Italy : Country overview

Geography

• Full country name: Italian Republic (Repubblica Italiana)
• Population: 58 million
• Border countries: France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia. Italy extends into the central Mediterranean Sea. It contains the independent states of San Marino and Vatican City and also includes the large islands of Sicily and Sardinia and many smaller islands including Capri and Elba.
• Climate: a generally Mediterranean climate - hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. It is alpine in the north with snow falls in winter. Summer in the south can be extremely hot.
• Terrain: most of Italy is rugged and mountainous, with some plains and coastal lowlands.
• Natural hazards: depending on the region, hazards can include earthquakes, avalanches, landslides and mudflows. There is also occasional flooding in Venice. Italy has three active volcanoes and Mount Etna, on the island of Sicily, is Europe’s most active volcano.

Living in Italy

• Cost of living: varies greatly between the relatively wealthy north and the very much poorer south. In cities, the cost of living is similar to the UK and the rest of Western Europe but tourist areas can be quite expensive. In rural areas it is possible to live simply and cheaply.
• Utilities: electricity is provided by ENEL and Italy uses the standard European 220 volts. Each area has its own gas and water companies, although some areas are not connected to gas and many people choose to use bottled gas even when mains gas is available.
• Internet domain: .it
• Health: healthcare in Italy is of a good standard. EU citizens should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before travelling, which will give them access to healthcare under the same conditions of nationals. Non-EU citizens should obtain private health insurance before they enter Italy.
• Laws and customs: crime rates in Italy are generally quite low, but there is a considerable risk of petty theft (pickpocketing and bag snatching) in the major cities, particularly around rail, sea and air terminuses. In some cities, notably Venice and Florence, you will be fined for dropping litter.

Economy and finance

• Currency: Euro (€)
• Type of economy: Italy is a member of the G8 group of industrialised countries. The economy is reliant upon importing nearly all the raw materials needed for industry and also to meet a high proportion of its energy requirements. There is a significant underground economy which employs large numbers of people, but they work for low wages and without standard social benefits and protections. The north is highly industrialised by private companies, while the south is welfare-dependent with a higher level of unemployment.
• Health of economy: Italy suffered greatly in the economic downturn of 2008/09. The Italian government has struggled to minimise government spending and the public debt is 115% of GDP. The fiscal deficit exceeded 5% in 2009.
• Unemployment rate: 7.7%
• Main exports: engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, electric goods, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals.

Culture

• People: majority are Italian with German, French and Slovene Italians in the north and Albanian and Greek Italians in the South. Also immigrants from Romania, Albania and Morocco.
• Official language: Italian. German is spoken in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, close to the Austrian border. There is also a French-speaking minority in Piemonte and the Valle d'Aosta region, and a Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area.
• Major religion: the vast majority (90%) of Italians are Roman Catholics, although there are significant numbers of Protestants and Jews, as well as a growing Muslim immigrant community.
• History: see BBC Timeline: Italy.
• Local etiquette: appearances matter in Italy and having a good image 'bella figura’ is very important. You are likely to be judged not only by the smartness of your clothes and accessories, but by your general style and demeanour. 

Politics

• Type of government: parliamentary democratic republic. Italy has a long history of short-lived coalition governments.
• Major political parties: People of Freedom (PdL), Democratic Party (PD), Northern League (LN), Italy of Values (IdV), Union of the Centre (UdC), Movement of the Autonomy (MpA).

Travel advice

Find the latest travel advice and travellers’ checklist on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website.