Italy

Italy is a country in southern Europe. It is known for its cultural heritage, which is rich and varied, and the natural beauty of its landscape. Its cities have spectacular churches and large central squares.

Their museums contain some of the world's best-known art. The countryside has warm, sandy beaches; high, glacier-topped mountain peaks; and rolling hills covered with green fields and vineyards.

A Short Background

Italy became a nation-state belatedly - in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL.

An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous 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 European Monetary Union in 1999.

Persistent problems include illegal immigration, the ravages of organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the more prosperous north.

Location:

Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:

42 50 N, 12 50 E

Population:

57,679,825 (July 2001 est.)

Religions:

predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community

Languages:

Italian (official),regional dialect and languages (siciliano-lombardo-campano-toscano-sardo ecc..) 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)

Currency:

Euro (EUR)

Currency code:

EUR

Exchange rates:

1 EURO to US Dollar : 1,1962 (April 2004)

More Informations:

Have a look at this pdf-file for information about the dance Sicilian Tarantella

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