Fashion is another important part of Italian society. Italian designers such as, Armani, Prada, Gucci, Versace, and Valentino (just to name a few), are considered to be some of the finest in the world. The city of Milan takes its place amongst the most prestigious and important centers of fashion in the world.

Church garments:

St. Peter's Basilica from Castel Sant'Angelo
Roman Catholicism is the major religion of Italy. There are mature Protestent and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim community, the latter made up primarily of new immigrants. All religious faiths are provided equal freedom by the constitution. Before the adoption of Christianity as the official religion of the state, in the fourth century, the country was officially pagan and worshipped the Roman gods, although there was great religious tolerance.

Italy is a major user of nickel. Total Italian use in 2002 was 117 kte (primary and recycled nickel units) which represented around 16% of EU demand. This demand is satisfied through a combination of imports of refined nickel and recycling of existing nickel. Through its critical use in nickel-containing alloys, it has a major impact on leading Italian industries such as stainless steel. In turn, the use of nickel-containing alloys in many important products manufactured in Italy means that the impact of nickel is substantial in many end-use markets.

Unemployment rate in Italy (and in Germany and France) is higher than in the US, but not SO much (6.5 It average, while 4.3 in Northern Italy; 4,5 US), while in almost all other Western European Countries is lower (4% or less), like in developed Asian Countries.
Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, welfare-dependent, agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. The current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Italy has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions. But the leadership faces a severe economic constraint: the budget deficit has breached the 3% EU ceiling. The economy experienced low growth in 2006, and unemployment remained at a high level.

Italy's Flag

The Italian tricolor was first established during the Napoleonic Wars by French republics in northern Italy , who styled it after the French tricolor. In 1848 the design was adopted by the house of Savoy, which went on to lead the Italian unification. The present flag was adopted in 1946, when Italy became a republic and the royal arms were removed.
I don't know of any authoritative and indisputable explanation regarding the meaning of the colors of the Italian flag . The most credible theory suggests that the colors came from the colors of the uniforms of the Civic militia of Milan which were predominantly green with some white. Some red parts were added in 1796 when the Militia became the National Guard. In October of that year, the Lombard Legion was constituted, which adopted a uniform with the same color combination.The original standard had the colors displayed vertically with the green at the hoist, representing the very first (known) model of the Italian "Tricolore", although it was only known at the time as a military flag.
The first true (displayed) national flag in which the colors were applied horizontally is the Cispadane Republic flag. This flag was adopted on January 7, 1797 and had the red at the top, the white in the middle, charged with the coat of arms, and the green at the bottom.
On July 17, 1797 the Cispadane and the Transpadane Republics were united into the Cisalpine Republic, which adopted the Tricolore, known today as the official Italian flag.
It is for that reason that the official version generally claims that the Italian flag is modeled after the French Tricolore.

Real Estate in Italy

Italy covers a total area of approximately 116, 346.5 square miles. It is ranked 71st among the countries in the world in terms of its area. According to the population census in the month of October 2001, the population of Italy was estimated to be approximately 57, 110, 144. On the other hand, according to the census of populations in the month of July 2006, Italy's population rose to approximately 58, 883, 958. It is ranked 23rd among the countries of the world in terms of its population.

More than half of Italy consists of the Italian Peninsula, a long projection of the continental mainland. Shaped much like a boot, the Italian Peninsula extends generally SE into the Mediterranean Sea.

Italy has many rivers, of which the Po and the Adige are the most important. The beds of these rivers are slowly being elevated by alluvial deposits from the mountains.

The rivers of the Italian Peninsula are shallow, often dry during the summer season, and consequently of little importance for navigation or industry. The chief peninsular rivers are the Arno and the Tiber. From its sources in the Apennines, the Arno flows W for about 225 km (about 140 mi), through a well-cultivated valley and the cities of Florence and Pisa. The Tiber rises not far from the sources of the Arno and runs through the city of Rome. Both the N and peninsular regions of Italy have numerous lakes. The principal lakes of N Italy are Garda, Maggiore, Como, and Lugano; the peninsular lakes, which are considerably smaller, include Trasimeno, Bolsena, and Bracciano.

The climate of Italy is highly diversified, with extremes ranging from frigid, in the higher elevations of the Alps and Apennines, to semitropical along the coast of the Ligurian Sea and the W coast of the lower peninsula. The average annual temperature, however, ranges from about 11 to 19 C (about 52 to 66 F); it is about 13 C (about 55 F) in the Po Valley, about 18 C (about 64 F) in Sicily, and about 14.5 C (about 58 F) in the coastal lowlands.

Climatic conditions on the peninsula are characterized by regional variations, resulting chiefly from the configurations of the Apennines, and are influenced by tempering winds from the adjacent seas. In the lowlands regions and lower slopes of the Apennines bordering the W coast from N Tuscany to the vicinity of Rome, winters are mild and sunny, and extreme temperatures are modified by cooling Mediterranean breezes. Temperatures in the same latitudes on the E of the peninsula are much lower, chiefly because of the prevailing NE winds. Along the upper E slopes of the Apennines, climatic conditions are particularly bleak. The climate of the peninsular lowlands below the latitude of Rome closely resembles that of S Spain. In contrast to the semitropical conditions prevalent in S Italy and along the Gulf of Genoa, the climate of the Plain of Lombardy is continental. Warm summers and severe winters, with temperatures as low as –15 C (5 F), prevail in this region, which is shielded from sea breezes by the Apennines.
Heaviest precipitation occurs in Italy during the fall and winter months, when westerly winds prevail. The lowest mean annual rainfall, about 460 mm (about 18 in), occurs in the Apulian province of Foggia in the south and in S Sicily; the highest rainfall, about 1525 mm (about 60 in), occurs in the province of Udine in the NE.
Natural Resources.

Italy is poor in natural resources, much of the land being unsuitable for agriculture due to mountainous terrain or unfavorable climate. Moreover, it is seriously deficient in such basic natural resources as coal. The most important mineral resources are natural gas, petroleum, lignite, sulfur, and pyrites. Other mineral deposits include lead, manganese, zinc, iron ore, mercury, and bauxite. Italy is rich in various types of building stone, notably marble. The coastal waters teem with fish, of which sardine, tunny, and anchovy have the greatest commercial importance. Freshwater fish include eels and trout.
Plants and Animals.

The flora of the central and Slowlands of Italy is typically Mediterranean. Among the characteristic vegetation of these regions are such trees as the olive, orange, lemon, palm, and citron. Other common types of vegetation, especially in the extreme S, are fig, date, pomegranate, and almond trees, and sugarcane and cotton. The vegetation of the Apennines closely resembles that of central Europe. Chestnut and oak trees occupy the lower slopes, while extensive stands of pine and fir grow at higher elevations.

Italy has fewer varieties of animals than are found generally in comparable areas of Europe. Small numbers of marmot, chamois, and ibex live in the Alps. The bear, numerous in ancient times, is now virtually extinct, but the wolf and wild boar still flourish in the mountain regions. Another fairly common quadruped is the fox. Among the predatory species of bird are the eagle, hawk, vulture, buzzard, falcon, and kite, confined for the most part to the mountains. The quail, woodcock, partridge, and various migratory species abound in many parts of Italy. Reptiles include several species of lizards and snake ECONOMY.

A largely agricultural country before World War II, Italy has developed diversified industry in the N, which contributes significantly to the economy. Tourism is also very important to the country's economy. Italy has essentially a private-enterprise economy; a number of large commercial and manufacturing enterprises in which the government held a controlling interest, such as Italian Telecom and the Italian state petroleum company, were being privatized in the 1990s. An ongoing problem has been the slow growth of industrialization in the S, which lags behind the N in most aspects of economic development. Many southerners have migrated to N Italy in search of employment. In 2006 Italy's gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at $1.7 trillion, or $29,200 per capita; as of 2005 services accounted for about 69% of GDP, industry about 29%, and agriculture about 2%, The national budget of Italy in 2005 was estimated at $786 billion in revenues and $862 billion in expenditures. es and three species of the poisonous viper family. Scorpions are also found.

ITALY. (Ital. Italia), republic, S Europe, member of the European Union (EU). It is bounded on the N by Switzerland and Austria; on the E by Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea; on the S by the Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea; on the W by the

Principal Government Officials:
President--Giorgio Napolitano
Prime Minister--Silvio Berlusconi
Foreign Minister--Franco Frattini
Minister of Defense--Ignazio LaRussa
Minister of Finance--Giulio Tremonti
Minister of Justice--Angelino Alfano
Minister of the Interior--Roberto Maroni
Ambassador to the United States--Giovanni Castellaneta


Government Type: Republic since June 2, 1946.
Constitution: January 1, 1948.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state), Council of Ministers (cabinet), headed by the president of the council (prime minister). Legislative--bicameral parliament: 630-member Chamber of Deputies, 315-member Senate (plus a varying number of "life" Senators).
Judicial--independent constitutional court and lower magistracy.
Subdivisions: 94 provinces, 20 regions.
Political parties: Forza Italia, Democratic Party of the Left, National Alliance, Northern League, United Christian Democrats, Democrats, Italian People's Party, Christian Democratic Center, Socialist, Communist Renewal, Social Democratic, Republican, Liberal, Greens, Italian Renewal. Suffrage: Universal over 18.

Italy makes donations, totalling EUR 300,0000, to three WTO trust funds:
A first donation of EUR170,000 (about CHF270,000) will be offered to the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund. This donation will finance technical assistance programmes and training activities for developing and least developed countries. The aim is to better adapt their practices and laws to WTO rules and disciplines, improve the implementation of their obligations and enhance the exercise of their membership rights.

A second donation of EUR100,000 (about CHF159,000) will be offered to the Standards and Trade Development Facility. The objective is to assist developing countries in improving compliance with international sanitary and phytosanitary standards which must be met for certain products to be exported.

A third donation of EUR30,000 (about CHF48,000) will be offered to the Preservation and Enhanced Dissemination of GATT/WTO Documents Trust Fund. The objective is to safeguard GATT/WTO documents in electronic formats.