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	<sup>3</sup> The ] domain is also used, as it is shared with other ] member states.		<sup>3</sup> The ] domain is also used, as it is shared with other ] member states.
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	'''Italy''', officially the '''Italian Republic''' (]: ''Italia'', ]: {{IPA\|}} or ''Repubblica Italiana'', ]: {{IPA\|}}), is a ] country. It comprises the ] valley, the ] and the two largest islands in the ], ] and ]. It is shaped like a boot and for this reason Italians commonly call it ''lo Stivale'' ("the boot") or, due to its prevalent peninsular geographical nature, ''la Penisola'' ("the Peninsula").

			Italy sucks ass compared to the United States, it's as simple as that.
	Italy shares its northern ] boundary with ], ], ] and ]. The independent countries of ] and the ] are ]s within Italian territory. ] is an Italian ] in ].

	Italy was home to many well-known and influential ]s, including the ], ] and the ]. For more than 3,000 years Italy experienced ] and ]s from ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ] peoples, and was divided into many independent states until 1861 when Italy became a ].

	Italy is called "il Belpaese" (Italian for beautiful country) by its inhabitants, due to the beauty and variety of its landscapes and for having the world's largest artistic patrimony; the country is home to the greatest number of ] ] (41 as of ] ]).

	Today, Italy is a highly ] with the ] highest ] in 2006, a member of the ] and a founding member of what is now the ], having signed the ] in 1957. Inhabitants of Italy are referred to as '']'' (]: ''Italiani'' or poetically ''Italici'').

	==History==
	{{main\|History of Italy}}

	The word "Italy" derives from the ] (]) word ιταλός , which means "]". Excavations throughout Italy have found proof of people in Italy dating back to the ] period (the "Old Stone Age") some 200,000 years ago. The first Greek settlers, who arrived in Italy from ] island the ], possibly named their new land "land of bulls".

	Italy has influenced the cultural and social development of the whole ], deeply influencing ] as well. As a result, it has also influenced other important ]. Such cultures and ] have existed there since ]. After ], the ] and especially the ] and ] that dominated this part of the world for many centuries, Italy was central to ] and ] during the ].

	], perhaps the most enduring symbol of Italy.]]

	Centre of the Roman civilisation for centuries, Italy lost its unity after the collapse of the ] and subsequent barbaric invasions. Briefly reunited under ] (]), was occupied by the ] in ], resulting in the peninsula becoming irreparably divided. For centuries the country was the prey of different populations, resulting in its ultimate decadence and misery. Most of the population fled from cities to take refuge in the countryside under the protection of powerful feudal lords. After the Longobards came the ] (]). Italy became part of the ], later to become the ]. ] created the first nucleus of the State of the ], which later became a strong countervailing force against any unification of the country.

	Population and economy started slowly to pick up after ], with the resurgence of cities, trade, arts and literature. During the later ] the fragmentation of the peninsula, especially in the northern and central parts of the country, continued, while the southern part, with ], ] and ], remained under a single domination. ] created a powerful commercial empire in the Eastern part of the ] and ].

	The ] in ] inflicted a terrible blow to Italy, resulting in one third of the population killed by the disease. The recovery from the disaster led to a new resurgence of cities, trade and economy which greatly stimulated the successive phase of the ] and ] (]-] centuries) when Italy again returned to be the centre of Western civilisation, strongly influencing the other European countries.

	After a century where the fragmented system of Italian states and principalities were able to maintain a relative independence and a balance of power in the peninsula, in ] the French king ] opened the first of a series of invasions, lasting half of the ], and a competition between ] and ] for the possession of the country. Ultimately Spain prevailed (the ] in ] recognized the Spanish possession of the ]) and for almost two centuries became the hegemon in Italy. The holy alliance between reactionary Catholic Spain and the Holy See resulted in the systematic persecution of any protestant movement, with the result that Italy remained a Catholic country with marginal protestant presence. The Spanish domination and the control of the Church resulted in intellectual stagnation and economic decadence, also attributable to the shifting of the main commercial routes from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic.

	] succeeded Spain as hegemon in Italy after the ] (]), having acquired the State of ] and the Kingdom of Naples. The Austrian domination, thanks also to the ] embraced by ], was a considerable improvement upon the Spanish one. The northern part of Italy, under the direct control of ], again recovered economic dynamism and intellectual fervor, improved its situation.

	The ] and the ] (]-]) introduced the modern ideas of ], ], ] and ]. The peninsula was not a main battle field as in the past but ] changed completely its political map, destroying in ] the ], which never recovered its independence. The states founded by Napoleon with the support of minority groups of Italian patriots were short-lived and did not survive the defeat of the French Emperor in ].

	The Restoration had all the pre-Revolution states restored with the exception of the Republic of Venice (forthwith under Austrian control) and the ] (under ] domination). Napoleon had nevertheless the merit to give birth to the first national movement for unity and independence. Albeit formed by small groups with almost no contact with the masses, the Italian patriots and liberals staged several uprisings in the decades up to ]. ] and ] were the mosteconomic reform for the impoverished masses. From ] onwards the Italian patriots were more or less openly supported by ], the ], who put his arms in the Italian tricolor dedicating the ] to the Italian unity.

	]

	The unification of Italy was obtained on ] ], after a successful war (the Second War of Independence) against Austria with the support of France, and after ] organized an invasion of the ] (Naples and Sicily) in 1860. ] became the first king of the united Italy. The national territory was enlarged to ] and Venice in ] after the third War of Independence, fought by allied Italy and ] against Austria. ] itself remained for a little less than a decade under the ] thanks to French protection, and became part of the Kingdom of Italy on ] ], after Italian troops stormed the city.

	The first unified state was plagued by a gruesome rebellion of the Southern populations opposed to the new domination, by economic stagnation, misery, illiteracy and a weak national consciousness. Italian was spoken by a small part of the population while the rest spoke local dialects.

	In ] ] succeeded his father Vittorio Emanuele II as King of Italy. He was killed by an anarchist in ] and succeeded by his son ].

	] and ], at least in the northern portion of the country, started in the last part of the ] under a protectionist regime. The south, in the meanwhile, stagnated under overpopulation and underdevelopment, so forcing millions of people to search for employment and better conditions of life abroad. This lasted until ]. It is calculated that more than 26 million Italians migrated to France, ], ], ], ], ] and ].

	Democracy moved its first steps at the beginning of the ]. The ] of ] provided for basic freedoms, but the electoral laws excluded the disposed and the uneducated from voting. Only in ] male universal suffrage was allowed. The ] Party resulted the main political party, outclassing the traditional liberal and conservative organizations. The path to a modern liberal democracy was interrupted by the tragedy of the ] (]-]), which Italy fought along with France and ]. Italy was able to beat the ] in ]. It obtained ] and ] and few territories on the ] (]), gaining respect as an international power, but the population had to pay a heavy human and social price. The war produced more than 600,000 dead, ] and ], economic and political instability, which in the end favoured the ] movement to seize power in ] with the tacit support of King ], who feared ] and ].

	The fascist dictatorship of ] lasted from 1922 to ] but in the first years Mussolini maintained the appearance of a liberal democracy. After rigged elections in ] gave to Fascism and its conservative allies an absolute majority in ], Mussolini cancelled all democratic liberties on ] ]. He then proceeded to establish a totalitarian state, imposing the control of the state upon all single social and political activity. Political parties were banned, independent trade unions were closed. The only permitted party was the ]. A ] (]) and a system of quasi-legal repression (Tribunale Speciale) ensured the total control of the regime upon Italians who, in their majority, either resigned or welcomed the dictatorship, many considering it a last resort to stop the spread of communism. While relatively benign in comparison with Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia, several thousands people were incarcerated or exiled for their opposition and several dozens were killed by fascist thugs (Carlo Rosselli) or died in prison (]). Mussolini tried to spread his authoritarian ideology to other European countries and dictators such as ] in Portugal, ] in Spain and ] in Germany were heavily influenced by the Italian examples. Conservative but democratic leaders in Great Britain and United States were at the beginning favourable to Mussolini. Mussolini tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to spread fascism amongst the millions on Italians living abroad.
	] Prime Minister of Italy and leader of the Fascist Party.]]
	In 1929 Mussolini realised a pact with the ], resulting in the rebirth of an independent state of the ] for the Catholic Church in the heart of Rome. In 1935 he declared war on ] on a pretext. Ethiopia was subjugated in few months. This resulted in the alienation of Italy from its traditional allies, France and Great Britain, and its nearing to Nazi Germany. A first pact with Germany was concluded in 1936 and then in 1938 (the Iron Pact). Italy supported Franco's revolution in Spanish civil war and Hitler's pretensions in central Europe, accepting the annexation of Austria to Germany in 1938, although the disappearance of a buffer state between mighty Germany and Italy was unfavourable for the country. In October 1938 Mussolini managed to avoid the eruption of another war in Europe, bringing together Great Britain, France and Germany at the expense of Czechoslovakia's integrity.

	In April 1939 Italy occupied ], a ''de-facto'' protectorate for decades, but in September 1939, after the invasion of Poland, Mussolini wisely decided not to intervene on Germany's side, due to the poor preparation of the armed forces. Italy entered in war in June 1940 when France was almost defeated. Mussolini hoped for a quick victory but Italy showed from the very beginning the poor nature of its army and the scarce ability of its generals. Italy invaded Greece in October 1940 via Albania but after a few days was forced to withdraw. After conquering British Somalia in 1940, a counter-attack by the Allies led to the loss of the whole Italian empire in the Horn of Africa. Italy was also defeated in Northern Africa and saved only by the German armed forces led by Rommel.

	After several defeats, Italy was invaded in May 1943. In July 1943 King Vittorio Emanuele III staged a coup d'etat against Mussolini, having him arrested. In September 1943 Italy surrendered. It was immediately invaded by Germany and for nearly two years the country was divided and became a battlefield. The Nazi-occupied part of the country, where a puppet fascist state under Mussolini was reconstituted, was the theatre of a savage civil war between freedom fighters (''"]"'') and Nazi and fascist troops. The country was liberated by a national uprising on ], 1945 (the '']'').

	Particularly in the north agitation against the king ran high, leftwing and communist armed partisans wanting to depose him as being responsible for the fascist regime. Vittorio Emanuele gave up the throne to his son ] who again faced the possibility of civil war. ] after the result of a popular ] held on ], ], a day since then celebrated as ]. The republic won with a 9% margin; the north of Italy voted prevalently for a republic, the south for the monarchy. The Republican Constitution was approved and entered into force on ], ], including a provisional measure banning all male members of the house of Savoy from Italy. This stipulation was redressed in 2002.

	Since then Italy has experienced a strong economic growth, particularly in the 50s and 60s, while lifted the country among the most industrialized nations in the world, with a perennial political instability. The ] and its liberal and social democratic allies ruled Italy without interruptions from 1948 until 1994, marginalising the main opposition party, the ], until the end of the cold war.

	In 1992-94 a series of scandals (nicknamed ''"]"'') and the ensuing '']'' investigation destroyed the post-war political system. New parties and coalition emerged: on the right, '']'' of the media-mogul ] is the main successor of the Christian Democrat party. On the left the '']'' (Democrats of the Left) are the moderate successor of the Communist Party, while the most liberal and progressive Catholic politicians belong to ] (the Daisy). In 1994 Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia and its allies (] and the ]) won the elections but the government collapsed after only a few months because the Northern League split out. A ] cabinet led by ], supported by the left-wing parties and the Northern League, lasted until Romano Prodi's new center-left coalition won the ]. In 2001 the center-right ] and Berlusconi was able to remain in power for a complete five year mandate. The ] returned Prodi in the government with a slim majority.

	Italy is a founding member of the ], ] and ].

	==Politics==
	<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series-->
	{{morepolitics\|country=Italy}}
	], ] elected on May 10, 2006.]]
	] is the ''Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri'' ("President of the Ministers Council"), the equivalent of Prime Minister of the Italian Government.]]

	The 1948 ] established a ] ] ('']''), consisting of a ] (''Camera dei Deputati'') and a ] (''Senato della Repubblica''), a separate ], and an ] composed of a Council of Ministers (]) (''Consiglio dei ministri''), headed by the ] (''Presidente del consiglio dei ministri'').

	The ] (''Presidente della Repubblica'') is elected for seven years by the parliament sitting jointly with a small number of regional delegates. The president nominates the prime minister, who proposes the other ministers (formally named by the president). The Council of Ministers must retain the support (''fiducia'') of both houses.

	The houses of ] are popularly and directly elected through a complex electoral system (latest amendment in 2005) which combines proportional representation with a majority prize for the largest coalition (Chamber). The electoral system in the Senate is based upon regional representation. In fact in 2006 elections the two competing coalitions were separated by few thousand votes, and in the Chamber the Center-left coalition (L'Ulivo) got 345 Deputies against 277 for the Center-right one (Casa delle Libertà), while in the Senate l'Ulivo got only two Senators more than absolute majority.
	The Chamber of Deputies has 630 members, the Senate 315 elected senators; in addition, the Senate includes former presidents and other persons (no more than five) appointed senators for life by the President of the Republic according to special constitutional provisions. As of ] 2006, there are seven ] (of which three are former Presidents). Both houses are elected for a maximum of five years, but both may be dissolved by the President of the Republic before the expiration of their normal term if the Parliament is unable to elect a stable government.
	], house of the President of the Republic.]]

	In the post war history, that happened in ], ], ], ], ] and ]. A peculiarity of the Italian Parliament is the representation given to Italians permanently living abroad (more than 2 million). Among the 630 Deputies and the 315 Senators there are respectively 12 and 6 elected in four distinct foreign constituencies. Those members of Parliament were elected for the first time in April 2006 and they enjoy the same rights as members elected in Italy. Legislative bills may originate in either house and must be passed by a majority in both. The Italian judicial system is based on Roman law modified by the Napoleonic code and later statutes. A constitutional court, the '']'', passes on the constitutionality of laws, and is a post-World War II innovation.

	All Italian citizens older than 18 can vote. However, to vote for the senate, the voter must be at least 25 or older.

	''See also:'' ], ], ]

	==Administrative divisions==
	{{main\|Regions of Italy}}
	]s.]]

	Italy is subdivided into 20 regions (''regioni'', singular ''regione''). Five of these regions enjoy a ] that enables them to enact legislation on some of their specific local matters, and are marked by an *:
	#] (])
	#] (])
	#] (])
	#] (], ''Napoli'')
	#] (])
	#]* (])
	#], ''Latium'' (], ''Roma'')
	#] (], ''Genova'')
	#], ''Lombardia'' (], ''Milano'')
	#], ''Marches'' (])
	#], (])
	#], ''Piemonte'' (], ''Torino'')
	#], ''Puglia'' (])
	#]*, ''Sardegna'' (])
	#]*, ''Valle d'Aosta'' (])
	#], ''Toscana'' (], ''Firenze'')
	#]*, (])
	#] (])
	#]*, ''Sicilia'' (])
	#] (], ''Venezia'')

	All regions except the Aosta Valley are further subdivided into two or more ].

	== Geography ==
	{{main\|Geography of Italy}}

	Italy consists predominantly of a large ] (the ]) with a distinctive boot shape that extends into the ], where together with its two main islands ] and ] it creates distinct bodies of water, such as the ] to the north-east, the ] to the south-east, the ] to the south-west and finally the ] to the north-west.
	]

	The ] form the backbone of this peninsula, leading north-west to where they join the ], the mountain range that then forms an arc enclosing Italy from the north.
	Here is also found a large alluvial plain, the Po-Venetian plain, drained by the ] — which is Italy's biggest river with 652 km — and its many tributaries flowing down from the ] (], 160 km, ], 138 km, ], 248 km, ], 313 km, ], 280 km, ]), 194 km, and ]s (], 276 km, ], 115 km, ], 115 km, ], 172 km, ], 148 km).

	Other well-known or importants rivers include the ] (''Tevere'') (405 km), ] (410 km), ] (241 km), ] (220 km), ] (212 km), ] (175 km), ] (170 km), ] (158 km), ] (136 km).

	Its highest point is ] (''Monte Bianco'') at 4,810 ]s <!--spelled out per WP:MOSNUM -->(15,781 ]){{rf\|3\|montblanc}}. Italy is more typically associated with two famous ]es: the currently dormant ] near ] and the very active ] on ].

	] and ] are the two major ]s of Italy (]).

	== Climate ==
	The Italian climate is unique and can be far from the stereotype of a "land of sun.", depending on the region.

	The north of Italy (Turin, Milan, and Bologna) has a true continental climate, while below Florence it becomes more and more Mediterranean.

	The climate of the coastal areas of the Peninsula is very different from that of the interior, particularly during the winter months. The higher areas are cold, wet, and often snowy. The coastal regions, where most of the large towns are located, have a typical ] climate with mild winters and hot and generally dry summers. The length and intensity of the summer dry season increases southwards (compare the tables for ], ], and ]).

	]

	Between north and south there is a quite remarkable difference in the temperatures, above all during the winter: in some days of December or January it can snow in Milan by -2°C while Palermo or Naples have just clouds and +17°C.
	In some morning Turin can be by -12°C while on the same time Rome has got +6°C and Reggio Calabria +12°C.
	In the summer the difference is lighter. (‘‘See how Po valley can be frosty in winter '')

	The east coast of the ] is not as wet as the west coast, but during winter is usually colder. The east coast north of ] is occasionally affected by the cold ] winds in winter and spring, but the wind is less strong here than around ].
	During these frosty spells from E-NE cities like Rimini, Ancona, Pescara and the entire eastern hillside of the Apennines can be affected by true "blizzards".
	The town of Fabriano, located just around 300 mt a.s.l., can often see 50/60 cm of fresh snow fall in 24 hours during these episodes.

	Italy is subject to highly diverse weather conditions in autumn, winter, and spring, while summer is usually more stable, even if in the north cities like Turin, Milan, Brescia, Verona or Udine sees a lot of thunderstorms in the afternoon/night hours.
	So, while below Florence the summer is typically dry and sunny, in the north is quite cloudier and relatively rich of rain, even if a little muggy/sultry.

	The least number of rainy days and the highest number of hours of sunshine occur in the extreme south of the mainland and in ] and ]. Here sunshine averages from four to five hours a day in winter and up to ten or eleven hours in summer.
	In the north the precipitations are quite well distributed during the year, and so the amount of them, even if generally there is a "minimum" in winter.
	Between November and March the Po valley is often covered by tight fog, above all the central zone (Pavia, Cremona, and Mantua).
	Snow is quite a common thing between early December and mid February in cities like Turin, Milan and Bologna.
	In the last winter (2005-2006) Milan received around 75/80cm of fresh snow, Como around 100cm, Brescia 50cm, Trento 160 cm, Vicenza around 45cm, Bologna around 30cm, Piacenza around 80 cm. (''see the late January 2006 snowfall of Bergamo '')

	Generally, the hottest month is August in the south and July in the north; during these months the thermometer can reach 38°C/42°C in the south and 33°C/35°C in the north.
	The coldest month is January; Po valley's average temperature is around 0°C, Florence 5°C/6°C, Rome 7°C/8°C, Naples 9°C, Palermo 13°C.

	Winter morning lows can occasionally reach -14°C in Po valley, -5°C/-6°C in Florence, -4°C in Rome, -2°C in Naples and 1°C in Palermo.

	The record low (near the sea level) was -28.8°C recorded during January 1985 near Bologna, while in the south cities like Catania, Lecce or Alghero had highs till 46°C/47°C in some hot summers.

	== Demographics ==
	{{main\|Demographics of Italy}}

	Italy is largely homogeneous in language and religion but is diverse culturally, economically, and politically. The country has the fifth-highest population density in Europe at 193 persons per square kilometre<!--spelled out per WP:MOSNUM --> (499/]). However, like Germany, Italy's main population centers fall among several cities, mainly Turin, Rome, Milan, and Naples, with no single large city to rival the size of cities such as London, Paris or Moscow. As with many other nations in Europe, Italy is currently facing a natural population decline, supplemented only by immigration. Italy receives roughly 300,000 immigrants a year, second only to the United States. <ref> http://www.guardian.co.uk/immigration/story/0,,1852513,00.html
	Guardian Unlimited \| Special reports \| Immigration fails to stem European population loss </ref> Population estimates place Italy's population at roughly 41 million in 2050 if the current population trend continues. <ref> http://www.migration.ucdavis.edu/mn/more.php?id=2067_0_4_0
	Migration News </ref>

	Since the beginning of Roman civilisation, important ethnic groups like ] settlers, ] and ] invaders and plunderers, and ] French colonisers have all left important impressions on the people today.

	The number of immigrants or foreign residents in Italy has steadily increased to reach 2,402,157, according to the latest figures (1/2005) of ]. They currently make up a little more than 4% of the official total population. The majority of immigrants in Italy come from other surrounding European nations, and they number 1,122,276, and chiefly come from ], ], the ], and ]. French nationals living in Italy, according to ISTAT figures, are more commonly women than men. The next largest group consists of North African ] groups, and they number some 447,310 chiefly from ], and ]. Smaller groups consists of Asians, South Americans, and sub-saharan Africans.
	Top 5 largest foreign minorities {{rf\|1\|minorities}} are ] (316,659), ] (294,945), ] (248,849), ] (111,712), and ] (93,441).

	;Italian City Provinces, Urban Areas and Metropolitan Areas{{facts}}


	*] (Milano, Lombardia): 3,869,037 - 4.240.000 - 6.500.000
	*] (Roma, Lazio): 3,831,959 - 3,831,959 - 3,831,959.
	*] (Napoli, Campania): 3,086,622 - 3.800.000 - 4.150.000
	*] (Torino, Piemonte): 2,242,775 - 2,242,775 - 2,242,775

	== Religion ==
	{{main\|Religion in Italy}}
	{{expandsection}}

	], Rome.]]
	] is by far the largest religion in the country. Although the Catholic Church has never been the state religion, it still plays a role in the nation's political affairs, partly due to the ]'s location in Rome. In a 2005 poll 87.8% of Italians identified as ], although only about one-third of these described themselves active members (36.8%).

	Other Christian groups in Italy include 500,000 ] (0.9%){{facts}}, more than 700,000 ] (1.2%) , including 470,000 newcomers and some 180,000 ], 450,000 ] and ] (0.8%), of which 300,000 members of the ], 30,000 ] , 25,000 ], 22,000 ], 15,000 ] (plus some 5,000 Free Baptists), 7,000 ], 5,000 ] (affiliated to the Waldensian Church) , while there is a historical ] community, comprising roughly 45,000 Jews.

	In the past two decades, Italy has been receiving many waves of immigrants from all over the world, especially eastern Europe and North Africa. As a result some 825,000 ] (1.4%), of which only 50,000 are Italian citizens, live in Italy, as well as 100,000 ] , and , and 70,000 ].

	See also:
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]

	== Economy ==
	{{main\|Economy of Italy}}

	According to GDP calculations, as measured by purchasing power parity (PPP), Italy is ranked as the 8th largest economy in the world in 2006, behind the ], ], ], ], ], ], and ], and the fourth largest in Europe. According to the OECD, in 2004 Italy was the world's sixth-largest exporter of manufactured goods. This ] economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed ] south. Italy's economy has deceptive strength because it is supported by a substantial “underground” economy that functions outside government controls.

	Most new materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the ] and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. Italy joined the ] from its conception in 1999.

	Italy's economic performance has at times lagged behind that of its ] partners, and the current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term growth. It has moved slowly, however, on implementing certain structural reforms favoured by economists, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labour market and expensive ] system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from ].

	Italy has been less successful in terms of developing world class multinational corporations. Instead, the country's main economic strength has been its large base of small and medium size companies. These companies typically manufacture products that are technologically moderately advanced and therefore increasingly face crushing competition from China and other emerging Asian economies. Meanwhile, a base of corporations able to compete in markets for advanced goods and services is underdeveloped or lacking entirely. It is not obvious how Italy will overcome this significant structural weakness in the short run, and Italy has therefore been referred to as the new "sick man of Europe".

	*]

	== Culture ==
	]'' by ]]]
	{{see also\|Culture of Italy}}

	Italy, as a state, did not exist until the unification of the country came to a conclusion in year ]. Due to this comparatively late unification, and the historical autonomy of the many regions that comprise the ], many traditions and customs that we now recognize as distinctly Italian can be identified by their regions of origin, which further reflect the influence of the many different peoples that occupied those areas, and of the importance of religion, especially ]. Despite the pronounced political and social isolation of these regions that prevailed throughout Italy's history, Italy's contributions to the cultural and historical heritage of ] remain immense.
	], Milan.]]

	Italy has been a seminal place for many important artistic and intellectual movements that spread throughout Europe and beyond, including the ] and ]. Perhaps Italy's greatest cultural achievements lie in its long artistic heritage, which is often validated through the names of ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ], among many others. Beyond art, Italy's contributions to the realms of literature, science and music cannot be overlooked.

	With the basis of the modern ] established through the eminent ] poet, ], whose greatest work, the ] is often considered the foremost literary statement produced in Europe during the ], there is no shortage of celebrated literary figures; the writers and poets ], ], ], ], ], and ], whose best known vehicle of expression, the ], was invented in Italy. Prominent philosophers include ], ], ], ]. Modern literary figures and Nobel laureates are nationalist poet ] in 1906, realist writer ] in 1926, modern theatre author ] in 1936, poets ] in 1959 and ] in 1975, satiryst and theatre author ] in 1997.

	In science, ] made considerable advancements toward the ], and ] was the quintessential ]. Other notable Italian scientists and inventors include ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].

	From ] to ], music has always played an important role in Italian culture. Having given birth to ], for example, Italy provides many of the very foundations of the classical music tradition. Some of the instruments that are often associated with classical music, including the ] and ], were invented in Italy, and many of the existing classical music forms can trace their roots back to innovations of 16th and 17th century Italian music (such as the ], ], and ]). Some of Italy's most famous composers include the Renaissance composers ] and ], the Baroque composers ] and ], the Classical composers ] and ], and the Romantic composers ] and ]. Modern Italian composers such as ] and ] proved significant in the development of experimental and electronic music.

	] ('']'') is a popular spectator and participation sport. The ] has won the ] four times (], ], ] and ]) and is the current titleholder, while major Italian clubs frequently compete at a high level of ]. ] is very popular in Italy; clubs compete domestically in the ], as well as the European ] tournament. ] competes in the ], and is a regular at the ]. Italy are classed at a tier-one nation by the ]. ] (''pallacanestro'') is a sport gaining rapid popularity in Italy, although national teams have existed since the 1950s. The nation's top pro league (Lega A1) is widely regarded as the third best national league in the world after the American ] and Spain's ]. In some cities, (see ], ], ] or ]) basketball is the most popular sport. ] is also a well represented sport in Italy. Italians have won more ]s than any other country except Belgium. The ] is a world famous long distance bicycle race held every May and constitutes one of the three ] along with the ] and the ], each of which last approximately three weeks. ] receives much attention in Italy, while the nation is host to a number of notable ], such as the famed ]. The Italian flair for design is legendary, and it should come as no surprise that ] has won more ]s than any other manufacturer.

	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]

	== Languages ==
	{{main\|Languages of Italy}}
	The official language of Italy is ], descendant of ] dialect and a direct descendant of ]. (Some 75% of Italian words are of Latin origin.) However, when Italy was unified, in 1861, Italian existed mainly as a ], and was spoken by less than 3% of the population. Different languages were spoken throughout Italian peninsula, many of which were ]s which had developed in every region, due to political fragmentation of Italy{{rf\|2\|dialects}}.
	Indeed, each historical region of Italy had its own so-called ‘dialetto’ (with ‘]’ usually meaning, improperly, a non-Italian Romance language), with variants existing at the township-level.
	]]]

	Massimo d'Azeglio. One of Cavour's ministers, is said to have stated, following Italian unification, that having created Italy, all that remained was to create Italians. Given the high number of languages spoken throughout the peninsula, it was quickly established that 'proper' or 'standard' Italian would be based on the ] spoken in most of ] (given that it was the first region to produce authors such as ], who between 1308 and 1321 wrote the '']''). A national education system was established - leading to a decrease in variation in the languages spoken throughout the country over time. But it was not until the 1960s, when economic growth enabled widespread access to the television programmes of the state television broadcaster, ], that Italian truly became broadly-known and quite standardised.

	Today, despite regional variations in the form of accents and vowel emphasis, Italian is fully comprehensible to most throughout the country. Nevertheless certain ] have become cherished beacons of regional variation—the ] which is extensively used for the singing of popular folk-songs, for instance—and in recent years many people have developed a particular pride in their local dialects.

	In addition to the various regional linguistic varieties and dialects of standard Italian, a number of languages enjoying some form of official recognition are spoken:
	*In the north, the province of ] has a majority ]-speaking population; the area was awarded to Italy following the First World War and her defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Pockets of German speakers also persist in other north-eastern Italian regions—a remnant of being formerly part of Austria. In total some 300,000 or so Italians speak German as their first language and indeed many identify themselves as ethnic Austrians.
	*Some 120,000 or so people live in the ] region, where a dialect of ] is spoken that is similar to dialects spoken in ]. About 1,400 people living in two isolated towns in ] speak another dialect of Franco-Provençal.
	*About 80,000 ]-speakers live in the north-eastern region of ] near the border with Slovenia.
	*In the ] mountains of ] and ] there are some 40,000 speakers of the ] language ].
	*A very large community of some 700,000 people in ] speak ]—another Rhaetian language.
	*In the ] region of central-south Italy some 4,000 people speak ]. These are the ], descendants of a group of people who migrated from the Balkans in the Middle Ages.
	*Scattered across ] (] and ]) are a number of some 30,000 ]-speakers—considered to be the last surviving traces of the region's Greek heritage. (Ancient Greek colonists reached southern Italy and Sicily about 1500 BC.) They speak a Greek dialect, ].
	*Some 15,000 ] speakers reside around the area of ] in the north-west corner of ]—believed to be the result of a migration of a large group of Catalans from ] in ages past.
	*The ], of whom there are around 100,000 in southern Italy and in central ]—the result of past migrations—are speakers of the Arbëresh dialect of ].
	*Finally, the largest group of non-Italian speakers, some 1.6 million people, are those who speak ], a Romance language which retains many pre-Latin words.

	==Notes==
	<div class="references-small">
	{{ent\|1\|Romanian}} According to Mitrica, an October 2005 Romanian report estimates that 1,061,400 Romanians are living in Italy, constituting 37.2% of 2.8 million immigrants in that country but it is unclear how the estimate was made, and therefore whether it should be taken seriously or not.
	{{ent\|2\|dialects}} See also (in Italian): ''L. Lepschy e G. Lepschy, La lingua italiana: storia, varietà d'uso, grammatica, Milano, Bompiani''
	{{ent\|3\|montblanc}} Official French maps show the border detouring south of the main summit, and claim the highest point in Italy is Mont Blanc de Courmayeur (4,748 m), but these are inconsistent with an 1861 convention and topographic watershed analysis.
	</div>

	== References ==
	<div class="references-small">
	:''Other references can be found in the more detailed articles linked to in this article.''
	*Mitrica, Mihai ("One million Romanians have moved to Italy"). ''Evenimentul Zilei'', ] ]. Visited ] ].
	</div>
	<references/>

	==External links==
	{{sisterlinks\|Italy}}
	{{portal}}

	===Official sites===
	* - Official site of the President of the Republic of Italy (in Italian)
	* - Official site of the Italian Parliament (Senate in Italian only)
	* - Chamber of Deputies (few languages)
	* - Senate (in Italian)
	* - Main institutional portal (in Italian)
	* - Official site of the President of the Council of Ministriesor Prime Minister's Office
	* - Italian ]
	* - Italian Supreme Court ]
	* - Italian Court of Accounts
	* - Italian Foreign Office
	* - Ministry of Interior (in Italian)
	* - Ministry of Education, University and Research
	* - International exchanges - Ministry of Education
	* - Ministry of Health
	* - Ministry of Defence
	* - Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare
	* - Ministry for Economic Development
	* - Ministry of Agriculture
	* - Ministry of Justice
	* - National Statistics Office (in Italian)

	===Others===
	*
	*
	*
	*
	* - Italian State Tourism Board
	*
	*
	* at IUE

	===Travel===
	* {{wikitravel}}

	{{EU countries}}
	{{NATO}}
	{{Europe}}
	{{Mediterranean}}
	{{G8}}

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Revision as of 16:06, 13 October 2006

Template:Redirect5

Italian RepublicRepubblica Italiana
Template:Country flag alias Italy Flag Coat of arms of Italy Coat of arms
Anthem: Il Canto degli Italiani (also known as "Fratelli d'Italia")

Capitaland largest city	Rome
Official languages	Italian
Government	Republic

• President	Giorgio Napolitano
• Prime Minister	Romano Prodi

Formation

• Unification	17 March 1861
• Republic	2 June 1946

• Water (%)	2.4
Population
• 2006 estimate	58,751,711 (22nd)
• October 2001 census	57,110,144
GDP (PPP)	2005 estimate
• Total	$1.668 trillion (8th)
• Per capita	$28,760 (21st)
HDI (2003)	0.934 very high (18th)
Currency	Euro (€) (EUR)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Calling code	39
ISO 3166 code	IT
Internet TLD	.it
French is co-official in the Aosta Valley; German is co-official in Trentino-South Tyrol. Prior to 2002: Italian Lira. The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European Union member states.

Italy sucks ass compared to the United States, it's as simple as that.