65 Interesting Facts about Italy

The Main Italy Facts

In this first category, you will find the main facts about Italy; 15 facts in various domains, all about Italy!

1. The name of the country comes from the word “italia” meaning “calf land”

“Italia” is thought to derive from “víteliú”, a word from an old language of southern Italy, Oscan. It means “land of young cattle”, as the bull was the symbol of the southern Italy’s people.

Another possible origin of the country’s name comes from Dionysius, Greek historian: he wrote that Italy was named after Italus, an Oenotrian King among the first to inhabit Italy.

2. The capital city, Rome, was founded in 753 BC

Rome is more than 2,500 years old, and was founded in 753 BC by Romulus.

While it was at the heart of the Roman Empire, it wasn’t always the capital of Italy. It was first Turin (1861-1865), then Florence (1865-1871), and finally Rome in January 1871.

3. The official currency was the Italian Lira until 1 January 1999

The Italian lira (ITL) was the official currency of Italy for close to 150 years: from 1861 to 1999.

It was replaced on 1 January 1999 by the euro €; the lira remained a national currency until 1 January 2002, because coins & bank notes were not yet available in euros.

In 2002, it was definitely replaced by the euro.

The symbol of the Italian lira was L. or ₤ , and it was worth 0,00051646€ (1 EUR = 1,936.27 ITL)

4. More than 80% of the population are Christians

Christianity is the main religion in Italy, and by far. An estimated 83.3% of the population are Christians, with the second large part being residents with no religion (12.4%).

This doesn’t come as a surprise, since a large part of Italy has long been ruled by the Catholic Church. The domination of the Catholic Church over the country ended on September 1870, but Catholicism has been an important part of Italians’ lives ever since.

5. Italy has the 2nd oldest population in the world after Japan

This is one of the pretty interesting facts on Italy, one that you probably wouldn’t expect.

The Italian population is the 2nd oldest in the world, right after Japan.

22.8% of the total Italian population is 65 years old or older, vs 28.2% for Japan (1st) and 21.9% for Finland (3rd)

This is closely linked to Sardinia, this Italian island with the highest rate of centenarians in the world: 22 people aged 100 years old or older per 100,000 inhabitants.

6. Italy is the 5th most visited country in the world

Each year, more than 62 million international tourists flock to Italy to discover the many beauties the country holds.

This places the country on the 5th place of the most visited countries in the world. Here’s the ranking:

1. France: 89.4 million international tourists
2. Spain: 82.8 million international tourists
3. United States: 79.6 million international tourists
4. China: 62.9 million international tourists
5. Italy: 62.1 million international tourists

Vernazza in Cinque Terre, Italy

7. Italy is the European country with the most hotel rooms

To be able to host so many tourists, Italy has a lot of hotel rooms.

1,091,541 hotel rooms, to be precise.

This makes the country with the most hotel rooms in Europe, before Germany (976,745) and Spain (930,172).

8. 2 of the world’s smallest country are inside Italy: Vatican City and San Marino

It’s pretty surprising, but Italy has 2 countries within its borders.

Vatican City is the smallest country in the world, and it’s located entirely within the city limits of Rome.

The second country is San Marino; it’s the 5th smallest country in the world, and it lies between the Italian regions of Emilia Romagna and Marche.

View over Vatican City

9. Agriculture only makes 2.1% of Italy’s economy

Agriculture only has a small contribution to the overall economy of Italy. With 2.1% of the GDP, the part of agriculture in the economy is one of the lowest in the world (ranked 135 out of 161).

However Italy has the second highest amount of agricultural companies in Europe, after Romania, and agriculture represents 3.4 million jobs (14% of Italy’s active population).

But 99% of these agricultural companies are small companies, family-operated and with limited land area.

10. The 3 biggest companies in Italy are Fiat, Generali Group and Eni

Italy is home to some seriously big companies. In fact, 9 Italian companies are listed in the Fortune Global 500, the list of the 500 biggest public companies in the world by revenue.

The biggest Italian company is Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, a leading automotive brand; it’s the 19th biggest company in the world.

In second position comes Generali Group, an insurance giant ranked 49th in the world.

And finally in 3rd place is Eni in the oil industry, ranked 65th in the world.

11. There are several major sports cars brands in Italy: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo and Maserati

If you’re a fan of sport cars, you’ll love Italy.

Many major sports cars come from Italy, and there are still 7 sports cars brands producing cars in Italy:

•  Abarth (owned by Fiat Chrysler)
• Alfa Romeo (owned by Fiat Chrysler)
• Ferrari
• Lamborghini
• Maserati (owned by Fiat Chrysler)

12. Venice is a city entirely built on water

Did you know that Venice was built on 10 million underwater logs?

The city was built in 402, and million of wooden logs were sunken underwater to be the foundation of the new city.

13. The president of Italy holds a ceremonial position; the country is led by the prime minister

The president of Italy is elected for 7 years, by a set of 1,000 electors (Chamber of Deputies, Senate, and 58 electors from each region of Italy).

But in practice, the position is mainly ceremonial, and most presidential acts must be countersigned by another minister of the government.

One major responsibility of the President of Italy is the appoint the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister leads the Council of Ministers, which holds the executive power.

14. Earthquakes are frequent in Italy

Italy is located right next to where the Eurasian and African tectonic plates meet; this creates constant seismic and volcanic activity, and earthquakes are thus frequent in Italy.

There were more than 400 earthquakes in Italy over the last 2,000 years, which is 1 every 5 years.

Among these hundreds of earthquakes, some were extremely deadly. The Messina earthquake in 1908, a 7.1 on the Richter scale, killed 70,000 people, and a recent earthquake in Naples killed 3,000 people in 1980.

Map by Phoenix7777 / CC BY-SA

15. The number 17 is considered extremely unlucky in Italy

In most countries, the unlucky number is number 13.

But in Italy, the most unlucky number is number 17.

The explanation lies in the Roman language: 17 in Roman is XVII, which can be re-arranged as XIVI. This translates as “I have lived”, meaning “My life is over”.

Facts About Italy History

In this second part, you’ll learn about Italian history. These 8 facts about Italy history will go over ancient and recent events that happened in Italy over the years.

16. The first Roman Emperor was Augustus in 27 BC

Probably not the most famous of the Roman leaders, Augustus was the first Roman Emperor in 27 BC.

Augustus was actually related to Julius Caesar, which was his great uncle, and adoption father.

He restored the republic of Rome, and initiated a period of relative peace in the Roman World, the Pax Romana.

Statue of Augustus

17. The Roman Empire disappeared in 476 AD

The Roman Empire was founded by Augusts in 27 BC, when he became the first Roman Emperor. Before him was the Roman Republic, which lasted from 509 BC to 27 BC.

After Augustus, the Roman Empire kept going, and reached its peak in 117 when it ruled most of the Western world.

And finally, the Roman Empire fell in 476 AD, when Emperor Romulus Augustus abdicated to Odoacer, a Germanic general who became the first King of Italy.

Map by Tataryn / CC BY-SA

18. It was only in 1861 that Italy became one unified country

The unification of Italy started in Sicily, in the early 19th century. In 1816, the Kingdom of Sicily merged with the Kingdom of Naples, creating the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Then in 1860, the Kingdom of Sardinia annexed the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and finally became the Kingdom of Italy on 17 March 1861.

19. Italy was a kingdom from 1861 to 1946

Italy was a kingdom for 85 years after the reunification in 1861.

It started with King Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia, who was named King of Italy. In 1870, Italy conquered Rome and ended the 1,000 years reign of the Church over the city.

The kingdom was on the Allies side in the World War I, but on the Axis side during World War II, under the rule of Benito Mussolini.

Mussolini and Hitler

20. The last king ruled for only 34 days

This could very well be under the fun facts on Italy category.

Victor Emmanuel III was King of Italy from 29 July 1900 to 9 May 1946, a long 46 years reign. His successor, however, did not reign that long.

The Crown Prince Umberto II became King of Italy on 9 May 1946, while a referendum for the creation of the republic was under work.

The former king hoped that naming his son king would help increase the popularity of the monarchy, but it didn’t.

After the referendum was voted in favor of the republic, the monarchy was abolished. In total, the last king of Italy ruled from 9 May 1946 to 12 June 1946, a grand total of 34 days.

King Umberto II, last King of Italy

21. Italy became a republic in 1946

Italy was one of the last European countries to become a republic, after World War II.

On 2 June 1946, Italy officially became a republic after a referendum with 54% of votes in favor of the republic.

Map by Erinthecute / CC BY-SA

22. More than 26 million Italians left their country from 1861 to 1985

In recent history, there were 2 massive emigrations of Italians from their country: between 1861 and 1985. This is known as the Italian diaspora.

First Emigration

Date: 1861-1920s

Cause: poverty + over population of southern Italy

Number of Italian leaving Italy: 16 millions

Second Emigration

Date: 1945-1985

Cause: post-war crisis

Number of Italian leaving Italy: 13 millions

23. Italy is the 8th largest economy in the world

With a gross domestic product (GDP) of 2 trillion US dollars, Italy is the 8th largest economy in the world.

Here’s the top 10 ranking:

1. US: 21.4 trillion USD
2. China: 14.1 trillion USD
3. Japan: 5.2 trillion USD
4. Germany: 3.9 trillion USD
5. India: 2.9 trillion USD
6. UK: 2.7 trillion USD
7. France: 2.7 trillion USD
8. Italy: 2 trillion USD
9. Brazil: 1.8 trillion USD
10. Canada: 1.7 trillion USD

The country’s economy is mainly based on manufacture, and exports most of its production to Europe.

Italy Geography Facts

Here you’ll learn more about the geography of Italy! Physical geography with rivers, lakes, mountains, and human geography with cities and regions.

24. The Apennine mountains spread through most of the country

The Apennines are one of the two main mountain ranges in Italy, with the Alps.

They spread through most of the country, over 1,500 km (930 miles). The mountain range starts in the north west of Italy, and run all the way south to Sicily.

When you see the Apennines on the map of Italy, it’s no surprise that mountains cover 35% of Italy (and mountains + hills make for 76% of the territory).

Topographic map of Italy with the Apeninnes running from north to south

25. 1 out of 10 Italian lives on an island

There are a lot of islands in Italy: around 450.

17 of the 20 Italian regions have islands, and the 2 main islands of the country are regions themselves: Sardinia and Sicily.

In total, islands represent 16% of the total land, and 1 out of 10 Italian lives on an island.

Capri, Amalfi Coast, Italy

26. There are 3 active volcanoes in Italy: Mount Vesuvius, Mount Etna and Stromboli

Italy is pretty unique in Europe, for its high concentration of volcanoes: 48 in total! And climbing them is one of the best things to do in Italy. 

Out of all these volcanoes, there are 3 active volcanoes, with constant eruptions:

1. Mount Etna
2. Mount Vesuvius
3. Stromboli

Mount Etna, Sicily

27. Italy has borders with 6 countries: Austria, France, San Marino, Slovenia, Switzerland and Vatican City

Italy has borders with 4 countries in the north, and 2 countries located within Italy: San Marino and Vatican City.

In total, the borders of Italy with other countries have a length of 1,836.40 km (1,141.1 miles).

Here are the borders ranked by length:

1. Switzerland: 698 km | 434 miles – 38% of total border length
2. France: 476 km | 296 miles – 26% of total border length
3. Austria: 404 km | 251 miles – 22% of total border length
4. Slovenia: 218 km | 135 miles – 11.8% of total border length
5. San Marino: 37 km | 23 miles – 2% of total border length
6. Vatican City: 3.4 km | 2.1 miles – 0,2% of total border length

28. Italy is separated from the other countries by the Alps

With the Apennines, the other main mountain range of Italy is the Alps.

The Alps are located north of Italy, and they run along the full length of the border.

This natural border separates Italy from the other countries, and has protected the boot-shaped country from enemies during a long period of history.

29. The longest river is the Po

There are plenty of rivers in Italy; more than 1,000.

The biggest of them all is the Po. It starts from Monte Viso, in the north east close to France, and runs all the way to the west where it drops in the Adriatic Sea.

The Po river has a total length of 652 km (405 miles), and it’s 60% bigger than the second one, the Adige.

30. The biggest lake is Lake Garda

Pretty similarly to the rivers, there are also plenty of lakes in Italy: more than 1,500. The country is well-known for its beautiful lakes, and people from all around the world travel to discover these bodies of water.

The biggest lake in Italy is Lake Garda, located in northern Italy. It’s divided between 3 regions: Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino – South Tyrol.

Lake Garda has a total size of 370 km² (143 square miles), which is 74% bigger than the second one, Lago Maggiore.

Lake Garda, Italy

31. The highest peak in Italy is the Mont Blanc, which is also the highest peak in Europe

Italy doesn’t only have a lot of mountains, it also has high mountains!

In the Alps, there are plenty of summits above 3,000 meters (9,800 feet).

The highest of them is the Mont Blanc. At 4,808 meters (15,774 feet) it’s also the highest peak in Europe.

Fun fact: the border between France and Italy passes exactly through the summit – the Mont Blanc is thus both Italian and French.

The Mont Blanc – Monte Bianco

32. Rome is the biggest city in Italy, both in size and in population

Rome is probably the most famous city in Italy, as Italy’s capital city.

It’s also the most populated city in Italy, with 2,318,895 inhabitants (2020).

The city has a total size of 1,285 km² (496.3 square miles), making it the largest city in Italy.

33. There are 20 regions in Italy, 15 regular regions and 5 autonomous regions with more power

The country is divided in 20 regions. 5 of them are autonomous regions, and have more power than the other regions.

Here’s the list of the 20 regions, ranked by number of inhabitants:

1. Lombardy: 10,060,574
2. Lazio: 5,879,082
3. Campania: 5,801,692
4. Sicily: 4,999,891
5. Veneto: 4,905,854
6. Emilia-Romagna: 4,459,477
7. Piedmont: 4,356,406
8. Apulia: 4,029,053
9. Tuscany: 3,729,641
10. Calabria: 1,947,131
11. Sardinia: 1,639,591
12. Liguria: 1,550,640
13. Marche: 1,525,271
14. Abruzzo: 1,311,580
15. Friuli-Venezia Giulia: 1,215,220
16. Trentino-South Tyrol: 1,072,276
17. Umbria: 882,015
18. Basilicata: 562,869
19. Molise: 305,617
20. Aosta Valley: 125,666

To learn more about the geography of Italy, check out these 49 facts on Italy geography, with 10 maps!

Fun Facts About Italy

Here’s your fun break: 7 fun facts about Italy. Number 39 is definitely hilariously Italian!

34. More than 1.3 million euros is tossed every year in the Trevi Fountain

Yes, that’s a lot of money!

Tourists come to the Trevi Fountain in Rome and toss a coin in the fountain; one coin and you’ll return to Rome, 2 and you’ll find love.

All that money is collected every night by city workers (to prevent theft, yes it happened in the past), and donated to a charity.

35. A dog named Rocco discovered a massive truffle that sold for $333.000

In Palaia, Tuscany, a dog made the local news, and international news too.

Rocco (that’s the dog) discovered a massive truffle with his master Cristiano Savini. The truffle weighed 1.5 kg (3.3 pounds).

It was sold at an auction in Macao for a world record price, $330.000 USD.

36. There’s a wine fountain in Italy that flows red wine constantly

Yep, you read that right.

Just another reason to plan a trip to Italy!

In Ortona, Abruzzo, there’s a wine fountain that flows red wine all day round the clock, every single day.

The fountain was installed by the Dora Sarchese Vineyard and The Way of Saint Thomas non-profit organization; it’s at the end of a pilgrimage trail named Cammino di San Tommaso, to reward pilgrims after the walk from Rome.

But hey, you don’t actually need to walk the trail to drink from the fountain!

37. The Italian Highway Patrol has 2 Lamborghini

Another one of the fun facts of Italy, and of course it has to do with sports cars.

The car brand Lamborghini has donated several vehicles to the police force.

In 2008, the police force received a Gallardo.

Today, they have 2 in service: 2 Lamborghini Huracán, both donated by the brand. They are used for regular police operations, but also to transport organs at very high-speed.

Photo by Rasevic / CC BY-SA

38. Italy is home to the richest cat in the world

In Rome, an old lady found a stray cat, and adopted him. She named the cat Tommaso, and cared very much for him.

When Maria Assunta passed away in 2011 at 94 years old, she left all of her fortune to her cat.

Tommaso became the richest cat in the world, with a 13 million dollars fortune.

39. The airport liquid ban in Genoa has been lifted – only for pesto sauce

When you take the plane, you can usually only bring 100 ml of liquids in your carry-on.

Well, in Genoa, they lifted that limit.

But only for pesto sauce!

Passengers can bring up to 500g of pesto with them in the plane; after passengers make a donation of 50 cents or more to a charity, the pesto is taken to a special pesto scanner, and then allowed on board.

40. There are around 500,000 exorcisms performed in Italy each year

And finally, the last of our funny facts about Italy.

Did you know that there was an International Association for Exorcists? It has 400 members, and 240 in Italy alone.

There is no official figure for the number of exorcisms performed, but experts estimate that there are around half a million (500,000) exorcisms performed in Italy each year!

Italy Facts for Kids

While all of the facts above are all suited for kids, in this part you’ll find some Italy facts for kids, specifically meant to satisfy the eternal curiosity of young ones.

41. Italy is shaped like a boot, and it’s easy to recognize it on a map

When you’re looking at a world map, it’s very easy to recognize Italy.

It’s the country that looks like a boot, with a high heel.

Many people call Italy “the boot”, and Italians “lo stivale”, which means the boot in Italian.

42. The Italian flag was inspired by the French flag

Have you noticed how similar the Italian flag and French flag are?

Well, it’s because the Italian flag was inspired by the French flag.

The colors were adopted after the revolution in France in 1790, and later the flag was introduced with Napoleon Bonaparte in 1796.

Left: Flag of Italy | Right: Flag of France

43. The first battery was invented in Italy in 1800

The first battery was created in 1800, by Italian physicist Alessandro Volta.

His invention was called the voltaic pile, and today his name is used as the unit of measure of electrical power: the volt.

Alessandro Volta presents his voltaic pile to Napoleon

44. The first bank in the world was opened in Italy in 1157

Here’s another one of the cool facts about Italy for kids.

Did you know that the first bank in the world was in Italy?

In 1157, the first bank was opened in Venice: the Bank of Venice.

But banking started much sooner, and traces of banking are found all the way back to 2000 BCE in ancient Babylonia. Temples would give grains to the people in advance, under the condition that the loan would be paid back in the future, plus a small fee.

45. The first glasses were invented in Italy in 1284

Another useful invention that comes from Italy: eyeglasses.

The first wearable eyeglasses were invented around 1284 in Italy, by Salvino d’Armate.

But even in ancient Rome, Seneca was thought to use a glass globe of water to magnify the books and help him read better.

46. The thermometer was invented in Italy in 1612

Here’s the last Italian invention on this list: the thermometer (thought it’s definitely not the last Italian invention)

A thermometer is a device used to measure temperature.

The first thermometer was invented by Italian Santorio Santorio, in 1612.

47. Christmas is the biggest holiday in Italy

And finally, the last of our Italian facts for kids.

Christmas is a big holiday in many countries around the world, and it’s a big celebration.

In Italy,  Christmas is actually the biggest holiday. It starts as early as December 8th, and lasts until the Epiphany, on January 6th.

Italian children all look forward to this big holiday! And to say “Merry Christmas“, they say “Buon Natale” in Italian.

Facts About Italian Culture

Let’s keep it up with another part: the facts about Italian culture. 11 facts covering Italian language, art, and famous Italians.

48. Not all Italians speak Italian

Yes I know, it’s hard to believe.

But not all Italians speak Italian!

While Italian is the official language of the country, some parts of Italy have their own language.

In these parts of Italy, mostly elders cannot speak Italian; they speak the local dialect, for example Bergamasque in some parts of Lombardy, or Sardinian in Sardinia.

49. The wolf is Italy’s unofficial national animal

If you look up the official symbols of Italy, you won’t find the wolf listed.

But the wolf is often recognized as the unofficial national animal by Italians. More precisely, it’s the grey wolf, or Apennine Wolf.

It’s no surprise if you look into Rome’s history, as the city’s founder Romulus was raised by a she-wolf.

50. Italy had famous explorers: Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci and Marco Polo

Italy has contributed greatly to the discovery of the world.

Many famous explorers, that you probably know, are from Italy.

Here are a few of them, with their main discoveries:

• Christopher Columbus: discovered America in 1492
• Marco Polo: explored Asia and wrote The Travels of Marco Polo in 1300
• Amerigo Vespucci: recognized Brazil was part of a new continent in 1501; America was named after him

• Top right: Christopher Columbus
• Top left: John Cabot
• Bottom left: Giovanni Verrazano
• Bottom right: Amerigo Vespucci

51. World famous scientist and artist Leonardo da Vinci was from Italy

Another world famous Italian, though for different reasons: Leonardo da Vinci.

This genius scientist and artist is mostly known for his painting Mona Lisa (1503); but he’s also know for many inventions and pieces of art.

He was born on 14 April 1452 in Vinci, in the region of Florence.

Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo da Vinci

52. Italy is the country with the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites, along with China

Italy has a staggering 55 World Heritage Sites.

It’s the country with the highest amount of designated sites, along with China.

There are 50 Cultural Sites (like the city of Verona), and 5 Natural Sites (like Mount Etna in Sicily).

The protected city of Verona

53. The strawberry tree is the national tree of Italy

Since the 19th century, the strawberry tree has been considered as the national tree of Italy.

The main reason is pretty simple: the strawberry tree has all the colors of the flag of Italy:

• green with the leaves
• white with the flowers
• red for the berries

54. The most famous Italian authors are Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio

We can’t have a list of cultural facts about Italy without a fact on some of the most famous Italian authors.

In Italy’s history, Dante (Dante Alighieri, 1265-1321) is one of the most famous. He was a poet, and his work written in Italian helped spread the language throughout the country to make it the official language it is today.

Another famous author is Petrarch, or Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374). He was also a poet, and wrote the Canzoniere and the Trionfi.

And finally, the last of these 3 most famous Italian authors is Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375) who wrote The Decameron, a set of novels.

Portrait of Dante Alighieri

55. Italy is a leader in the fashion industry

When you think of fashion, you usually have in mind Paris, London, or Italy.

Milan is one of the top fashion capitals of the world, and Rome is not far behind. Florence also entered the ranking in recent years (2011), and Italy as a whole is a leader in the fashion industry.

There are also many leading fashion brands based in Italy: Gucci, Armani, Diesel, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Ferragamo, Versace, and the list goes on.

56. The language of music is Italian

Piano, forte, soprano, opera, concerto, allegretto, …

All of these musical terms are Italian; in fact, the language of music was invented in Italy by Guido de Arezzo around 1000 AD.

His language to write music was adopted by many, and when music notation spread through Europe, most European composers wrote their music in Italian.

There are also many famous Italian composers: Vivaldi, Monteverdi, Rossini and Verdi to cite a few.

57. Soccer is the most popular sport in Italy

Of all the sports, soccer is definitely the most popular in Italy.

The National Team has won the World Cup 4 times, in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006. They’re the second team with most wins, behind Brazil (5 wins), and tied with Germany.

Italy also has several local teams competing in top tournaments, such as the Inter Milan, the Juventus, or AC Milan.

Italy National Football team in 1965

58. Italy was the birthplace of the Renaissance in the 14th century

And finally for the last of our Italy culture facts: the Renaissance.

The Renaissance, from the 14th to the 17th century, was a period of rebirth in all industries, particularly art.

The movement started in Florence, then spread the Venice and Rome, to finally reach most of Europe.

Italy Food Facts

And finally, the last part of this massive compilation of Italian facts! You’ll find below 7 cool facts on Italy and its food.

59.The pizza was invented in Italy

Probably the most famous Italian dish of all: the pizza.

It was invented in Italy, in the city of Naples around the 19th century.

The Margherita pizza also comes from Naples, when in 1889 Raffaele Esposito made a pizza for the king and his wife, Queen Margherita.

60. Tomatoes only came to Italy in 1548

Problably one of the weird facts about Italy, since tomatoes are so widely associated with Italian cuisine.

However tomatoes only appeared in Italy in 1548. They were imported from America, and brought to Tuscany.

Tomato only started to be used extensively in Italian food around the early 19th century.

61. An Italian eats in average 23 kg of pasta per year (51 lbs)

Is it really that much?

Well, Americans and French eat in average 8 kg (17 lbs) per year. And Italians eat 23 kg (51 lbs).

So yes, that’s quite a lot! Pasta is the every day dish of most Italians, and it’s enjoyed by the whole family.

62. There’s a pasta specialty for each region of Italy

Don’t worry, they don’t eat the same pasta with butter every single day.

In fact, there’s actually quite a lot of different ways to eat pasta.

Each region of Italy has its own pasta specialty: spaghetti alla carbonara in rome, or trenette al pesto in Liguria.

63. Italy is the biggest wine producer in the world

No, France is not the biggest wine producer in the world: it’s actually Italy!

Wine production is one of the main economic sector of the country, and they export a lot of the wine produced.

In 2018, Italy produced 7,560,000,000 bottles of wine (7.56 billion).

64. Italians eat salad after the main dish

You know how you usually eat salad as a starter, to work up an appetite for the main meal?

Yeah, that’s not how they do it in Italy.

In Italy, they actually eat salad after the main dish. It’s used to facilitate digestion, and to cleanse the palate before dessert.

65. Gelato was invented in Italy in the 16th century

And finally, the last of our Italian food facts.

The sweet frozen dessert Gelato is from Italy.

It was invented in the 16th century in Florence by Cosimo Ruggieri, and can now be enjoyed all around the world!

So there you have them, the 65 interesting facts for Italy!

If you want to learn more about the region, keep reading for some general facts and info.

Where is Italy? Italy on a Map

Italy is located in Western Europe. It’s south east of France, and south of Switzerland and Austria.

Here you can see it on the map, to have a better understanding of where it is in Italy:

General Italy Facts and Information

You’ll find below a few general Italy facts and information, to learn more about this European country:

• Name: Italy | Italia (Italian)
• Full Name: Italian Republic | Repubblica Italiana
• Capital: Rome
• Language: Italian
• Type of government: Constitutional republic with parliamentary
• Land area: 301,340 km² / 116,350 square miles
• Population: 60.4 million
• Name of inhabitants: Italian
• Religion: 83.3% Christianity, 12.4% no religion, 3.7% Islam
• Literacy rate: 98.85%
• Life expectancy: 83.57 years
• National Day: June 2, Festa della Repubblica
• National anthem: Il Canto degli Italiani
• Time zone: UTC +1 and UTC +2 in Summer
• Currency: Euro €
• Country phone number: +39
• Country code: IT
• Website: Italia

The Regions of Italy

Italy is divided in 20 regions: 15 regular regions, and 5 autonomous regions with more power.

The Cities of Italy

There are 2 major cities in Italy, with over 1 million inhabitants: Rome and Milan.

Here are the main cities on a map, ranked by number of inhabitants:

Italy Flag

Emblem of Italy

More Facts!

Do you want even more facts about Italy?

Check out the following posts:

• Facts about Amalfi Coast
• Sicily facts
• Tuscany facts
• Verona facts
• Milan facts
• Sardinia facts
• Florence facts
• Rome facts
• Naples facts
• Venice facts
• Italian food facts
• Geography of Italy facts

Or click here to see ALL the facts up on the blog! Spoiler alert: there is A LOT of them.

The Full List of 65 Facts for Italy

1. The name of the country comes from the word “italia” meaning “calf land”
2. The capital city, Rome, was founded in 753 BC
3. The official currency was the Italian Lira until 1 January 1999
4. More than 80% of the population are Christians
5. Italy has the 2nd oldest population in the world after Japan
6. Italy is the 5th most visited country in the world
7. Italy is the European country with the most hotel rooms
8. 2 of the world’s smallest country are inside Italy: Vatican City and San Marino
9. Agriculture only makes 2.1% of Italy’s economy
10. The 3 biggest companies in Italy are Fiat, Generali Group and Eni
11. There are several major sports cars brands in Italy: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo and Maserati
12. Venice is a city entirely built on water
13. The president of Italy holds a ceremonial position; the country is led by the prime minister
14. Earthquakes are frequent in Italy
15. The number 17 is considered extremely unlucky in Italy
16. The first Roman Emperor was Augustus in 27 BC
17. The Roman Empire disappeared in 476 AD
18. It was only in 1861 that Italy became one unified country
19. Italy was a kingdom from 1861 to 1946
20. The last king ruled for only 34 days
21. Italy became a republic in 1946
22. More than 26 million Italians left their country from 1861 to 1985
23. Italy is the 8th largest economy in the world
24. The Apennine mountains spread through most of the country
25. 1 out of 10 Italian lives on an island
26. There are 3 active volcanoes in Italy: Mount Vesuvius, Mount Etna and Stromboli
27. Italy has borders with 6 countries: Austria, France, San Marino, Slovenia, Switzerland and Vatican City
28. Italy is separated from the other countries by the Alps
29. The longest river is the Po
30. The biggest lake is Lake Garda
31. The highest peak in Italy is the Mont Blanc, which is also the highest peak in Europe
32. Rome is the biggest city in Italy, both in size and in population
33. There are 20 regions in Italy, 15 regular regions and 5 autonomous regions with more power
34. More than 1.3 million euros is tossed every year in the Trevi Fountain
35. A dog named Rocco discovered a massive truffle that sold for $333.000
36. There’s a wine fountain in Italy that flows red wine constantly
37. The Italian Highway Patrol has 2 Lamborghini
38. Italy is home to the richest cat in the world
39. The airport liquid ban in Genoa has been lifted – only for pesto sauce
40. There are around 500,000 exorcisms performed in Italy each year
41. Italy is shaped like a boot, and it’s easy to recognize it on a map
42. The Italian flag was inspired by the French flag
43. The first battery was invented in Italy in 1800
44. The first bank in the world was opened in Italy in 1157
45. The first glasses were invented in Italy in 1284
46. The thermometer was invented in Italy in 1612
47. Christmas is the biggest holiday in Italy
48. Not all Italians speak Italian
49. The wolf is Italy’s unofficial national animal
50. Italy had famous explorers: Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci and Marco Polo
51. World famous scientist and artist Leonardo da Vinci was from Italy
52. Italy is the country with the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites, along with China
53. The strawberry tree is the national tree of Italy
54. The most famous Italian authors are Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio
55. Italy is a leader in the fashion industry
56. The language of music is Italian
57. Soccer is the most popular sport in Italy
58. Italy was the birthplace of the Renaissance in the 14th century
59. The pizza was invented in Italy
60. Tomatoes only came to Italy in 1548
61. An Italian eats in average 23 kg of pasta per year (51 lbs)
62. There’s a pasta specialty for each region of Italy
63. Italy is the biggest wine producer in the world
64. Italians eat salad after the main dish
65. Gelato was invented in Italy in the 16th century

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