Statistical information Italy 1996

Italy in the World
Italy - Introduction 1996
top of pageBackground: Italy failed to secure political unification until the 1860s, thus lacking the military and imperial power of Spain, Britain, and France. The fascist dictatorship of MUSSOLINI after World War I, led to the disastrous alliance with HITLER's Germany and defeat in World War II. Italy was a founding member of the European Economic Community (EEC) and joined in the growing political and economic unification of Western Europe. On-going problems include illegal immigration, the ravages of organized crime, high unemployment, and the low incomes and technical standards of Southern Italy compared with the North.
top of pageLocation: Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Geographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 301,230 km²
Land: 294,020 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Arizona
Comparative note: Includes Sardinia and Sicily
Land boundaries: Total 1,899.2 km, Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 199 km, Switzerland 740 km
Coastline: 4,996 km
Maritime claimsContinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: Predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Terrain: Mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m
Natural resources:
Mercury
Potash
Marble
Sulfur
Dwindling natural gas and crude oil reserves
Fish
Coal
Land useArable land: 32%
Permanent crops: 10%
Permanent pastures: 17%
Forests and woodland: 22%
Other: 19%
Irrigated land: 31,000 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation:
57,460,274 (July 1996 est.)
58,261,971 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate:0.13% (1996 est.)
0.21% (1995 est.)
NationalityNoun: Italian(s)
Adjective: Italian
Ethnic groups:
Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)
Sicilians, Sardinians
Languages: Italian, 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)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 98%
Other 2%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years:15% (male 4,419,636; female 4,167,860) (July 1996 est.)
15% (male 4,603,083; female 4,352,325) (July 1995 est.)
15-64 years:68% (male 19,656,546; female 19,629,291) (July 1996 est.)
68% (male 19,874,528; female 19,969,086) (July 1995 est.)
65 years and over:17% (male 3,902,426; female 5,684,515) (July 1996 est.)
17% (female 5,630,747; male 3,832,202) (July 1995 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate:
0.13% (1996 est.)
0.21% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
9.87 births/1000 population (1996 est.)
10.89 births/1000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
9.82 deaths/1000 population (1996 est.)
9.78 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.25 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
1.03 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities
Current issues Natural hazards: regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice
International agreements: party to_Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified_Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification
International agreements note: Strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
All ages:0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.) Infant Mortality Rate:6.9 deaths/1000 live births (1996 est.)
7.4 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rateLife expectancy at birthTotal population: 78.06 years (1996 est.), 77.85 years (1995 est.)
Male: 74.85 years (1996 est.), 74.67 years (1995 est.)
Female: 81.48 years (1996 est.), 81.23 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.27 children born/woman (1996 est.)
1.41 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1990 est.)
Total population: 97%
Male: 98%
Female: 96%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Italian Republic
Conventional short form: Italy
Local long form: Repubblica Italiana
Local short form: Italia
Former: Kingdom of Italy
Government type: Republic
Capital: Rome
Administrative divisions: 20 regions (regioni, singular_regione; Abruzzi, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto
Dependent areasIndependence: 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Republic, 2 June (1946)
Constitution: 1 January 1948
Legal system: Based on civil law system, with ecclesiastical law influence; appeals treated as trials de novo; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)
Executive branchChief of state: President Oscar Luigi SCALFARO (since 28 May 1992)
Head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the President of the Council of Ministers) Romano PRODI (since 18 May 1996) was appointed by the president
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; nominated by the President of the Council (i.e., Prime Minister) and approved by the President of the Republic
Legislative branch: Bicameral Parliament (Parlamento) Senate (Senato Della Repubblica):Elections last held 22 April 1996 (next to be held by NA; results_percent of vote by party NA; seats_(326 total, 315 elected, 11 appointed senators-for-life) Olive Tree 157, Freedom Alliance 116, Northern League 27, Refounded Communists 10, regional lists 3, Social Movement-Tricolor Flames 1, Panella Reformers 1 Chamber of Deputies (Camera Dei Deputati):Elections last held 22 April 1996 (next to be held NA; results_percent of vote by party NA; seats_(630 total) Olive Tree 284, Freedom Alliance 246, Northern League 59, Refounded Communists 35, Southern Tyrol List 3, Autonomous List 2, other 1
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court (Corte Costituzionale), composed of 15 judges (one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative supreme courts)
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representationFlag description
: Three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed_orange (hoist side), white, and green
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Since World War II, the Italian economy has changed from one based on agriculture into a ranking industrial economy, with approximately the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. The country is still divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and an undeveloped agricultural south, dominated by large public enterprises. Most raw materials needed by industry and over 75% of energy requirements must be imported. In the second half of 1992, Rome became unsettled by the prospect of not qualifying to participate in EU plans for economic and monetary union later in the decade; thus, it finally began to address its huge fiscal imbalances. Subsequently, the government has adopted fairly stringent budgets, abandoned its inflationary wage indexation system, and started to scale back its generous social welfare programs, including pension and health care benefits. Monetary officials were forced to withdraw the lira from the European monetary system in September 1992, when it came under extreme pressure in currency markets. For the 1990s, Italy faces the problems of pushing ahead with fiscal reform, refurbishing a tottering communications system, curbing pollution in major industrial centers, and adjusting to the new competitive forces accompanying the ongoing expansion and economic integration of the EU.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate:
2.7% (1999 est.)
2.4% (1998 est.)
1.5% (1997)
0.7% (1996)
2.0% (1985-1995)
Real gdp per capita:
purchasing power parity_ $18,700 (1995 est.)
$17,180 (1994 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: Accounts for about 4% of GDP; self-sufficient in foods other than meat, dairy products, and cereals; principal crops_fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; fish catch of 525,000 metric tons in 1990
Industries:
Machinery
Iron and steel
Chemicals
Food processing
Textiles
Motor vehicles
Clothing
Footwear
Ceramics
Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 5.5% (1995 est.), 4.3% (1994 est.), accounts for 35% of GDP
Labor force: 23.988 million
By occupation Services: 58%
By occupation Industry: 32.2%
By occupation Agriculture: 9.8% (1988)
Unemployment rate:
NA% (1997)
12.0% (1996)
11.9% (1995)
11.4% (1994)
10.3% (1993)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $339 billion
Expenditures: $431 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1994 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: Calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: total value. $190.8 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
Commodities:Metals
Textiles and clothing
Production machinery
Motor vehicles
Transportation equipment
Chemicals
Other
Partners:EU 53.4%
U.S. 7.8%
OPEC 3.8% (1994)
Imports: total value:$168.7 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
Commodities:Industrial machinery
Chemicals
Transport equipment
Petroleum
Metals
Food
Agricultural products
Partners:EU 56.3%
OPEC 5.3%
U.S. 4.6% (1994)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $67 billion (1993 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Italian lire (Lit) per US$1_1,583.8 (January 1996), 1,629.6 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994), 1,573.7 (1993), 1,232.4 (1992), 1,240.6 (1991), 1,198.1 (1990)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 61,630,000 kW
Production: 209 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 4,033 kWh (1993)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaItaly - Communication 1996
top of pageTelephonesTelephone system: 25.6 million telephones (1987 est.); modern, well-developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services
Domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks; nationwide GSM mobile phone system
International: international service by 21 submarine cables, 3 satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT with 3 Atlantic Ocean antennas and 2 Indian Ocean antennas; also participates in INMARSAT and EUTELSAT systems
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $20.4 billion, 1.9% of GDP (1995), $21.5 billion, 2% of GDP (1994)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsItaly - Transportation 1996
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 132
With paved runways over 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 34
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 20 (1995 est.)
With paved runways under 914 m: 32
Heliports: 2 (1995 est.)
Pipelines: Crude oil 1,703 km; petroleum products 2,148 km; natural gas 19,400 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 2,400 km for various types of commercial traffic, although of limited overall value
Merchant marineTotal: 419 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,480,320 GRT/7,919,064 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 35, cargo 57, chemical tanker 39, combination bulk 1, combination ore/oil 3, container 16, liquefied gas tanker 37, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 123, passenger 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 53, short-sea passenger 31, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 7 (1995 est.)
Ports and terminalsItaly - Transnational issues 1996
top of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: Important gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market