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Italy
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FactsBackground: 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. note: data are in 2010 US dollars GDP (official exchange rate): $2.037 trillion (2010 est.); GDP - real growth rate: 1.1% (2010 est.); -5.1% (2009 est.); -1.3% (2008 est.); GDP - per capita (PPP): $30,700 (2010 est.); $30,300 (2009 est.); $31,900 (2008 est.); note: data are in 2010 US dollars GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8%; industry: 24.9%; services: 73.3% (2010 est.); Population below poverty line: NA%; Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3%; highest 10%: 26.8% (2000); Labor force: 25.05 million (2010 est.); Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4.2%; industry: 30.7%; services: 65.1% (2005); Unemployment rate: 8.4% (2010 est.); 7.8% (2009 est.); Budget: revenues: $940.3 billion; expenditures: $1.042 trillion (2010 est.); Industries: tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics; Industrial production growth rate: 0.5% (2010 est.); Electricity - production: 289.7 billion kWh (2007 est.); Electricity - consumption: 315 billion kWh (2007 est.); Electricity - exports: 3.431 billion kWh (2008 est.); Electricity - imports: 43 billion kWh (2008 est.); Statistics: CIA World Factbook. PressDisplaying 1 to 7 of 46 items. Agenzia Giornalistica Italia Alto Adige(Independent daily), Bolzano Aostaoggi(Daily), Aosta Avvenire(Catholic-oriented), Milan Corriere della Sera(Centrist), Milan Corriere delle Alpi(Independent daily), Belluno Famiglia Cristiana(Catholic-oriented, centrist), Rome Italy in the NewsDisplaying 1 to 4 of 35 items. Must-See World Heritage Sites in ItalyDigging through Italy's rich history, you're sure to uncover some fascinating sites. The World Heritage program is helping to preserve them. South-Eastern Europe's Natural Gas Pipeline CompetitionWith top energy producers in South-Eastern Europe vying for shares of the market, current pipeline competition will shape energy and political landscapes for the near future. Sardinia's Caves: Bue Marino Grottos and Grotta VerdeSardinia hosts several extraordinary grottos that, hidden since ancient times, have had to wait geological ages before being discovered and explored by man. The Most Amazing Museums in ItalyNearly 60 percent of the best museums in the world are located on the European continent, and Italy has its share of the bounty. |
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