Italy
in Southern Europe
Europe

Location Summary
Currency and Currency Code:
Euro - EUR
Spoken languages:
Italian, German, French, Sardinian, Catalan, Corsican, Slovenian
Local electricity:
230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, F, L)
Mobile phone / cellular frequencies (MHz):
900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G
ISO 2-Letter code:
IT
Internet top level domain:
.it
Country phone prefix:
+39
Local Time (capital):
Timezone:
UTC/GMT offset: hours
Current travel safety evaluation for Italy in Southern Europe

Safety Score: 3,0 of 5.0 based on data from 9 authorites. Meaning we advice caution when travelling to Italy.

Travel warnings are updated daily. Source: Travel Warning Italy. Last Update: 2024-03-28 08:18:27

Explore Italy

Italy with its capital Rome is located in Europe (Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea). It covers some 301,341 square kilometers (almost twice the size of Georgia) with 62,137,800 citizens. Italian, German, French, Sardinian, Catalan, Corsican and Slovenian are the languages commonly used by the people in Italy (consider regional differences). Austria, France, San Marino, Slovenia, Switzerland and Vatican are bordering countries.

Italy is a large country in Southern Europe. Start with a visit to Piazza Michelangelo in Florence to admire the famous view. Then set about exploring the many museums, both inside and outside Florence, that house Renaissance masterpieces. You could visit Italy's cities, never go in a church, museum or Roman ruin, and still have a great time. Just wander around, keeping your eyes open.

Popular Destinations in Italy

Administrative regions of Italy

About the country

Official logo of Italy tourism

Website: Italy Tourism

Via Marghera 2/6
00185 Roma
Italy

Phone: +39 6 49711
Fax: +39 6 4463379
Mail: sedecentrale@enit.it

The landscape is mostly rugged and mountainous and some plains, coastal lowlands. The average density of population is about 206 per km². The climate in Italy can be described as predominantly Mediterraneanalpine in far north, hot, dry in south. Potential threats by nature are land subsidence in Venice, regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding and 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 nea.

To reach someone Italy dial +39 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".it". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, F, L). The sign for the locally used currency Euro is EUR.

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.

Flag of Italy

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.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 73) 301,340sq km
Land (World Rank: 72) 294,140sq km
Water (World Rank: 60) 7,200sq km
Forest (World Rank: 110) 15.70%
Comparative almost twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona
Note includes Sardinia and Sicily
Coastline
7600
Landborder
1836.4
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 32) 4,748m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 76) 47.10%
Arable (World Rank: 47) 22.80%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 40) 8.60%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 110) 15.70%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 15) 39,500sq km
Map reference
Europe
Environment
Issues
  • - acid rain damaging lakes
  • - air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide
  • - coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents
  • - inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities
Agreement party
  • - 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 Seals
  • - Antarctic Treaty
  • - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
  • - Antarctic-Marine Living Resources
  • - 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
Hazzards
  • - land subsidence in Venice
  • - regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding
  • - 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 nea
Location
Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Climate
predominantly Mediterranean; alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Terrain
mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

People

Population
Total (World Rank: 23) 62,137,800
Deathrate (World Rank: 34) 1.04%
Birthrate (World Rank: 212) 0.86%
Growthrate (World Rank: 180) 0.19%
Migration rate (World Rank: 30) 0.37%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 204) 1.44%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 6) 44.40
Female (World Rank: 6) 46.50
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 48) 4,334,460
0 14 female (World Rank: 49) 4,146,730
15 24 male (World Rank: 37) 3,008,230
15 24 female (World Rank: 36) 2,996,850
25 54 male (World Rank: 21) 12,933,600
25 54 female (World Rank: 20) 13,265,500
55 64 male (World Rank: 13) 3,914,060
55 64 female (World Rank: 15) 4,159,860
65 x male (World Rank: 9) 5,758,200
65 x female (World Rank: 9) 7,620,240
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 208) 0.33%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 13) 82years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 12) 85years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 18) 80years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 16) 3.95
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 66) 3.40
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 25) 99.50%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 106) 19.90%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 24) 100.00%

Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 14) 269,300,000,000kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 12) 296,000,000,000kWh
Export (World Rank: 30) 6,155,000,000kWh
Import (World Rank: 2) 43,180,000,000kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 146) 52.80%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 108) 12.50%
Source renew (World Rank: 17) 28.60%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 48) 70,670bbl / day
Exports (World Rank: 58) 11,610bbl / day
Imports (World Rank: 9) 1,231,000bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 47) 556,700,000bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 12) 1,567,000bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 19) 1,253,000bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 13) 572,000bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 18) 449,600bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 48) 5,785,000,000
Consumption (World Rank: 17) 70,910,000,000
Export (World Rank: 52) 21,200,000
Import (World Rank: 66) 0
Carbon footprint
362000000

Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 100) 4% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 73) 2% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 37) 9% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 92) -2% of GDP
National symbol
white
National colours
white
Adjective
Italian
Noun
Italian(s)
Background
Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy is a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC) 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.
Flag description
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

Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 12) 2,234,000,000,000USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 177) 0.90%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 49) 36,800USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 174) 2.10%
Source industry (World Rank: 118) 24.10%
Source service (World Rank: 49) 73.80%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 24) 25,760,000
In poverty (World Rank: 63) 29.90%
Products
Industries
  • - ceramics
  • - chemicals
  • - clothing
  • - food processing
  • - footwear
  • - iron
  • - machinery
  • - motor vehicles
  • - steel
  • - textiles
  • - tourism
Agriculture
  • - beef
  • - dairy products
  • - fish
  • - fruits
  • - grain
  • - grapes
  • - olives
  • - potatoes
  • - soybeans
  • - sugar beets
  • - vegetables
Exports
  • - beverages
  • - chemicals
  • - clothing
  • - engineering products
  • - foodstuffs
  • - minerals
  • - motor vehicles
  • - nonferrous metals
  • - production machinery
  • - textiles
  • - tobacco
  • - transport equipment
Imports
  • - beverages
  • - chemicals
  • - clothing
  • - energy products
  • - engineering products
  • - food
  • - minerals
  • - nonferrous metals
  • - textiles
  • - tobacco
  • - transport equipment

Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 12) 20,267,200
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 57) 33.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 40) 139.00
Assessment 0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 18) 38,025,700
Population (World Rank: 90) 61.30%

Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 24) 98.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 82) 31.00
Heliports (World Rank: 37) 5.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 14) 20,182
Road
Total length (World Rank: 15) 487,700
Paved length (World Rank: 8) 487,700
Water
Total length (World Rank: 37) 2,400