ITALY Country Profile

Introduction Italy
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 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
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: 301,230 sq km
land: 294,020 sq km
water: 7,210 sq km
note: includes Sardinia and Sicily
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries: 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: 7,600 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
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 extremes: 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: coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice,
fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil
reserves, fish, arable land
Land use: arable land: 26.41%
permanent crops: 9.09%
other: 64.5% (2005)
People Italy
Population: 58,145,320 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 13.6% (male 4,086,951/female 3,842,765)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 19,534,247/female 19,024,776)
65 years and over: 20% (male 4,864,189/female 6,792,393) (2008 est.)
Median age: total: 42.9 years
male: 41.4 years
female: 44.4 years (2008 est.)
Population -0.019% (2008 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 8.36 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: 10.61 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration 2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: 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: 0.9425 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
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)
Religions: Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third practicing), other 10%
(includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim
immigrant community)
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)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 98.8%
 female: 98% (2001 census)
School life total: 16 years
expectancy male: 16 years
(primary to female: 17 years (2006)
tertiary
education):
Education 4.5% (2005)
expenditures:

Government Italy
Country name: conventional long form: Italian Republic
conventional short form: Italy
local long form: Repubblica Italiana
local short form: Italia
former: Kingdom of Italy
Government type: 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
Flag description: 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
Economy - Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same total and
overview: per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic economy remains
divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies,
and a less-developed, welfare-dependent, agricultural south, with 20%
unemployment. Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75%
of energy requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued
a tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the Economic and
Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates.
The current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at
improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Italy has moved slowly,
however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as lightening the
high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous
pension system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition
from labor unions. But the leadership faces a severe economic constraint:
Italy's official debt remains above 100% of GDP, and the government has
 found it difficult to bring the budget deficit down to a level that would allow
a rapid decrease in that debt. The economy continues to grow by less than
the euro-zone average and growth is expected to decelerate from 1.9% in
2006 and 2007 to under 1.5% in 2008 as the euro-zone and world economies
slow.
GDP (purchasing $1.786 trillion (2007 est.)
power parity):
GDP (official $2.105 trillion (2007 est.)
exchange rate):
GDP - real growth 1.5% (2007 est.)
rate:
GDP - per capita $30,400 (2007 est.)
(PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 1.9%
composition by industry: 28.9%
sector: services: 69.2% (2007 est.)

Labor force: 24.71 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by agriculture: 5%
occupation: industry: 32%
services: 63% (2001)
Unemployment 6% (2007 est.)
rate:
Population below NA%
poverty line:
Household lowest 10%: 2.3%
income or highest 10%: 26.8% (2000)
consumption by
percentage share:
Distribution of 33 (2005)
family income -
Gini index:
Inflation rate 2% (2007 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment (gross 21.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
fixed):
Budget: revenues: $981.8 billion
expenditures: $1.021 trillion (2007 est.)
Public debt: 104% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef,
products: dairy products; fish
 Industries: tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles,
motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Industrial 1.5% (2007 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 278.5 billion kWh (2005)
production:
Electricity - 307.1 billion kWh (2005)
consumption:
Electricity - 1.109 billion kWh (2005)
exports:
Electricity - 50.26 billion kWh (2005)
imports:
Oil - production: 164,800 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil -
consumption: 1.732 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports: 521,400 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports: 2.182 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved 621.7 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
reserves:
Natural gas - 11.49 billion cu m (2005 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 82.64 billion cu m (2005 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 379.8 million cu m (2005 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 70.45 billion cu m (2005)
imports:
Natural gas - 217.3 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
proved reserves:
Current account -$47.25 billion (2007 est.)
balance:
Exports: $501.4 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor
commodities: vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco;
minerals, and nonferrous metals
Exports - Germany 12.9%, France 11.4%, Spain 7.4%, US 6.8%, UK 5.8% (2006)
partners:
Imports: $498.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products,
commodities:
 minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages, and
tobacco
Imports - Germany 16.9%, France 9%, China 5.9%, Netherlands 5.5%, Belgium 4.3%,
partners: Spain 4.2% (2006)

Economic aid - ODA, $3.641 billion (2006)

donor:
Reserves of $94.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
foreign exchange
and gold:
Currency (code): euro (EUR)
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054
(2004), 0.886 (2003)
Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Italy
Telephones - 25.049 million (2005)
main lines in use:
Telephones - 71.5 million (2005)
mobile cellular:
Telephone general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated
system: 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 AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)
stations:
Television 358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)
broadcast
stations:
Internet country .it
code:
Internet hosts: 4.117 million (2007)
Internet users: 28.855 million (2006)
 Transportation Italy
Airports: 132 (2007)
Airports - with total: 101
paved runways: over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 32
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 34
under 914 m: 13 (2007)
Airports - with total: 31
unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 19 (2007)
Heliports: 5 (2007)
Pipelines: gas 18,863 km; oil 1,258 km (2007)
Railways: 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: total: 484,688 km
paved: 484,688 km (includes 6,529 km of expressways) (2004)
Waterways: 2,400 km
note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road
and rail (2006)
Merchant marine: total: 612 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,959,580 GRT/13,667,504 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 55, cargo 50, carrier 2, chemical tanker 155,
combination ore/oil 1, container 29, liquefied gas 27, passenger 20,
passenger/cargo 155, petroleum tanker 37, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll
off 36, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 28
foreign-owned: 65 (Denmark 3, France 2, Germany 3, Greece 8, Japan 2,
Lebanon 1, Norway 2, Sweden 1, Switzerland 5, Taiwan 13, Turkey 1, UK
7, US 17)
registered in other countries: 202 (Bahamas 2, Belize 3, Bolivia 1, Cayman
Islands 5, Cyprus 7, France 2, Gibraltar 1, Liberia 44, Malta 48, Marshall
Islands 4, Netherlands 1, Norway 4, Panama 23, Portugal 13, Russia 3,
Singapore 5, Slovakia 1, Spain 2, St Vincent and the Grenadines 17, Sweden
8, Turkey 3, UK 5) (2008)
Ports and Augusta, Genoa, Livorno, Ravenna, Sarroch, Taranto, Trieste, Venice
terminals:
 ITALY Export Statistics VALUE IN 000 $
PRODUCT PRODUCT
INCREASE DECREASE
JULY-APRIL JULY-APRIL
2007-08 2006-07 VAR. 2007-08 2006-07 VAR.
READYMADE
COTTON FABRICS 124,376 107,656 16,720 GARMENTS 56,722 59,179 (2,457)

BED WEAR 58,242 44,942 13,300 KNITWEAR ( HOSIERY ) 48,488 56,811 (8,323)

LEATHER TANNED 55,400 42,610 12,790 COTTON YARN 38,820 42,071 (3,251)

CHEMICAL & PRODUCTS 47,707 26,975 20,732 CARPETS 18,770 18,958 (188)

RICE 15,725 6,396 9,329 MADEUPS ART. OF TEX. 16,010 16,512 (502)

TOWELS 14,912 13,259 1,653 ARTSILK & SYNT. TEX. 10,493 12,415 (1,922)

LEATHER CLOTHING 9,040 6,032 3,008 SPORTS GOODS 9,430 9,895 (465)

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS 8,966 6,578 2,388 LEATHER GLOVES 6,910 7,003 (93)
YARN OTH. THAN
FOOTWEAR 6,543 4,483 2,060 C.YARN 495 2,109 (1,614)

PETROLEUM.&.P. PROD. 5,493 - 5,493 COTTON BAGS/ SACKS 482 549 (67)

ENGNEERING GOODS 3,702 2,727 975 METAL MANUFACTURE 407 766 (359)

CUTLERY 2,157 2,100 57 OTHER LEATHER MANF. 398 892 (494)

FRUITS 1,328 458 870 TENTS & CONVAS 247 340 (93)

MARBLE & ONYX MANUF. 1,251 1,040 211 VEGETABLES 74 77 (3)

GUAR & GUAR
PRODUCTS 613 117 496 KNITTED/CROA. FAB. 47 137 (90)

OIL SEEDS/NUTS & KERN. 267 180 87 RAW COTTON 23 64 (41)

PRECIOUS &
PREC.STONE 167 116 51 FISH & FISH PREP. - 1,084 (1,084)

JEWELLERY GOLD 99 24 75 OTHERS COMMODITIES 26,030 24,253 1,777