Italy |
Background: | |
Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional 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 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. |
Nationality: | |
noun: Italian(s) adjective: Italian | |
Ethnic Groups: | |
Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south) | |
Language: | |
Italian (official), 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) | |
Religions: | |
Christian 80% (overwhelming Roman Catholic with very small groups of Jehova Witnesses and Protestants), Muslims NEGL (about 700,000 but growing), Atheists and Agnostics 20% |
Population: | |
61,261,254 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 |
Major Cities - Population: | |
ROME (capital) 3.357 million; Milan 2.962 million; Naples 2.27 million; Turin 1.662 million; Palermo 872,000 (2009) |
Statistics | |
Percent Urbanization | 68 % |
Total People Groups | 65 |
Unreached People Groups | 12 |
Region | Western Europe |
10/40 Window | No |
Official National Language | Italian |
Primary Religion | Christianity |
Percent Christian Adherent | 81.5% [1] |
Percent Evangelical | 1.1% [2] |
Country Progress Level | 2.2 |
Persecution Ranking | Not ranked (1=High to 50=Low OD) |
Human Development Index | 0.854 (0=Low to 1=High UN) |
ClassesEvents | RevivalCulture | NewsFeatures | |
Power Course Live Interactive Virtual Learning Monday, October 14, 2024 - Guest Instructor Joshua Khachadourian |
What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? It is the coming of the kingdom of God. It is Christ taking over in a life. No more do I live unto myself-that is over with! Now, thank God, according to His eternal purpose, He has taken over. More» |