Italy (Italian Republic)

Italy Italian Republic
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	25th best
Capital	Rome
Land Area	294 140km21
Location	Europe, Mediterranean
Population	61.0m (2011)2
Life Expectancy	83.34yrs (2017)3
GNI	$33 573 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	IT, ITA, 3805
Internet Domain	.it6
Currency	Euro (EUR)7
Telephone	+398

1. Overview
2. Italy National and Social Development
3. Population and Demographics
4. Gender Equality
5. Religion and Beliefs
6. The Internet
7. Public Health Issues
8. Politics and Freedom
9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries
10. Links

---

1. Overview

#germany

“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 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 sluggish economic growth, high youth and female unemployment, organized crime, corruption, and economic disparities between southern Italy and the more prosperous north.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Italy is the ultimate dream date: impossibly good-looking, impeccably cultured and obscenely good in the kitchen. Endlessly inspiring and naturally flirtatious, it will leave you swooning. Italians really do know how to live well. Ever since the Etruscans came, liked what they saw and decided to stay and party, the locals have embraced the finer things in life. Here, family, faith, friendship, food and wine reign supreme, contributing to the famous Italian dolce vita (sweet life).

Travellers have been falling under Italy´s spell ever since the days of the 18th-century Grand Tour, enticed by its sun-kissed landscape, delectable cuisine and extraordinary art. This is the home of gently rolling Tuscan hills and postcard-perfect coastlines; the place where simple dishes such as pizza and pasta attain culinary perfection. It´s where Michelangelo shocked the establishment with his humanist sculptures and Caravaggio shocked everyone else with his criminal highjinks and darkly atmospheric paintings.

So make like Julius Caesar. Come and see – you´re sure to be conquered. If you get it right, travelling in the bel paese (beautiful country) is one of those rare experiences than cannot be overrated.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Italy National and Social Development

UN HDI (2016) Lower is better Rank11
1	Norway	1
2	Australia	2
3	Switzerland	2
	...
23	Finland	23
24	Austria	24
25	Slovenia	25
26	Italy	26
27	Spain	27
28	Czech Rep.	28
29	Greece	29
30	Brunei	30
	World Avg	94.3
q=188.

Social & Moral Development Index Higher is better Points12
1	Iceland	84.1
2	Sweden	80.8
3	Norway	80.0
	...
22	Estonia	70.7
23	USA	69.4
24	Portugal	69.0
25	Italy	68.7
26	Czech Rep.	68.4
27	Korea, S.	68.2
28	Israel	67.0
29	Singapore	66.9
	World Avg	54.5
q=198.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: What is the Best Country in the World? An Index of Morality, Conscience and Good Life.

3. Population and Demographics

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016) Lower is better Per 10013
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
	...
178	Netherlands	41.9
179	Slovenia	42.7
180	Finland	43.3
181	Hong Kong	43.7
182	Portugal	44.7
183	Germany	47.7
184	Italy	48.6
185	Japan	53.1
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Emigrants (2010) %14
1	Dominica	104.8
2	Palestine	68.4
3	Samoa	67.3
	...
96	Guatemala	6.1
97	Brunei	6.0
98	Netherlands	6.0
99	Italy	5.8
100	Benin	5.8
101	Laos	5.7
102	Turkey	5.6
103	Comoros	5.6
	World Avg	11.5
q=192.

Fertility Rate (2013) 2.0 is best15
1	Korea, N.	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
86	Nicaragua	2.52
87	Belarus	1.47
88	Slovenia	1.47
89	Italy	1.47
90	Cyprus	1.46
91	Moldova	1.46
92	Cuba	1.45
93	India	2.55
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Immigrants (2010) %14
1	Qatar	86.5
2	Monaco	71.6
3	UAE	70.0
	...
66	St Vincent & Grenadines	7.9
67	Ghana	7.6
68	Suriname	7.5
69	Italy	7.4
70	Montenegro	6.8
71	Burkina Faso	6.4
72	Macedonia	6.3
73	Namibia	6.3
	World Avg	9.2
q=192.

Life Expectancy (2015) Higher is better Years16
1	Hong Kong	84.16
2	Japan	83.68
3	Italy	83.34
4	Singapore	83.21
5	Switzerland	83.13
6	Spain	82.77
7	Iceland	82.72
8	Israel	82.56
9	Australia	82.54
10	France	82.36
11	Sweden	82.35
12	Canada	82.22
	World Avg	71.27
q=190.

Population (2012)17
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.3b
3	USA	315.8m
	...
20	Congo, DR	69.6m
21	France	63.5m
22	UK	62.8m
23	Italy	61.0m
24	S. Africa	50.7m
25	Myanmar (Burma)	48.7m
26	Korea, S.	48.6m
27	Tanzania	47.7m
	World Avg	36.0m
q=195.

Italy's population is predicted to fall to 60 851 000 by 2030. Developed countries with falling populations face a pension's crises, whereby an incresingly ageing population must be cared for by fewer and fewer workers. Economic stability can be maintained by increasing foreign workers from younger countries. This country has a fertility rate of 1.47. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

• The Overpopulation of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception: How Religion is Making Overpopulation Worse

4. Gender Equality

Gender Inequality (2015) Lower is better18
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
	...
13	Luxembourg	0.07
14	Austria	0.08
15	Spain	0.08
16	Italy	0.08
17	Portugal	0.09
18	Canada	0.10
19	France	0.10
20	Israel	0.10
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better Year19
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
50	Jamaica	1944
51	Slovenia	1945
52	Croatia	1945
53	Italy	1945
54	Senegal	1945
55	Indonesia	1945
56	Japan	1945
57	Togo	1945
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchialism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

Italy is notable for its equality between the sexes.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

5. Religion and Beliefs

#afterlife #buddhism #christianity #heaven #hell #hinduism #islam #judaism #universalism

Religiosity (2009) Lower is better %20
1	Estonia	16
2	Sweden	17
3	Denmark	19
	...
34	Singapore	70
35	Montenegro	71
36	Greece	71
37	Italy	72
38	Moldova	72
39	Kyrgyzstan	72
40	Armenia	73
41	Mexico	73
	World Avg	75.1
q=114.

Disbelief In God (2007) Higher is better21
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
46	Kyrgyzstan	7
47	Cambodia	7
48	Moldova	6
49	Italy	6
50	Laos	5
51	Ireland	5
52	Mozambique	5
53	Zimbabwe	4
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₂₂:

Christian	83.3%
Muslim	3.7%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	0.2%
Folk Religion	0.1%
Jew	0.1%
Unaffiliated	12.4%

It appears that when asked "What religion are you" many give pollsters the 'correct' answer despite how they actually feel, and despite what they actually believe. Although 87.5% of the populace say they belong to a religion, only 72% say that they are religious when the question is phrased as "Is religion an important part of your daily life?".

For more on this phenomenon, see:

• "Institutionalized Religions Have Their Numbers Inflated by National Polls" by Vexen Crabtree (2009)

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Christian 80% (overwhelming Roman Catholic with very small groups of Jehova Witnesses and Protestants), Muslims NEGL (about 700,000 but growing), Atheists and Agnostics 20%₂₃.

The Afterlife: Ipsos-NA in 2011 gathered some statistics on Italy₂₄. Despite the large numbers of Christians, not many have traditional beliefs in the afterlife - just 21%. More people don't know what to believe (25%). Some believe that upon death, you simply cease to exist (24%). Also, 2% specifically believe in heaven but not in hell (which is nice - making them possible "universalists"). 4% believe in reincarnation.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012), in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Italy states:

“The constitution and other laws and policies protect freedom of religion or belief. However, under article 724 of the penal code, blasphemy is considered as an "administrative offense" and punished with a fine. Administrative law requires that all classrooms in state schools display crucifixes. Additionally, the government recognizes the Holy See as a sovereign authority. Under the 1984 revision of the concordat with the Catholic Church, the state is secular but maintains the practice of state support for religion, which can also be extended to non-Catholic confessions if requested. In such cases, state support is governed by legislation implementing the provisions of an intesa (accord) between the government and the religious group. An intesa grants clergy automatic access to state hospitals, prisons, and military barracks; allows for civil registry of religious marriages; facilitates special religious practices regarding funerals; and exempts students from school attendance on religious holidays. If a religious community so requests, an intesa may provide for state routing of funds, through a voluntary check-off on taxpayer returns, to that community. The state paid Catholic religion teachers, but this financial support was not available to other religious communities. If a student requested the assistance of a religion teacher of a non-Catholic religious group, that group could select a representative but had to cover the cost. The government provided funds for the construction of places of worship, granted public land for their construction, and helped preserve and maintain historic places of worship that shelter much of the country's artistic and cultural heritage.

Cases of Discrimination

On June 12, 2006, the blasphemy case against the author Oriana Fallaci begins in Bergamo, Italy. Prosecutors alleged that her latest book, La Forza della Ragione (The Force of Reason), contained eighteen statements "unequivocally offensive to Islam and Muslims." Oriana Fallaci died of lung cancer before the trial could conclude.

On March 16, 2005, a Milan court prohibited a billboard campaign by the clothes company Francois Girbaut because of a photo imitating Leonardo's Last Supper.

On October 20, 2010, the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Franco Frattini, called for Muslims, Jewsand Christians to unite to fight the "threat" that he claims atheism poses to society.

”

"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₂₅

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?

6. The Internet

Freedom On The Internet (2012) Lower is better26
1	Estonia	10
2	USA	12
3	Germany	15
4	Australia	18
5	Hungary	19
6	Philippines	23
7	Italy	23
8	UK	25
9	S. Africa	26
10	Argentina	26
11	Ukraine	27
12	Brazil	27
	World Avg	46.7
q=47.

Internet Users (2016) Higher is better27
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
64	Brazil	66%
65	St Kitts & Nevis	66%
66	Dominica	66%
67	Italy	66%
68	Uruguay	65%
69	Antigua & Barbuda	65%
70	Greece	65%
71	Saudi Arabia	65%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake (2017) Higher is better Ratio28
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
41	Sri Lanka	2.9
42	Latvia	2.2
43	Israel	1.8
44	Italy	1.7
45	Argentina	1.4
46	Faroe Islands	1.4
47	Russia	1.3
48	Bulgaria	1.3
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

IT Security (2013) Lower is better29
1	Ireland	0.11
2	Luxembourg	0.11
3	Belize	0.11
	...
47	British Virgin Islands	1.08
48	Mali	1.12
49	France	1.13
50	Italy	1.15
51	Vietnam	1.15
52	Nigeria	1.18
53	Mauritania	1.19
54	Azerbaijan	1.21
	World Avg	0.98
q=81.

Internet access has become an essential research tool. It facilitates an endless list of life improvements, from the ability to network and socialize without constraint, to access to a seemingly infinite repository of technical and procedural information on pretty much any task. The universal availability of data has sped up industrial development and personal learning at the national and personal level. Individuals can read any topic they wish regardless of the locality of expert teachers, and, entire nations can develop their technology and understanding of the world simply because they are now exposed to advanced societies and moral discourses online. Like every communications medium, the Internet has issues and causes a small range of problems, but these are insignificant compared to the advantages of having an online populace.

7. Public Health Issues

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015) Lower is better Per 100018
1	Korea, N.	0.5
2	Korea, S.	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
	...
11	Sweden	5.7
12	Norway	5.9
13	Luxembourg	5.9
14	Italy	6.0
15	Iceland	6.1
16	Libya	6.2
17	Finland	6.5
18	Germany	6.7
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Alcohol Consumption (2010) Lower is better Per Capita30
1	Libya	0.1
2	Pakistan	0.1
3	Kuwait	0.1
	...
100	St Vincent & Grenadines	6.6
101	Suriname	6.6
102	China	6.7
103	Italy	6.7
104	Trinidad & Tobago	6.7
105	Macedonia	6.7
106	Burkina Faso	6.8
107	Barbados	6.8
	World Avg	6.2
q=191.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015) Higher is better Avg %31
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
83	Lithuania	93.9
84	Estonia	93.9
85	Korea, N.	93.8
86	Italy	93.8
87	Austria	93.8
88	Argentina	93.7
89	Bulgaria	93.7
90	Serbia	93.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Smoking Rates (2014) Lower is better32
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
146	Saudi Arabia	1 395
147	Netherlands	1 396
148	Poland	1 396
149	Italy	1 443
150	Germany	1 480
151	Bulgaria	1 505
152	Kuwait	1 517
153	Armenia	1 545
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Suicide Rate (2013) Lower is better Per 100k33
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
	...
33	Panama	10.9
34	Nicaragua	11.6
35	Costa Rica	12.1
36	Italy	12.8
37	Macedonia	13.5
38	Mauritius	13.7
39	UK	13.9
40	Ecuador	14.1
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

8. Politics and Freedom

Nominal Commitment to HR (2009) Higher is better Treaties34
1	Argentina	24
2	Chile	23
3	Costa Rica	23
	...
11	Serbia	23
12	Sweden	23
13	Uruguay	23
14	Italy	22
15	Denmark	22
16	Croatia	22
17	Belgium	22
18	Austria	22
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom (2014) Lower is better Rank35
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
25	Iceland	25
26	Taiwan	26
27	Slovakia	27
28	Italy	28
29	Chile	29
30	Romania	30
31	France	31
32	Japan	32
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Press Freedom (2013) Lower is better36
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
	...
53	Argentina	2567
54	Moldova	2601
55	Hungary	2609
56	Italy	2611
57	Hong Kong	2616
58	Senegal	2619
59	Chile	2624
60	Sierra Leone	2635
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries