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Background Note: Italy
PROFILE
OFFICIAL NAME:
Italian Republic
Geography
Area: 301,225 sq. km. (116,303 sq. mi.); about the size of
Georgia and Florida combined.
Cities: Capital--Rome (pop. 2.8 million). Other cities--Milan,
Naples, Turin.
Terrain: Mostly rugged and mountainous.
Climate: Generally mild Mediterranean; cold northern winters
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Italian(s).
Population: 57.8 million.
Annual growth rate: 0.28%.
Ethnic groups: Primarily Italian, but there are small groups of
German-, French-, Slovene-, and Albanian-Italians.
Religion: Roman Catholic (majority).
Language: Italian (official).
Education: Years compulsory--18. Literacy--98%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--5.76/1,000 live births.
Life expectancy--76.08 years for men; 83.0 years for women.
Work force (23.8 million): Services--57.6%; industry
and commerce--28.9%; agriculture--4.2%; unemployed--9.2%.
Government
Type: Republic since June 2, 1946.
Constitution: January 1, 1948.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state), Council
of Ministers (cabinet), headed by the president of the council
(prime minister). Legislative--bicameral parliament:
630-member Chamber of Deputies, 315-member Senate (plus a
varying number of "life" Senators). Judicial--independent
constitutional court and lower magistracy.
Subdivisions: 94 provinces, 20 regions.
Political parties: Forza Italia, Democratic Party of the Left,
National Alliance, Northern League, United Christian Democrats,
Democrats, Italian People's Party, Christian Democratic Center,
Socialist, Communist Renewal, Social Democratic, Republican,
Liberal, Greens, Italian Renewal.
Suffrage: Vote for House; universal over 18; vote for Senate;
universal over 18.
Economy
GDP (purchasing power parity, 2005 est.): $1.645 trillion.
GDP per capita (purchasing power parity, 2005 est.): $28,300.
GDP growth: 0.1% (2005); 0.9% (2003 est.); 0.4% (2002); 1.8%
(2001).
Natural resources: Fish and natural gas.
Agriculture: Products--wheat, rice, grapes, olives,
citrus fruits, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans beef, dairy
products.
Industry: Types--tourism, machinery, iron and steel,
chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing,
footwear, ceramics.
Exports (2005 est.): $371.9 billion f.o.b. Partners
(2004)--Germany 13.6%, France 12.4%, U.S. 7.9%, Spain 7.3%, U.K.
7.1%; mechanical products, textiles and apparel, transportation
equipment, metal products, chemical products, food and
agricultural products. Imports (2005 est.): $369.2 billion
f.o.b. Partners (2004)--Germany 18%, France 11%,
Netherlands 5.9%, Spain 4.7%, Belgium 4.5%, U.K. 4.3%, China
4.2%; machinery and transport equipment, foodstuffs, ferrous and
nonferrous metals, wool, cotton, energy products.
PEOPLE AND HISTORY
Italy is largely homogeneous linguistically and religiously but
is diverse culturally, economically, and politically. Italy has
the fifth-highest population density in Europe--about 200
persons per square kilometer (490 per sq. mi.). Minority groups
are small, the largest being the German-speaking people of
Bolzano Province and the Slovenes around Trieste. There are also
small communities of Albanian, Greek, Ladino, and French origin.
Immigration has increased in recent years, however, while the
Italian population is declining overall due to low birth rates.
Although Roman Catholicism is the majority religion--85% of
native-born citizens are nominally Catholic--all religious
faiths are provided equal freedom before the law by the
constitution.
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