| Area Total | 301,340 sq km |
| Climate | predominantly Mediterranean; alpine in far north; hot, dry in south |
| Natural Resources | coal, antimony, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land |
| Imports | Germany 16.3%, France 8.8%, China 7.1%, Netherlands 5.6%, Spain 5.3%, Belgium 4.5% (2017) – engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages, tobacco |
| Government | parliamentary republic |
| Capital | Rome |
| Population | 62.2 million (July 2018 est.) |
| Ethnicity | Italian (small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek Italians in the south) |
| Language | Italian (official), German, French, Slovene |
| Exports | Germany 12.5%, France 10.3%, US 9%, Spain 5.2%, UK 5.2%, Switzerland 4.6% (2017) – engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; foodstuffs, beverages, and tobacco; minerals, nonferrous metals |
News about Italy
- Five German mountaineers killed in Italian Alps avalancheby The Local Italy on November 2, 2025
Five German climbers, including a 17-year-old girl, were killed in an avalanche in the Dolomite mountains in Italy on Saturday afternoon, according to mountain rescue services.
- Italian police seize more than €1 billion in Campari sharesby The Local Italy on November 1, 2025
Italian police on Friday ordered the seizure of shares worth €1.3 billion from the Luxembourg holding company that controls the Campari spirits group, accused of tax fraud.
- Sagra: The best Italian food festivals to visit this Novemberby The Local Italy on October 31, 2025
Harvest season may be coming to an end, but Italy's food festivals are still going strong. Here are some of the best to stop by in November.
- Do you qualify for free entry to Italian museums?by The Local Italy on October 30, 2025
If you're visiting one of Italy’s many museums, art galleries or archeological sites, you may not have to pay for your ticket. Here's a look at who can benefit from free entry.
- What's in Italy's draft budget for 2026?by The Local Italy on October 30, 2025
Italy's proposed 2026 budget bill includes modest income tax cuts, higher costs for Airbnb hosts, and another hike to the flat tax for wealthy foreign residents.
- 'Not game over': Meloni hits out at court ruling against Sicily bridge planby The Local Italy on October 30, 2025
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday slammed a court's ruling against her government's plan to spend billions on a bridge to Sicily, insisting the project would continue regardless.
- Eight unmissable Halloween events in Italyby The Local Italy on October 29, 2025
From family days out to hardcore frights, our roundup of Halloween events in Italy has something for everyone.
- 100 days to go: Will Italy be ready for the 2026 Winter Games?by The Local Italy on October 29, 2025
With time ticking down to the start of an unusually complex, spread-out Winter Olympics, organisers of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games say they "can see the finish line."
- What actually happens on All Souls’ Day in Italy?by The Local Italy on October 29, 2025
Italy’s ‘Day of the dead’ is marked by graveside gatherings and quirky traditions, though the date just as often means a weekend trip.
- What’s on in Italy: 11 events not to miss this Novemberby The Local Italy on October 28, 2025
From a three-week-long jazz festival to a famous chocolate fair and a centuries-old feast, there’s plenty to look forward to in Italy next month.
- On the agenda: What's happening in Italy this weekby The Local Italy on October 26, 2025
From National Unity Day to local public transport strikes, here's what to expect in Italy this week.
- Crypts and castles: The spookiest places to visit in Rome at Halloweenby The Local Italy on October 24, 2025
If you’re a Halloween fan looking for some thrills while in Rome, these are some of the creepiest spots that you may or may not have heard of. Visit if you dare.
- Everything that changes about life in Italy in November 2025by The Local Italy on October 23, 2025
From transport strikes to new flight routes and a series of holidays, here's what to expect in Italy next month.
- The transport strikes to expect in Italy in November 2025by The Local Italy on October 22, 2025
After major strikes hit Italian transport in October, more strike dates have been announced for November which could impact flights, trains and public transport.
- La Bella Vita: Changing traditions and spooky Halloween events in Italyby The Local Italy on October 17, 2025
From looking at how Italians really mark All Souls' Day to sharing the best festivals and events on Halloween, our weekly newsletter La Bella Vita offers you an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking and living like an Italian.
- So you want to move to Italy and work remotely?by The Local Italy on October 16, 2025
Headlines about the digital nomad visa may make remote work in Italy sound appealing, but there are some important questions to ask first about everything from tax to wifi speeds.
- What you need to know about Italy's free museum Sundaysby The Local Italy on August 5, 2022
Want to see the Colosseum or Michelangelo’s David for free? You can on one date every month.
- Italian word of the day: 'Manovra'by The Local Italy on October 29, 2021
You'll need to work this word into your vocabulary if you want to follow the Italian news.
- What's the difference between Italian residency and citizenship?by The Local Italy on February 11, 2021
As a foreigner in Italy you enter a complicated world of bureaucracy, but one question we’re asked a lot is the difference in status between residency and citizenship. Here's an overview.
- Italian word of the day: 'Paura'by The Local Italy on October 31, 2020
It's scary how versatile this word can be.






















