Background: Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-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 disastrous 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 was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.
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Blogs from Ravenna
Latest Blogs from Ravenna
- May 18th 2013 Italy 49 - Suzy gets mosaiced out at Ravenna
by Words: 1454 Photos: 20
- December 10th 2012 ITALIEN
by Words: 4 Photos: 1
- November 5th 2012 The many faces of Jesus ... and a 1500 year old duck.
by Words: 233 Photos: 7
- May 15th 2012 Dov'e Ashley
by Words: 211 Photos: 8
- October 5th 2010 Italia e San Marino
by Words: 4014 Photos: 250
- July 7th 2010 Mosaics and more
by Words: 918 Photos: 3
- November 7th 2009 Ravenna Italy
by Words: 362 Photos: 16
- March 23rd 2009 A day in Ravenna
by Words: 6 Photos: 17
- September 15th 2008 Italy with Kids - Ravenna
by Words: 468 Photos: 0
- July 12th 2008 Stung in Italy(!) and Exit Festival
by Words: 1376 Photos: 16
- July 5th 2008 Ravenna and the "Notte Rosa"
by Words: 264 Photos: 8
- December 20th 2007 Postcard from Ravenna, Part 1.
by Words: 987 Photos: 0
- November 16th 2007 Boys, For You
by Words: 5 Photos: 18