ITALY

Italy

Italy is a country of Europe.

ESSENTIAL DATA

Italy is a country bordered in north by France, Switzerland and Austria. All its other borders are maritime, its  territory  having  the shape of a boot  which advances in the Mediterranean.  Sicily  and  Sardinia  are the two larger Italian islands. Its territory is rather mountainous, in particular in north where part of the Alps is. There are three  active volcanos  in Italy: Etna, Vesuvius and Stromboli.

The Italian territory knew a long time  an opposition between North, industrialized and rich,  and the South  (the Mezzogiorno), agricultural and poor. These differences tend to be reduced.

Italy
Name	Italian republic
Population	58 133 509 inhabitants in 2006
Capital	Rome (2 553 873 inhabitants)
Surface	301 323 km²
Administrative cutting	20 areas 103 provinces 8 102 communes
Principal cities	Rome (2 553 873 inhabitants)
	Milan (1 299 439 inhabitants)
	Naples (995 171 inhabitants)
	Turin (902 255 inhabitants)
	Palermo (675 084 inhabitants)
	Genoa (605 084 inhabitants)
	Bologna (374 425 inhabitants)
	Florence (368 059 inhabitants)
Currency	euro
Official language	Italian

A HISTORIC INSIGHT

To O C century after J-C, the history of Italy merges with that of  ancient Rome, in particular of the Roman Empire. Italy is then invaded by  the cruel tribes, then conquered by  Lombards. After being controlled by Carolingiens, Italy is subjected to multiple influences and  its territory is parcelled out. The development of  powerful cities  supports the blooming of arts: it is  the Italian Rebirth  starting from  the xiv ^E century.

The Italian areas must successively deal with the dominations Spanish, Austrian then French.  Nationalist movements  are constituted to  the xix ^E century: their ambition is to release and unify Italy. The revolts follow one another and  Victor-Emmanuel II  is crowned with the head of the kingdom of Italy in 1861.

Italy takes part in the First World War from 1915 at the sides of the Allies. The difficult situation of the post-war period supports the accession with the capacity of  Benito Mussolini  in 1922: it founds  Fascism  and approaches Adolf Hitler. Engaged at the sides of Germany at the beginning of the Second World war, Italy is overcome in 1943. It lines up side of the Allies then. The post-war period is marked by  the restoration of the democracy  and the proclamation of the Republic. In 1957, Italy belongs to the six countries founders of  European construction.

TO GO FURTHER

? Europe
? the capital of Italy:  Rome  
? two other Italian cities:  Venice,  Florence

? ancient Rome
? Rebirth
? Europe of the nations to  the xix ^E century
? European Union

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