Italy

<p>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, as well as the European Economic Community (EEC) and its 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.</p>

Land

294,140 sq km

Note

<strong>note:</strong> includes Sardinia and Sicily

Total

301,340 sq km

Water

7,200 sq km

almost twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona

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

7,600 km

Europe

Highest point

Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc) 4,748 m

Lowest point

Mediterranean Sea 0 m

Mean elevation

538 m

42 50 N, 12 50 E

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

24,460 sq km (2021)

Border countries

Austria 404 km; France 476 km; Holy See (Vatican City) 3.4 km; San Marino 37 km; Slovenia 218 km; Switzerland 698 km

number of neighbors

6

Total

1,836.4 km

Agricultural land

44.3% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 24% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 12.2% (2023 est.)

arable land

23.96%

Forest

31.8% (2023 est.)

Other

24% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

8.11%

No

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

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), <em>(Black Sea)</em> Danube (795,656 sq km), <em>(Adriatic Sea)</em> Po (76,997 sq km), <em>(Mediterranean Sea) </em>Rhone (100,543 sq km)

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/8M1K27TDj7StTRTq8

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/365331

Europe

Continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Territorial sea

12 nm

regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice <br><br><strong>volcanism:</strong> significant volcanic activity; Etna (3,330 m) is Europe's most active volcano, and its flank eruptions pose a threat to nearby Sicilian villages; Etna, along with the famous Vesuvius, 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

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

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

Southern Europe

mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

UTC+01:00

number of time zones

1

0-14 years

11.9% (male 3,699,167/female 3,531,734)

15-64 years

64.5% (male 19,378,160/female 19,958,137)

65 years and over

23.6% (2024 est.) (male 6,336,738/female 8,060,995)

Beer

1.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

0.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

7.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

4.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

7.13 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

51.8% (2023 est.)

11.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

37 per 1,000

adult male

65 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

37.2 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

2.7 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

55.3 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

18.1 (2025 est.)

improved total

96.76%

Improved: total

total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% GDP)

4.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

7.4% national budget (2022 est.)

4 % of GDP

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

0.62 (2025 est.)

8 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

9% of GDP (2022)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

11.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

0.15%

3.2 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Female

2.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

3.2 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

2 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

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), Croatian (in Molise)

Major-language sample(s)

<br>L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

number of languages

2

Female

85.5 years

Male

80.7 years

Total population

83 years (2024 est.)

Female

99.2% (2019 est.)

Male

99.5% (2019 est.)

Total population

99.3% (2019 est.)

4.316 million ROME (capital), 3.155 million Milan, 2.179 million Naples, 1.802 million Turin, 913,000 Bergamo, 850,000 Palermo (2023)

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

49.4 years

Male

47.4 years

Total

48.8 years (2025 est.)

31.4 years (2020 est.)

Adjective

Italian

Noun

Italian(s)

3.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

19.9% (2016)

4.19 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Female

31,540,902

Male

29,383,949

Total

60,924,851 (2025 est.)

-0.05% (2025 est.)

Christian 80.8% (overwhelmingly Roman Catholic with very small groups of Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestants), Muslim 4.9%, unaffiliated 13.4%, other 0.9% (2020 est.)

improved total

78.21%

Improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Female

17 years (2023 est.)

Male

16 years (2023 est.)

Total

17 years (2023 est.)

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.79 male(s)/female

At birth

1.06 male(s)/female

Total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

16.6% (2025 est.)

Male

23.2% (2025 est.)

Total

19.8% (2025 est.)

1.27 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

0.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

72% of total population (2023)

measles

95%

15 regions (<em>regioni</em>, singular - <em>regione</em>) and 5 autonomous regions (<em>regioni autonome</em>, singular - <em>regione autonoma</em>) <br><br><strong>regions:</strong> Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte (Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Toscana (Tuscany), Umbria, Veneto <br><br><strong>autonomous regions:</strong> Friuli Venezia Giulia, Sardegna (Sardinia), Sicilia (Sicily), Trentino-Alto Adige (Trentino-South Tyrol) or Trentino-Suedtirol (German), Valle d'Aosta (Aosta Valley) or Vallée d'Aoste (French)

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, but the name Romulus may instead derive from the city's name; the name Rome may come from an Etruscan name for the Tiber River, which was Roma or Ruma

Geographic coordinates

41 54 N, 12 29 E

Name

Rome

Time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/it.svg

Amendment process

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 5 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

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

alternative spellings

IT, Italian Republic, Repubblica italiana

Conventional long form

Italian Republic

Conventional short form

Italy

Etymology

derivation is unclear; traditionally said to come from the Vitali, a tribe that settled in what is now Calabria, and whose name is believed to be linked to the Latin word <em>vitulus</em>, or "calf;" alternatively, the name may derive from a local ruler known to the Romans as Italus

FIFA code

ITA

Former

Kingdom of Italy

Local long form

Repubblica Italiana

local long form (ita)

Repubblica italiana

Local short form

Italia

Chief of mission

Ambassador Tilman J. FERTITTA (since 6 May 2025); note - also accredited to San Marino

Consulate(s) general

Florence, Milan, Naples

Email address and website

<br>uscitizenrome@state.gov<br><br>https://it.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187 Roma

FAX

[39] 06-4674-2244

Mailing address

9500 Rome Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-9500

Telephone

[39] 06-46741

Chancery

3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief of mission

Ambassador Marco PERONACI (since 5 September 2025)

Consulate(s)

Detroit

Consulate(s) general

Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco

Email address and website

<br>washington.ambasciata@esteri.it<br><br>https://ambwashingtondc.esteri.it/ambasciata_washington/en/

FAX

[1] (202) 518-2154

Telephone

[1] (202) 612-4400

Cabinet

Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, who is known officially as the President of the Council of Ministers and locally as the premier; nominated by the president

Chief of state

President Sergio MATTARELLA (since 3 February 2015)

Election results

<br><em>2022:</em> Sergio MATTARELLA (independent) reelected president; electoral college vote count in eighth round - 759 out of 1,009 (505 vote threshold)<br><br><em>2015: </em>Sergio MATTARELLA (independent) elected president; electoral college vote count in fourth round - 665 out of 995 (505 vote threshold)

Election/appointment process

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); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by parliament

Expected date of next election

2029

Head of government

Prime Minister Giorgia MELONI (since 22 October 2022); the prime minister's official title is President of the Council of Ministers

Most recent election date

24-29 January 2022 (eight rounds)

<strong>description:</strong> three equal vertical bands of green (left side), white, and red<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> colors are those of Milan (red and white) combined with the green uniform color of the Milanese civic guard<br><br><strong>history:</strong> design inspired by the French flag that Napoleon brought to Italy in 1797

note

<strong>note:</strong> similar to the flags of Mexico (longer, darker shades of green and red, and has its coat of arms centered on the white band), Ireland (longer and with orange instead of red), and Cote d'Ivoire (colors reversed)

The flag of Italy is composed of three equal vertical bands of green, white and red.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/it.svg

parliamentary republic

17 March 1861 

note

<strong>note:</strong> the Kingdom of Italy proclaimed on 17 March 1861, but Italy was not fully unified until 1871

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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, 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, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Cassation or Corte Suprema di Cassazione (consists of the first president, 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)

civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legislation under certain conditions

Legislative structure

bicameral

Legislature name

Parliament (Il Parlamento)

Chamber name

Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati)

Electoral system

mixed system

Expected date of next election

September 2027

Most recent election date

9/25/2022

Number of seats

400 (all directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

Coalition Brothers of Italy (FdI) - Lega - Forza Italia - Us Moderates (Noi moderati, NM) (237); Democratic Party - Democratic and Progressive Italy (PD-IDP) - Greens and Left Alliance (AVS) - +EUROPA" - Civic Commitment (IC) (84); Five Star Movement (M5s) (52); Action - Italia Viva (21); Other (6)

Percentage of women in chamber

32.8%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

5 years

Chamber name

Senate (Senato della Repubblica)

Electoral system

mixed system

Expected date of next election

September 2027

Most recent election date

9/25/2022

Number of seats

205 (200 directly elected; 5 appointed)

Parties elected and seats per party

Coalition Brothers of Italy (FdI) - Lega - Forza Italia - Us Moderates (Noi moderati, NM) (115); Democratic Party - Democratic and Progressive Italy (PD-IDP) - Greens and Left Alliance (AVS) - +EUROPA" - Civic Commitment (IC) (44); Five Star Movement (M5s) (28); Other (13)

Percentage of women in chamber

36.3%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

5 years

this coat of arms has been a symbol of the Italian Republic since May 5, 1948, when Paolo Paschetto&rsquo;s design won a two-year public competition; the olive branch symbolizes national and global peace; the oak branch stands for the strength and the dignity of the Italian people, and the steel cog-wheel for their hard work; the single star represents Italy&rsquo;s solidarity

red, white, green

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Historic Center of Rome (c); Archaeological Areas of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Torre Annunziata (c); Venice and its Lagoon (c); Historic Center of Florence (c); Piazza del Duomo, Pisa (c); Historic Centre of Naples (c); Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)(c); Mount Etna (n); Cultural landscape of the Benedictine settlements in medieval Italy (c); Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci (c); City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto (c); Crespi d'Adda (c); Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna (c); Historic Centre of the City of Pienza (c); Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena (c); Costiera Amalfitana (c); Villa Romana del Casale (c); Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia (c); Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula (c); Historic Centre of Urbino (c); Villa Adriana (Tivoli) (c); Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites (c); City of Verona (c); Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands) (n); Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia (c); Val d'Orcia (c); Mantua and Sabbioneta (c); The Dolomites (n); Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (c); Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany (c); Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th Centuries: Stato da Terra – Western Stato da Mar (c); Padua’s fourteenth-century fresco cycles (c); The Porticoes of Bologna (c); Evaporitic Karst and Caves of Northern Apennines (n); Via Appia: Regina Viarum (c); Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sardinia – The domus de janas (c)

Total World Heritage Sites

61 (55 cultural, 6 natural)

Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

five-pointed white star (Stella d'Italia)

Action-Italia Viva <br>Associative Movement of Italians Abroad or MAIE <br>Brothers of Italy or FdI <br>Democratic Party or PD <br>Five Star Movement or M5S <br>Forza Italia or FI <br>Free and Equal (Liberi e Uguali) or LeU <br>Greens and Left Alliance or AVS <br>League or Lega <br>More Europe or +EU  <br>South calls North or ScN <br>South Tyrolean Peoples Party or SVP <br>Us Moderates or NM<br>other minor parties

Monday

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

Yes

milk, wheat, grapes, tomatoes, maize, olives, apples, oranges, sugar beets, rice (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

On alcohol and tobacco

3.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

On food

14.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Expenditures

$1.104 trillion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Revenues

$935.038 billion (2023 est.)

code

EUR

name

euro (EUR) [€]

$25.77 billion

Current account balance 2022

-$36.325 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$3.261 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$26.76 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

<p>high-income, core EU economy; strong services, manufacturing, and tourism sectors; modest growth supported by net exports, low inflation, and public investments via EU funds; tight labor market with aging workforce and shortages in specialized skills; high public debt levels</p>

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.924 (2024 est.)

$773.89 billion

Exports 2022

$737.083 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$774.311 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$778.898 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

packaged medicine, garments, cars, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Germany 11%, USA 11%, France 10%, Spain 5%, UK 5% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$26.9 billion

Exports of goods and services

33.5% (2023 est.)

Government consumption

17.8% (2023 est.)

Household consumption

58.3% (2023 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-32.1% (2023 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

22.5% (2023 est.)

Investment in inventories

0.4% (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

2% (2024 est.)

Industry

21.7% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

65.6% (2024 est.)

$2.373 trillion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$40,385

35.9 (2017)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

33.7 (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

$2.37 trillion

$38,590

23 % of GDP

Highest 10%

25.3% (2022 est.)

Lowest 10%

2.5% (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$721.84 billion

Imports 2022

$775.518 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$739.646 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$717.278 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

natural gas, crude petroleum, cars, packaged medicine, garments (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Germany 15%, France 9%, China 8%, Netherlands 6%, Spain 5% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

0.2% (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

0.98%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

8.2% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5.6% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

1% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

25.828 million (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

25.58 million persons

agriculture

3.35%

industry

26.43%

services

70.23%

20.1% (2021 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

Note

<strong>note:</strong> 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

Public debt 2017

131.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

$3.66 trillion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$3.088 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$3.11 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$3.133 trillion (2024 est.)

0.69%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.7% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

0.7% (2024 est.)

$62,014

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$52,300 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$52,700 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$53,100 (2024 est.)

$11.15 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2022

0.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

$290.55 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$224.581 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$247.396 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$290.547 billion (2024 est.)

39 % of GDP

25 % of GDP

24.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

6.39%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

8.1% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

7.7% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

6.8% (2024 est.)

Female

24.8% (2024 est.)

Male

19.9% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

21.8% (2024 est.)

Consumption

12.424 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Exports

304,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

12.069 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Production

1.572 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

609.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

290.664 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

5,047 kWh

Exports

3.32 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Imports

54.572 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity

128.692 million kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

17.62 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Biomass and waste

6.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels

56% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Geothermal

2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

15.89%

Hydroelectricity

14.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

0%

renewable

40.97%

Solar

12% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind

9.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

2,298 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

96.797 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Consumption

61.906 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Exports

2.609 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Imports

61.851 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Production

2.778 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

45.76 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

4 (2025)

Crude oil estimated reserves

497.934 million barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

1.245 million bbl/day (2024 est.)

Total petroleum production

111,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

17.5%

per 100 inhabitants

32 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

34 (2023 est.)

Total

20.1 million (2023 est.)

two Italian media giants dominate, with 3 national terrestrial stations;&nbsp; privately owned companies have 3 national terrestrial stations; a large number of private stations, a satellite TV network; 3 AM/FM nationwide radio stations; about 1,300 commercial radio stations

.it

Percent of population

87% (2023 est.)

#####

+39

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

34 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions

20.107 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100

132 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

133 (2024 est.)

Total subscriptions

78.7 million (2024 est.)

passengers carried

20.26 million passengers

registered carrier departures

185,458 departures

655 (2025)

I

Right

163 (2025)

By type

bulk carrier 17, container ship 6, general cargo 109, oil tanker 95, other 1,049

Total

1,276 (2023)

Key ports

Brindisi, Civitavecchia, Genova, Gioia Tauro, La Spezia, Livorno, Messina, Napoli, Porto di Lido-Venezia, Siracusa, Taranto, Trieste

Large

12

Medium

11

Ports with oil terminals

33

Size unknown

1

Small

71

Total ports

123 (2024)

Very small

28

Note

1289.3 0.950-mm gauge (151.3 km electrified)

Total

18,475 km (2020) 12,936 km electrified

I

armored vehicles

tanks

the Italian military is responsible for Italy’s national defense and security and fulfilling the country’s commitments to the EU, NATO, the UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations; it also has some domestic security duties; key areas of emphasis for Italy’s security policy and multinational cooperation are Europe’s eastern and southern flanks, including the Mediterranean Sea, East and North Africa, and the Middle East and its adjacent waters<br><br>Italy has been an active member of NATO since its founding in 1948, and the Alliance is a cornerstone of Rome’s national security strategy; it is one of NATO’s leading contributors of military forces and participates in such Alliance missions as Air Policing in the Baltics, the Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, and maritime patrols in the Mediterranean and beyond; it hosts NATO’s Joint Force Command in Naples and a NATO Rapid Deployable Corps headquarters in Milan <br><br>Italy is also active in European/EU defense cooperation and integration, including hosting the headquarters for the EU’s Mediterranean naval operations force in Rome; in addition, Italy has close defense ties with the US and hosts several US military air, army, and naval bases and facilities (2025)

Italian Armed Forces (Forze Armate Italiane): 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) (2025)

active duty personnel

338,000

note

<strong>note 1:</strong> the National (or State) Police and Carabinieri (gendarmerie or military police) maintain internal security; the National Police reports to the Ministry of Interior while the Carabinieri reports to the Ministry of Defense but is also under the coordination of the Ministry of Interior; the Carabinieri is primarily a domestic police force organized along military lines, with some overseas responsibilities<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> 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

percent of total labor force

1.35 %

approximately 170,000 active-duty military personnel; approximately 105,000 Carabinieri (2025)

Italy has on average about 8,000 military personnel deployed in support of NATO, UN, and other foreign missions; significant ground troop deployments include Bulgaria (750), Hungary (250), Kosovo (870), Latvia (300), and Lebanon (875); in addition, air and naval units are deployed in support of NATO missions (2025)

note

<strong>note</strong><strong>:</strong> since 1960, Italy has committed more than 60,000 troops to UN missions, and it hosts a training center in Vicenza for police personnel destined for peacekeeping missions

the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically manufactured, imported, and jointly produced weapons systems; imports come mostly from Europe and the US; the Italian defense industry is capable of producing equipment across all the military domains with particular strengths in aircraft, armored vehicles, and naval vessels; it also participates in joint development and production of advanced weapons systems with other European countries and the US (2025)

2 % of GDP

current USD

$37,964,578,317

Military Expenditures 2021

1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military Expenditures 2025

2% of GDP (2025 est.)

percent of central government expenditure

3.18 %

percent of GDP

1.61 % of GDP

17 or 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women ; voluntary service is a minimum of 12 months with the option to extend in the Armed Forces or compete for positions in other government security organizations; conscription abolished 2004 (2025)

note

<strong>note:</strong> women serve in all military branches; as of 2023, women made up about 8% of the military's full-time personnel

PowerIndex score

0.2211

Refugees

520,127 (2024 est.)

Stateless persons

3,000 (2024 est.)

1964 - first domestically manufactured science satellite (San Marco-1) launched by the US<br><br>1977 - first domestically built telecommunications/research satellite (Sirio) launched by the US<br><br>1990s-2011 - participated in US Space Shuttle program, resulting in first Italian astronaut in space (1992)<br><br>1998-present - participated in International Space Station, including the first European astronaut on the station (2001), first Italian to command it (2019-2020), and first woman to command the station (2022)<br><br>2012 - first launch of Italian-designed VEGA 3-stage satellite launch vehicle (SLV) for ESA<br><br>2020 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration <br><br>2023 - first Italian all-electric satellite (MicroHETSat) built for the ESA and launched by the US; began developing a habitat for the US-led Artemis Lunar Gateway project<br><br>2025 - passed a national space law to govern Italian space operations

Italian Space Agency (L&rsquo;Agenzia Spaziale Italiana or ASI; established 1988) (2025)

the Broglio (aka San Marco, Malindi) Space Center, located near Malindi, Kenya, served from 1967 to 1988 as an Italian and international satellite launch facility; in 2020, Italy concluded a deal with Kenya to conduct rocket launches from the site again in the future; the Italian Space Agency has utilized the site as a satellite ground station since 2004<br><br>the Italian Government has designated the Taranto-Grottaglie Airport as a future spaceport and signed framework agreements with commercial space companies that could lead to suborbital and orbital launches from what would be called the Grottaglie Spaceport (2025)

one of the top contributors to the ESA; designs, builds, launches, and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; designs and manufactures probes, rockets, and orbital satellite launch vehicles (SLVs); researches, develops, and builds a range of other space-related technologies and participates in a wide array of international programs; hosts the ESA Center for Earth Observation; has astronaut cadre in the ESA astronaut corps; has cooperated with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, the UAE, and the US; participates in international projects such as the International Space Station; has considerable commercial space industries encompassing a wide range of capabilities (2025)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

From coal and metallurgical coke

26.15 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas

118.604 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

162.688 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

307.442 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

air pollution from industrial emissions; water pollution from industrial and agricultural effluents, as well as acid rain; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Global geoparks and regional networks

Adamello-Brenta; Alpi Apuane; Aspromonte; Beigua; Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni; Madonie; Maiella; MurGEopark; Pollino; Rocca di Cerere; Sesia Val Grande; Tuscan Mining Park (2025)

Total global geoparks and regional networks

12 (2025)

Party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

Signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol

Agriculture

764.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Energy

276.4 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Other

35.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste

523.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

12.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

15 % of total land area

25 % of total

191.3 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

19 % of internal resources

Agricultural

17 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

7.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

9.148 billion cubic meters (2022)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

30.088 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

39.9% (2022 est.)