Italy
Globally, Italy places #4 in tourist arrivals. This ranking reflects a standout track record. Ready to explore more about Italy?
Italy is a country in Europe with a population of 60.92M and an area of 301,336 km². Life expectancy is 83.7 years.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
Life Expectancy
83.7 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Life Expectancy
83.7 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Human Development Index
0.92The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
GDP Per Capita
$53.1KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
60.9KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
🚀Leisure Time
16.469Hours per day people have for leisure and personal care.
👥Elderly Population (%)
24.6%The percentage of the population aged 65 and older.
👥Median Age
48.8 yearsMedian age from CIA World Factbook.
🍻Tourist Arrivals
38.42MHow many international tourists visit the country each year.
💰GDP (Nominal)
2380.83BThe country's total economic output in current US dollars.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Ranks #1 globally in leisure time
Leisure Time: 16.469
Hours per day people have for leisure and personal care.
OECD 2024Ranks #4 globally in elderly population (%)
Elderly Population (%): 24.6%
The percentage of the population aged 65 and older.
World Bank 2023Ranks #4 globally in tourist arrivals
Tourist Arrivals: 38.42M
How many international tourists visit the country each year.
World Bank 2023Ranks #8 globally in gdp (nominal)
GDP (Nominal): 2380.83B
The country's total economic output in current US dollars.
World Bank 2023Ranks #7 in government debt (% gdp) (lower is better)
Government Debt (% GDP): 131.8%
How much money the central government owes as a percentage of GDP.
World Bank 2023Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Italy Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
GDP per Capita
Above avgGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Life Expectancy
Above avgHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Human Development Index
Above avgThe Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Internet Users
Above avgThe percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Italy
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 is a charter member of NATO, as well as the European Economic Community (EEC) and its successors, the EC and the EU. It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include sluggish economic growth, high youth and female unemployment, organized crime, corruption, and economic disparities between southern Italy and the more prosperous north.
- Location
- Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
- Climate
- predominantly Mediterranean; alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
- Terrain
- mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
- Natural Resources
- coal, antimony, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land
- Natural Hazards
- regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Etna (3,330 m) is Europe's most active volcano, and its flank eruptions pose a threat to nearby Sicilian villages; Etna, along with the famous Vesuvius, have both been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Stromboli, on its namesake island, has also been continuously active with moderate volcanic activity; other historically active volcanoes include Campi Flegrei, Ischia, Larderello, Pantelleria, Vulcano, and Vulsini
- Size Comparison
- almost twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona
- Languages
- 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), Croatian (in Molise)
- Religions
- Christian 80.8% (overwhelmingly Roman Catholic with very small groups of Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestants), Muslim 4.9%, unaffiliated 13.4%, other 0.9% (2020 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north, Albanian-Italians, Croat-Italians, and Greek-Italians in the south)
- Major Cities
- 4.316 million ROME (capital), 3.155 million Milan, 2.179 million Naples, 1.802 million Turin, 913,000 Bergamo, 850,000 Palermo (2023)
- Government Type
- parliamentary republic
- Capital
- Rome
- Capital Coordinates
- 41 54 N, 12 29 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Italian Republic
- Name Origin
- derivation is unclear; traditionally said to come from the Vitali, a tribe that settled in what is now Calabria, and whose name is believed to be linked to the Latin word vitulus, or "calf;" alternatively, the name may derive from a local ruler known to the Romans as Italus
- Independence
- 17 March 1861
- National Symbols
- five-pointed white star (Stella d'Italia)
- National Anthem
- "Il Canto degli Italiani" (The Song of the Italians)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 61 (55 cultural, 6 natural)
- Overview
- high-income, core EU economy; strong services, manufacturing, and tourism sectors; modest growth supported by net exports, low inflation, and public investments via EU funds; tight labor market with aging workforce and shortages in specialized skills; high public debt levels
- Industries
- tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
- Agricultural Products
- milk, wheat, grapes, tomatoes, maize, olives, apples, oranges, sugar beets, rice (2023)
- Export Partners
- Germany 11%, USA 11%, France 10%, Spain 5%, UK 5% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- packaged medicine, garments, cars, refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories (2023)
- Import Partners
- Germany 15%, France 9%, China 8%, Netherlands 6%, Spain 5% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- natural gas, crude petroleum, cars, packaged medicine, garments (2023)
- Military Forces
- Italian Armed Forces (Forze Armate Italiane): Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI; includes aviation, marines), Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI); Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri, CC) (2025)
- Military Service
- 17 or 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women ; voluntary service is a minimum of 12 months with the option to extend in the Armed Forces or compete for positions in other government security organizations; conscription abolished 2004 (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 56% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 12% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 9.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 14.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); geothermal: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 6.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- two Italian media giants dominate, with 3 national terrestrial stations; privately owned companies have 3 national terrestrial stations; a large number of private stations, a satellite TV network; 3 AM/FM nationwide radio stations; about 1,300 commercial radio stations
- Space Program
- one of the top contributors to the ESA; designs, builds, launches, and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; designs and manufactures probes, rockets, and orbital satellite launch vehicles (SLVs); researches, develops, and builds a range of other space-related technologies and participates in a wide array of international programs; hosts the ESA Center for Earth Observation; has astronaut cadre in the ESA astronaut corps; has cooperated with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, the UAE, and the US; participates in international projects such as the International Space Station; has considerable commercial space industries encompassing a wide range of capabilities (2025)
Deep Dive
78 of 157 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
Related Countries
Neighboring Countries
Austria
France
San Marino
SloveniaCountries with Similar GDP
United Kingdom
Cyprus
South Korea
FinlandCompare Italy with...
More Europe Countries
Åland Islands
Albania
Andorra
Armenia
AzerbaijanShare a Fact
Share something surprising about Italy!
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Frequently Asked Questions about Italy
Italy has a population of 60.92M, ranking #25 globally by population.
Italy is located in Europe. It has an area of 301,336 km².
Life expectancy in Italy is 83.7 years, ranking #10 globally.
Italy's GDP per capita (PPP) is 60.9K, ranking #34 globally.
Italy ranks particularly high in Life Expectancy (#10), Life Expectancy (#12), Population (#25).
Italy has an HDI of 0.915, ranking #30 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
Italy has a population density of 199.5 people per km², ranking #66 globally.
Think you know Italy?
Compare countries, guess statistics, and prove you know your stuff.