- For other uses, see Italy
(disambiguation)
The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian:
Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a southern European country, comprising a boot-shaped peninsula and two large islands in the Mediterranean Sea: Sicily and Sardinia. It shares its nothern alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent countries of San
Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within Italian territory.
History
Main article: History of Italy
Italy's history shaped the cultural and social development of the whole Mediterranean area. The peninsula has been host to important human
activities since prehistoric times, and archaeological sites of note can be
found in many regions: Latium, Tuscany,
Umbria and Basilicata. After Magna Graecia, the Etruscan civilisation and especially the Roman
Empire that came to dominate this part of the world for many centuries, came the medieval Humanism and the Renaissance that further helped to shape European philosophy science and art. The city of Rome contains some of the most important examples of the
Baroque.
The Italy of modern times 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.
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. During occupation of territories in the Balkans (Greece and counties of ex-Yugoslavia) Italian forces inspired by fascist ideology committed massive war crimes.
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.
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.
The name Italy (Italia) is an ancient name for the country and people of Central Italy, with exclusion of Etruria in the North and the Greek
colonies in the South. Coins bearing the name Italy were minted by an aliance 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 valey, for example was appended in 42 B.C.
Ever since, "Italy" or "Italian" was the collective name for diverse states appearing on the penninsula and their overseas
properties. Italy is one of the few modern countries bearing a name of such long tradition.
Politics
Main article: Politics of Italy
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.
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 630 members. In addition to 315 elected members, the
Senate includes former presidents and several other persons appointed for life 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.
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.
Regions
Main article: Regions of Italy
Italy is subdivided into 20 regions (regioni, singular regione), of which five enjoy a special autonomous
status, marked by an *:
All regions except Valle d'Aosta are further subdivided into two or more provinces.
Geography
Main article: 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.
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.
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.
Economy
Main article: Economy of Italy
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).
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.
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 favored 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.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Italy
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.
Culture
Main article: Culture of Italy
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.
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.
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.
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.
Languages
Main article: Languages of Italy
Italy has many more languages than just Italian. Some counts put the number of living languages spoken in Italy (http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=Italy) at 33, including Cimbrian,
Emiliano-Romagnolo, Ligurian, Piemontese, Sicilian, etc.
Miscellaneous topics
External links
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