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This page was last updated on 14 May 2009


Map of Italy




Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order

   Introduction    Italy Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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 was 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 illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.
   Geography    Italy Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
42 50 N, 12 50 E
Map references:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
Europe
Area:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
total: 301,230 sq km
land: 294,020 sq km
water: 7,210 sq km
note: includes Sardinia and Sicily
Area - comparative:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
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:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
7,600 km
Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Terrain:
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mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
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:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land
Land use:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
arable land: 26.41%
permanent crops: 9.09%
other: 64.5% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
27,500 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
175 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
total: 41.98 cu km/yr (18%/37%/45%)
per capita: 723 cu m/yr (1998)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
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
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
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
Geography - note:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
   People    Italy Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
58,126,212 (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
0-14 years: 13.5% (male 4,056,156/female 3,814,070)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 19,530,696/female 18,981,084)
65 years and over: 20.2% (male 4,903,762/female 6,840,444) (2009 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
total: 43.3 years
male: 41.8 years
female: 44.8 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
-0.047% (2009 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
8.18 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
10.61 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
urban population: 68% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
total: 5.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
total population: 80.2 years
male: 77.26 years
female: 83.33 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
1.31 children born/woman (2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
0.4% (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
150,000 (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
1,900 (2007 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
noun: Italian(s)
adjective: Italian
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)
Religions:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third practicing), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community)
Languages:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
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 Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 98.8%
female: 98% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
total: 16 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
4.5% of GDP (2005)
   Government    Italy Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Italian Republic
conventional short form: Italy
local long form: Repubblica Italiana
local short form: Italia
former: Kingdom of Italy
Government type:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
republic
Capital:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
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:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
15 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 5 autonomous regions* (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma); Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia*, Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte (Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Sardegna* (Sardinia), Sicilia*, Toscana (Tuscany), Trentino-Alto Adige* (Trentino-South Tyrol), Umbria, Valle d'Aosta* (Aosta Valley), Veneto (Venetia)
Independence:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
National holiday:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
Republic Day, 2 June (1946)
Constitution:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended many times
Legal system:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)
Executive branch:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
chief of state: President Giorgio NAPOLITANO (since 15 May 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 8 May 2008) note - in Italy the prime minister is referred to as the president of the Council of Ministers
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president
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 10 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2013); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by parliament
election results: Giorgio NAPOLITANO elected president on the fourth round of voting; electoral college vote - 543
Legislative branch:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
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; to serve five-year terms) 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; to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 13-14 April 2008 (next to be held April 2013); Chamber of Deputies - last held 13-14 April 2008 (next to be held April 2013)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - S. BERLUSCONI coalition 174 (PdL 147, LN 25, MpA 2), W. VELTRONI coalition 132 (PD 118, IdV 3), UdC 3, other 6; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - S. BERLUSCONI coalition 344 (PdL 276, LN 60, MpA 8), W. VELTRONI coalition 246 (PD 217, IdV 29), UdC 36, other 4
Judicial branch:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
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)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
Silvio BERLUSCONI coalition: People of Freedom or PdL [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Lega Nord or LN [Umberto BOSSI]; Movement for Autonomy or MpA [Raffaele LOMBARDO]
Walter VELTRONI coalition: Democratic Party or PD [Walter VELTRONI]; Italy of Values or IdV [Antonio DI PIETRO]
other non-allied parties: Union of the Center or UdC [Savino PEZZOTTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
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 [Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing; Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Raffaele BONANNO], which is Roman Catholic centrist; Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)
International organization participation:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-20, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
chief of mission: Ambassador Giovanni CASTELLANETA
chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400
FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco
consulate(s): Detroit
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Elizabeth DIBBLE
embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187-Rome
mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624
telephone: [39] (06) 46741
FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356
consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples
Flag description:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of 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; inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797
   Economy    Italy Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Italy has a diversified industrial economy, which is divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, welfare-dependent, agricultural south, with high unemployment. The Italian economy is driven in large part by the manufacture of high-quality consumer goods produced by small and medium-sized enterprises. Italy also has a sizable underground economy, which by some estimates accounts for as much as 15% of GDP. These activities are most common within the agriculture, construction, and service sectors. Italy has moved slowly on implementing needed structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension system and these conditions will be exacerbated by the recent global financial crisis. The Italian government is seeking to rein in government spending, but the leadership faces a severe economic constraint: Italy's official debt remains above 100% of GDP, and the fiscal deficit - 1.5% of GDP in 2007 - could approach 3% in 2009 as political pressure to stimulate the economy and the costs of servicing Italy's debt rise. The economy will continue to contract through 2009 as the global demand for exports drop.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
$1.821 trillion (2008 est.)
$1.834 trillion (2007)
$1.809 trillion (2006)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
$2.399 trillion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
-0.7% (2008 est.)
1.4% (2007 est.)
1.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
$31,000 (2008 est.)
$31,500 (2007 est.)
$31,100 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
agriculture: 2%
industry: 26.7%
services: 71.3% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
25.09 million (2008 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
agriculture: 4.2%
industry: 30.7%
services: 65.1% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
6.8% (2008 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 26.8% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
32 (2006)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
20.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
revenues: $1.139 trillion
expenditures: $1.203 trillion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
103.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
3.6% (2008 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
NA
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
10.93% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
NA
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
NA
Stock of domestic credit:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
$3.084 trillion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
$1.073 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish
Industries:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
-0.2% (2008 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
292.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
316.3 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
1.916 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
34.56 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
166,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
1.702 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
616,700 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
2.223 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
406.5 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
9.706 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
84.89 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
68 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
73.95 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
94.15 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
-$68.82 billion (2008 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
$566.1 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals, and nonferrous metals
Exports - partners:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
Germany 12.9%, France 11.4%, Spain 7.4%, US 6.8%, UK 5.8% (2007)
Imports:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
$566.8 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages, and tobacco
Imports - partners:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
Germany 16.9%, France 9%, China 5.9%, Netherlands 5.5%, Belgium 4.3%, Spain 4.2% (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
$104 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
$1.06 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
$374.8 billion (2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
$547.7 billion (2008 est.)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
   Communications    Italy Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
26.89 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
78.571 million (2006)
Telephone system:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
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
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
.it
Internet hosts:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
17.702 million (2008)
Internet users:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
32 million (2007)
   Transportation    Italy Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
132 (2008)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
total: 101
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 34
under 914 m: 13 (2008)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 19 (2008)
Heliports:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
5 (2007)
Pipelines:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
gas 17,544 km; oil 1,241 km (2008)
Railways:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
total: 19,460 km
standard gauge: 18,038 km 1.435-m gauge (11,354 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (123 km electrified); 1,299 km 0.950-m gauge (161 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
total: 487,700 km
paved: 487,700 km (includes 6,700 km of expressways) (2005)
Waterways:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
2,400 km
note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail (2008)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
total: 609
by type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 47, carrier 2, chemical tanker 159, combination ore/oil 1, container 25, liquefied gas 27, passenger 22, passenger/cargo 154, petroleum tanker 35, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 27
foreign-owned: 64 (Denmark 3, France 2, Greece 6, Japan 1, Lebanon 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 2, Portugal 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 8, Taiwan 13, Turkey 1, UK 7, US 17)
registered in other countries: 208 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 4, Belize 3, Cayman Islands 4, Cyprus 7, France 2, Liberia 41, Malta 50, Marshall Islands 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 4, Panama 28, Portugal 12, Russia 4, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17, Singapore 5, Slovakia 2, Spain 2, Sweden 9, Turkey 3, UK 5) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
Augusta, Genoa, Livorno, Ravenna, Sarroch, Taranto, Trieste, Venice
   Military    Italy Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Italian Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Italian Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI), Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri, CC) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
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:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
males age 16-49: 13,884,079
females age 16-49: 13,158,378 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
males age 16-49: 11,197,487
females age 16-49: 10,574,250 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
male: 287,845
female: 270,384 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order Comparison to the rest of the world
1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
   Transnational Issues    Italy Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and northern Africa
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order
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

This page was last updated on 14 May 2009


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