By: Lydia Blume

Italy

Timeline

• 1915- Italy enters WWI on side of Allies.• 1919- Italy gains Trentino, South Tyrol, and Trieste

under peace treaties.• 1922- Fascist leader Mussolini forms government

after three years of political and economic unrest.• 1929- Lateran Treaty creates state of Vatican City.• 1935-Italy invades Ethiopia.• 1936- Mussolini forms friendship with Nazi Germany.• 1940- Italy enters WWII on German side.

Timeline continued

• 1943- Sicily invaded by Allies. King Victor Emmanuel III imprisons Mussolini. Italy declares war on Germany.

• 1948- Italy creates a new constitution.• 1955- Italy joins United Nations.• 1983- Bettino Craxi becomes Italy’s first Socialist prime

minister since war-flees the country in 1993 and dies in 2000.

• 2002- Euro becomes main currency.• 2005- April, Parliament ratifies EU constitution. • 2006- Current president, Giorgio Napolitano, was sworn

into presidency.

Location

Historical Figures

• Benito Mussolini- Italian Fascist dictator. • Enrico Fermi- Physicist who is known for his

work on the first nuclear reactor. Noble Prize in Physics winner

• Gianni Caproni- engineer who founded Caproni aircraft manufacturing company.

• All the Popes• Enrico Cecchetti- founder of Cecchetti ballet

method

Historical Locations

• Vatican City- world’s smallest independent country. This is where the Pope lives.

• The Coliseum- 165 ft tall, 600 ft long. Gladiators battle it out in blood soaked fights, many spectators.

• Leaning Tower of Pisa-leaning bell tower beside the Duomo di Pisa cathedral.

• Venice-City on water. Stretches over 117 islands.

Culture

• Renaissance – means “rebirth”, span of time from the 13th-17th centuries when transitioning from Medieval to Early Modern Europe.

• Main Religion: Catholic• Italian cuisine: includes large use of tomatoes,

potatoes,pasta, maize, and bell peppers.• Politics: in 1946, the people decided to change from

a monarchy with a king to a republic headed by a president. President serves 7 year terms. No vice president

• Main Language: Italian

GDP and Currency

• 2011 GDP estimate:– Total: $1.828 trillion– Per Capita: $30,165

• Currency:– 1861-2002: Lira– 2002-present: Euro– 1 Euro = 1.3453 U.S. dollars

Popular Natural Resources

• Coal• Mercury• Zinc• Marble• Feldspar• Natural gas reserves• Crude oil reserves• Fish

Marble

Zinc

Mercury

Labor

• Employment and Labor Force participation rate have increased since late 1990s/early 2000s

• Unemployment Rate:– 12% mid-1990s– 6% in 2007

• Employment rates lower than most European countries.

Economy

• World’s 8th largest economy• Reason for Economic Crisis:– $2.6 trillion debt– Poor productivity –Italian workers have been clocking

more hours but producing less– Mafia tries to over throw government– The south: The north and central region’s GDP rate is

about 40% higher than that of the south. South has higher rates of crime, black market, and unemployment ,South hold’s 1/3 of population and is holding back Italy from excelling out of economic crisis.

Vacation Destinations

These are the most popular cities to

visit in Italy.

A few are:Venice-city of waterRome- capitalFlorence-Renaissance cityNaples-lies between two volcanoes

Political Map

• Popular tourist destinations:– Rome– Venice– Vatican City– Florence

Physical Map