time series]

112,800 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

560.5 million bbl (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

Electricity - consumption [time series]

307.2 billion kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13

Electricity - exports [time series]

2.181 billion kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 43

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

66.3% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

12.8% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

20.9% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 10

Electricity - imports [time series]

44.34 billion kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 3

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

124.2 million kW (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 9

Electricity - production [time series]

286.2 billion kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

70.07 billion cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Natural gas - exports [time series]

228 million cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 43

Natural gas - imports [time series]

61.96 billion cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 5

Natural gas - production [time series]

7.735 billion cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

59.43 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 61

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

1.315 million bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

628,000 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

347,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 19

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

1.692 million bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 301,340 sq km | land: 294,140 sq km | water: 7,200 sq km | note: includes Sardinia and Sicily | country comparison to the world: 72

Area - comparative [time series]

almost twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona

Climate [time series]

predominantly Mediterranean; alpine in far north; hot, dry in south

Coastline [time series]

7,600 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m | highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc)

Environment - current issues [time series]

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 environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 45.41 cu km/yr (24%/43%/34%) | per capita: 789.8 cu m/yr (2008)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

42 50 N, 12 50 E

Geography - note [time series]

strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

Irrigated land [time series]

39,510 sq km (2007)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 1,836.4 km | border countries (6): Austria 404 km, France 476 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.4 km, San Marino 37 km, Slovenia 218 km, Switzerland 698 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 47.1% | arable land 22.8%; permanent crops 8.6%; permanent pasture 15.7% | forest: 31.4% | other: 21.5% (2011 est.)

Location [time series]

Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Map references [time series]

Europe

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Natural hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land

Terrain [time series]

mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Total renewable water resources [time series]

191.3 cu km (2011)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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)

Capital [time series]

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

Constitution [time series]

previous 1848 (originally for Kingdom of Sardinia and adopted by Kingdom of Italy in 1861); latest enacted 22 December 1947, adopted 27 December 1947, entered into force 1 January 1948; amended many times, last in 2012 (2013)

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Italian Republic | conventional short form: Italy | local long form: Repubblica Italiana | local short form: Italia | former: Kingdom of Italy

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador John R. PHILLIPS (since 3 October 2013); note - also accredited to San Marino | 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 | consular agency(ies): Anchorage (AL), Charleston (SC), Worcester (MA)

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Claudio BISOGNIERO (since 13 January 2012) | chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 | FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151 | consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco | consulate(s): Charlotte (NC), Cleveland (OH), Detroit (MI), Hattiesburg (MS), Honolulu (HI), New Orleans, Newark (NJ), Norfolk (VA), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Seattle | consular agency(ies): Anchorage (AL), Charleston (SC), Worcester (MA)

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Sergio MATTARELLA (3 February 2015); Giorgio NAPOLITANO resigned 14 January 2015 | head of government: Prime Minister Matteo RENZI (since 22 February 2014); note - the prime minister title is President of the Council of Ministers | cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister and nominated by the president | elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a 7-year term (no term limits); election last held on 31 January 2015 (next scheduled for 2020); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by parliament | election results: Sergio MATTARELLA elected president; electoral college vote count in fourth round - 665 out of 1,009 (505-vote threshold); Matteo RENZI sworn in as prime minister on 22 February 2014

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; design inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797; colors are those of Milan (red and white) combined with the green uniform color of the Milanese civic guard | note: similar to the flag of Mexico, which is longer, uses darker shades of red and green, and has its coat of arms centered on the white band; Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)

International law organization participation [time series]

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation [time series]

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), 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-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, 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, MINUSMA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch [time series]

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Cassation consists of the first president (chief justice), deputy president, 54 justices presiding over 6 civil and 7 criminal divisions, and 288 judges; an additional 30 judges of lower courts serve as supporting judges; cases normally heard by 5-judge panels; more complex cases heard by 9-judge panels | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the Superior Council of the Judiciary, headed by the president of the republic, to serve NA terms; Constitutional Court judges - 5 appointed by the president, 5 elected by parliament, 5 elected by select higher courts; judges serve up to 9 years) | subordinate courts: various lower civil and criminal courts (primary and secondary tribunals, courts, and courts of appeal)

Legal system [time series]

civil law system; judicial review of legislation under certain conditions in Constitutional Court

Legislative branch [time series]

description: bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (322 seats; 315 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 7 ex-officio members appointed by the president of the Republic to serve for life) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 629 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 1 member from Valle d'Aosta elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms) | 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 - center-left coalition [Pier Luigi BERSANI] 123 (PD 111, SEL 7, SVP 2, other 3), center-right coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] 117 (PdL 98, LN 18, other 1), M5S 54, centrist coalition [Mario MONTI] 19, other 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - center-left coalition [Pier Luigi BERSANI] 345 (PD 297, SEL 37, CD 6 SVP 5), center-right coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] 125 (PdL 98, LN 18, FdI 9), M5S 109, centrist coalition [Mario MONTI] 47, other 4; note - President NAPOLITANO dissolved Parliament on 22 December 2012

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Il Canto degli Italiani" (The Song of the Italians) | lyrics/music: Goffredo MAMELI/Michele NOVARO | note: adopted 1946; the anthem, originally written in 1847, is also known as "L'Inno di Mameli" (Mameli's Hymn), and "Fratelli D'Italia" (Brothers of Italy)

National holiday [time series]

Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

National symbol(s) [time series]

white, five-pointed star (Stella d'Italia); national colors: red, white, green

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Brothers of Italy or FdI [Giorgia MELONI, Ignazio LA RUSSA, and Guido CROSETTO] | Forza Italia [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly PdL) | The New Center-Right or NCD [Angelino ALFANO] | Northern League or LN [Roberto MARONI] | The Right or LD [Francesco STORACE] | other minor parties | Democratic Centre or CD [Bruno TABACCI and Massimo DONADI] | Democratic Party or PD [Matteo RENZI] | Italian Socialist Party or PSI [Riccardo NENCINI] | Left Ecology Freedom or SEL [Nichi VENDOLA] | South Tyrolean People's Party or SVP [Arno KOMPATSCHER] | Civic Choice or SC [Alberto BOMBASSEI] | Future and Freedom for Italy or FLI [vacant] | Union of the Center or UdC [Pier Ferdinando CASINI] | Act to Stop the Decline or FiD [Michele BOLDRIN] | Civil Revolution or RC [Antonio INGROIA] | Five Star Movment or M5S [Beppe GRILLO]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

manufacturers and merchants associations: Confcommercio | Confindustria | organized farm groups: Confcoltivatori | Confagricoltura | major trade union confederations: Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL [Susanna CAMUSSO] (left wing) | Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Raffaele BONANNI] (Roman Catholic centrist) | Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi ANGELETTI] (lay centrist) | other: Roman Catholic Church

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25

Introduction

Background [time series]

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.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 13,865,688 | females age 16-49: 14,003,755 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 11,247,446 | females age 16-49: 11,348,695 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 288,188 | female: 281,671 (2010 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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 expenditures [time series]

1.69% of GDP (2012) | 1.72% of GDP (2011) | 1.69% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 52

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in any military branch; Italian citizenship required; 1-year service obligation (2013)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 13.73% (male 4,340,380/female 4,154,737) | 15-24 years: 9.79% (male 3,035,586/female 3,020,584) | 25-54 years: 42.74% (male 13,063,733/female 13,375,975) | 55-64 years: 12.54% (male 3,756,546/female 3,997,190) | 65 years and over: 21.2% (male 5,626,752/female 7,483,637) (2015 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

8.74 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 213

Death rate [time series]

10.19 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 40

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 56.5% | youth dependency ratio: 21.5% | elderly dependency ratio: 35.1% | potential support ratio: 2.9% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

4.3% of GDP (2011) | country comparison to the world: 93

Ethnic groups [time series]

Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.28% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

122,000 (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

9.1% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 33

Hospital bed density [time series]

3.4 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 3.49 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 3.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 212

Languages [time series]

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)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 82.12 years | male: 79.48 years | female: 84.92 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 14

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 99.2% | male: 99.4% | female: 99% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

ROME (capital) 3.718 million; Milan 3.099 million; Naples 2.202 million; Turin 1.765 million; Palermo 853,000; Bergamo 840,000 (2015)

Median age [time series]

total: 44.8 years | male: 43.7 years | female: 45.9 years (2015 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Italian(s) | adjective: Italian

Net migration rate [time series]

4.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 30

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

23.7% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 97

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

3.76 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

Population [time series]

61,855,120 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 24

Population growth rate [time series]

0.27% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 177

Religions [time series]

Christian 80% (overwhelmingly Roman Catholic with very small groups of Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestants), Muslim (about 800,000 to 1 million), Atheist and Agnostic 20%

Sanitation facility access [time series]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 16 years | male: 16 years | female: 17 years (2012)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.43 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 208

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 35.3% | male: 33.7% | female: 37.5% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 69% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 0.39% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and northern Africa

Illicit drugs [time series]

important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money laundering by organized crime and from smuggling

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 13,357 (Eritrea); 12,213 (Somalia); 8,991 (Afghanistan); 6,293 (Nigeria); 5,764 (Pakistan); 5,552 (Mali) (2014) | stateless persons: 813 (2014)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

129 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 45

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 98 | 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: 11 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 31 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 10 | 20 (2013)

Heliports [time series]

5 (2013)

Merchant marine [time series]

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) | country comparison to the world: 17

Pipelines [time series]

gas 20,223 km; oil 1,393 km; refined products 1,574 km (2013)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Augusta, Cagliari, Genoa, Livorno, Taranto, Trieste, Venice | oil terminals: Melilli (Santa Panagia) oil terminal, Sarroch oil terminal | container port(s) (TEUs): Genoa (1,847,648), Gioia Tauro (2,264,798), La Spezia (1,307,274) | LNG terminal(s) (import): La Spezia, Panigaglia, Porto Levante

Railways [time series]

total: 20,181.7 km | standard gauge: 18,770.1 km 1.435-m gauge (12,893.6 km electrified) | narrow gauge: 122.3 km 1.000-m gauge (122.3 km electrified); 1,289.3 km 0.950-m gauge (151.3 km electrified) (2014) | country comparison to the world: 13

Roadways [time series]

total: 487,700 km | paved: 487,700 km (includes 6,700 km of expressways) (2007) | country comparison to the world: 15

Waterways [time series]

2,400 km (used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail) (2012) | country comparison to the world: 36