Italy

Introduction

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.

Geography

Location

Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Geographic coordinates

42 50 N, 12 50 E

Map references

Europe

Area

total: 301,340 sq km
land: 294,140 sq km
water: 7,200 sq km
note: includes Sardinia and Sicily
country comparison to the world: 73

Area - comparative

almost twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries

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

Coastline

7,600 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate

predominantly Mediterranean; alpine in far north; hot, dry in south

Terrain

mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Elevation

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

Natural resources

coal, antimony, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land

Land use

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.)

Irrigated land

39,500 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

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

Natural hazards

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

Environment - current issues

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

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

strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

People and Society

Population

62,246,674 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23

Nationality

noun: Italian(s)
adjective: Italian

Ethnic groups

Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)

Languages

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)

Religions

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.)

Age structure

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:

Dependency ratios

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.)

Median age

total: 45.8 years (2018 est.)
male: 44.7 years
female: 46.9 years
country comparison to the world: 5

Population growth rate

0.16% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183

Birth rate

8.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 216

Death rate

10.5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28

Net migration rate

3.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37

Population distribution

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

Urbanization

urban population: 70.7% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.29% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas - population

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

30.7 years (2014 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

2 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182

Infant mortality rate

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
country comparison to the world: 210

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.4 years (2018 est.)
male: 79.7 years
female: 85.2 years
country comparison to the world: 15

Total fertility rate

1.45 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206

Contraceptive prevalence rate

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

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

8.9% (2016)

Physicians density

4.09 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density

3.4 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Sanitation facility access

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.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.3% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

130,000 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<1000 (2018 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.9% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 108

Education expenditures

3.8% of GDP (2016)
country comparison to the world: 113

Literacy

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

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

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 34.7%
male: 33%
female: 37.3% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22

Government

Country name

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)

Government type

parliamentary republic

Capital

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

Administrative divisions

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)

Independence

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

National holiday

Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Constitution

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)

Legal system

civil law system; judicial review of legislation under certain conditions in Constitutional Court

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25

Executive branch

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)

Legislative branch

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

Judicial branch

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)

Political parties and leaders

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]

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

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
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

National symbol(s)

white, five-pointed star (Stella d'Italia); national colors: red, white, green

National anthem

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)

Economy

Economy - overview

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.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$2.317 trillion (2017 est.)
$2.282 trillion (2016 est.)
$2.263 trillion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 12

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.939 trillion (2017 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.5% (2017 est.)
0.9% (2016 est.)
1% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$38,200 (2017 est.)
$37,600 (2016 est.)
$37,200 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 50

Gross national saving

20.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
19.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
18.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95

GDP - composition, by end use

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

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

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

2.1% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128

Labor force

25.94 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24

Labor force - by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

11.3% (2017 est.)
11.7% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153

Population below poverty line

29.9% (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index

31.9 (2012 est.)
27.3 (1995)
country comparison to the world: 121

Budget

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

Taxes and other revenues

46.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111

Public debt

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
country comparison to the world: 5

Fiscal year

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.3% (2017 est.)
-0.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68

Central bank discount rate

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
country comparison to the world: 139

Commercial bank prime lending rate

3% (31 December 2017 est.)
3.5% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174

Stock of narrow money

$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
country comparison to the world: 6

Stock of broad money

$1.347 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.101 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6

Stock of domestic credit

$3.422 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$3.024 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6

Market value of publicly traded shares

$587.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$615.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$480.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20

Current account balance

$53.42 billion (2017 est.)
$47.64 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9

Exports

$496.3 billion (2017 est.)
$454.1 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9

Exports - partners

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

Exports - commodities

engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; foodstuffs, beverages, and tobacco; minerals, nonferrous metals

Imports

$432.9 billion (2017 est.)
$389.8 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13

Imports - commodities

engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages, tobacco

Imports - partners

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$151.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$130.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16

Debt - external

$2.444 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)
$2.3 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$552.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$471.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$671.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$584.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15

Exchange rates

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.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Electricity - production

275.3 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14

Electricity - consumption

293.5 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13

Electricity - exports

6.155 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30

Electricity - imports

43.18 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2

Electricity - installed generating capacity

114.2 million kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10

Electricity - from fossil fuels

54% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106

Electricity - from other renewable sources

32% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14

Crude oil - production

90,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44

Crude oil - exports

13,790 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57

Crude oil - imports

1.341 million bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7

Crude oil - proved reserves

487.8 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45

Refined petroleum products - production

1.607 million bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1.236 million bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19

Refined petroleum products - exports

615,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13

Refined petroleum products - imports

422,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19

Natural gas - production

5.55 billion cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50

Natural gas - consumption

75.15 billion cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11

Natural gas - exports

271.8 million cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44

Natural gas - imports

69.66 billion cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5

Natural gas - proved reserves

38.11 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

351 million Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 20,700,659
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 83,871,543
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19

Telephone system

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)

Broadcast media

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

.it

Internet users

total: 38,025,661
percent of population: 61.3% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 16,586,376
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12

Military and Security

Military expenditures

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)
country comparison to the world: 103

Military and security forces

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 service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in any military branch; Italian citizenship required; 1-year service obligation (2013)

Military - note

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

Transportation

National air transport system

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: 945,433,732mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

I (2016)

Airports

129 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 45

Airports - with paved runways

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

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

Heliports

5 (2013)

Pipelines

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

Railways

total: 20,182 km (2014)
standard gauge: 18,770.1 km1.435-m gauge (12,893.6 km electrified) (2014)
narrow gauge: 122.3 km1.000-m gauge (122.3 km electrified) (2014)
1289.3 0.950-m gauge (151.3 km electrified)
country comparison to the world: 15

Roadways

total: 487,700 km (2007)
paved: 487,700 km(includes 6,700 km of expressways) (2007)
country comparison to the world: 15

Waterways

2,400 km(used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail) (2012)
country comparison to the world: 36

Merchant marine

total: 1,405
by type: bulk carrier 59, container ship 10, general cargo 142, oil tanker 128, other 1066 (2018)
country comparison to the world: 20

Ports and terminals

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

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and northern Africa

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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

Illicit drugs

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

Flag of Italy