predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and
Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community

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)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98% (1998)

male: NA%

female: NA%

Italy Government

Country name: conventional long form: Italian Republic

conventional short form: Italy

local long form: Repubblica Italiana

local short form: Italia

former: Kingdom of Italy

Government type: republic

Capital: Rome

Administrative divisions: 20 regions (regioni, singular - regione);
Abruzzi, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna,
Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise,
Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige,
Umbria, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto

Independence: 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was
not finally unified until 1870)

National holiday: Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Constitution: 1 January 1948

Legal system: based on civil law system; appeals treated as new
trials; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional
Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial
elections, where minimum age is 25)

Executive branch: chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI
(since 13 May 1999)

head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the
president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10
June 2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
approved by the president

elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a
seven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held NA
May 2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed
by parliament

election results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent
of electoral college vote - 70%

note: a 12-party government coalition; note - BERLUSCONI's
coalition includes Forza Italian, National Alliance, Christian
Democratic Center, Christian Northern League

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of
the Senate