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Europe :: Italy

- ## 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 is 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 sluggish economic growth, high youth and female unemployment, organized crime, corruption, and economic disparities between southern Italy and the more 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: 301,340 sq km
  land: 294,140 sq km
  water: 7,200 sq km
  note: includes Sardinia and Sicily
  country comparison to the world: 72
  Area - comparative:
  almost twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona
  Area comparison map:
  Land boundaries:
  total: 1,836.4 km
  border countries (6): Austria 404 km, France 476 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.4 km, San Marino 37 km, Slovenia 218 km, Switzerland 698 km
  Coastline:
  7,600 km
  Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 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:
  agricultural land: 47.1%
  arable land 22.8%; permanent crops 8.6%; permanent pasture 15.7%
  forest: 31.4%
  other: 21.5% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  39,510 sq km (2007)
  Total renewable water resources:
  191.3 cu km (2011)
  Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
  total: 45.41 cu km/yr (24%/43%/34%)
  per capita: 789.8 cu m/yr (2008)
  Natural hazards:
  regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice
  volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Etna (elev. 3,330 m), which is in eruption as of 2010, is Europe's most active volcano; flank eruptions pose a threat to nearby Sicilian villages; Etna, along with the famous Vesuvius, which remains a threat to the millions of nearby residents in the Bay of Naples area, have both been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Stromboli, on its namesake island, has also been continuously active with moderate volcanic activity; other historically active volcanoes include Campi Flegrei, Ischia, Larderello, Pantelleria, Vulcano, and Vulsini
  Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities
  Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
  Geography - note:
  strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

- ## People and Society :: ITALY

- Nationality:
  noun: Italian(s)
  adjective: Italian
  Ethnic groups:
  Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)
  Languages:
  Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German-speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)
  Religions:
  Christian 80% (overwhelmingly Roman Catholic with very small groups of Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestants), Muslim (about 800,000 to 1 million), Atheist and Agnostic 20%
  Population:
  61,855,120 (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 24
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 13.73% (male 4,340,380/female 4,154,737)
  15-24 years: 9.79% (male 3,035,586/female 3,020,584)
  25-54 years: 42.74% (male 13,063,733/female 13,375,975)
  55-64 years: 12.54% (male 3,756,546/female 3,997,190)
  65 years and over: 21.2% (male 5,626,752/female 7,483,637) (2015 est.)
  population pyramid:
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 56.5%
  youth dependency ratio: 21.5%
  elderly dependency ratio: 35.1%
  potential support ratio: 2.9% (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 44.8 years
  male: 43.7 years
  female: 45.9 years (2015 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  0.27% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 177
  Birth rate:
  8.74 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 213
  Death rate:
  10.19 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 40
  Net migration rate:
  4.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 30
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 69% of total population (2015)
  rate of urbanization: 0.39% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  ROME (capital) 3.718 million; Milan 3.099 million; Naples 2.202 million; Turin 1.765 million; Palermo 853,000; Bergamo 840,000 (2015)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.49 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 212
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 82.12 years
  male: 79.48 years
  female: 84.92 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 14
  Total fertility rate:
  1.43 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 208
  Health expenditures:
  9.1% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 33
  Physicians density:
  3.76 physicians/1,000 population (2012)
  Hospital bed density:
  3.4 beds/1,000 population (2011)
  Drinking water source:
  improved:
  urban: 100% of population
  rural: 100% of population
  total: 100% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 0% of population
  rural: 0% of population
  total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved:
  urban: 99.5% of population
  rural: 99.6% of population
  total: 99.5% of population
  unimproved::
  urban: 0.5% of population
  rural: 0.4% of population
  total: 0.5% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.28% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 85
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  122,000 (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 39
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  23.7% (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 97
  Education expenditures:
  4.3% of GDP (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 93
  Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.2%
  male: 99.4%
  female: 99% (2015 est.)
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 16 years
  male: 16 years
  female: 17 years (2012)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
  total: 35.3%
  male: 33.7%
  female: 37.5% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17

- ## 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
  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 (Venetia)
  autonomous regions: Friuli-Venezia Giulia; Sardegna (Sardinia); Sicilia (Sicily); Trentino-Alto Adige (Trentino-South Tyrol) or Trentino-Suedtirol (German); Valle d'Aosta (Aosta Valley) or Vallee d'Aoste (French)
  Independence:
  17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
  National holiday:
  Republic Day, 2 June (1946)
  Constitution:
  previous 1848 (originally for Kingdom of Sardinia and adopted by Kingdom of Italy in 1861); latest enacted 22 December 1947, adopted 27 December 1947, entered into force 1 January 1948; amended many times, last in 2012 (2013)
  Legal system:
  civil law system; judicial review of legislation under certain conditions in Constitutional Court
  International law organization participation:
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
  Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Sergio MATTARELLA (3 February 2015); Giorgio NAPOLITANO resigned 14 January 2015
  head of government: Prime Minister Matteo RENZI (since 22 February 2014); note - the prime minister title is President of the Council of Ministers
  cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister and nominated by the president
  elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a 7-year term (no term limits); election last held on 31 January 2015 (next scheduled for 2020); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by parliament
  election results: Sergio MATTARELLA elected president; electoral college vote count in fourth round - 665 out of 1,009 (505-vote threshold); Matteo RENZI sworn in as prime minister on 22 February 2014
  Legislative branch:
  description: bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (322 seats; 315 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 7 ex-officio members appointed by the president of the Republic to serve for life) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 629 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 1 member from Valle d'Aosta elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held on 24-25 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 24-25 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - center-left coalition [Pier Luigi BERSANI] 123 (PD 111, SEL 7, SVP 2, other 3), center-right coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] 117 (PdL 98, LN 18, other 1), M5S 54, centrist coalition [Mario MONTI] 19, other 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - center-left coalition [Pier Luigi BERSANI] 345 (PD 297, SEL 37, CD 6 SVP 5), center-right coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] 125 (PdL 98, LN 18, FdI 9), M5S 109, centrist coalition [Mario MONTI] 47, other 4; note - President NAPOLITANO dissolved Parliament on 22 December 2012
  Judicial branch:
  highest court(s): Supreme Court of Cassation 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
  judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the Superior Council of the Judiciary, headed by the president of the republic, to serve NA terms; 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, courts, and courts of appeal)
  Political parties and leaders:
  Center-right parties::
  Brothers of Italy or FdI [Giorgia MELONI, Ignazio LA RUSSA, and Guido CROSETTO]
  Forza Italia [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly PdL)
  The New Center-Right or NCD [Angelino ALFANO]
  Northern League or LN [Roberto MARONI]
  The Right or LD [Francesco STORACE]
  other minor parties
  Center-left parties::
  Democratic Centre or CD [Bruno TABACCI and Massimo DONADI]
  Democratic Party or PD [Matteo RENZI]
  Italian Socialist Party or PSI [Riccardo NENCINI]
  Left Ecology Freedom or SEL [Nichi VENDOLA]
  South Tyrolean People's Party or SVP [Arno KOMPATSCHER]
  Centrist parties::
  Civic Choice or SC [Alberto BOMBASSEI]
  Future and Freedom for Italy or FLI [vacant]
  Union of the Center or UdC [Pier Ferdinando CASINI]
  other coalitions and parties::
  Act to Stop the Decline or FiD [Michele BOLDRIN]
  Civil Revolution or RC [Antonio INGROIA]
  Five Star Movment or M5S [Beppe GRILLO]
  Political pressure groups and leaders:
  manufacturers and merchants associations: Confcommercio
  Confindustria
  organized farm groups: Confcoltivatori
  Confagricoltura
  major trade union confederations: Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL [Susanna CAMUSSO] (left wing)
  Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Raffaele BONANNI] (Roman Catholic centrist)
  Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi ANGELETTI] (lay centrist)
  other: Roman Catholic Church
  International organization participation:
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Claudio BISOGNIERO (since 13 January 2012)
  chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400
  FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco
  consulate(s): Charlotte (NC), Cleveland (OH), Detroit (MI), Hattiesburg (MS), Honolulu (HI), New Orleans, Newark (NJ), Norfolk (VA), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Seattle
  consular agency(ies): Anchorage (AL), Charleston (SC), Worcester (MA)
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John R. PHILLIPS (since 3 October 2013); note - also accredited to San Marino
  embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187-Rome
  mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624
  telephone: [39] (06) 46741
  FAX: [39] (06) 4674-2244
  consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples
  consular agency(ies): Anchorage (AL), Charleston (SC), Worcester (MA)
  Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; design inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797; colors are those of Milan (red and white) combined with the green uniform color of the Milanese civic guard
  note: similar to the flag of Mexico, which is longer, uses darker shades of red and green, and has its coat of arms centered on the white band; Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green
  National symbol(s):
  white, five-pointed star (Stella d'Italia); national colors: red, white, green
  National anthem:
  name: "Il Canto degli Italiani" (The Song of the Italians)
  lyrics/music: Goffredo MAMELI/Michele NOVARO
  note: adopted 1946; the anthem, originally written in 1847, is also known as "L'Inno di Mameli" (Mameli's Hymn), and "Fratelli D'Italia" (Brothers of Italy)

- ## Economy :: ITALY

- Economy - overview:
  Italy has a diversified economy, which is divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, highly subsidized, agricultural south, where unemployment is higher. The Italian economy is driven in large part by the manufacture of high-quality consumer goods produced by small and medium-sized enterprises, many of them family-owned. Italy also has a sizable underground economy, which by some estimates accounts for as much as 17% of GDP. These activities are most common within the agriculture, construction, and service sectors. Italy is the third-largest economy in the euro-zone, but its exceptionally high public debt and structural impediments to growth have rendered it vulnerable to scrutiny by financial markets. Public debt has increased steadily since 2007, topping 132% of GDP in 2014, but investor concerns about Italy and the broader euro-zone crisis eased in 2013, bringing down Italy's borrowing costs on sovereign government debt from euro-era records. The government still faces pressure from investors and European partners to sustain its efforts to address Italy's long-standing structural impediments to growth, such as labor market inefficiencies and tax evasion. In 2014 economic growth and labor market conditions continued to deteriorate, with overall unemployment rising to 12.2% and youth unemployment around 40%. Italy's GDP is now nearly 10% below its 2007 pre-crisis level.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.128 trillion (2014 est.)
  $2.137 trillion (2013 est.)
  $2.174 trillion (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 13
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $2.148 trillion (2014 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  -0.4% (2014 est.)
  -1.7% (2013 est.)
  -2.8% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 202
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $35,500 (2014 est.)
  $35,600 (2013 est.)
  $36,300 (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 49
  Gross national saving:
  18.3% of GDP (2014 est.)
  18.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
  17.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 91
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 60.2%
  government consumption: 20%
  investment in fixed capital: 16.9%
  investment in inventories: 0%
  exports of goods and services: 30.1%
  imports of goods and services: -27.2%
  (2014 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 2.2%
  industry: 23.9%
  services: 73.9% (2014 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish
  Industries:
  tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
  Industrial production growth rate:
  -0.2% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 172
  Labor force:
  25.51 million (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 26
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 3.9%
  industry: 28.3%
  services: 67.8% (2011)
  Unemployment rate:
  12.8% (2014 est.)
  12.2% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 130
  Population below poverty line:
  29.9% (2012 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 26.8% (2000)
  Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31.9 (2012 est.)
  27.3 (1995)
  country comparison to the world: 110
  Budget:
  revenues: $990.7 billion
  expenditures: $1.055 trillion (2014 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  46.5% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 20
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -3% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 117
  Public debt:
  134.1% of GDP (2014 est.)
  132.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
  note: Italy reports its data on public debt according to guidelines set out in the Maastricht Treaty; general government gross debt is defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year, in the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); the general government sector comprises the central government, state government, local government and social security funds
  country comparison to the world: 5
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.2% (2014 est.)
  1.3% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 32
  Central bank discount rate:
  0.25% (31 December 2013)
  0.75% (31 December 2012)
  note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
  country comparison to the world: 149
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  5.1% (31 December 2014 est.)
  5.14% (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 153
  Stock of narrow money:
  $1.185 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $1.264 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)
  note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders
  country comparison to the world: 6
  Stock of broad money:
  $2.134 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $2.284 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 8
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $3.319 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $3.613 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 8
  Market value of publicly traded shares:
  $480.5 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
  $431.5 billion (31 December 2011)
  $318.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 23
  Current account balance:
  $38.94 billion (2014 est.)
  $20.88 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Exports:
  $500.3 billion (2014 est.)
  $501.7 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 12
  Exports - commodities:
  engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; foodstuffs, beverages, and tobacco; minerals, nonferrous metals
  Exports - partners:
  Germany 12.8%, France 10.7%, US 7.2%, UK 5.3%, Switzerland 4.7%, Spain 4.6% (2014)
  Imports:
  $448.3 billion (2014 est.)
  $453.6 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 13
  Imports - commodities:
  engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages, tobacco
  Imports - partners:
  Germany 16.1%, France 9%, China 7.3%, Netherlands 5.8%, Spain 5%, Belgium 4.5% (2014)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $145.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  $145.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Debt - external:
  $2.604 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)
  $2.516 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 8
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
  $552.1 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $538.6 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
  $763.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $733.2 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 14
  Exchange rates:
  euros (EUR) per US dollar -
  0.7489 (2014 est.)
  0.7634 (2013 est.)
  0.78 (2012 est.)
  0.7185 (2011 est.)
  0.755 (2010 est.)

- ## Energy :: ITALY

- Electricity - production:
  286.2 billion kWh (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 13
  Electricity - consumption:
  307.2 billion kWh (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 13
  Electricity - exports:
  2.181 billion kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 43
  Electricity - imports:
  44.34 billion kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 3
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  124.2 million kW (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 9
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  66.3% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 121
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  12.8% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 109
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  20.9% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 10
  Crude oil - production:
  112,800 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 45
  Crude oil - exports:
  14,640 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 57
  Crude oil - imports:
  1.387 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 7
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  560.5 million bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 50
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  1.692 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 13
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  1.315 million bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  628,000 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 11
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  347,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 19
  Natural gas - production:
  7.735 billion cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 45
  Natural gas - consumption:
  70.07 billion cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 11
  Natural gas - exports:
  228 million cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 43
  Natural gas - imports:
  61.96 billion cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 5
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  59.43 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 61
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  385.8 million Mt (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18

- ## Communications :: ITALY

- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 20.57 million
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 15
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total: 94.2 million
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 153 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern, well-developed, fast; fully automated 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 (2011)
  Broadcast media:
  two Italian media giants dominate - the publicly owned Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI) with 3 national terrestrial stations and privately owned Mediaset with 3 national terrestrial stations; a large number of private stations and Sky Italia - a satellite TV network; RAI operates 3 AM/FM nationwide radio stations; some 1,300 commercial radio stations (2007)
  Radio broadcast stations:
  AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)
  Television broadcast stations:
  358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)
  Internet country code:
  .it
  Internet users:
  total: 37 million
  percent of population: 59.9% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18

- ## Transportation :: ITALY

- Airports:
  129 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 45
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 98
  over 3,047 m: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 31
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
  914 to 1,523 m: 29
  under 914 m: 11 (2013)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 31
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m:
  20 (2013)
  Heliports:
  5 (2013)
  Pipelines:
  gas 20,223 km; oil 1,393 km; refined products 1,574 km (2013)
  Railways:
  total: 20,181.7 km
  standard gauge: 18,770.1 km 1.435-m gauge (12,893.6 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 122.3 km 1.000-m gauge (122.3 km electrified); 1,289.3 km 0.950-m gauge (151.3 km electrified) (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 13
  Roadways:
  total: 487,700 km
  paved: 487,700 km (includes 6,700 km of expressways) (2007)
  country comparison to the world: 15
  Waterways:
  2,400 km (used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail) (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 36
  Merchant marine:
  total: 681
  by type: bulk carrier 105, cargo 42, carrier 1, chemical tanker 164, container 21, liquefied gas 28, passenger 25, passenger/cargo 154, petroleum tanker 59, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 39, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 30
  foreign-owned: 90 (Denmark 4, France 2, Greece 7, Luxembourg 14, Netherlands 2, Nigeria 1, Norway 6, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 13, Taiwan 10, Turkey 4, UK 2, US 23)
  registered in other countries: 201 (Bahamas 1, Belize 3, Cayman Islands 7, Cyprus 6, Georgia 2, Gibraltar 4, Greece 5, Liberia 47, Malta 45, Marshall Islands 1, Morocco 1, Netherlands 6, Panama 25, Portugal 12, Russia 14, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Singapore 5, Slovakia 2, Spain 1, Sweden 5, Turkey 1, UK 3, unknown 1) (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Augusta, Cagliari, Genoa, Livorno, Taranto, Trieste, Venice
  oil terminals: Melilli (Santa Panagia) oil terminal, Sarroch oil terminal
  container port(s) (TEUs): Genoa (1,847,648), Gioia Tauro (2,264,798), La Spezia (1,307,274)
  LNG terminal(s) (import): La Spezia, Panigaglia, Porto Levante

- ## Military :: ITALY

- Military branches:
  Italian Armed Forces: Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI), Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri, CC) (2011)
  Military service age and obligation:
  18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in any military branch; Italian citizenship required; 1-year service obligation (2013)
  Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 13,865,688
  females age 16-49: 14,003,755 (2010 est.)
  Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 11,247,446
  females age 16-49: 11,348,695 (2010 est.)
  Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
  male: 288,188
  female: 281,671 (2010 est.)
  Military expenditures:
  1.69% of GDP (2012)
  1.72% of GDP (2011)
  1.69% of GDP (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 52

- ## Transnational Issues :: ITALY

- Disputes - international:
  Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and northern Africa
  Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 13,357 (Eritrea); 12,213 (Somalia); 8,991 (Afghanistan); 6,293 (Nigeria); 5,764 (Pakistan); 5,552 (Mali) (2014)
  stateless persons: 813 (2014)
  Illicit drugs:
  important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money laundering by organized crime and from smuggling

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