17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
1 October 1960 (from UK)
Religions
Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third practicing), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community)
Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Languages
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)
English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
Exports
engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals, and nonferrous metals
petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber
External Debt
$2,460,000,000,000 $
$10,100,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6689 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
nairas (NGN) per US dollar - 117.8 (2008 est.), 127.46 (2007), 127.38 (2006), 132.59 (2005), 132.89 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.800%
0.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
28
4
Location
Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
Area
301,340 km sq
923,768 km sq
Coastline
7,600 km
853 km
Climate
predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
