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Europe :: Italy
page last updated on January 29, 2013
Flag of Italy
(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)
Location of Italy
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Introduction ::Italy
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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, low youth and female employment, organized crime, corruption, and economic disparities between southern Italy and the more prosperous north.
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Geography ::Italy
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Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
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42 50 N, 12 50 E
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total: 301,340 sq km
country comparison to the world: 72
land: 294,140 sq km
water: 7,200 sq km
note: includes Sardinia and Sicily
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slightly larger than Arizona
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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
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7,600 km
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territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
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mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
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lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc)
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coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land
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arable land: 26.41%
permanent crops: 9.09%
other: 64.5% (2005)
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39,500 sq km (2003)
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175 cu km (2005)
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total: 41.98 cu km/yr (18%/37%/45%)
per capita: 723 cu m/yr (1998)
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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
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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
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party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
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People and Society ::Italy
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noun: Italian(s)
adjective: Italian
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Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)
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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)
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Christian 80% (overwhelming Roman Catholic with very small groups of Jehova Witnesses and Protestants), Muslims NEGL (about 700,000 but growing), Atheists and Agnostics 20%
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61,261,254 (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
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0-14 years: 13.8% (male 4,327,307/ female 4,138,369)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 19,883,114/ female 20,355,285)
65 years and over: 20.5% (male 5,350,173/ female 7,207,006) (2012 est.)
population pyramid:
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total: 43.8 years
male: 42.7 years
female: 45 years (2012 est.)
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0.38% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
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9.06 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
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9.93 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
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4.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
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urban population: 68% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
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ROME (capital) 3.357 million; Milan 2.962 million; Naples 2.27 million; Turin 1.662 million; Palermo 872,000 (2009)
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at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
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4 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 180
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total: 3.36 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 215
male: 3.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
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total population: 81.86 years
country comparison to the world: 10
male: 79.24 years
female: 84.63 years (2012 est.)
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1.4 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
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5.1% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 136
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4.242 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
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3.7 beds/1,000 population (2008)
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0.3% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
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140,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
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fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
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9.8% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 56
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4.3% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 90
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 98.8%
female: 98% (2001 census)
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total: 16 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2008)
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total: 25.4%
country comparison to the world: 27
male: 23.3%
female: 28.7% (2009)
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Government ::Italy
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conventional long form: Italian Republic
conventional short form: Italy
local long form: Repubblica Italiana
local short form: Italia
former: Kingdom of Italy
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republic
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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
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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)
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17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
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Republic Day, 2 June (1946)
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passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended many times
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civil law system; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court
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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)
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chief of state: President Giorgio NAPOLITANO (since 15 May 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Mario MONTI (since 16 November 2011); note - in Italy the prime minister is referred to as the President of the Council of Ministers; Mario MONTI resigned on 21 December 2012
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the Prime Minister and nominated by the President of the Republic
(For more information visit the World Leaders website Opens in New Window)
elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of parliament and 58 regional representatives for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held on 10 May 2006 (next to be held in 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
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bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats; members elected by proportional vote with the winning coalition in each region receiving 55% of seats from that region; members to serve five-year terms; and up to 5 senators for life appointed by the president of the Republic) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; members elected by popular vote with the winning national coalition receiving 54% of chamber seats; members to serve five-year terms); note - it has not been clarified if each president has the power to designate up to five senators or if five is the number of senators for life who might sit in the Senate
elections: Senate - last held on 13-14 April 2008 (next to be held 24-25 February 2013); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 13-14 April 2008 (next to be held 24-25 February 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; note - President NAPOLITANO dissolved Parliament on 22 December 2012
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Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15 judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative Supreme Courts); Supreme Court of Cassation or Corte Suprema di Cassazione
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Center-Right: People of Freedom or PdL [Anelino ALFANO]
Center-Left: Democratic Party or PD [Pier Luigi BERSAN]
Centrist Third Pole: Future and Freedom for Italy or FLI [Gianfranco FINI]; Movement for Autonomy or MpA [Raffaele LOMBARDO]; Union of the Center or UdC [Pier Ferdinando CASINI]
no affiliation: Italy of Values or IdV [Antonio DI PIETRO]; Lega Nord or LN [Roberto MARONI]; Five Star Movment or M5S [Beppe GRILLO]
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manufacturers and merchants associations - Confcommercio; Confindustria; organized farm groups - Confcoltivatori; Confagricoltura; Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations - Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL [Susanna CAMUSSO] which is left wing; Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Raffaele BONANNI], which is Roman Catholic centrist; Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist
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ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
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chief of mission: Ambassador Claudio BISOGNIERO
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
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chief of mission: Ambassador David THORNE
embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187-Rome
mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624
telephone: [39] (06) 46741
FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356
consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples
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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
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white, five-pointed star (Stella d'Italia)
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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)
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Economy ::Italy
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Italy has a diversified industrial economy, which is divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, highly subsidized, agricultural south, 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, many of them family owned. Italy also has a sizable underground economy, which by some estimates accounts for as much as 17% of GDP. These activities are most common within the agriculture, construction, and service sectors. Italy is the third-largest economy in the euro-zone, but its exceptionally high public debt and structural impediments to growth have rendered it vulnerable to scrutiny by financial markets. Public debt has increased steadily since 2007, topping 126% of GDP in 2012, and investor concerns about the broader euro-zone crisis at times have caused borrowing costs on sovereign government debt to rise to euro-era records. During the second half of 2011 the government passed a series of three austerity packages to balance its budget and decrease its public debt. These measures included a hike in the value-added tax, pension reforms, and cuts to public administration. The government also faces pressure from investors and European partners to sustain its recent efforts to address Italy's long-standing structural impediments to growth, such as an inflexible labor market and widespread tax evasion. In 2012 economic growth and labor market conditions deteriorated, with growth at -2.3% and unemployment rising to nearly 11%. Although the government has undertaken several economic reform iniatiatives, in the longer-term Italy's low fertility rate, productivity, and foreign investment will increasingly strain its economy. Italy's GDP is now 7% below its 2007 pre-crisis level.
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$1.834 trillion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
$1.877 trillion (2011 est.)
$1.869 trillion (2010 est.)
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
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$1.98 trillion (2012 est.)
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-2.3% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
0.4% (2011 est.)
1.8% (2010 est.)
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$30,100 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
$31,000 (2011 est.)
$31,000 (2010 est.)
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
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agriculture: 2%
industry: 23.9%
services: 74.1% (2012 est.)
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25.28 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
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agriculture: 3.9%
industry: 28.3%
services: 67.8% (2011)
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10.9% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
8.4% (2011 est.)
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(2011)
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lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 26.8% (2000)
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31.9 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 106
27.3 (1995)
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18.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
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revenues: $956.6 billion
expenditures: $1.014 trillion (2012 est.)
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48.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
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-2.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
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126.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
120.1% of GDP (2011 est.)
note: Italy reports its data on public debt according to guidelines set out in the Maastricht Treaty; general government gross debt is defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year, in the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); the general government sector comprises the central government, state government, local government and social security funds
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3% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
2.9% (2011 est.)
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1.5% (31 December 2012)
country comparison to the world: 115
1.75% (31 December 2010)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
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4.2% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
4.6% (31 December 2011 est.)
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$1.137 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
$1.147 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 17 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
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$1.944 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
$1.957 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)
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$3.122 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
$3.209 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)
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$431.5 billion (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 27
$318.1 billion (31 December 2010)
$317.3 billion (31 December 2009)
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fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish
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0.2% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
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-$30.3 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
-$71.87 billion (2011 est.)
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$483.3 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
$524.9 billion (2011 est.)
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engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals, and nonferrous metals
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Germany 13.3%, France 11.8%, US 5.9%, Spain 5.4%, Switzerland 5.4%, UK 4.7% (2011)
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$469.7 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
$549.6 billion (2011 est.)
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engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages, and tobacco
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Germany 16.5%, France 8.8%, China 7.7%, Netherlands 5.5%, Spain 4.7% (2011)
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$173.3 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
$158.9 billion (2010 est.)
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$2.46 trillion (30 June 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
$2.684 trillion (30 June 2011 est.)
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$369.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
$338.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
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$537 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
$492.2 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
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euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.7838 (2012 est.)
0.7185 (2011 est.)
755 (2010 est.)
0.7198 (2009 est.)
0.6827 (2008 est.)
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calendar year
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Energy ::Italy
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302.6 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
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313.8 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
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1.787 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
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47.52 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
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122.3 million kW (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
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65% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
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0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
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18% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
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15.8% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
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99,200 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
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6,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
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1.591 million bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
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523.2 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
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1.887 million bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
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1.454 million bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
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628,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
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393,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
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8.364 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
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77.83 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
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123 million cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
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70.37 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
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66 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
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416.4 million Mt (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
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Communications ::Italy
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22.116 million (2011)
country comparison to the world: 13
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96.005 million (2011)
country comparison to the world: 11
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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
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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)
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.it
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25.662 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 4
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29.235 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 13
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Transportation ::Italy
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130 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 43
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total: 99
over 3,047 m: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 12 (2012)
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total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 19 (2012)
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5 (2012)
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gas 18,348 km; oil 1,241 km (2010)
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total: 20,255 km
country comparison to the world: 13
standard gauge: 18,611 km 1.435-m gauge (12,662 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (123 km electrified); 1,290 km 0.950-m gauge (151 km electrified); 231 km 0.850-m gauge (2008)
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total: 487,700 km
country comparison to the world: 13
paved: 487,700 km (includes 6,700 km of expressways) (2007)
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2,400 km (used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail) (2012)
country comparison to the world: 37
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total: 681
country comparison to the world: 17
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)
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Augusta, Cagliari, Genoa, Livorno, Taranto, Trieste, Venice
oil terminals: Melilli (Santa Panagia) oil terminal, Sarroch oil terminal
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Military ::Italy
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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)
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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)
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males age 16-49: 13,865,688
females age 16-49: 14,003,755 (2010 est.)
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males age 16-49: 11,247,446
females age 16-49: 11,348,695 (2010 est.)
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male: 288,188
female: 281,671 (2010 est.)
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1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
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Transnational Issues ::Italy
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Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and northern Africa
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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
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  The online Factbook is updated weekly. ISSN 1553-8133
For additional information on government leaders in selected foreign countries, go to World Leaders.