2024 Edition

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, 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.

Area

land

294,140 sq km

note

note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

total

301,340 sq km

water

7,200 sq km

Area - comparative

almost twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona

Climate

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

Coastline

7,600 km

Elevation

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

Geographic coordinates

42 50 N, 12 50 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

26,010 sq km (2013)

Land boundaries

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

total

1,836.4 km

Land use

agricultural land

47.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 22.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 8.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 15.7% (2018 est.)

forest

31.4% (2018 est.)

other

21.5% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea

12 nm

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 2013, 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

Natural resources

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

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

Terrain

mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Age structure

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

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.)

Birth rate

7.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

65.1% (2013)

note

note: percent of women aged 18-49

Current health expenditure

9.6% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

52.5% (2023 est.)

Death rate

11.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

37.2

potential support ratio

2.7 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

57.1

youth dependency ratio

19.9

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 99.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Education expenditures

4.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.61 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

3.1 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Infant mortality rate

female

2.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

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)

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.5 years

male

80.7 years

total population

83 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99% (2018)

male

99.4%

total population

99.2%

Major urban areas - population

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

Maternal mortality ratio

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

49.4 years

male

47.4 years

total

48.4 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

31.4 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Italian

noun

Italian(s)

Net migration rate

3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.9% (2016)

Physician density

3.95 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

female

31,550,866 (2024 est.)

male

29,414,065

total

60,964,931

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

Population growth rate

-0.08% (2024 est.)

Religions

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.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2020)

male

16 years

total

16 years

Sex ratio

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.)

Tobacco use

female

19.5% (2020 est.)

male

26.6% (2020 est.)

total

23.1% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.26 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

72% of total population (2023)

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)

Capital

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

geographic coordinates

41 54 N, 12 29 E

name

Rome

time difference

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

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

Constitution

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 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; amended many times, last in 2020; note - in June 2024, the Senate approved in its first vote an amendment calling for the direct election of the prime minister; subsequent votes by both the Senate and House of Deputies is required for passage; lacking approval by Parliament, approval is required by constitutional referendum

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

Country name

conventional long form

Italian Republic

conventional short form

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)

former

Kingdom of Italy

local long form

Repubblica Italiana

local short form

Italia

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Jack MARKELL (since September 2023); note - also accredited to San Marino

consulate(s) general

Florence, Milan, Naples

email address and website

uscitizenrome@state.govhttps://it.usembassy.gov/

embassy

via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187 Roma

FAX

[39] 06-4674-2244

mailing address

9500 Rome Place, Washington DC  20521-9500

telephone

[39] 06-46741

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Mariangela ZAPPIA (since 15 September 2021)

consulate(s)

Detroit

consulate(s) general

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

email address and website

washington.ambasciata@esteri.ithttps://ambwashingtondc.esteri.it/ambasciata_washington/en/

FAX

[1] (202) 518-2154

telephone

[1] (202) 612-4400

Executive branch

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

chief of state

President Sergio MATTARELLA (since 3 February 2015)

election results

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

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 24-29 January 2022 (eight rounds) (next to be held in 2029); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by parliament

head of government

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

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

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

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

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

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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, 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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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)

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of:Senate or Senato della Repubblica (205 seats; 122 members in multi-seat constituencies directly elected by proportional representation vote, 74 members in single-seat constituencies directly elected by plurality vote, 4 members in multi-seat constituencies abroad directly elected by proportional representation vote, and 5 members appointed by the president of Italy; all members serve 5-year terms)Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (400 seats; 245 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; 147 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by plurality vote and 8 members in multi-seat constituencies abroad directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - center-right coalition 113 (FdI 65, Lega 30, FI 18), center-left coalition 43 (PD 40, AVS 3), M5S 28, Action-Italia Viva 9, SVP 2, MAIE 1, ScN 1; composition - men 131, women 74, percentage women 36.1%Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - center-right coalition 230 (FdI 119, Lega 66, FI 45), center-left coalition 83 (PD 69, AVS 12, +EU 2), M5S 52, Action-Italia Viva 21, SVP 3, MAIE 1, ScN 1; composition - men 271, women 129, percentage women 32.3%; total Parliament percentage women 33.6%

elections

Senate - last held on 25 September 2022 (next to be held no later than December 2027)Chamber of Deputies - last held on 25 September 2022; note - snap elections were called when Prime Minister DRAGHI resigned and the parliament was dissolved on 21 July 2022 (next to be held on 30 September 2027)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Goffredo MAMELI/Michele NOVARO

name

"Il Canto degli Italiani" (The Song of the Italians)

note

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)

National heritage

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); Villa d'Este, Tivoli (c); Mount Etna (n); Rock Drawings in Valcamonica (c); Historic Siena (c);Rock Drawings in Valcamonica(c); Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci (c);Historic Centre of San Gimignano (c); The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera (c); City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto (c); Crespi d'Adda (c); Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta 15 (c); Castel del Monte (c); Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna (c); Historic Centre of the City of Pienza (c);The Trulli of Alberobello (c); 18th-Century Royal Palace at Caserta with the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, and the San Leucio Complex (c); Archaeological Area of Agrigento (c); Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico), Padua (c); Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena (c); Costiera Amalfitana (c); Residences of the Royal House of Savoy (c); Su Nuraxi di Barumini (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); Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily) (c); Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy (c); Monte San Giorgio (n); Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia (c); Val d'Orcia (c); Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica (c); Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe (n); Mantua and Sabbioneta (c); Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes (c);The Dolomites (n); Longobards in Italy. Places of the Power (568-774 A.D.) (c); Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (c); Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany (c); Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato (c); Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale  (c); Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th Centuries: Stato da Terra – Western Stato da Mar (c); Ivrea, industrial city of the 20th century (c); Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene (c);Padua’s fourteenth-century fresco cycles (c); The Great Spa Towns of Europe (c); The Porticoes of Bologna (c); Evaporitic Karst and Caves of Northern Apennines (n); Via Appia. Regina Viarum (c)

total World Heritage Sites

60 (54 cultural, 6 natural)

National holiday

Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties

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

Suffrage

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

Agricultural products

milk, grapes, wheat, tomatoes, maize, apples, olives, oranges, potatoes, pork (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

4.2% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

14.6% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$1.015 trillion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$857.336 billion (2022 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BBB- (2020)

Moody's rating

Baa3 (2018)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BBB (2017)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$51.549 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$32.783 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$11.552 billion (2023 est.)

note

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

Economic overview

core EU economy; strong services, manufacturing, and tourism sectors; sustained recovery in post-COVID inflationary environment; high public debt levels; increasing poverty levels particularly in poorer south; strong exports to EU and US partners

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

0.893 (2019 est.)

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.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$691.428 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$752.864 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$793.589 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

packaged medicine, refined petroleum, garments, cars, vehicle parts/accessories (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Germany 12%, US 11%, France 10%, Spain 5%, UK 4% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

35.1% (2023 est.)

government consumption

18.1% (2023 est.)

household consumption

59.6% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-33.7% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

21.2% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.3% (2023 est.)

note

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

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.9% (2023 est.)

industry

23.1% (2023 est.)

note

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

services

64.9% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.255 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

34.8 (2021 est.)

note

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

26.2% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

2.3% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$644.93 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$785.549 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$756.154 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

natural gas, crude petroleum, cars, packaged medicine, garments (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Germany 14%, France 8%, China 8%, Netherlands 5%, Spain 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-0.02% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.87% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

8.2% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5.62% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

25.669 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

20.1% (2021 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

note

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

Public debt 2017

131.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$2.951 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$3.068 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$3.097 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

8.31% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.99% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.92% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$49,900 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$52,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$52,700 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

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

Remittances 2021

0.49% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.51% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.47% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$227.478 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$224.581 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$247.396 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

24.92% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

9.5% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

8.07% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

7.62% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

25.2% (2023 est.)

male

21.2% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

22.7% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

27.291 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

131.687 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

157.6 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

316.578 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

13.127 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

294,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

12.462 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

1.618 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

609.999 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

298.32 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

4.419 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

47.402 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

123.327 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

18.827 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

63.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

geothermal

2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

10% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

9.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

7.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

98.458 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

68.735 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

4.594 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

72.579 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

3.117 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

45.76 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

4 (2023)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

497.934 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

1.246 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

116,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

30 (2020 est.)

total

18,128,787 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

two Italian media giants dominate with 3 national terrestrial stations and privately owned companies with 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

Internet country code

.it

Internet users

percent of population

75% (2021 est.)

total

44.25 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

34 per 100 for fixed-line and nearly 132 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2021)

general assessment

Italy’s large telecom market has one of the most progressive fiber sectors in Europe, with regulatory measures encouraging network sharing; regulatory measures have also been introduced to facilitate access to next generation networks (NGNs), and a number of deals have been brokered which enable the main telcoms to provide bundled services to large numbers of the population; Italy’s vibrant mobile market has one of the highest subscription rates in Europe, though the number of subscribers has fallen in recent years as customers respond to attractive off-net pricing which has reduced the financial benefit of having SIM cards from different providers; network companies were among the first in Europe to trial services based on 5G; the high cost also encouraged the regulator in early 2021 to consider extending the licenses by an additional six years (2021)

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 that 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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

34 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

19.982 million (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

133 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

78.503 million (2022 est.)

Airports

636 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

I

Heliports

155 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

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

total

1,276 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1.418 billion (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

27,630,435 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

180

number of registered air carriers

9 (2020)

Pipelines

20,223 km gas, 1,393 km oil, 1,574 km refined products (2013)

Ports

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

Railways

note

1289.3 0.950-mm gauge (151.3 km electrified)

total

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

Roadways

total

228,863 km (2021)

Waterways

2,400 km (2012) (used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail)

Military - note

the Italian military is responsible for Italy’s national defense and security and fulfilling the country’s commitments to the EU, NATO, and the UN; it also has some domestic security duties; for example, the Army has provided troops for guarding public buildings and for more than a decade several thousand Army and Carabinieri personnel have been deployed domestically to support the National Police as part of a government effort to curb crime in various Italian cities 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 a strong supporter of European/EU defense cooperation and integration; Italy is a frequent participant in EU, NATO, UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations; key areas of emphasis for Italy’s security policy and multinational cooperation are NATO/Europe’s eastern and southern flanks, including the Mediterranean Sea, East and North Africa, and the Middle East and its adjacent watersItaly is one of NATO’s leading contributors of military forces and participates in such missions as NATO’s 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, as well as 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 (2024)

Military and security forces

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) (2024)

note

note 1: the National 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 responsibilitiesnote 2: 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 and security service personnel strengths

approximately 170,000 active personnel (100,000 Army; 30,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force); approximately 108,000 Carabinieri (2024)

Military deployments

120 Djibouti; approximately 750 Bulgaria (NATO); approximately 650 Middle East (NATO, European Assistance Mission Iraq); 250 Hungary (NATO; up to 1,500 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); 250 Latvia (NATO); 1,325 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 200 Libya; 350 Niger; 250 Romania (NATO); 150 Somalia (EUTM) (2024)

note

note 1: Italy has about 11,500 total air, ground, and naval forces deployed on foreign missionsnote 2: 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

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically manufactured, imported, and jointly produced weapons systems, mostly from Europe and the US; in recent years, the US has been the lead supplier of military hardware to Italy; 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 (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.6% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.5% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.5% of GDP (2022)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.5% of GDP (2023)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

17-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (some variations on age depending on the military branch); voluntary service is a minimum of 12 months with the option to extend in the Armed Forces or compete for positions in the Military Corps of the Italian Red Cross, the State Police, the Carabinieri, the Guardia di Finanza, the Penitentiary Police, or the National Fire Brigade; recruits can also volunteer for 4 years military service; conscription abolished 2004 (2024)

note

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

Illicit drugs

important gateway for drug trafficking; organized crime groups allied with Colombian and Spanish groups trafficking cocaine to Europe

Refugees and internally displaced persons

note

note: 861,413 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-March 2024)

refugees (country of origin)

21,441 (Nigeria), 17,706 (Afghanistan), 17,619 (Pakistan), 11,193 (Mali), 8,405 (Somalia), 6,324 (Gambia), 5,768 (Bangladesh), 5,463 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 169,165 (Ukraine) (as of 23 February 2024)

stateless persons

3,000 (2022)

Space agency/agencies

Italian Space Agency (L’Agenzia Spaziale Italiana or ASI; established 1988); Joint Space Operations Command (Comando Interforze delle Operazioni Spaziali or COS; established 2020) (2024)

Space launch site(s)

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, Kenya concluded a new deal with Italy to conduct rocket launches from the site again in the future; in 2018, the Italian Government 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 (2024)

Space program overview

has one of the largest space programs in Europe; is a key member of the European Space Agency (ESA) and one of its largest contributors; designs, builds, launches, and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; designs and manufacturers sounding (research) rockets and orbital satellite launch vehicles (SLVs); hosts the ESA Center for Earth Observation; has astronaut cadre in the ESA astronaut corps; researches, develops, and builds a range of other space-related technologies and participates in a wide array of international programs with astronauts, cargo containers, construction, expertise, modules, scientific experiments, and technology; outside of the ESA/EU and their individual member states, 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 space projects such as the International Space Station (ISS); has a considerable commercial space industrial sector encompassing a wide range of capabilities, including manufacturing satellites, satellite payloads, launch vehicles, propulsion systems, cargo containers, and their sub-components (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

note: 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

Air pollutants

methane emissions

41.3 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

14.22 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

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-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

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Adamello-Brenta; Alpi Apuane; Aspromonte; Beigua; Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni; Madonie; Maiella; Pollino; Rocca di Cerere; Sesia Val Grande; Tuscan Mining Park (2023)

total global geoparks and regional networks

11

Land use

agricultural land

47.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 22.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 8.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 15.7% (2018 est.)

forest

31.4% (2018 est.)

other

21.5% (2018 est.)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

191.3 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

17 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

7.7 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

9.19 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

72% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

29.524 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

7,646,716 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

25.9% (2015 est.)