Italy

Code: IT | Region: Europe

Introduction

Background

text

Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946, and economic revival followed. Italy is a charter member of NATO, as well as the European Economic Community (EEC) and its successors, the EC and the EU. It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include sluggish economic growth, high youth and female unemployment, organized crime, corruption, and economic disparities between southern Italy and the more prosperous north.

Geography

Location

text

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

Geographic coordinates

text

42 50 N, 12 50 E

Map references

text

Europe

Area

total

text

301,340 sq km

land

text

294,140 sq km

water

text

7,200 sq km

note

note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Area - comparative

text

almost twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries

total

text

1,836.4 km

border countries

text

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

Coastline

text

7,600 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea

text

12 nm

continental shelf

text

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate

text

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

Terrain

text

mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Elevation

highest point

text

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

lowest point

text

Mediterranean Sea 0 m

mean elevation

text

538 m

Natural resources

text

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

Land use

agricultural land

text

44.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

text

arable land: 24% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

text

permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

text

permanent pasture: 12.2% (2023 est.)

forest

text

31.8% (2023 est.)

other

text

24% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

text

24,460 sq km (2021)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

text

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

Population distribution

text

a fairly even population distribution exists throughout most of the country, with coastal areas, the Po River Valley, and urban centers (particularly Milan, Rome, and Naples) attracting larger and denser populations

Natural hazards

text

regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Etna (3,330 m) is Europe's most active volcano, and its flank eruptions pose a threat to nearby Sicilian villages; Etna, along with the famous Vesuvius, have both been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Stromboli, on its namesake island, has also been continuously active with moderate volcanic activity; other historically active volcanoes include Campi Flegrei, Ischia, Larderello, Pantelleria, Vulcano, and Vulsini

Geography - note

text

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

People and Society

Population

total

text

60,924,851 (2025 est.)

male

text

29,383,949

female

text

31,540,902

Nationality

noun

text

Italian(s)

adjective

text

Italian

Ethnic groups

text

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

Languages

text

Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German-speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area), Croatian (in Molise)

major-language sample(s)

text

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

Religions

text

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

Age structure

0-14 years

text

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

15-64 years

text

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

65 years and over

text

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

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio

text

55.3 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

text

18.1 (2025 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

text

37.2 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

text

2.7 (2025 est.)

Median age

total

text

48.8 years (2025 est.)

male

text

47.4 years

female

text

49.4 years

Population growth rate

text

-0.05% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

text

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

Death rate

text

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

Net migration rate

text

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

Population distribution

text

Urbanization

urban population

text

72% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization

text

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

Major urban areas - population

text

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

Sex ratio

at birth

text

1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years

text

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

text

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over

text

0.79 male(s)/female

total population

text

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

Mother's mean age at first birth

text

31.4 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

text

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

Infant mortality rate

total

text

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

male

text

3.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female

text

2.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population

text

83 years (2024 est.)

male

text

80.7 years

female

text

85.5 years

Total fertility rate

text

1.27 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

text

0.62 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: total

text

total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

text

total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

text

9% of GDP (2022)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

text

11.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

text

4.19 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Hospital bed density

text

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban

text

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

text

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

text

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

text

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

text

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

text

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

text

19.9% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total

text

7.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer

text

1.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

text

4.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

text

0.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

text

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

total

text

19.8% (2025 est.)

male

text

23.2% (2025 est.)

female

text

16.6% (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

text

51.8% (2023 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

text

4.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

text

7.4% national budget (2022 est.)

Literacy

total population

text

99.3% (2019 est.)

male

text

99.5% (2019 est.)

female

text

99.2% (2019 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total

text

17 years (2023 est.)

male

text

16 years (2023 est.)

female

text

17 years (2023 est.)

Environment

Environmental issues

text

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

International environmental agreements

party to

text

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

signed, but not ratified

text

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

Climate

text

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

Land use

agricultural land

text

44.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

text

arable land: 24% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

text

permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

text

permanent pasture: 12.2% (2023 est.)

forest

text

31.8% (2023 est.)

other

text

24% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

urban population

text

72% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization

text

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

Carbon dioxide emissions

total emissions

text

307.442 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

text

26.15 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

text

162.688 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

text

118.604 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

text

12.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Methane emissions

energy

text

276.4 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture

text

764.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

text

523.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other

text

35.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

text

30.088 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

text

39.9% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal

text

9.148 billion cubic meters (2022)

industrial

text

7.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural

text

17 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total renewable water resources

text

191.3 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks

text

12 (2025)

global geoparks and regional networks

text

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

Government

Country name

conventional long form

text

Italian Republic

conventional short form

text

Italy

local long form

text

Repubblica Italiana

local short form

text

Italia

former

text

Kingdom of Italy

etymology

text

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

Government type

text

parliamentary republic

Capital

name

text

Rome

geographic coordinates

text

41 54 N, 12 29 E

time difference

text

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

daylight saving time

text

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology

text

by tradition, named after Romulus, one of the legendary founders of the city, but the name Romulus may instead derive from the city's name; the name Rome may come from an Etruscan name for the Tiber River, which was Roma or Ruma

Administrative divisions

text

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

Legal system

text

civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legislation under certain conditions

Constitution

history

text

previous 1848 (originally for the Kingdom of Sardinia and adopted by the Kingdom of Italy in 1861); latest enacted 22 December 1947, adopted 27 December 1947, entered into force 1 January 1948

amendment process

text

proposed by both houses of Parliament; passage requires two successive debates and approval by absolute majority of each house on the second vote; a referendum is only required when requested by one fifth of the members of either house, by voter petition, or by 5 Regional Councils (elected legislative assemblies of the 15 first-level administrative regions and 5 autonomous regions of Italy); referendum not required if an amendment has been approved by a two-thirds majority in each house in the second vote

International law organization participation

text

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

text

citizenship by descent only

text

at least one parent must be a citizen of Italy

dual citizenship recognized

text

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

text

4 years for EU nationals, 5 years for refugees and specified exceptions, 10 years for all others

Suffrage

text

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

Executive branch

chief of state

text

President Sergio MATTARELLA (since 3 February 2015)

head of government

text

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

cabinet

text

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

election/appointment process

text

president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a 7-year term (no term limits); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by parliament

most recent election date

text

24-29 January 2022 (eight rounds)

election results

text

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

expected date of next election

text

2029

Legislative branch

legislature name

text

Parliament (Il Parlamento)

legislative structure

text

bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

text

Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati)

number of seats

text

400 (all directly elected)

electoral system

text

mixed system

scope of elections

text

full renewal

term in office

text

5 years

most recent election date

text

9/25/2022

parties elected and seats per party

text

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

percentage of women in chamber

text

32.8%

expected date of next election

text

September 2027

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

text

Senate (Senato della Repubblica)

number of seats

text

205 (200 directly elected; 5 appointed)

electoral system

text

mixed system

scope of elections

text

full renewal

term in office

text

5 years

most recent election date

text

9/25/2022

parties elected and seats per party

text

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

percentage of women in chamber

text

36.3%

expected date of next election

text

September 2027

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

text

Supreme Court of Cassation or Corte Suprema di Cassazione (consists of the first president, deputy president, 54 justices presiding over 6 civil and 7 criminal divisions, and 288 judges; an additional 30 judges of lower courts serve as supporting judges; cases normally heard by 5-judge panels; more complex cases heard by 9-judge panels); Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (consists of the court president and 14 judges)

judge selection and term of office

text

Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Council of the Judiciary, headed by the president of the republic; judges may serve for life; Constitutional Court judges - 5 appointed by the president, 5 elected by Parliament, 5 elected by select higher courts; judges serve up to 9 years

subordinate courts

text

various lower civil and criminal courts (primary and secondary tribunals and courts of appeal)

Political parties

text

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

text

Ambassador Marco PERONACI (since 5 September 2025)

chancery

text

3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

text

[1] (202) 612-4400

FAX

text

[1] (202) 518-2154

email address and website

text

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

consulate(s) general

text

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

consulate(s)

text

Detroit

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

text

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

embassy

text

via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187 Roma

mailing address

text

9500 Rome Place, Washington DC  20521-9500

telephone

text

[39] 06-46741

FAX

text

[39] 06-4674-2244

email address and website

text

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

consulate(s) general

text

Florence, Milan, Naples

International organization participation

text

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Independence

text

17 March 1861

note

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

National holiday

text

Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Flag

text

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

note

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

National symbol(s)

text

five-pointed white star (Stella d'Italia)

National color(s)

text

red, white, green

National coat of arms

text

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

National anthem(s)

title

text

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

lyrics/music

text

Goffredo MAMELI/Michele NOVARO

history

text

adopted 2005; the anthem, originally written in 1847, is also known as "L'Inno di Mameli" (Mameli's Hymn), and "Fratelli d'Italia" (Brothers of Italy)

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites

text

61 (55 cultural, 6 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales

text

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

Economy

Economic overview

text

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

text

$3.133 trillion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

text

$3.11 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

text

$3.088 trillion (2022 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024

text

0.7% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

text

0.7% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

text

4.8% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024

text

$53,100 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

text

$52,700 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

text

$52,300 (2022 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

text

$2.373 trillion (2024 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

text

1% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

text

5.6% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

text

8.2% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

text

2% (2024 est.)

industry

text

21.7% (2024 est.)

services

text

65.6% (2024 est.)

note

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

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

text

58.3% (2023 est.)

government consumption

text

17.8% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

text

22.5% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

text

0.4% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services

text

33.5% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

text

-32.1% (2023 est.)

note

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

Agricultural products

text

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

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

text

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

Industrial production growth rate

text

0.2% (2024 est.)

note

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

Labor force

text

25.828 million (2024 est.)

note

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

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024

text

6.8% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

text

7.7% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

text

8.1% (2022 est.)

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total

text

21.8% (2024 est.)

male

text

19.9% (2024 est.)

female

text

24.8% (2024 est.)

note

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

Population below poverty line

text

20.1% (2021 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

text

33.7 (2022 est.)

note

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

Average household expenditures

on food

text

14.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco

text

3.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%

text

2.5% (2022 est.)

highest 10%

text

25.3% (2022 est.)

note

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

Remittances

Remittances 2024

text

0.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Remittances 2023

text

0.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2022

text

0.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

note

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

Budget

revenues

text

$935.038 billion (2023 est.)

expenditures

text

$1.104 trillion (2023 est.)

note

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

Public debt

Public debt 2017

text

131.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

note

note: Italy reports its data on public debt according to guidelines set out in the Maastricht Treaty; general government gross debt is defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year, in the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); the general government sector comprises central, state, and local government and social security funds

Taxes and other revenues

text

24.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Current account balance

Current account balance 2024

text

$26.76 billion (2024 est.)

Current account balance 2023

text

$3.261 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2022

text

-$36.325 billion (2022 est.)

note

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

Exports

Exports 2024

text

$778.898 billion (2024 est.)

Exports 2023

text

$774.311 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2022

text

$737.083 billion (2022 est.)

note

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

Exports - partners

text

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

note

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

Exports - commodities

text

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

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

Imports 2024

text

$717.278 billion (2024 est.)

Imports 2023

text

$739.646 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2022

text

$775.518 billion (2022 est.)

note

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

Imports - partners

text

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

note

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

Imports - commodities

text

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

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

text

$290.547 billion (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

text

$247.396 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

text

$224.581 billion (2022 est.)

note

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

Exchange rates

Currency

text

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

text

0.924 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

text

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

text

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

text

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

text

0.876 (2020 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population

text

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity

text

128.692 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption

text

290.664 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

text

3.32 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

text

54.572 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

text

17.62 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

text

56% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

text

12% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

text

9.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

text

14.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

geothermal

text

2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste

text

6.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

text

4 (2025)

Coal

production

text

1.572 million metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption

text

12.424 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

text

304,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

text

12.069 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

text

609.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production

text

111,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

text

1.245 million bbl/day (2024 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

text

497.934 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production

text

2.778 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption

text

61.906 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

text

2.609 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

text

61.851 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

text

45.76 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

text

96.797 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions

text

20.107 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

text

34 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions

text

78.7 million (2024 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

text

133 (2024 est.)

Broadcast media

text

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

Internet country code

text

.it

Internet users

percent of population

text

87% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total

text

20.1 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

text

34 (2023 est.)

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

text

Airports

text

655 (2025)

Heliports

text

163 (2025)

Railways

total

text

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

note

1289.3 0.950-mm gauge (151.3 km electrified)

Merchant marine

total

text

1,276 (2023)

by type

text

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

Ports

total ports

text

123 (2024)

large

text

medium

text

small

text

very small

text

size unknown

text

ports with oil terminals

text

key ports

text

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

Military and Security

Military and security forces

text

Italian Armed Forces (Forze Armate Italiane): Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI; includes aviation, marines), Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI); Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri, CC) (2025)

note

note 1: the National (or State) Police and Carabinieri (gendarmerie or military police) maintain internal security; the National Police reports to the Ministry of Interior while the Carabinieri reports to the Ministry of Defense but is also under the coordination of the Ministry of Interior; the Carabinieri is primarily a domestic police force organized along military lines, with some overseas responsibilities note 2: the Financial Guard (Guardia di Finanza) under the Ministry of Economy and Finance is a force with military status and nationwide remit for financial crime investigations, including narcotics trafficking, smuggling, and illegal immigration

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2025

text

2% of GDP (2025 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

text

1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

text

1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

text

1.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

text

1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

text

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

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

text

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

Military service age and obligation

text

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

note

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

Military deployments

text

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

note

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

Military - note

text

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

Space

Space agency/agencies

text

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

Space launch site(s)

text

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

Space program overview

text

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

Key space-program milestones

text

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

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)

text

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

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

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

text

520,127 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

text

3,000 (2024 est.)