Quick Look at ITALY
301,225 sq. km.
More than 56 million
Resources : Iron Ore
|Major Cites :
Capital - Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin.
Area: 301,225 sq. km. (116,303 sq. mi.); about the size of Georgia and
Cities: Capital--Rome (pop. 2.7 million). Other cities--Milan, Naples,
Terrain: Mostly rugged and mountainous.
Climate: Generally mild Mediterranean; cold northern winters.
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Italian(s).
Population: 56.9 million.
Annual growth rate: 1.4%.
Ethnic groups: Primarily Italian, but there are small groups of German-,
French-, Slovene-, and Albanian-Italians.
Religion: Roman Catholic (majority).
Language: Italian (official).
Education: Years compulsory--14. Literacy--98%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--8/1,000 live births. Life expectancy--74
Work force (23 million): Services--61%. Industry and commerce--32%.
Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and
Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians
in the south), Sicilians, Sardinians
Religions: Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%
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)
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. Services account for 48% of GDP, industry 35%,
agriculture 4%, and public administration 13%. Most raw materials needed
by industry and over 75% of energy requirements must be imported. After
growing at an average annual rate of 3% in 1983-90, growth slowed to
about 1% in 1991 and 1992, fell by 0.7% in 1993, and recovered to 2% in