Key Facts

GDP (ppp) per CAPITA

$31,000 (2008 est.)

Inflation Rate

3.4% (2008 est.)

Population

58,126,212 (July 2009 est.)

Country Risk Ratings

A3

Ease of Doing Business

65/181

Global Competitiveness

4.35/134

Country Map

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gE Network

There are 76 members in the
gE Network for this country.

Italy : Introduction

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.

Italy: Borsa Italiana

Italy: The Bank of Italy

The Bank of Italy advises the legislative and executive branches and also provides treasury services for the central government. The information is available in English and Italian.

Italy: The Italian Institute for Foreign Trade

The Italian Institute for Foreign Trade provides contact information for Italian firms interested in trading with a particular country, information on Italian laws and regulations, detailed profiles of Italian consultancy companies, and statistical information relating to trading with Italy. Training programs aimed at entrepreneurs or civil servants from developing countries and economies in transition are also offered.

Sources:
CIA World Factbook (September 2009)
U.S. Dept. of State Country Background Notes (October 2009)