Italy

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.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes

Geography

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

42 50 N, 12 50 E

Map references

Europe

Area

total : 301,340 sq km

land: 294,140 sq km

water: 7,200 sq km

note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

comparison ranking: total 73

Area – comparative

almost twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 1,836.4 km

border countries (6): Austria 404 km; France 476 km; Holy See (Vatican City) 3.4 km; San Marino 37 km; Slovenia 218 km; Switzerland 698 km

Coastline

7,600 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate

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

Terrain

mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Elevation

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

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 538 m

Natural resources

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: 44% (2022 est.)

arable land: 24% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 8.1% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 11.9% (2022 est.)

forest: 32.7% (2022 est.)

other: 23.3% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

24,460 sq km (2021)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: 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

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

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

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

People and Society

Population

total: 60,964,931 (2024 est.)

male: 29,414,065

female: 31,550,866

comparison rankings: total 24; female 24; male 25

Nationality

noun: Italian(s)

adjective: Italian

Ethnic groups

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

Languages

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

major-language sample(s):
L’Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l’indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Italian audio sample:

Religions

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

15-64 years: 64.5% (male 19,378,160/female 19,958,137)

65 years and over: 23.6% (2024 est.) (male 6,336,738/female 8,060,995)

2024 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 55 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 18.4 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 36.6 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 2.7 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 48.4 years (2024 est.)

male: 47.4 years

female: 49.4 years

comparison ranking: total 5

Population growth rate

-0.08% (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 201

Birth rate

7.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 222

Death rate

11.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 22

Net migration rate

3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 33

Population distribution

Urbanization

urban population: 72% of total population (2023)

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

Major urban areas – population

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: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother’s mean age at first birth

31.4 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

comparison ranking: 163

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.9 deaths/1,000 live births

comparison ranking: total 207

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 83 years (2024 est.)

male: 80.7 years

female: 85.5 years

comparison ranking: total population 19

Total fertility rate

1.26 children born/woman (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 219

Gross reproduction rate

0.61 (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

note: percent of women aged 18-49

Drinking water source

improved:

total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved:

total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

9% of GDP (2022)

11.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

4.19 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Hospital bed density

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

Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

19.9% (2016)

comparison ranking: 108

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 7.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 1.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 4.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

comparison ranking: total 51

Tobacco use

total: 19.8% (2025 est.)

male: 23.2% (2025 est.)

female: 16.6% (2025 est.)

comparison ranking: total 71

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

52.5% (2023 est.)

Education expenditure

4% of GDP (2022 est.)

7.2% national budget (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 105

Literacy

total population: 99% (2019 est.)

male: 99% (2019 est.)

female: 99% (2019 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 17 years (2023 est.)

male: 16 years (2023 est.)

female: 17 years (2023 est.)

Environment

Environmental issues

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

Climate

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

Land use

Urbanization

urban population: 72% of total population (2023)

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

Carbon dioxide emissions

307.442 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 26.15 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 162.688 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 118.604 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total emissions 19

Particulate matter emissions

12.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 29.524 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 7,646,716 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 25.9% (2015 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 9.19 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 7.7 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 17 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources

191.3 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks: 12 (2025)

global geoparks and regional networks: 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: Italian Republic

conventional short form: Italy

local long form: Repubblica Italiana

local short form: Italia

former: Kingdom of Italy

etymology: 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

parliamentary republic

Capital

name: Rome

geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 29 E

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

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: 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

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

civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legislation under certain conditions

Constitution

history: 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: 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

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Italy

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years for EU nationals, 5 years for refugees and specified exceptions, 10 years for all others

Suffrage

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

Executive branch

chief of state: President Sergio MATTARELLA (since 3 February 2015)

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

cabinet: 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: 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: 24-29 January 2022 (eight rounds)

election results:
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: 2029

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament (Il Parlamento)

legislative structure: bicameral

Legislative branch – lower chamber

chamber name: Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati)

number of seats: 400 (all directly elected)

electoral system: mixed system

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 9/25/2022

parties elected and seats per party: 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: 32.8%

expected date of next election: September 2027

Legislative branch – upper chamber

chamber name: Senate (Senato della Repubblica)

number of seats: 205 (200 directly elected; 5 appointed)

electoral system: mixed system

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 9/25/2022

parties elected and seats per party: 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: 36.3%

expected date of next election: September 2027

Judicial branch

highest court(s): 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: 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: various lower civil and criminal courts (primary and secondary tribunals and courts of appeal)

Political parties

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
Italexit
League or Lega
More Europe or +EU
Popular Union or PU
South calls North or ScN
South Tyrolean Peoples Party or SVP
other minor parties

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Marco PERONACI; Chargé d’Affaires Alessandro GONZALES (since 4 July 2025)

chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400

FAX: [1] (202) 518-2154

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://ambwashingtondc.esteri.it/ambasciata_washington/en/

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco

consulate(s): Detroit

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Tilman J. FERTITTA (since 6 May 2025); note – also accredited to San Marino

embassy: via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187 Roma

mailing address: 9500 Rome Place, Washington DC 20521-9500

telephone: [39] 06-46741

FAX: [39] 06-4674-2244

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://it.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, 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

17 March 1861

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

National holiday

Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Flag description

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

note: similar to the 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)

five-pointed white star (Stella d’Italia)

National color(s)

red, white, green

National coat of arms

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: “Il Canto degli Italiani” (The Song of the Italians)

lyrics/music: Goffredo MAMELI/Michele NOVARO

history: 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: 60 (54 cultural, 6 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: 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)

Economy

Economic overview

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)

$3.133 trillion (2024 est.)
$3.11 trillion (2023 est.)
$3.088 trillion (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 11

Real GDP growth rate

0.7% (2024 est.)
0.7% (2023 est.)
4.8% (2022 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 185

Real GDP per capita

$53,100 (2024 est.)
$52,700 (2023 est.)
$52,300 (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 37

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.373 trillion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1% (2024 est.)
5.6% (2023 est.)
8.2% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

comparison ranking: 23

GDP – composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 2% (2024 est.)

industry: 21.7% (2024 est.)

services: 65.6% (2024 est.)

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

comparison rankings: services 52; industry 122; agriculture 151

GDP – composition, by end use

household consumption: 58.3% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 17.8% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 22.5% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.4% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 33.5% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -32.1% (2023 est.)

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

Agricultural products

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

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

0.2% (2024 est.)

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

comparison ranking: 130

Labor force

25.828 million (2024 est.)

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

comparison ranking: 27

Unemployment rate

6.8% (2024 est.)
7.7% (2023 est.)
8.1% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

comparison ranking: 123

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 21.8% (2024 est.)

male: 19.9% (2024 est.)

female: 24.8% (2024 est.)

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

comparison ranking: total 49

Population below poverty line

20.1% (2021 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income

33.7 (2022 est.)

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

comparison ranking: 98

Average household expenditures

on food: 14.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 3.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.5% (2022 est.)

highest 10%: 25.3% (2022 est.)

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

Remittances

0.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

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

Budget

revenues: $857.336 billion (2022 est.)

expenditures: $1.015 trillion (2022 est.)

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

Public debt

131.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

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

comparison ranking: 8

Taxes and other revenues

24.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 19

Current account balance

$26.76 billion (2024 est.)
$3.261 billion (2023 est.)
-$36.325 billion (2022 est.)

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

comparison ranking: 20

Exports

$778.898 billion (2024 est.)
$774.311 billion (2023 est.)
$737.083 billion (2022 est.)

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

comparison ranking: 11

Exports – partners

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

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

Exports – commodities

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

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

$717.278 billion (2024 est.)
$739.646 billion (2023 est.)
$775.518 billion (2022 est.)

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

comparison ranking: 13

Imports – partners

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

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

Imports – commodities

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

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$290.547 billion (2024 est.)
$247.396 billion (2023 est.)
$224.581 billion (2022 est.)

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

comparison ranking: 13

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar –

Exchange rates:
0.924 (2024 est.)
0.925 (2023 est.)
0.95 (2022 est.)
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification – total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 128.692 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 290.664 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports: 3.32 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports: 54.572 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 17.62 billion kWh (2023 est.)

comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 187; imports 2; exports 45; consumption 15; installed generating capacity 12

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 56% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 12% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind: 9.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 14.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

geothermal: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 6.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 4 (2025)

Coal

production: 1.572 million metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption: 12.424 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports: 304,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports: 12.069 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 609.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 111,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 1.245 million bbl/day (2024 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 497.934 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 2.778 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption: 61.906 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports: 2.609 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports: 61.851 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 45.76 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

96.797 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 53

Communications

Telephones – fixed lines

total subscriptions: 20.107 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 13

Telephones – mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 78.5 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 133 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 23

Broadcast media

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

.it

Internet users

percent of population: 87% (2023 est.)

Broadband – fixed subscriptions

total: 20.1 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total 13

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

655 (2025)

comparison ranking: 12

Heliports

163 (2025)

comparison ranking: 16

Railways

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

1289.3 0.950-mm gauge (151.3 km electrified)

Merchant marine

total: 1,276 (2023)

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

comparison ranking: total 18

Ports

total ports: 123 (2024)

large: 12

medium: 11

small: 71

very small: 28

size unknown: 1

ports with oil terminals: 33

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

Military and Security

Military and security forces

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 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

1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2023)
1.5% of GDP (2022)
1.5% of GDP (2021)
1.6% of GDP (2020)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 170,000 active Armed Forces (100,000 Army; 30,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force); approximately 108,000 Carabinieri (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military’s inventory includes a mix of domestically manufactured, imported, and jointly produced weapons systems, mostly from Europe and the US; in recent years, the US has been the lead supplier of military hardware to Italy; 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 (2024)

Military service age and obligation

17-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (some variations on age depending on the military branch); voluntary service is a minimum of 12 months with the option to extend in the Armed Forces or compete for positions in the Military Corps of the Italian Red Cross, the State Police, the Carabinieri, the Guardia di Finanza, the Penitentiary Police, or the National Fire Brigade; recruits can also volunteer for 4 years military service; conscription abolished 2004 (2024)

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

Military deployments

120 Djibouti; approximately 750 Bulgaria (NATO); approximately 650 Middle East (NATO, European Assistance Mission Iraq); 250 Hungary (NATO; up to 1,500 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); 250 Latvia (NATO); 1,325 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 200 Libya; 350 Niger; 250 Romania (NATO); 150 Somalia (EUTM) (2024)

note 1: Italy has about 11,500 total air, ground, and naval forces deployed on foreign missions

note 2: 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

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

Italian Space Agency (L’Agenzia Spaziale Italiana or ASI; established 1988); Joint Space Operations Command (Comando Interforze delle Operazioni Spaziali or COS; established 2020) (2024)

Space launch site(s)

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, Kenya concluded a new deal with Italy to conduct rocket launches from the site again in the future; in 2018, the Italian Government 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 (2024)

Space program overview

has one of the largest space programs in Europe; is a key member of the European Space Agency (ESA) and one of its largest contributors; designs, builds, launches, and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; designs and manufacturers sounding (research) rockets and orbital satellite launch vehicles (SLVs); hosts the ESA Center for Earth Observation; has astronaut cadre in the ESA astronaut corps; researches, develops, and builds a range of other space-related technologies and participates in a wide array of international programs with astronauts, cargo containers, construction, expertise, modules, scientific experiments, and technology; outside of the ESA/EU and their individual member states, 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 space projects such as the International Space Station (ISS); has a considerable commercial space industrial sector encompassing a wide range of capabilities, including manufacturing satellites, satellite payloads, launch vehicles, propulsion systems, cargo containers, and their sub-components (2024)

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)

Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

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