Italy

Italy | Flag of Italy | Map of Italy | Where is Italy on the Globe?

Located in the southern Europe, Italy came into being as a nation-state in 1861. This year the regional states of the Italian Peninsula, as well as Sardinia and Sicily, came under the united rule of King Victor EMMANUEL II. Fascist dictatorship was established in the country by Benito Mussolini in the 1920s. Mussolini sided with Nazi Germany during World War II and suffered defeat. Subsequent to this monarchy was abolished and gave way to a democratic republic in 1946.
Today Italy is a developed state, a member of G8 and one of the founding members of the European Union.

Travel overview
You will be surprised by the seductive charms of this intoxicating country. The places of interests in the country still retains the aura of days long gone. Not to forget the kind of literary and artistic contribution it has given to the world. Art works of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Tintoretto and Caravaggio stirs the imagination of the people. The operas of Puccini and Verdi are famous all over the world. Last but not the least the cinema of Federico Fellini has been inspiration of many film makers.

Home of pizza, Italy is a fascinating mix of old world charm and modern style. While stroll down the streets of Venice, Florence and Rome or Naples, you will be struck by the architecture of these cities. The 50, 000 seating capacity Colosseum of Rome is a mesmerizing spectacle. Other attractions in Italy are the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Amalfi coast, the Da Vinci Museum and the island of Capri.

A ride in the gondola on the canals of Venice is an experience not to be forgotten.

Capital: Rome
Location: Southern Europe,
Climate: mostly Mediterranean; Alpine, hot, dry
Total Area: 301,230 sq km
Total Population: 58,147,733
Population Growth Rate: 0.01%
Sex Ratio: 0.959 male(s)/female
Literacy: 98.4%
Ethnic Groups: predominantly Italian with small clusters of German, French and Slovene Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south
Irrigated land: 27,500 sq km
Languages: Italian, German, French, Slovene
Time Zone: UTC+1
Currency: euro (EUR)

Neighbouring countries: Austria , France, Holy See (Vatican City) , San Marino , Slovenia , Switzerland
Type of govt.: republic
Head of Govt.: Prime Minister Romano Prodi
Major Political Parties: Center-Left Union Coalition,: Ulivo Alliance, Democrats of the Left or DS , Daisy-Democracy is Freedom or DL , Rose in the Fist (including Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Italian Radical Party [Emma BONINO]); Together with the Union (including Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO]; Green Federation [Alfonso PECORARO SCANIO]; United Consumers); Communist Renewal or RC [Fausto BERTINOTTI]; Italy of Values or IdV [Antonio DI PIETRO]; Union of Democrats for Europe or UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; Republican European Movement or MRE [Luciana SBARBATI]
Center-Right Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI]: Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Union of Christian Democrats and Centrist Democrats or UDC [Pier Ferdinando CASINI]; Northern League or LEGA [Umberto BOSSI]; Christian Democracy (Per la Autonomie) [Gianfranco ROTONDI]
other non-allied parties: New Italian Socialist Party or New PSI [Gianni DE MICHELIS]; Italian Republican Party or PRI [Giorgio LA MALFA]; Social Alternative [Alessandra MUSSOLINI]; Social Movement-Tricolor Flame or MSI-Fiamma [Luca ROMAGNOLI]; Social Idea Movement with Rauti or MIS [Pino RAUTI]; South Tyrol People's Party or SVP (German speakers) [Elmar Pichler ROLLE]; Union of Valley Aosta Region or UV [Guido CESAL]
Participation in International Organizations: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Major Agricultural Products: fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish
Natural Resources & Minerals: coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land
Industry & Transport: tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Airports: 133
Railways: 19,459 km
Roadways:
484,688 km
Waterways: 2,400 km
Major Trade Partners: Germany 13.2%, France 12.3%, US 8%, Spain 7.5%, UK 6.6% (2005), Germany 17.4%, France 10%, Netherlands 5.7%, China 4.6%, Belgium 4.5%, Spain 4.3%, UK 4% (2005
Exports: $450.1 billion
Imports: $445.6 billion

MapsNWorld.com

Sitemap

Home / Europe / Italy

Africa | Asia | Europe | North America | South America | Oceania Australia | Antarctica

Europe

Italy