17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
Religions
Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third practicing), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community)
Languages
Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French)
Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)
Exports
food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals, and nonferrous metals
External Debt
$583,300,000,000 $
$2,684,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6689 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
4.300%
1.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
4
28
Location
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Area
131,957 km sq
301,340 km sq
Coastline
13,676 km
7,600 km
Climate
temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
