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Encyclopedia > Italian Republic

The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. It comprises a boot-shaped peninsula and two large islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia, and shares its northern alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent countries of San Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within Italian territory. Italian is a Romance language spoken by about 70 million people, most of whom live in Italy. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... This article is about a type of footwear. ... A peninsula is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body that is surrounded by water on three sides. ... -1... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ... Sardinia (Sardigna, Sardinna or Sardinnia in the Sardinian language, Sardegna in Italian, Sardenya in Catalan), is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy, France and Tunisia, south of Corsica. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... The Swiss Confederation or Switzerland is a landlocked federal state in Europe, with neighbours Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. ... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... The Republic of Slovenia ( Slovenian: Republika Slovenija) is a coastal sub-Alpine country in south central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north. ... San Marino (disambiguation). ... The State of the Vatican City ( Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanæ), is a landlocked enclave surrounded by the city of Rome in Italy, and the smallest independent state in the world (both in area and in population). ... In human geography, an enclave is a piece of land which is totally enclosed within a foreign territory. ...

Repubblica Italiana
(In Detail)
Location of Italy
Official language Italian1
Capital and largest city Rome
President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi
Area
 - Total
 - % water
Ranked 71st
301,230 km²
2.40%
Population
 - Total (2004)
 - Density
Ranked 22nd
57,998,353
197/km²
Unification 17 March 1861
GDP (2003)
  - Total (PPP)
  - Total (nom.)
  - GDP/capita (PPP)
  - GDP/capita (nom.)

$1.559 trillion (8th)
$1.466 trillion (6th)
$27,050 (19th)
$25,429 (20th)
Currency Euro (€)2
Time zone
 - in summer
CET (UTC+1)
CEST (UTC+2)
National anthem La Canzone degli Italiani
Internet TLD .it
Calling Code +39
1 French is co-official in the Aosta Valley; German is co-official in South Tyrol.

2 Prior to 1999: Italian Lira. Download high resolution version (1200x800, 1 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Arsenal F.C. A.S. Roma A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union... Image taken from Presidenza della Repubblica, in Italian. ... The Flag of Italy The Flag of Italy (vexillological symbol ), also known as Tricolore, is a tricolour containing three vertical bands of green, white, and red (left, or hoist side, to right). ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... An official language is something that is given a unique status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... Italian is a Romance language spoken by about 70 million people, most of whom live in Italy. ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... The Roman Colosseum Rome (Italian and Latin Roma) is the capital city of Italy, and of its Lazio region. ... This is the List of Presidents of Italy with the title Presidente della Repubblica since 1948. ... Pres. ... This is a list of Prime Ministers of Italy. ... Portrait of Silvio Berlusconi Silvio Berlusconi (born September 29, 1936) is currently (as of 2005) the Prime Minister of Italy. ... This article explains the meaning of area as a physical quantity. ... Here is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here surface areas between 100,000 km² and 1,000,000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... In the most common sense of the word, a population is the collection of people—or organisms of a particular species—living in a given geographic area. ... Population density can be used as a measurement of any tangible item. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population. ... Italian unification, also known as Risorgimento (resurrection), was a historical process by which the Kingdom of Sardinia (ruled by the Savoy dynasty with Turin as its capital) gradually conquered the Italian peninsula, including the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the Duchy of Modena, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchy... March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in Leap years). ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... In economics, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of the amount of the economic production of a particular territory in financial capital terms during a specific time period. ... Here is a list of countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP), the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. ... This is a list of the worlds economies sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP) at market or government official exchange rates. ... Here is a list of countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year, divided by population as of 1 July for the same year. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by their Gross Domestic Product (Nominal) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year, divided by the average population for the same year. ... Euro (disambiguation). ... -1... European Summer Time is the daylight saving time practised in Europe, the period during which clocks are advanced by one hour in relation to the official time observed during the rest of the year. ... Central European Time (CET) is one of the names of UTC+1 time zone, 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, is an atomic realization of Universal Time or Greenwich mean time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... Central European Summer Time (CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, is an atomic realization of Universal Time or Greenwich mean time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... The National Anthem is the name of a song by the band Radiohead. ... The Inno di Mameli (Mamelis Hymn), as it generally known – or, more precisely, Il Canto degli Italiani (The Song of the Italians) – is the Italian national anthem. ... A top-level domain (TLD) is the last part of which Internet domain names consist of. ... .it is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Italy. ... French (français, langue française) is one of the most important Romance languages, outnumbered in speakers only by Spanish and Portuguese. ... Aosta Valley (in French Vallée dAoste, in Italian Valle dAosta) is a mountainous region in north-western Italy, the smallest of the regions. ... German (called Deutsch in German; in German the term germanisch is equivalent to English Germanic), is a member of the western group of Germanic languages and is one of the worlds major languages. ... South Tyrol ( German Autonome Provinz Bozen-Südtirol, Italian Provincia autonoma di Bolzano-Alto Adige, Ladin Provinzia autonóma de Bulsan-Südtirol) is an autonomous province of Italy. ... Lira is the name of the monetary unit of a number of countries, as well as the former currency of Italy, San Marino and the Vatican City. ...

Contents

History

Main article: History of Italy The history of Italy is roughly divided into the following periods: Categories: Italian history ...


Italy has shaped the cultural and social development of the whole Mediterranean area. Important cultures and civilisations have existed there since prehistoric times, and archaeological sites of note can be found in many regions: Latium, Tuscany, Umbria and Basilicata. After Magna Graecia, the Etruscan civilization and especially the Roman Empire that dominated this part of the world for many centuries, Italy was central to European philosophy, science and art during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Culture refers to the customs, arts, attitudes, institutions, and other traits that characterize a particular society or nation. ... -1... Excavation is just one stage of archaeological research. ... Latium (now Lazio in Italian) is a region of central Italy, bordered by Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo, Molise, Campania and the Tyrrhenian Sea. ... Tuscany (Italian Toscana) is a region in central Italy, bordering on Latium to the south, Umbria to the east, Emilia-Romagna and Liguria to the north, and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west. ... Umbria is a mountainous region of central Italy, in the valley of the river Tiber. ... Basilicata is a region in the south of Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Puglia to the east, Calabria to the south, it has one short coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea and another of the Gulf of Taranto in the Ionian Sea to the south-east. ... Magna Graecia (Latin for Greater Greece, Megalê Hellas/Μεγάλη Ελλάς in Greek) is the name of an area in ancient southern Italy and Sicily that was colonised by ancient Greek settlers in the 8th century BCE. Originally, Magna Graecia was the name used by the Romans to describe the greater... The Etruscan civilization existed in Etruria and the Po valley in the northern part of what is now Italy, prior to the formation of the Roman Republic. ... The Roman Empire is not the Holy Roman Empire (843-1806). ... This article is about the continent. ... Philosophy (from the Greek words philos and sophia meaning love of wisdom) is understood in different ways historically and by different philosophers. ... For the scientific journal named Science, see Science (journal). ... Although today the word art usually refers to the visual arts, the concept of what art is has continuously changed over centuries. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... By Region: Italian Renaissance Northern Renaissance -French Renaissance -German Renaissance -English Renaissance The Renaissance was a great cultural movement which brought about a period of scientific revolution and artistic transformation, at the dawn of modern European history. ...


Modern Italy became a nation-state belatedly — on March 17, 1861, when most of the states of the peninsula and the Two Sicilies were united under king Victor Emmanuel II of the Savoy dynasty, hitherto king of Sardinia, a realm that included Piedmont. The architect of Italian unification was Count Camillo Benso di Cavour, the Chief Minister of Victor Emmanuel. Rome itself remained for a decade under the Papacy, and became part of the Kingdom of Italy only on September 20, 1870, the final date of Italian unification. The Vatican is now an independent enclave surrounded by Italy, as is San Marino.-1... March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in Leap years). ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The Two Sicilies The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was the new name that the Bourbon king Ferdinand IV of Naples gave to his domain (including Southern Italy and Sicily) after the end of the Napoleonic Era and the full restoration of his power in 1816. ... King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy Victor Emmanuel II (Italian: Vittorio Emanuele II; March 14, 1820—January 9, 1878) was the King of Piedmont, Savoy and Sardinia from 1849–1861, and King of Italy from 1861 until his death in 1878. ... This article is about the historical region of Savoy. ... Sardinia (Sardigna, Sardinna or Sardinnia in the Sardinian language, Sardegna in Italian, Sardenya in Catalan), is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy, France and Tunisia, south of Corsica. ... Piedmont is a region of northwestern Italy. ... Count Camillo Benso di Cavour ( August 10, 1810 - June 6, 1861) was a statesman who was a leading figure in the movement toward Italian unification and the first Prime Minister of the new Kingdom of Italy. ... Pope John Paul II has reigned since 22 Oct 1978. ... September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years). ... 1870 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Italian unification, also known as Risorgimento (resurrection), was a historical process by which the Kingdom of Sardinia (ruled by the Savoy dynasty with Turin as its capital) gradually conquered the Italian peninsula, including the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the Duchy of Modena, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchy... The State of the Vatican City ( Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanæ), is a landlocked enclave surrounded by the city of Rome in Italy, and the smallest independent state in the world (both in area and in population). ... In human geography, an enclave is a piece of land which is totally enclosed within a foreign territory. ... San Marino (disambiguation). ...


The Fascist dictatorship of Benito Mussolini that took over in 1922 led to the alliance with Germany and other Axis Powers and ultimately Italy's defeat in World War II. Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler Fascism (in Italian, fascismo), capitalized, refers to the right-wing authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. ... Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler were two of the 20th centurys most notorious dictators. ... Benito Mussolini created a fascist state through the use of propaganda, total control of the media and disassembly of the working democratic government. ... The Axis Powers is a term for those participants in World War II opposed to the Allies. ... German soldiers at the Battle of Stalingrad World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the worlds nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. ...


On June 2, 1946, a referendum on the monarchy resulted in the establishment of the Italian republic, which led to the adoption of a new constitution on January 1, 1948. Male members of the royal family were sent into exile because of their association with the fascist regime, and were only allowed to return to their country in 2002. June 2 is the 153rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (154th in leap years), with 212 days remaining. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... For related meanings see also Monarch (disambiguation) A monarchy, (from the Greek monos, one, and archein, to rule) is a form of government that has a monarch as Head of State. ... The birth of the Italian republic (officially on June 2, 1946) is a key event of Italian contemporary history. ...


Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Union, and hence joined the growing political and economic unification of Western Europe, including the introduction of the Euro in 1999. For the National Association of Theatre Owners, please see National Association of Theatre Owners. ... The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ... Euro (disambiguation). ...


The name Italy (Italia) is an ancient name for the country and people of Southern Italy. The name Italia means "Land of Cattle Calves or Veal". Coins bearing the name Italy were minted by an alliance of Italic tribes (Sabines, Samnites, Umbrians and other) competing with Rome in the first century B.C. By the time of emperor Augustus approximately the present territory of Italy was included in Italia as the central unit of the Empire; Cisalpine Gaul, the Upper Po valley, for example was appended in 42 B.C. Ever since, "Italy" or "Italian" was the collective name for diverse states appearing on the peninsula and their overseas properties. Italy is one of the few modern countries bearing a name of such long tradition. Italic can refer to: Italic languages Italic scripts Italic means Of or from Italy; the usage is most commonly restricted to talking about the people and languages of what is now Italy from the historic period before the Roman Empire. ... Sabine (in Latin and in Italian, Sabina) is a sub-region of Latium, Italy, on the North-East of Rome toward Rieti. ... Samnite warriors Samnium (Oscan Safinim) was a region of the southern Apennines in Italy that was home to the Samnites, a group of Sabellic tribes that controlled the area from about 600 BC to about 290 BC. Samnium was delimited by Latium in the north, by Lucania in the south... Augustus (plural Augusti) is Latin for majestic or venerable. Although the use of the cognomen Augustus as part of ones name is generally understood to identify the Emperor Augustus, this is somewhat misleading; Augustus was the most significant name associated with the Emperor, but it did not actually represent... Cisalpine Gaul (Latin: Gallia Cisalpina, meaning Gaul this side of the Alps) was aprovince of the Roman Republic, in modern-day northern Italy. ...


Politics

Main article: Politics of Italy This article or section should be merged with Italian Government Italy has been a democratic republic since June 2, 1946, when the monarchy was abolished by popular referendum (see Birth of the Italian Republic). ...


The 1948 constitution established a bicameral parliament (Parlamento), consisting of a Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati) and a Senate (Senato della Repubblica), a separate judiciary, and an executive branch composed of a Council of Ministers (cabinet) (Consiglio dei ministri), headed by the prime minister (Presidente del consiglio dei ministri). The President of the Republic (Presidente della Repubblica) is elected for 7 years by the parliament sitting jointly with a small number of regional delegates. The president nominates the prime minister, who proposes the other ministers (formally named by the president). The Council of Ministers must retain the support (Fiducia) of both houses. An organizations constitution defines its form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules. ... In government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. ... Alternative meanings: Parliamentary system, Parliament (band), Parliament (cigarette). ... The Italian Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Parliament of Italy. ... The Italian Senate (Italian: Senato della Repubblica) is the upper house of the Parliament of Italy. ... The judiciary, also referred to as the judicature, consists of justices, judges and magistrates among other types of adjudicators. ... Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... Alternate meanings in cabinet (disambiguation) A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... This is a list of Prime Ministers of Italy. ... This is the List of Presidents of Italy with the title Presidente della Repubblica since 1948. ...


The houses of parliament are popularly and directly elected by a mixed majoritarian and proportional representation system. Under 1993 legislation, Italy has single-member districts for 75% of the seats in parliament; the remaining 25% of seats are allotted on a proportional basis. The Chamber of Deputies has officially 630 members (de facto, 619 only after the 2001 elections). In addition to 315 senators, elected members, the Senate includes former presidents and several other persons (no more than 5) appointed for life by the President of the Republic according to special constitutional provisions. Both houses are elected for a maximum of 5 years, but either may be dissolved before the expiration of its normal term. Legislative bills may originate in either house and must be passed by a majority in both. Alternative meanings: Parliamentary system, Parliament (band), Parliament (cigarette). ... Legislation refers 1. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ...


The Italian judicial system is based on Roman law modified by the Napoleonic code and later statutes. A constitutional court, the Corte Costituzionale, passes on the constitutionality of laws, and is a post-World War II innovation. Roman law is the legal system of both the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, from its earliest days to the time of the Eastern Roman Empire, even to the time of the Emperor Justinian I after the fall of Rome itself. ... The original Napoleonic Code, or Code Napoléon (originally called the Code civil des francais, or civil code of the French), was the French civil code, established at the behest of Napoléon. ... A statute is a formal, written law of a country or state, written and enacted by its legislative authority, perhaps to then be ratified by the highest executive in the government, and finally published. ...


Regions

Main article: Regions of Italy Regions of Italy Provisions for at least some degree of regional autonomy were made in the 1948 constitution, which states the constitutions role is; recoginize, protect and promote local autonomy, that State level services have the greatest decentralization, and adapt the principles and laws establishing autonomy and decentralization. ...

Map of Italy

Italy is subdivided into 20 regions (regioni, singular regione), of which five enjoy a special autonomous status, marked by an *: [Image:Example. ...

All regions except Valle d'Aosta are further subdivided into two or more provinces. Categories: Regions of Italy | Abruzzo ... Basilicata is a region in the south of Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Puglia to the east, Calabria to the south, it has one short coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea and another of the Gulf of Taranto in the Ionian Sea to the south-east. ... Categories: Regions of Italy | Calabria ... For other uses, see Campania (disambiguation). ... Emilia-Romagna is an administrative region of Northern Italy comprising the two historic regions of Emilia and Romagna. ... With an area of 7844 km and 1. ... Latium (now Lazio in Italian) is a region of central Italy, bordered by Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo, Molise, Campania and the Tyrrhenian Sea. ... Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. ... Lombardy (It. ... Marche (The Marches) is a region of central Italy, bordering Emilia-Romagna north and Tuscany and the republic of San Marino to the north-west, Umbria to the south-west, Abruzzo and Latium to the south-east and the Adriatic Sea to the east. ... Molise is a region of south central Italy, the second smallest of the regions. ... Piedmont is a region of northwestern Italy. ... Categories: Regions of Italy ... Sardinia (Sardigna, Sardinna or Sardinnia in the Sardinian language, Sardegna in Italian, Sardenya in Catalan), is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy, France and Tunisia, south of Corsica. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ... Tuscany (Italian Toscana) is a region in central Italy, bordering on Latium to the south, Umbria to the east, Emilia-Romagna and Liguria to the north, and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west. ... Trentino-Alto Adige or Trentino-South Tyrol (in German: Trentino-Südtirol, in Italian: Trentino-Alto Adige) is an autonomous region in northern Italy. ... Umbria is a mountainous region of central Italy, in the valley of the river Tiber. ... Aosta Valley (in French Vallée dAoste, in Italian Valle dAosta) is a mountainous region in north-western Italy, the smallest of the regions. ... Veneto is a region in northeastern Italy, bordering on Lombardy, Trentino-South Tyrol, Austria,Friuli - Venezia Giulia, and Emilia-Romagna, between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea. ... In Italy, the Province (in Italian: provincia) is an administrative division of an intermediate level, between municipality (comune) and region (regione). ...


Geography

Main article: Geography of Italy This article describes the geography of Italy. ...


Italy consists predominantly of a large peninsula with a distinctive boot shape that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, where together with its two main islands Sicily and Sardinia it creates distinct bodies of water, such as the Adriatic Sea to the north-east, the Ionian Sea to the south-east, the Tyrrhenian Sea to the south-west and finally the Ligurian Sea to the north-west. A peninsula is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body that is surrounded by water on three sides. ... -1... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ... Sardinia (Sardigna, Sardinna or Sardinnia in the Sardinian language, Sardegna in Italian, Sardenya in Catalan), is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy, France and Tunisia, south of Corsica. ... The Adriatic Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea separating the Apennine peninsula (Italy) from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges. ... The Ionian Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. ... The Tyrrhenian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy. ... Ligurian Sea is an area of the Mediterranean Sea. ...


The Apennine mountains form the backbone of this peninsula, leading north-west to where they join the Alps, the mountain range that then forms an arc enclosing Italy from the north. Here is also found a large alluvial plain, the Po-Venetian plain, drained by the Po River and its many tributaries flowing down from the Alps, Apennines and Dolomites. Other well-known rivers include the Tiber, Adige and Arno. This is about the terrestrial mountain range. ... The Alps is the collective name for one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria in the east, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany, through to France in the west. ... Po redirects here, for alternate uses see Po (disambiguation). ... This is about the terrestrial mountain range. ... 360° panoramic view from Marmolada (Photo: Mg-k) The Dolomites are a section of the Alps. ... Tiber River in Rome The River Tiber (Italian Tevere), the third longest river in Italy (disputed — see talk page) at 406 km (252 miles) after the Po and the Adige, flows through the Campagna and Rome in its course from Mount Fumaiolo to the Tyrrhenian Sea, which it reaches in... Adige (Italian; Etsch in German) is a river with its source in the region of South Tyrol / Alto Adige. ... Arno River in Florence, Italy The Arno is a river in region of Italy, that crosses all the region from Mount Falterona (near the city of Arezzo, in Casentino area), to Pisa where it enters Tyrrhenian Sea. ...


Its highest point is Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) at 4,810 m, but Italy is more typically associated with two famous volcanoes: the currently dormant Vesuvius near Naples and the very active Etna on Sicily. This article is about the Alpine mountain. ... This article is about volcanoes in geology. ... Mount Vesuvius (Italian: Monte Vesuvio) is a volcano east of Naples, Italy, located at 40°49′N 14°26′ E. It is the only active volcano on the European mainland, although it is not currently erupting. ... Alternate uses: See Naples (disambiguation) Naples (Italian Napoli, Neapolitan Napule, from Greek Νέα-Πόλις, latinised in Neapolis) is the largest town in southern Italy, capital of Campania region. ... For other meanings of Etna, see Etna (disambiguation). ...


Economy

Main article: Economy of Italy The Italian economy has changed dramatically since the end of World War II. From an agriculturally based economy, it has developed into an industrial state ranked as the worlds fifth-largest industrial economy. ...


Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same total and per capita output as France and the United Kingdom. This capitalistic economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. In comparison to its western European neighbours, it has a high number of small to medium sized enterprises (SMEes). Economics is the social science studying production and consumption through measurable variables. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Capitalism has been defined in various ways (see definitions of capitalism). ... Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals ( livestock). ... Small and Medium-sized Enterprises or SMEs are companies whose headcount or turnover falls below certain limits. ...


Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Union and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. Italy joined the Euro from its conception in 1999. In economics, a monetary union is a situation where several countries have agreed to share a single currency among them. ... Euro (disambiguation). ...


Italy's economic performance has at times lagged behind that of its EU partners, and the current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term growth. It has moved slowly, however, on implementing certain structural reforms favoured by economists, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labour market and expensive pension system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from labour unions. A pension (also known as superannuation) is a retirement plan intended to provide a person with a secure income for life. ... A union (labor union in American English; trade union, sometimes trades union, in British English; either labour union or trade union in Canadian English) is a legal entity consisting of employees or workers having a common interest, such as all the assembly workers for one employer, or all the workers...

This is a list of companies from Italy. ...

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Italy Italy is largely homogeneous linguistically and religiously but is diverse culturally, economically, and politically. ...


Italy is largely homogeneous in language and religion but is diverse culturally, economically, and politically. Italy has the fifth-highest population density in Europe at 196 persons per square kilometre. Indigenous minority groups are small.


Although Roman Catholicism is the majority religion (85% of native-born citizens are nominally Catholic) there are mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim (see: Islam in Italy) immigrant community The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... For a discussion of Jews as an ethnicity or ethnic group see the article on Jew. ... Islam ( Arabic al-islām الإسلام,  listen?) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ... This article needs cleanup. ...


Culture

Main article: Culture of Italy Italian culture is as varied and diverse as the Italian people. ...


Italy is well-known for its art, culture, and several monuments, among them the leaning tower of Pisa and the Roman Colosseum, as well as for its food (pizza, pasta, etc.), wine, lifestyle, elegance, design, cinema, theatre, literature, poetry, visual arts, music (notably Opera), holidays, and generally speaking, for taste. Leaning tower of Pisa The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italian: Torre di Pisa) is the campanile, or bell tower, for the Italian city of Pisas cathedral, located in the Campo dei Miracoli. ... For information about the jazz-rock band of this name, see Colosseum The Colosseum in Rome, Italy The Colosseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater ( lat. ... Food from plant sources Food is any substance normally eaten or drunk by living organisms. ... This article is about the bread pie. ... The English word pasta generally refers to noodles and other food products made from a flour and water paste, often including also egg and salt. ... This article is about the beverage. ... In sociology, a lifestyle is the way a person (or a group) lives. ... Elegance is the attribute of being tastefully designed or decorated, with focus on basic features. ... Design as a process can take many forms depending on the object being designed and the individual or individuals participating. ... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as part of... For other usages see Theatre (disambiguation) Theater (American English) or Theatre (British English and widespread usage among theatre professionals in the US) is that branch of the performing arts concerned with acting out stories in front of an audience using combinations of speech, gesture, music, dance, sound and spectacle — indeed... Literature is literally an acquaintance with letters as in the first sense given in the Oxford English Dictionary (from the Latin littera meaning an individual written character (letter)). The term has, however, generally come to identify a collection of texts. ... Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ... Although today the word art usually refers to the visual arts, the concept of what art is has continuously changed over centuries. ... This article needs cleanup. ... This article is about opera as an art form. ... In the United States, a holiday is a day set aside by a nation or culture (in some cases, multiple nations and cultures) typically for celebration but sometimes for some other kind of special culture-wide (or national) observation or activity. ...


Europe's Renaissance period began in Italy during the 14th and 15th centuries. Literary achievements, such as the poetry of Dante, Petrarch, Tasso, and Ariosto and the prose of Boccaccio, Machiavelli, and Castiglione exerted a tremendous and lasting influence on the subsequent development of Western culture, as did the painting, sculpture, and architecture contributed by giants such as Filippo Brunelleschi, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello, Botticelli, Fra Angelico, and Michelangelo. Modern artists include the sculptor Tommaso Geraci. By Region: Italian Renaissance Northern Renaissance -French Renaissance -German Renaissance -English Renaissance The Renaissance was a great cultural movement which brought about a period of scientific revolution and artistic transformation, at the dawn of modern European history. ... (13th century - 14th century - 15th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... Dante in a fresco series of famous men by Andrea del Castagno, ca. ... From the c. ... Torquato Tasso (March 11, 1544 - April 25, 1595) was an Italian poet of the 16th century, best known for his poem La Gerusalemme liberata (Jerusalem Delivered; 1575), in which he describes the imaginary combats between Christians and Muslims at the end of the First Crusade, during the siege of Jerusalem. ... Ludovico Ariosto (September 8, 1474 - July 6, 1533) was a Ferrarese poet, author of the epic poem Orlando furioso (1516), Orlando Enraged. He was born at Reggio, in Emilia. ... Giovanni Boccaccio (June 16, 1313 - December 21, 1375) was a Florentine author and poet, the greatest of Petrarchs disciples, an important Renaissance humanist in his own right and author of a number of notable works including On Famous Women, the Decameron and his poems in the vernacular. ... Detail of the portrait of Machiavelli, ca 1500, in the robes of a Florentine public official Niccolò Machiavelli ( May 3, 1469 – June 21, 1527) was a Florentine statesman and political philosopher. ... Baldassare Castiglione, count of Novellata (December 6, 1478 - February 2, 1529), one of the most important renaissance authors and a diplomat. ... The Mona Lisa is perhaps the best-known artistic painting in the Western world. ... Sculptor redirects here. ... Architecture (in Greek αρχή = first and τέχνη = craftsmanship) is the art and science of designing buildings and structures. ... Filippo Brunelleschi, 1377 - 1446, was the first great Florentine architect of the Italian Renaissance. ... Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo da Vinci (April 15, 1452 – May 2, 1519) was an Italian Renaissance architect, musician, anatomist, inventor, engineer, sculptor, geometer, and painter. ... This page is about the artist. ... Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi, better known as Sandro Botticelli (Florence March 1, 1445 - May 17, 1510) was an Italian painter of the Florentine school during the Early Renaissance (Quattrocento). ... Il Beato Fra Giovanni Angelico da Fiesole (the Beatified Friar John the Angelic of Fiesole) (Vicchio di Mugello (Florence) 1395 c. ... This page is about the artist. ... Tommaso Geraci, sculptor, born 1931 on the Italian island of Sicily. ...


The musical influence of Italian composers Palestrina, Monteverdi, Corelli and Vivaldi proved epochal; in the 19th century, Italian romantic opera flourished under composers Gioacchino Rossini, Giuseppe Verdi, and Giacomo Puccini. Contemporary Italian artists, writers, filmmakers, architects, composers, and designers continue to contribute significantly to Western culture. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (Born in Palestrina (Praeneste) or Rome, 1525, latest February 1, 1526 – February 2, 1594 in Rome) was an Italian composer of Renaissance music. ... Portrait of Claudio Monteverdi in Venice, 1640, by Bernardo Strozzi Claudio Monteverdi (May 15, 1567 (baptised) – November 29, 1643) was an Italian composer, violinist and singer. ... Corelli could refer to: Corelli (television) - the television series Arcangelo Corelli - the composer This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Vivaldi (March 4, 1678, Venice – July 28, 1741, Vienna), nicknamed Il Prete Rosso, meaning The Red Priest, was an Italian priest and baroque music composer. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gioacchino Antonio Rossini (February 29, 1792 — November 13, 1868) was an Italian musical composer who wrote more than 30 operas as well as sacred music and chamber music. ... Giuseppe Verdi, by Giovanni Boldini, 1886 (National Gallery of Modern Art, Rome) Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (October 10, 1813 – January 27, 1901) was one of the great composers of Italian opera. ... Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini (December 22, 1858 – November 29, 1924) is regarded as one of the great operatic composers of the late 19th and early 20th century. ...


Football is the main national sport and the Italians are well known for their passion for this sport. Italy has won the Football World Cup three times: in 1934, 1938 and 1982. The striker (wearing red jersey) has run past the defender (in white jersey) and is about to take a shot at the goal, while the goalkeeper positions himself to stop the ball. ... A sport consists of a normal physical activity or skill carried out under a publicly agreed set of rules, and with a recreational purpose: for competition, for self-enjoyment, to attain excellence, for the development of skill, or some combination of these. ... The Football World Cup (official name: FIFA World Cup) is the most important competition in international football (soccer). ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

This is a list of Italians or Italian-speaking/writing people that are famous. ... The history of Italian cinema began a just few months after the Lumière brothers had discovered it, and it was precisely with a few seconds of film in which Pope Leo XIII was blessing the camera. ... Since Roman times, Italy has been one of the cultural centers for all of Europe. ... Holidays in Italy: Categories: Public holidays by country | Italy ...

Languages

Main article: Languages of Italy


Italy has many more languages than just Italian. Almost every region, in fact, has its own language, which derives from the history of that region. Near Venice, for istance, many persons knows Venetian; near Naples, Neapolitan...
Some counts put the number of living languages spoken in Italy (http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=Italy) at 33, including Cimbrian, Sardinian, Neapolitan, Piemontese, Sicilian, Venetian, etc. Venetian is a Romance language spoken by over two million people in and around Venice. ... Neapolitan (Neapolitan: nnapulitano, Italian: napoletano) is a Romance language spoken in the city of Naples (Neapolitan: Napule, Italian: Napoli), Italy and the surrounding areas of the Campania region. ... Cimbrian refers to any of several local Upper German dialects spoken in northeastern Italy. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Neapolitan (Neapolitan: nnapulitano, Italian: napoletano) is a Romance language spoken in the city of Naples (Neapolitan: Napule, Italian: Napoli), Italy and the surrounding areas of the Campania region. ... The Piemontese language (also known as Piedmontese, Piemontèis) is a Romance language spoken in Piedmont, northwestern Italy. ... Sicilian (U Sicilianu, Lingua Siciliana) is the Romance language spoken in Sicily, Italy. ... Venetian is a Romance language spoken by over two million people in and around Venice. ...


See also

Amalfi Coast or Costiera Amalfitana in Italian is a stretch of coastline on the Southern side of the Sorrentine Peninsula (Italy, Province of Salerno) extending from Positano in the West to Vietri sul Mare in the East. ... Telephones - main lines in use: 25 million (1999) Telephones - mobile cellular: 20. ... The Ferrari Gestione Industriale logo Ferrari is an Italian manufacturer of racing cars and high-performance sports cars formed by Enzo Ferrari in 1929. ... Spaghetti is a typical Italian dish comprised of long, thin, round pasta. ... This article is about the bread pie. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Panettone is a typical cake of Milan, Italy, usually prepared and enjoyed for Christmas, and one of the symbols of the town. ... Disputes - international Italy and Slovenia made progress in resolving bilateral issues; Croatia and Italy made progress toward resolving a bilateral issue dating from World War II over property and ethnic minority rights Illegal immigration Italian and Albanian authorities are cooperating to stop the flow of illegal immigrants (such as Albanians... This article needs cleanup. ... There are currently five Italian orders of merit that recognize contributions to the Italian nation. ... This is a list of Italian universities. ... Military branches Esercito Italiano (Army) Marina Militare Italiana (Navy) Aeronautica Militare (Air Force) Carabinieri The Guardia di Finanza (a specialised police for tax and financial crimes) is also a military corps, but it is going to be transformed, expectedly in a short time, into a civil administration, as previously happened... Since Italy was not unified until 1861, its early postal history is tied to the various kingdoms and smaller realms that ruled in the peninsula. ... Tourism > Tourism in Italy With more than 39,8 million tourists a year Italy is the fourth most visited country in the world, behind France (77), Spain (51,7) and United States (41,9). ... Transportation in Italy Snails total: 19,394 km, also on Sardinia and Sicily. ...

External links

  • Travel guide to Italy from Wikitravel
  • Presidenza della Repubblica (http://www.quirinale.it/) - Official site of the Italian president (in Italian)
  • Parlamento (http://www.parlamento.it/) - Official site of the Italian parliament (Senate in Italian only)
  • Italia.gov.it Main governmental portal (http://www.italia.gov.it/) (in Italian)
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri, Italian Foreign Office (http://www.esteri.gov.it/eng/)
  • Webcam in Italy (http://webcam.deili.info/en,1,2)
  • Map of Italy (http://www.big-italy-map.co.uk) - Maps of Italy and its regions
  • Italy - maps and weather (http://www.italy-weather-and-maps.com/) - Maps and 6 day weather forecasts for all of Italy
  • Italian banknotes (http://numismondo.com/pm/ita/) - Miniassegni and college currency issues


Wikitravel is a project to create an open content, complete, up-to-date, and reliable world-wide travel guide. ...

 
European Union (EU)

Austria | Belgium | Cyprus |  Czech Republic | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France | Germany | Greece | Hungary | Ireland | Italy | Latvia | Lithuania |  Luxembourg | Malta | Netherlands | Poland | Portugal | Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain | Sweden | United Kingdom The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ... Download high resolution version (1200x800, 13 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Bulgaria Czech Republic Croatia Cyprus Economy of Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Council of Europe Economy of Denmark Drachma European Union Estonia Euro European Parliament Talk:European Union European Free Alliance... Fixed size, hues based on World Flag Database. ... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... General info: Large flag of Belgium Dimensions: 348x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook License: originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. ... General info: Large flag of Cyprus Dimensions: 503x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook License: Originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... Cyprus (in Greek Kypros Κύπρος and in Turkish Kıbrıs) is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, 113 kilometres (70 miles) south of Turkey and around 120 km west of the Syrian coast. ... General info: Large flag of the Czech Republic Dimensions: 453x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain License: Originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... National motto: Truth prevails (Czech: Pravda vítězí) Official language Czech Capital Praha (Prague) President Václav Klaus Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 114th 78,866 km² 2% Population  - Total (2003)  - Density Ranked 76th 10. ... General info: Large civil flag of Denmark Dimensions: 399x302 pixels Source: Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook License: Originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... The Kingdom of Denmark is geographically the smallest Nordic country and is part of the European Union. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic European Union Estonia Foreign relations of Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Germany Economy... The Republic of Estonia is a country in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the north. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria AZ Alkmaar Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Charlton Athletic F.C. Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European... The Republic of Finland (Finnish: Suomen tasavalta, Swedish: Republiken Finland) is a Nordic country in northeastern Europe, bordered by the Baltic Sea to the southwest, the Gulf of Finland to the southeast and the Gulf of Bothnia to the west. ... Tricolore of France Created by User:Anthony S. Tsoumbris French Tricolore flag File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam A.S. Roma A.C. Milan Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Corsica Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Large flag of Greece Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ... Large flag of Hungary Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... The Republic of Hungary (Magyar Köztársaság) or Hungary (Magyarország) is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Arsenal F.C. Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Charlton Athletic F.C. Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and... The Republic of Ireland ( Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann) is the official description of an independent state which covers approximately five-sixths of the island of Ireland, off the coast of north-west Europe. ... Download high resolution version (1200x800, 1 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Arsenal F.C. A.S. Roma A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Germany Economy of Germany Greece Hungary... The Republic of Latvia ( Latvian: Latvijas Republika), or Latvia ( Latvian: Latvija), is a country in Northern Europe. ... Large flag of Lithuania Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... The Republic of Lithuania (in Lithuanian, Lietuva) is a republic in Northeastern Europe. ... Headline text File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Germany Economy of Germany... The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small landlocked state in the north-west of the continental European Union, bordered by France, Germany and Belgium. ... Flag of Malta. ... This article is about the European nation. ... Large flag of the Netherlands. ... Large flag of Poland Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... The Republic of Poland, a democratic country with a population of 38,626,349 and area of 312,685 km², is located in Central Europe, between Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania and... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria A.C. Milan Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic Chelsea F.C. European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Fulham F.C. Football World Cup... File links The following pages link to this file: Austria Belgium Czech Republic Cyprus Economy of the Czech Republic European Union Estonia European Parliament Talk:European Union European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party European Peoples Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Finland France Germany Economy of Germany Greece Hungary... National motto: None Official language Slovak Capital Bratislava President Ivan Gašparovič Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 126th 49,035 km² Negligible Population  - Total ( 2004)  - Density Ranked 103rd 5,379,455 109/km² Independence January 1, 1993 (division of Czechoslovakia) Currency Slovak koruna Time zone  - in summer CET... Large Flag of Slovenia, originally from flags of the CIA World Factbook, 2004. ... The Republic of Slovenia ( Slovenian: Republika Slovenija) is a coastal sub-Alpine country in south central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north. ... Source: Sodipodis Clipart Gallery. ... Large flag of Sweden Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... Union Flag / Union Jack: Flag of the United Kingdom For more information, see Court of the Lord Lyon, Flags. ...


Countries in Europe
Albania | Andorra | Armenia1 | Austria | Azerbaijan1 | Belarus | Belgium | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bulgaria | Croatia | Cyprus2 | Czech Republic | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France | Germany | Greece | Hungary | Iceland | Ireland | Italy | Latvia | Liechtenstein | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Republic of Macedonia | Malta | Moldova | Monaco | The Netherlands | Norway | Poland | Portugal | Romania | Russia1 | San Marino | Serbia and Montenegro | Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain | Sweden | Switzerland | Turkey1 | Ukraine | United Kingdom | Vatican City (Holy See)
Dependencies: Akrotiri and Dhekelia2 | Faroe Islands | Gibraltar | Guernsey | Jan Mayen | Jersey | Isle of Man | Svalbard
1. Country partly in Asia. 2. Usually assigned to Asia geographically, but nonetheless often thought of as European for cultural and historical reasons.

  Results from FactBites:
 
Italy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (6208 words)
Also belonging to the republic is the commune of Campione d'Italia, an enclave in the territory of the Italian Switzerland.
Italian was spoken by a small part of the population while the rest spoke local dialects which were mutually incomprehensible.
The republic won with a 9% margin; the north of Italy voted prevalently for a republic, the south for the monarchy.
Italy - Facts, Information, and Encyclopedia Reference article (1813 words)
After Magna Graecia, the Etruscan civilization and especially the Roman Republic and Empire that dominated this part of the world for many centuries, Italy was central to European philosophy, science and art during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
The architects of Italian unification were Count Camillo Benso di Cavour, the Chief Minister of Victor Emmanuel, and Giuseppe Garibaldi, a general and national hero.
Given the variation in Italian language throughout the peninsula, it was quickly establised that 'proper' or 'standard' Italian would be based on the Florentine dialect spoken in most of Tuscany (given that it was the first region to produce authors such as Dante Alighieri, who in 1291 wrote the Divina Commedia).
  More results at FactBites »


 

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