https://www.humantruth.info/italy.html
By Vexen Crabtree 2013
Italy Italian Republic | ![]() |
---|---|
Status | Independent State |
Social and Moral Index | 22nd best |
Capital | Rome |
Land Area | 294 140km21 |
Location | Europe, The Mediterranean |
Population | 60.6m2 |
Life Expectancy | 82.85yrs (2017)3 |
GNI | $42 840 (2017)4 |
ISO3166-1 Codes | IT, ITA, 3805 |
Internet Domain | .it6 |
Currency | Euro (EUR)7 |
Telephone | +398 |
“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.”
#economics #human_development #wealth
UN HDI (2021)11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better Value11 | |
1 | Switzerland | 0.962 |
2 | Norway | 0.961 |
3 | Iceland | 0.959 |
... | ||
27 | Spain | 0.905 |
28 | France | 0.903 |
29 | Cyprus | 0.896 |
30 | Italy | 0.895 |
31 | Estonia | 0.890 |
32 | Czechia | 0.889 |
33 | Greece | 0.887 |
34 | Poland | 0.876 |
Europe Avg | 0.87 | |
World Avg | 0.72 | |
q=191. |
Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better PPP $11 | |
1 | Liechtenstein | $146 830 |
2 | Singapore | $90 919 |
3 | Qatar | $87 134 |
... | ||
27 | UK | $45 225 |
28 | S. Korea | $44 501 |
29 | New Zealand | $44 057 |
30 | Italy | $42 840 |
31 | Japan | $42 274 |
32 | Israel | $41 524 |
33 | Slovenia | $39 746 |
34 | Bahrain | $39 497 |
Europe Avg | $40 512 | |
World Avg | $20 136 | |
q=193. |
Social & Moral Development Index12 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank12 | |
1 | Denmark | 27.0 |
2 | Norway | 29.9 |
3 | Sweden | 31.8 |
... | ||
19 | Spain | 44.5 |
20 | Slovenia | 45.6 |
21 | Liechtenstein | 46.2 |
22 | Italy | 47.2 |
23 | Portugal | 47.5 |
24 | Taiwan | 50.3 |
25 | Uruguay | 52.4 |
26 | Estonia | 52.4 |
Europe Avg | 55.7 | |
World Avg | 88.6 | |
q=199. |
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: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.
#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen
Population:
Italy's population is predicted to rise to 60.85 million by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.24. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - 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 (two new children for each set of parents who die), 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 highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.13Population2 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2018 Population2 | |
1 | China | 1.4b |
2 | India | 1.4b |
3 | USA | 327.1m |
... | ||
20 | Thailand | 69.4m |
21 | UK | 67.1m |
22 | France | 65.0m |
23 | Italy | 60.6m |
24 | S. Africa | 57.8m |
25 | Tanzania | 56.3m |
26 | Myanmar (Burma) | 53.7m |
27 | Kenya | 51.4m |
World Avg | 39.0m | |
q=195. |
Life Expectancy Higher is better11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years11 | |
1 | Monaco | 85.9 |
2 | Hong Kong | 85.5 |
3 | Japan | 84.8 |
... | ||
9 | Norway | 83.2 |
10 | Spain | 83.0 |
11 | Sweden | 83.0 |
12 | Italy | 82.9 |
13 | Singapore | 82.8 |
14 | Iceland | 82.7 |
15 | Canada | 82.7 |
16 | Luxembourg | 82.6 |
World Avg | 71.28 | |
q=195. |
Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202214 | |
1 | US Virgin Islands | 2.00 |
2 | Ecuador | 2.00 |
3 | Nepal | 2.01 |
... | ||
130 | Japan | 1.26 |
131 | Botswana | 2.75 |
132 | Djibouti | 2.76 |
133 | Italy | 1.24 |
134 | Haiti | 2.77 |
135 | Mongolia | 2.77 |
136 | Swaziland | 2.79 |
137 | Jordan | 2.79 |
World Avg | 2.47 | |
q=208. |
Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better15 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 Per 10015 | |
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. |
Migration:
Immigrants16 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 %16 | |
1 | UAE | 88.4% |
2 | Kuwait | 75.5% |
3 | Qatar | 65.2% |
... | ||
56 | Belgium | 11.1% |
57 | Greece | 10.9% |
58 | Malta | 10.6% |
59 | Italy | 10.0% |
60 | Gambia | 9.8% |
61 | Dominica | 9.2% |
62 | Serbia | 9.1% |
63 | Ivory Coast | 9.0% |
World Avg | 9.4% | |
q=195. |
Emigrants17 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2010 %17 | |
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. |
#equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #Italy #italy_freedom #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance
Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)18 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank18 | |
1 | Sweden | 6.1 |
2 | Denmark | 8.6 |
3 | Norway | 9.0 |
... | ||
17 | Ireland | 25.9 |
18 | Slovenia | 27.8 |
19 | Switzerland | 28.2 |
20 | Italy | 30.8 |
21 | Portugal | 31.3 |
22 | Costa Rica | 31.8 |
Europe Avg | 47.37 | |
World Avg | 86.55 | |
q=199. |
For tables, charts and commentary, see:
#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #germany #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #suicide #vaccines
Compared to Europe (2025)30 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank30 | |
1 | Monaco | 14.3 |
2 | Liechtenstein | 30.1 |
3 | Isle of Man | 32.1 |
... | ||
16 | UK | 54.0 |
17 | Luxembourg | 54.6 |
18 | Andorra | 55.9 |
19 | Italy | 56.2 |
20 | Faroe Islands | 58.3 |
21 | Channel Islands | 58.4 |
22 | Slovenia | 59.4 |
23 | Malta | 59.9 |
24 | Austria | 60.1 |
Europe Avg | 86.87 | |
q=52. |
Health (2025)30 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank30 | |
1 | Monaco | 14.3 |
2 | Liechtenstein | 30.1 |
3 | Isle of Man | 32.1 |
... | ||
29 | S. Korea | 55.4 |
30 | Bermuda | 55.9 |
31 | Andorra | 55.9 |
32 | Italy | 56.2 |
33 | New Caledonia | 57.9 |
34 | Canada | 58.3 |
35 | Faroe Islands | 58.3 |
36 | Channel Islands | 58.4 |
World Avg | 96.74 | |
q=212. |
The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man31. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria31.
21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans31, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia31.
For more, see:
Health:
Italy does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Italy comes in the best 20 when it comes to its average life expectancy11 and in its adolescent birth rate32. It does better than average in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance33, its suicide rate34 and in its immunizations take-up35. But, there's bad news too. Italy does worse than average in its alcohol consumption rate36 (still low for Europe), its fertility rate14 (amongst the worst in Europe) and in its smoking rate37. The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the past 40 years. Life expectancy in Italy in the 2000s and 2010 was amongst the top 10 in the world, after improving by +6.6yrs in the 30 years from 1990. It had the 2nd-lowest average fertility rate in the world throughout the 1980s (after Germany) and the 3rd-lowest in the 1990s. Its peak fertility rate was 2.66 in 1964.Life Expectancy Higher is better11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years11 | |
1 | Monaco | 85.9 |
2 | Hong Kong | 85.5 |
3 | Japan | 84.8 |
... | ||
9 | Norway | 83.2 |
10 | Spain | 83.0 |
11 | Sweden | 83.0 |
12 | Italy | 82.9 |
13 | Singapore | 82.8 |
14 | Iceland | 82.7 |
15 | Canada | 82.7 |
16 | Luxembourg | 82.6 |
Europe Avg | 78.36 | |
World Avg | 71.28 | |
q=195. |
Alcohol Consumption Lower is better36 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 Per Capita36 | |
1 | Bangladesh | 0.0 |
2 | Kuwait | 0.0 |
3 | Libya | 0.0 |
... | ||
109 | Mongolia | 7.4 |
110= | Albania | 7.5 |
110= | Burundi | 7.5 |
110= | Italy | 7.5 |
110= | Norway | 7.5 |
114 | Kazakhstan | 7.7 |
115= | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 7.8 |
115= | Brazil | 7.8 |
Europe Avg | 10.3 | |
World Avg | 6.2 | |
q=189. |
Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202214 | |
1 | US Virgin Islands | 2.00 |
2 | Ecuador | 2.00 |
3 | Nepal | 2.01 |
... | ||
130 | Japan | 1.26 |
131 | Botswana | 2.75 |
132 | Djibouti | 2.76 |
133 | Italy | 1.24 |
134 | Haiti | 2.77 |
135 | Mongolia | 2.77 |
136 | Swaziland | 2.79 |
137 | Jordan | 2.79 |
Europe Avg | 1.53 | |
World Avg | 2.47 | |
q=208. |
Smoking Rates Lower is better37 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201437 | |
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 |
Europe Avg | 1 648 | |
World Avg | 819 | |
q=182. |
Suicide Rate34 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2013 Per 100k34 | |
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 |
Europe Avg | 26.99 | |
World Avg | 20.93 | |
q=91. |
Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank33 | |
1 | Sweden | 1 |
2 | Ireland | 2 |
3 | Denmark | 3 |
... | ||
21 | Japan | 21 |
22 | Spain | 22 |
23 | France | 23 |
24 | Italy | 24 |
25 | Qatar | 25 |
26 | Oman | 26 |
27 | Estonia | 27 |
28 | Austria | 28 |
Europe Avg | 47.4 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Overweight Adults Lower is better38 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 %38 | |
1 | Vietnam | 18.3 |
2 | India | 19.7 |
3 | Bangladesh | 20.0 |
... | ||
124= | Poland | 58.3 |
125 | Ukraine | 58.4 |
126= | Cuba | 58.5 |
126= | Italy | 58.5 |
128 | Luxembourg | 58.7 |
129 | Panama | 58.8 |
130 | Suriname | 58.9 |
131 | Colombia | 59.0 |
Europe Avg | 58.5 | |
World Avg | 49.0 | |
q=191. |
Children's Health:
Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better32 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Per 100032 | |
1 | Hong Kong | 1.6 |
2 | Denmark | 1.8 |
3 | S. Korea | 2.1 |
... | ||
11 | Liechtenstein | 3.0 |
12 | Sweden | 3.3 |
13 | San Marino | 3.7 |
14 | Italy | 3.9 |
15 | Finland | 4.1 |
16 | Luxembourg | 4.2 |
17 | Slovenia | 4.4 |
18 | Iceland | 5.1 |
Europe Avg | 11.4 | |
World Avg | 43.8 | |
q=195. |
Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better35 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2015 Avg %35 | |
1= | Hungary | 99.0 |
1= | China | 99.0 |
3 | Uzbekistan | 98.9 |
... | ||
83 | Lithuania | 93.9 |
84 | Estonia | 93.9 |
85 | N. Korea | 93.8 |
86 | Italy | 93.8 |
87 | Austria | 93.8 |
88 | Argentina | 93.7 |
89 | Bulgaria | 93.7 |
90 | Serbia | 93.5 |
Europe Avg | 92.7 | |
World Avg | 88.3 | |
q=194. |
In the 1990s, Italy was amongst the 10 countries with the lowest adolescent birth rate.
#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #energy #environmentalism #food #internationalism #italy #meat #over-exploitation #sustainability #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism
Compared to Europe (2025)39 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank39 | |
1 | Switzerland | 45.0 |
2 | Denmark | 50.4 |
3 | Liechtenstein | 56.8 |
4 | Portugal | 58.0 |
5 | Germany | 58.2 |
6 | Spain | 59.5 |
7 | Austria | 59.6 |
8 | Greece | 61.4 |
9 | Italy | 63.1 |
10 | Ireland | 63.1 |
11 | Cyprus | 64.8 |
12 | Hungary | 65.8 |
13 | Norway | 66.9 |
Europe Avg | 86.45 | |
q=48. |
Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)39 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank39 | |
1 | Sri Lanka | 34.9 |
2 | Uruguay | 43.2 |
3 | Switzerland | 45.0 |
... | ||
34 | Ethiopia | 61.7 |
35 | Indonesia | 61.9 |
36 | Cameroon | 62.6 |
37 | Italy | 63.1 |
38 | Jordan | 63.1 |
39 | Ireland | 63.1 |
40 | Burkina Faso | 63.1 |
41 | Gambia | 63.3 |
World Avg | 84.93 | |
q=199. |
All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.
The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.
For more, see:
When it comes to its responsibility towards the environment, Italy is 37th in the world. This rank is derived from 7 data sets. Italy comes in the best 20 for its score on the Green Future Index40 and in its environmental performance41. It does better than average in its forested percent change 2000-202042, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population43, energy to GDP efficiency44 and in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment. But, things still need to improve in Italy. Italy does worse than average for reducing annual meat consumption per person45.Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better42 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total42 | |
1 | Guernsey | 82.6% |
2 | Bahrain | 75.2% |
3 | Iceland | 64.7% |
... | ||
21 | Cape Verde | 14.6% |
22 | Azerbaijan | 14.2% |
23 | Jamaica | 14.1% |
24 | Italy | 13.8% |
25 | Fiji | 12.9% |
26 | France | 12.5% |
27 | Moldova | 11.9% |
28 | Palestine | 11.5% |
Europe Avg | 8.2% | |
World Avg | -0.1% | |
q=234. |
Environmental Performance Higher is better41 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201841 | |
1 | Switzerland | 87.4 |
2 | France | 84.0 |
3 | Denmark | 81.6 |
... | ||
13 | Germany | 78.4 |
14 | Norway | 77.5 |
15 | Belgium | 77.4 |
16 | Italy | 77.0 |
17 | New Zealand | 76.0 |
18 | Netherlands | 75.5 |
19 | Israel | 75.0 |
20 | Japan | 74.7 |
Europe Avg | 69.6 | |
World Avg | 56.4 | |
q=180. |
Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better44 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Avg44 | |
1 | Rwanda | 0.25 |
2 | Chad | 0.26 |
3 | Tanzania | 0.31 |
... | ||
51 | Ghana | 0.83 |
52 | Colombia | 0.83 |
53 | Lithuania | 0.83 |
54 | Italy | 0.84 |
55 | Mali | 0.86 |
56 | Morocco | 0.86 |
57 | Turkey | 0.86 |
58 | Senegal | 0.87 |
Europe Avg | 1.25 | |
World Avg | 1.23 | |
q=165. |
International Accords on the Environment Higher is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total Avg Rate | |
1 | Sweden | 83% |
2 | Canada | 82% |
3 | Norway | 81% |
... | ||
56 | Guatemala | 66% |
57 | Belgium | 66% |
58 | Papua New Guinea | 66% |
59 | Italy | 66% |
60 | Morocco | 66% |
61 | Congo, DR | 65% |
62 | Sri Lanka | 65% |
63 | Madagascar | 65% |
Europe Avg | 62.7% | |
World Avg | 57.5% | |
q=197. |
Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better43 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2011 %43 | |
1 | Argentina | 78.3% |
2 | Greece | 77.6% |
3 | Brazil | 77.1% |
... | ||
39 | Burkina Faso | 50.5% |
40 | Dominican Rep. | 50.2% |
41 | Thailand | 49.9% |
42 | Italy | 49.6% |
43 | Vietnam | 49.1% |
44 | Honduras | 48.1% |
45 | Iran | 47.9% |
46 | Turkey | 47.4% |
Europe Avg | 33.6% | |
World Avg | 39.9% | |
q=145. |
Meat Consumption Lower is better45 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 kg45 | |
1 | Congo, DR | 03.0 |
2 | Burundi | 03.5 |
3 | Bangladesh | 04.3 |
... | ||
130 | Guyana | 72.4 |
131 | Latvia | 74.0 |
132 | Finland | 74.0 |
133 | Italy | 74.3 |
134 | Norway | 74.7 |
135 | Mexico | 75.4 |
136 | Cyprus | 75.8 |
137 | Austria | 76.4 |
Europe Avg | 71.1 | |
World Avg | 52.5 | |
q=185. |
In the 2010s, meat consumption per person in Italy was well above the global average (of 49kgs per year), putting unnecessary strain on water supplies and the environment. In that decade, it reduced its consumption significantly.45
Green Future Index Higher is better40 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 Score40 | |
1 | Iceland | 6.7 |
2 | Finland | 6.7 |
3 | Norway | 6.4 |
... | ||
10= | Spain | 5.9 |
10= | Germany | 5.9 |
12 | Belgium | 5.8 |
13 | Italy | 5.7 |
14= | Ireland | 5.7 |
14= | Canada | 5.7 |
16 | Luxembourg | 5.6 |
17 | Greece | 5.6 |
Europe Avg | 5.6 | |
World Avg | 4.8 | |
q=76. |
#capitalism #charity #corruption #economics #education #english #extremism #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #intelligence #it_security #italy #life_expectancy #maths #modernity #morals #peace #politics #religion #religiosity #religious_violence #research #science #secularisation #social_development #technology #terrorism #the_internet
Compared to Europe (2020)46 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank46 | |
1 | Finland | 7.1 |
2 | Belgium | 12.9 |
3 | Denmark | 13.6 |
... | ||
20 | Lithuania | 31.4 |
21 | Poland | 33.2 |
22 | Luxembourg | 33.9 |
23 | Italy | 34.0 |
24 | Portugal | 34.4 |
25 | Greece | 36.3 |
26 | Slovakia | 42.9 |
27 | Malta | 45.9 |
28 | Ukraine | 47.7 |
Europe Avg | 39.81 | |
q=45. |
Modernity & Learning (2020)46 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank46 | |
1 | Finland | 7.1 |
2 | Belgium | 12.9 |
3 | Denmark | 13.6 |
... | ||
28 | Lithuania | 31.4 |
29 | Poland | 33.2 |
30 | Luxembourg | 33.9 |
31 | Italy | 34.0 |
32 | Singapore | 34.1 |
33 | Portugal | 34.4 |
34 | Greece | 36.3 |
35 | Argentina | 38.2 |
World Avg | 86.31 | |
q=190. |
The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Belgium and Denmark47. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone47. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots48.
“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”
Bill Emmott (2017)49
15 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Intellectual Endeavours, Maths, Science & Reading, Religiosity, IQ, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe47, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia47.
For more, see:
Modernity and Education:
Research & Development Higher is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 % RDP PPP | |
1 | S. Korea | 4.2950 |
2 | Israel | 4.1150 |
3 | Japan | 3.5850 |
... | ||
23 | Ireland | 1.5250 |
24 | Estonia | 1.4350 |
25 | Hungary | 1.3750 |
26 | Italy | 1.2950 |
27 | Portugal | 1.2850 |
28 | Luxembourg | 1.2650 |
29 | Spain | 1.2250 |
30 | Russia | 1.1950 |
Europe Avg | 1.32 | |
World Avg | 0.84 | |
q=126. |
Secondary Education Higher is better51 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201851 | |
1= | Luxembourg | 100.0% |
1= | Estonia | 100.0% |
1= | Austria | 100.0% |
... | ||
58 | Malaysia | 80.8% |
59 | Cyprus | 80.3% |
60 | Singapore | 79.6% |
61 | Italy | 79.6% |
62 | Hong Kong | 79.4% |
63 | Chile | 79.3% |
64 | China | 78.6% |
65 | Belize | 78.6% |
Europe Avg | 88.3% | |
World Avg | 63.0% | |
q=169. |
Length of Schooling Higher is better52 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years52 | |
1 | Australia | 21.1 |
2 | New Zealand | 20.3 |
3 | Greece | 20.0 |
... | ||
29 | Bahrain | 16.3 |
30 | Lithuania | 16.3 |
31 | USA | 16.3 |
32 | Italy | 16.2 |
33 | Czechia | 16.2 |
34 | Latvia | 16.2 |
35 | Saudi Arabia | 16.1 |
36 | Israel | 16.1 |
Europe Avg | 16.1 | |
World Avg | 13.5 | |
q=193. |
Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank33 | |
1 | Ukraine | 1 |
2 | Czechia | 2 |
3 | Hungary | 3 |
... | ||
38 | USA | 38 |
39 | Portugal | 39 |
40 | Spain | 40 |
41 | Italy | 41 |
42 | Slovakia | 42 |
43 | Marshall Islands | 43 |
44 | S. Korea | 44 |
45 | Morocco | 45 |
Europe Avg | 31.3 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Maths, Science & Reading Higher is better53 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2015 Score53 | |
1 | Singapore | 1655 |
2 | Hong Kong | 1598 |
3 | Japan | 1586 |
... | ||
30 | Czechia | 1472 |
31 | USA | 1463 |
32 | Latvia | 1460 |
33 | Italy | 1456 |
34 | Luxembourg | 1450 |
35 | Iceland | 1443 |
36 | Croatia | 1426 |
37 | Lithuania | 1425 |
Europe Avg | 1417 | |
World Avg | 1389 | |
q=70. |
Religiosity Lower is better54 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2018 %54 | |
1 | China | 3 |
2 | Estonia | 6 |
3 | Czechia | 7 |
... | ||
22= | Bulgaria | 19 |
22= | Norway | 19 |
24 | Netherlands | 20 |
25= | Italy | 21 |
25= | Belarus | 21 |
27 | Ireland | 22 |
28= | Kazakhstan | 22 |
28= | Spain | 22 |
Europe Avg | 25.8 | |
World Avg | 54.3 | |
q=106. |
IQ Higher is better55 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 200655 | |
1= | Hong Kong | 108 |
1= | Singapore | 108 |
3 | S. Korea | 106 |
4= | Japan | 105 |
4= | Taiwan | 105 |
4= | China | 105 |
7 | Italy | 102 |
8= | Iceland | 101 |
8= | Switzerland | 101 |
8= | Mongolia | 101 |
11 | Netherlands | 100 |
12= | Norway | 100 |
Europe Avg | 96.6 | |
World Avg | 85.6 | |
q=138. |
Technology and Information:
Internet Users Higher is better56 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201656 | |
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% |
68= | Antigua & Barbuda | 65% |
70 | Greece | 65% |
71 | Saudi Arabia | 65% |
Europe Avg | 76.7% | |
World Avg | 48.1% | |
q=201. |
Freedom On The Internet Lower is better57 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201257 | |
1 | Estonia | 10 |
2 | USA | 12 |
3 | Germany | 15 |
4 | Australia | 18 |
5 | Hungary | 19 |
6= | Philippines | 23 |
6= | Italy | 23 |
8 | UK | 25 |
9= | S. Africa | 26 |
9= | Argentina | 26 |
11 | Ukraine | 27 |
12= | Brazil | 27 |
Europe Avg | 31.4 | |
World Avg | 46.7 | |
q=47. |
IT Security Lower is better58 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201358 | |
1= | Ireland | 0.11 |
1= | Luxembourg | 0.11 |
1= | 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 |
Europe Avg | 0.80 | |
World Avg | 0.98 | |
IPv6 Uptake Higher is better59 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Ratio59 | |
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 |
Europe Avg | 8.11 | |
World Avg | 3.82 | |
q=176. |
Digital Quality of Life Higher is better60 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202460 | |
1 | Germany | 77.9% |
2 | Finland | 76.9% |
3 | France | 73.9% |
... | ||
23 | Israel | 65.4% |
24 | Norway | 64.5% |
25 | Canada | 63.4% |
26 | Italy | 63.3% |
27 | Czechia | 63.2% |
28 | Latvia | 63.2% |
29 | Portugal | 62.8% |
30 | Slovenia | 62.3% |
Europe Avg | 61.0% | |
World Avg | 48.4% | |
q=121. |
National Culture:
World Giving Index Higher is better61 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 %61 | |
1 | Indonesia | 68.0 |
2 | Kenya | 61.0 |
3 | USA | 59.0 |
... | ||
111= | Algeria | 30.0 |
112 | Pakistan | 29.0 |
113= | Latvia | 29.0 |
113= | Italy | 29.0 |
113= | Armenia | 29.0 |
116 | Tunisia | 28.0 |
117 | Laos | 27.0 |
118 | Portugal | 26.0 |
Europe Avg | 39.0 | |
World Avg | 39.6 | |
q=125. |
Corruption Higher is better62 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Points62 | |
1 | Denmark | 90.0 |
2= | Finland | 87.0 |
2= | New Zealand | 87.0 |
... | ||
40 | Qatar | 58.0 |
41= | Czechia | 56.0 |
41= | Georgia | 56.0 |
41= | Italy | 56.0 |
41= | Slovenia | 56.0 |
45 | Dominica | 55.0 |
46= | Poland | 55.0 |
46= | St Lucia | 55.0 |
Europe Avg | 57.61 | |
World Avg | 42.98 | |
q=180. |
Thoughout the 2010s, Italy made serious improvements to its Corruption Perception Index score (+11), sitting amongst the top 10 best-improvers that decade.
Happiness Higher is better63 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2024 Score63 | |
1 | Finland | 7.7 |
2 | Denmark | 7.5 |
3 | Iceland | 7.5 |
... | ||
37 | El Salvador | 6.5 |
38 | Spain | 6.5 |
39 | Estonia | 6.4 |
40 | Italy | 6.4 |
41 | Panama | 6.4 |
42 | Argentina | 6.4 |
43 | Kazakhstan | 6.4 |
44 | Guatemala | 6.4 |
Europe Avg | 6.37 | |
World Avg | 5.58 | |
q=147. |
Creativity & Culture Lower is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank33 | |
1 | Belgium | 1 |
2 | Netherlands | 2 |
3 | Estonia | 3 |
... | ||
23 | Lithuania | 23 |
24 | St Lucia | 24 |
25 | Canada | 25 |
26 | Italy | 26 |
27 | Mauritius | 27 |
28 | Malta | 28 |
29 | Singapore | 29 |
30 | Spain | 30 |
Europe Avg | 35.0 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank33 | |
1 | Ireland | 1 |
2 | Denmark | 2 |
3 | Sweden | 3 |
... | ||
33 | Mongolia | 33 |
34 | Spain | 34 |
35 | UK | 35 |
36 | Italy | 36 |
37 | Estonia | 37 |
38 | Cyprus | 38 |
39 | Bulgaria | 39 |
40 | Turkey | 40 |
Europe Avg | 42.6 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Peace Versus Instability:
Global Peace Index Lower is better64 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 Score64 | |
1 | Iceland | 1.12 |
2 | Denmark | 1.31 |
3 | Ireland | 1.31 |
... | ||
31= | Spain | 1.65 |
31= | Romania | 1.65 |
31= | Taiwan | 1.65 |
34 | Italy | 1.66 |
35 | Kuwait | 1.67 |
36 | Lithuania | 1.67 |
37 | UK | 1.69 |
38 | Macedonia | 1.71 |
Europe Avg | 1.70 | |
World Avg | 2.07 | |
q=163. |
Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank33 | |
1 | Samoa | 1 |
2 | S. Africa | 2 |
3 | Tunisia | 3 |
... | ||
52 | Finland | 52 |
53 | France | 53 |
54 | Australia | 54 |
55 | Italy | 55 |
56 | Mauritius | 56 |
57 | Zambia | 57 |
58 | Romania | 58 |
59 | Vietnam | 59 |
Europe Avg | 84.6 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank33 | |
1 | Austria | 1 |
2 | Germany | 2 |
3 | Netherlands | 3 |
... | ||
11 | Canada | 11 |
12 | UK | 12 |
13 | Belgium | 13 |
14 | Italy | 14 |
15 | Spain | 15 |
16 | France | 16 |
17 | Cyprus | 17 |
18 | Slovenia | 18 |
Europe Avg | 37.8 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Impact of Terrorism Lower is better65 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2019 Score65 | |
1 | Togo | 0.00 |
2 | Mongolia | 0.00 |
3 | Swaziland | 0.00 |
... | ||
85 | Rwanda | 2.95 |
86 | Nicaragua | 2.95 |
87 | Jordan | 3.09 |
88 | Italy | 3.11 |
89 | Paraguay | 3.12 |
90 | Bahrain | 3.20 |
91 | Tanzania | 3.27 |
92 | Spain | 3.35 |
Europe Avg | 1.62 | |
World Avg | 2.78 | |
q=150. |
Economic Inequality and Poverty:
Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better66 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201966 | |
1 | Iceland | 2.40 |
2= | Singapore | 2.50 |
2= | Hong Kong | 2.50 |
... | ||
10 | S. Korea | 3.00 |
11= | Spain | 3.00 |
12 | Netherlands | 3.10 |
13= | Italy | 3.10 |
14 | Israel | 3.30 |
15= | Luxembourg | 3.40 |
15= | Ireland | 3.40 |
17 | Portugal | 3.50 |
Europe Avg | 4.86 | |
World Avg | 14.59 | |
q=184. |
Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better67 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 %67 | |
1 | Slovakia | 24.1%68 |
2 | Slovenia | 24.3%68 |
3 | Belarus | 24.4%69 |
... | ||
78 | Benin | 34.4%68 |
79 | Portugal | 34.6%68 |
80= | Iran | 34.8%70 |
80= | Italy | 34.8%68 |
82 | Thailand | 34.9%68 |
83 | Ethiopia | 35.0%71 |
84= | Russia | 35.1%68 |
84= | Nigeria | 35.1%72 |
Europe Avg | 30.7% | |
World Avg | 36.5% | |
q=167. |
#afterlife #belief #buddhism #christianity #god #heaven #hell #hinduism #islam #italy #judaism #religion #religion_in_italy #religiosity #secularisation #universalism
Religiosity (2018)54 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better %54 | |
1 | China | 3 |
2 | Estonia | 6 |
3 | Czechia | 7 |
... | ||
22= | Bulgaria | 19 |
22= | Norway | 19 |
24 | Netherlands | 20 |
25= | Italy | 21 |
25= | Belarus | 21 |
27 | Ireland | 22 |
28= | Kazakhstan | 22 |
28= | Spain | 22 |
30 | Slovakia | 23 |
31= | Ukraine | 23 |
32 | Canada | 27 |
33= | Uzbekistan | 29 |
33= | Uruguay | 29 |
35 | Poland | 30 |
36 | Serbia | 34 |
37= | Israel | 36 |
World Avg | 54.3 | |
q=106. |
Disbelief In God (2007)73 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better %73 | |
1 | Vietnam | 81 |
2 | Japan | 65 |
3 | Sweden | 64 |
... | ||
46= | Kyrgyzstan | 7 |
46= | Cambodia | 7 |
48 | Moldova | 6 |
49= | Italy | 6 |
50 | Laos | 5 |
51= | Ireland | 5 |
51= | Mozambique | 5 |
53 | Zimbabwe | 4 |
54= | Namibia | 4 |
54= | Iran | 4 |
54= | Mexico | 4 |
54= | Portugal | 4 |
54= | Romania | 4 |
54= | Argentina | 4 |
54= | Georgia | 4 |
54= | Uzbekistan | 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 below74:
Christian | 83.3% |
Muslim | 3.7% |
Hindu | 0.1% |
Buddhist | 0.2% |
Folk Religion | 0.1% |
Jewish | 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 21% 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:
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%75.
The Afterlife: Ipsos-NA in 2011 gathered some statistics on Italy76. 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.
Freedom of Religion and Belief: Italian law has a definite bias towards Catholic Christianity77. Although the constitution protects freedom of religion and belief, blasphemy laws are specifically used to the favour of Christians, and the education system is somewhat biased - all classrooms in state schools must display crucifixes, for example77, which can only ever entrench prejudice and discrimination at the social level.
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