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Communications

Broadband - fixed subscriptions [time series]

total: 16,586,376 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2017 est.)

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; about 1,300 commercial radio stations

Internet country code [time series]

.it

Internet users [time series]

total: 38,025,661 | percent of population: 61.3% (July 2016 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: modern, well-developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services; highest mobile penetration rates in Europe; leading edge of development with 5G; Rome, Turin and Naples have 5G commercially for users (2018) | domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks; 33 per 100 for fixed-line and 135 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2018) | international: country code - 39; landing points for Italy-Monaco, Italy-Libya, Italy-Malta, Italy-Greece-1, Italy-Croatia, BlueMed, Janna, FEA, SeaMeWe-3 & 4 & 5, Trapani-Kelibia, Columbus-III, Didon, GO-1, HANNIBAL System, MENA, Bridge International, Malta-Italy Interconnector, Melita1, IMEWE, VMSCS, AAE-1, and OTEGLOBE, submarine cables provide links to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia and US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 20,700,659 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2017 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total subscriptions: 83,871,543 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135 (2017 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: 903.3 billion (2017 est.) | expenditures: 948.1 billion (2017 est.)

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

-2.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

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

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

3% (31 December 2017 est.) | 3.5% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current account balance [time series]

$53.42 billion (2017 est.) | $47.64 billion (2016 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$2.444 trillion (31 March 2016 est.) | $2.3 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)

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

31.9 (2012 est.) | 27.3 (1995)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Italy’s economy comprises a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, highly subsidized, agricultural south, with a legacy of unemployment and underdevelopment. 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, reaching 131% of GDP in 2017. 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 longstanding structural economic problems, including labor market inefficiencies, a sluggish judicial system, and a weak banking sector. Italy’s economy returned to modest growth in late 2014 for the first time since 2011. In 2015-16, Italy’s economy grew at about 1% each year, and in 2017 growth accelerated to 1.5% of GDP. In 2017, overall unemployment was 11.4%, but youth unemployment remained high at 37.1%. GDP growth is projected to slow slightly in 2018.

Exchange rates [time series]

euros (EUR) per US dollar - | 0.885 (2017 est.) | 0.903 (2016 est.) | 0.9214 (2015 est.) | 0.885 (2014 est.) | 0.7634 (2013 est.)

Exports [time series]

$496.3 billion (2017 est.) | $454.1 billion (2016 est.)

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 12.5%, France 10.3%, US 9%, Spain 5.2%, UK 5.2%, Switzerland 4.6% (2017)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$1.939 trillion (2017 est.)

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

$2.317 trillion (2017 est.) | $2.282 trillion (2016 est.) | $2.263 trillion (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

household consumption: 61% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 18.6% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 17.5% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: -0.2% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 31.4% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -28.3% (2017 est.)

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

agriculture: 2.1% (2017 est.) | industry: 23.9% (2017 est.) | services: 73.9% (2017 est.)

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

$38,200 (2017 est.) | $37,600 (2016 est.) | $37,200 (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

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

1.5% (2017 est.) | 0.9% (2016 est.) | 1% (2015 est.)

Gross national saving [time series]

20.3% of GDP (2017 est.) | 19.7% of GDP (2016 est.) | 18.8% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$432.9 billion (2017 est.) | $389.8 billion (2016 est.)

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 16.3%, France 8.8%, China 7.1%, Netherlands 5.6%, Spain 5.3%, Belgium 4.5% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

2.1% (2017 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.3% (2017 est.) | -0.1% (2016 est.)

Labor force [time series]

25.94 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$587.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $615.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | $480.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

29.9% (2012 est.)

Public debt [time series]

131.8% of GDP (2017 est.) | 132% of GDP (2016 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 central, state, and local government and social security funds

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$151.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $130.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of broad money [time series]

$1.347 trillion (31 December 2017 est.) | $1.101 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$671.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $584.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

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

$552.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $471.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$3.422 trillion (31 December 2017 est.) | $3.024 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$1.347 trillion (31 December 2017 est.) | $1.101 trillion (31 December 2016 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

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

46.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

11.3% (2017 est.) | 11.7% (2016 est.)

Energy

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

351 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports [time series]

13,790 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - imports [time series]

1.341 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - production [time series]

90,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

487.8 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption [time series]

293.5 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports [time series]

6.155 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

54% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

32% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

43.18 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

114.2 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

275.3 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access [time series]

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

75.15 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

271.8 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

69.66 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

5.55 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

38.11 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

1.236 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

615,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

422,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

1.607 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 301,340 sq km | land: 294,140 sq km | water: 7,200 sq km | note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Area - comparative [time series]

almost twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona | Area comparison map: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Europe :: Italy Print Image Description 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 [time series]

mean elevation: 538 m | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m | highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc) 4,748 m

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

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]

39,500 sq km (2012)

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% (2011 est.) | arable land: 22.8% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 8.6% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 15.7% (2011 est.) | forest: 31.4% (2011 est.) | 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 (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, antimony, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land

Population distribution [time series]

despite a distinctive pattern with an industrial north and an agrarian south, a fairly even population distribution exists throughout most of the country, with coastal areas, the Po River Valley, and urban centers (particularly Milan, Rome, and Naples), attracting larger and denser populations

Terrain [time series]

mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

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; 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 | etymology: by tradition, named after Romulus, one of the legendary founders of the city and its first king

Citizenship [time series]

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Italy | dual citizenship recognized: yes | residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years for EU nationals, 5 years for refugees and specified exceptions, 10 years for all others

Constitution [time series]

history: previous 1848 (originally for the Kingdom of Sardinia and adopted by the Kingdom of Italy in 1861); latest enacted 22 December 1947, adopted 27 December 1947, entered into force 1 January 1948 | amendments: proposed by both houses of Parliament; passage requires two successive debates and approval by absolute majority of each house on the second vote; a referendum is only required when requested by one fifth of the members of either house, by voter petition, or by five Regional Councils (elected legislative assemblies of the 15 first-level administrative regions and 5 autonomous regions of Italy); referendum not required if an amendment has been approved by a two-thirds majority in each house in the second vote; amended many times, last in 2012; note - a referendum held on 4 December 2016 on constitutional amendments was defeated (2017)

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 | etymology: derivation is unclear, but the Latin "Italia" may come from the Oscan "Viteliu" meaning "[Land] of Young Cattle" (the bull was a symbol of southern Italic tribes)

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Lewis EISENBERG (since 4 October 2017); note - also accredited to San Marino | telephone: [39] 06-4674-1 | embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187-Rome | mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 | FAX: [39] 06-488-2672 | consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

Ambassador Armando VARRICCHIO (since 2 March 2016) | 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

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Sergio MATTARELLA (since 3 February 2015) | head of government: Prime Minister Giuseppe CONTE (since 1 June 2018); the prime minister's official title is President of the Council of Ministers; note - CONTE resigned on 20 August 2019 but returned as prime minister after PD and M5S agreed to form a new coalition government on 28 August 2019 | cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, known officially as the President of the Council of Ministers and locally as the Premier; nominated by the president; the current deputy prime ministers, known officially as vice-presidents of the Council of Ministers, are Matteo Salvini (L) and Luigi Di Maio (M5S) (since 1 June 2018) | 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 to be held in 2022); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by parliament | election results: Sergio MATTARELLA (independent) elected president; electoral college vote count in fourth round - 665 out of 1,009 (505-vote threshold)

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 green and red, 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]

parliamentary republic

Independence [time series]

17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1871)

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 courts: Supreme Court of Cassation or Corte Suprema di Cassazione (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); Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (consists of the court president and 14 judges) | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Council of the Judiciary, headed by the president of the republic; judges may serve for life; 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 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: Senate or Senato della Repubblica (321 seats; 116 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 193 members in multi-seat constituencies and 6 members in multi-seat constituencies abroad directly elected by party-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 6 ex-officio members appointed by the president of the Republic to serve for life) 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 4 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 4 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023) | election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - center-right coalition 37.5% (L 17.6%, FI 14.4%, FdI 4.3%, UdC 1.2%), M5S 32.2%, center-left coalition (PD 19.1%, +E 2.3%, I 0.5%, CP 0.5%, SVP-PATT 0.4%), LeU 3.3%; seats by party - center-right coalition 77(L 37, FI 33, FdI 7), M5S 68, center-left coalition 44(PD 43, SVP-PATT 1), LeU 4; composition - men 208, women 113, percent of women 35.2% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - center-right coalition 37% (L 17.4%, FI 14%, FdI 4.4%, UdC 1.3%), M5S 33%, center-left coalition 22.9% (PD 18.8%, E+ 2.6%, I 0.6%, CP 0.5%, SVP-PATT 0.4%); seats by party - center-right coalition 151 (L73, FI 59, FdI 19), M5S 133, center-left coalition 88 (PD 86, SVP 2), LeU 14; composition - men 405, women 225, percent of women 35.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 35.5% | Note : in October 2019, Italy's Parliament voted to reduce the number of Senate seats from 315 to 200 and the number of Chamber of Deputies seats from 630 to 400; changes will be effective for the 2023 election

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]

Governing Coalition : Northern League (Lega Nord) or Lega [Matteo SALVINI] Five Star Movement or M5S [Luigi DI MAIO] Left-center-right opposition: Democratic Party or PD [Nicola ZINGARETTI] Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI] Brothers of Italy [Giorgia MELONI] Free and Equal (Liberi e Uguali) or LeU [Pietro GRASSO] More Europe or +EU [Emma BONINO] Popular Civic List or CP [Beatrice LORENZIN] Other parties and parliamentary groups: Possible [Beatrice BRIGNONE] Us with Italy [Raffaele FITTO] South Tyrolean People's Party or SVP [Philipp ACHAMMER] Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party (Partito Autonomista Trentino Tirolese) or PATT [Franco PANIZZA, secretary] Article One or Art.1-MDP [Roberto SPERANZA]

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) and its subsequent successors the EC and the EU. 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 and Security

Military - note [time series]

Italy has established a Joint Special Operations Command and a Joint Headquarters Cyber Operations (Comando Interforze per le Operazioni Cibernetiche (CIOC) (2019)

Military and security forces [time series]

Italian Armed Forces: Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI; includes aviation, marines), Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri, CC). (2019) | The Financial Guard (Guardia di Finanza) under the Ministry of Economy and Finance is a force with military status and nationwide remit for financial crime investigations, including narcotics trafficking, smuggling, and illegal immigration.

Military expenditures [time series]

1.22% of GDP (2019 est.) | 1.21% of GDP (2018) | 1.21% of GDP (2017) | 1.18% of GDP (2016) | 1.07% of GDP (2015)

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: 13.6% (male 4,326,862 /female 4,136,562) | 15-24 years: 9.61% (male 2,994,651 /female 2,984,172) | 25-54 years: 41.82% (male 12,845,442 /female 13,183,240) | 55-64 years: 13.29% (male 4,012,640 /female 4,261,956) | 65 years and over: 21.69% (male 5,817,819 /female 7,683,330) (2018 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Europe :: Italy Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Italy. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate [time series]

8.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

65.1% (2013) | note: percent of women aged 18-49

Current health expenditure (Current Health Expenditure) [time series]

8.9% (2016)

Death rate [time series]

10.5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 56.5 (2015 est.) | youth dependency ratio: 21.5 (2015 est.) | elderly dependency ratio: 35 (2015 est.) | potential support ratio: 2.9 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

3.8% of GDP (2016)

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]

0.3% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

<1000 (2018 est.)

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

130,000 (2018 est.)

Hospital bed density [time series]

3.4 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | male: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 3 deaths/1,000 live births

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: 82.4 years (2018 est.) | male: 79.7 years | female: 85.2 years

Literacy [time series]

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

Major urban areas - population [time series]

4.234 million ROME (capital), 3.136 million Milan, 2.192 million Naples, 1.789 million Turin, 883,000 Bergamo, 852,000 Palermo (2019)

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

2 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 45.8 years (2018 est.) | male: 44.7 years | female: 46.9 years

Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]

30.7 years (2014 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Italian(s) | adjective: Italian

Net migration rate [time series]

3.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

19.9% (2016)

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

4.09 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population [time series]

62,246,674 (July 2018 est.)

Population distribution [time series]

Population growth rate [time series]

0.16% (2018 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian 83.3% (overwhelmingly Roman Catholic with very small groups of Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestants), Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated 12.4%, other 0.6% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access [time series]

improved: urban: 99.5% of population (2015 est.) | rural: 99.6% of population (2015 est.) | total: 99.5% of population (2015 est.) | unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population (2015 est.) | rural: 0.4% of population (2015 est.) | total: 0.5% of population (2015 est.)

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

total: 16 years | male: 16 years | female: 17 years (2016)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.45 children born/woman (2018 est.)

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

total: 34.7% | male: 33% | female: 37.3% (2017 est.)

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 70.7% of total population (2019) | rate of urbanization: 0.29% annual rate of change (2015-20 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): 22,319 (Nigeria), 18,249 (Pakistan), 16,941 (Afghanistan), 15,003 (Mali), 13,373 (Somalia), 12,549 (Gambia), 13,525 (Ukraine), 7,644 (Senegal), 7,174 (Cote d'Ivoire), 6,975 (Eritrea) (2018); note - estimate for Ukraine represents asylum applicants since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis in 2014 to July 2018 | stateless persons: 732 (2018) | note: 489,456 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals by sea (January 2015-December 2019); hosts an estimated 108,924 migrants and asylum seekers as of the end of June 2019; 23,370 arrivals in 2018

Transportation

Airports [time series]

129 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 98 (2017) | over 3,047 m: 9 (2017) | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 31 (2017) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 (2017) | 914 to 1,523 m: 29 (2017) | under 914 m: 11 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

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

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]

I (2016)

Heliports [time series]

5 (2013)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1,405 | by type: bulk carrier 59, container ship 10, general cargo 142, oil tanker 128, other 1066 (2018)

National air transport system [time series]

number of registered air carriers: 9 (2015) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 382 (2015) | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 26,036,010 (2015) | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 945,433,732 mt-km (2015)

Pipelines [time series]

20223 km gas, 1393 km oil, 1574 km refined products (2013)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Augusta, Cagliari, Genoa, Livorno, Taranto, Trieste, Venice | oil terminal(s): Melilli (Santa Panagia) oil terminal, Sarroch oil terminal | container port(s) (TEUs): Genoa (2,622,200), Gioia Tauro (2,448,600) (2017) | LNG terminal(s) (import): La Spezia, Panigaglia, Porto Levante

Railways [time series]

total: 20,182 km (2014) | standard gauge: 18,770.1 km 1.435-m gauge (12,893.6 km electrified) (2014) | narrow gauge: 122.3 km 1.000-m gauge (122.3 km electrified) (2014) | 1289.3 0.950-m gauge (151.3 km electrified)

Roadways [time series]

total: 487,700 km (2007) | paved: 487,700 km (includes 6,700 km of expressways) (2007)

Waterways [time series]

2,400 km (used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail) (2012)