Italy

Introduction

Italy has multiple contributions to the world in the fields of art, culture, science, architecture, military, philosophy, cuisine, and the list goes on. Many of the universal icons we are familiar with today are Italians.  The leaning tower of Pisa, the Roman Colosseum, pizza, and world-famous car brands such as Ferrari and Maserati to new a few. The country’s long and rich history attract people from all over the world, who are interested in studying or living in Italy.

Area:301,340 square kilometers

Population:60,394,799

Capital:Rome

National Anthem: “The Song of The Italians” Il Canto Degli Italiano,

Government Type: Parliamentary Democratic Republic

Language: Italian, other regional dialects

Religions:Christian 83.3% (overwhelmingly Roman Catholic), Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated 12.4%, other 0.6%

Ethnic Groups:Italians (icludes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovence-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south). Africans 1.5 %, Other 1%

Climate:Italy is a long peninsula which lies in the temperate zone. Due to its considerable length Italy has several climatic zones, ranging from the cold and snowy north, to the typical warm Mediterranean climate in the south.

Currency:Euro

Expat Population: 5,047,028

Taboos: it is wise not to talk about religion, Vatican, or the mafia when in Italy.

Cultural Behavior: Italians are known for their close family ties, love for fine cuisine, and slower pace of life, traits which are attractive to expats who are looking for a warm and comfortable atmosphere. Expats enjoy life in Italy, which is why there is a large community of expats in Italy especially in places such as Milan and Rome. Retirees retreat to the countryside to enjoy beautiful landscapes.

Cost of Living: Cost of living in Italy is on average 1.59% lower than in U.S.

Human Development Index (HDI): Italy’s value is at 0.892, ranked at 29th place in the 2020 report