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Compare Laos (2007) - Italy (2001)

Compare Laos (2007) z Italy (2001)

 Laos (2007)Italy (2001)
 LaosItaly
Administrative divisions 15 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang 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
Age structure 0-14 years: 41.2% (male 1,349,352/female 1,338,252)


15-64 years: 55.7% (male 1,795,029/female 1,835,168)


65 years and over: 3.1% (male 90,188/female 114,009) (2007 est.)
0-14 years:
14.17% (male 4,209,102; female 3,964,765)

15-64 years:
67.48% (male 19,375,742; female 19,546,332)

65 years and over:
18.35% (male 4,368,264; female 6,215,620) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish
Airports 42 (2007) 135 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 9


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)
total:
97

over 3,047 m:
5

2,438 to 3,047 m:
32

1,524 to 2,437 m:
17

914 to 1,523 m:
31

under 914 m:
12 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 33


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 23 (2007)
total:
38

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
18

under 914 m:
18 (2000 est.)
Area total: 236,800 sq km


land: 230,800 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
total:
301,230 sq km

land:
294,020 sq km

water:
7,210 sq km

note:
includes Sardinia and Sicily
Area - comparative slightly larger than Utah slightly larger than Arizona
Background Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For three hundred years Lan Xang included large parts of present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the control of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1986. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997. Italy became a nation-state belatedly - in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the European Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, the ravages of organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the more prosperous north.
Birth rate 34.98 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 9.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $392.3 million


expenditures: $541.3 million (2006 est.)
revenues:
$488 billion

expenditures:
$501 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital name: Vientiane


geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E


time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Rome
Climate tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 7,600 km
Constitution promulgated 14 August 1991 1 January 1948
Country name conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic


conventional short form: Laos


local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao


local short form: none
conventional long form:
Italian Republic

conventional short form:
Italy

local long form:
Repubblica Italiana

local short form:
Italia

former:
Kingdom of Italy
Currency - Italian lira (ITL); euro (EUR)

note:
on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Italy at a fixed rate of 1,936.27 Italian lire per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002
Death rate 11.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $3.179 billion (2006) $NA
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Ravic R. HUSO


embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam Road, Vientiane


mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, APO AP 96546


telephone: [856] 21-26-7000


FAX: [856] 21-26-7190
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant)

embassy:
Via Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome

mailing address:
PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624

telephone:
[39] (06) 46741

FAX:
[39] (06) 488-2672

consulate(s) general:
Florence, Milan, Naples
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador PHIANE Philakone


chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416


FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ferdinando SALLEO

chancery:
3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 612-4400

FAX:
[1] (202) 518-2154

consulate(s) general:
Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

consulate(s):
Detroit
Disputes - international Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels Croatia and Italy made progress toward resolving a bilateral issue dating from World War II over property and ethnic minority rights
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $1.3 billion (1997)
Economic aid - recipient $379 million (2006 est.) -
Economy - overview The government of Laos, one of the few remaining official Communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 6% per year in 1988-2006 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with a primitive infrastructure. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications, though the government is sponsoring major improvements in the road system with possible support from Japan. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice, accounts for about half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from aid by the IMF and other international sources and from new foreign investment in hydropower and mining. Construction will be another strong economic driver, especially as hydroelectric dam and road projects gain steam. Several policy changes since 2004 may help spur growth. In late 2004, Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing Laos-based producers to benefit from lower tariffs on exports. Laos is taking steps to join the World Trade Organization in the next few years; the resulting trade policy reforms will improve the business environment. On the fiscal side, a value-added tax (VAT) regime, slated to begin in 2008, will streamline the government's inefficient tax system. Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed agricultural south, with more than 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported. Since 1992, Italy has adopted budgets compliant with the requirements of the European Monetary Union (EMU); wage moderation agreements by representatives of government, labor, and employers have helped to bring Italy's inflation into conformity with EMU requirements. Italy's economic performance, however, has lagged behind that of its EU partners and it must work to stimulate employment, promote labor flexibility, reform its expensive pension system, and tackle the informal economy.
Electricity - consumption 1.193 billion kWh (2005) 272.35 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 728 million kWh (2005) 530 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 326 million kWh (2005) 42.539 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 1.715 billion kWh (2005) 247.679 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
79.09%

hydro:
18.08%

nuclear:
0%

other:
2.83% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Mekong River 70 m


highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m

highest point:
Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) 4,807 m
Environment - current issues unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1% Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)
Exchange rates kips per US dollar - 10,235 (2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004), 10,569 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002) euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Italian lire per US dollar - 1,688.7 (January 1999), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8 June 2006); Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006)


head of government: Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27 March 2001)


cabinet: Ministers appointed by president, approved by National Assembly


elections: president and vice president elected by National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 8 June 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister nominated by president and elected by National Assembly for five-year term


election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 97%
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
Exports NA bbl/day $241.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals
Exports - partners Thailand 41%, Vietnam 9.7%, China 4.1%, Malaysia 4% (2006) EU 56.8% (Germany 16.4%, France 12.9%, Netherlands 7.1%, Spain 6.3%, Netherlands 2.9%), US 9.5% (1999)
Fiscal year 1 October - 30 September calendar year
Flag description three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green

note:
inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797
GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.273 trillion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42.7%


industry: 31%


services: 26.2% (2006 est.)
agriculture:
2.5%

industry:
30.4%

services:
67.1% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $22,100 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 8.3% (2006 est.) 2.7% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 00 N, 105 00 E 42 50 N, 12 50 E
Geography - note landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
Heliports - 4 (2000 est.)
Highways - total:
654,676 km

paved:
654,676 km (including 6460 km of expressways)

unpaved:
0 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.4%


highest 10%: 28.5% (2002)
lowest 10%:
3.5%

highest 10%:
21.8% (1995)
Illicit drugs estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2005 was 5,600 hectares, about a 45% decrease from 2004; estimated potential opium production in 2005 was 28 metric tons, a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003; unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine problem important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market
Imports NA bbl/day $231.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages and tobacco
Imports - partners Thailand 68.8%, China 11.3%, Vietnam 5.5% (2006) EU 61% (Germany 19.3%, France 12.6%, Netherlands 6.3%, Spain 4.4%), US 5.0% (1999)
Independence 19 July 1949 (from France) 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
Industrial production growth rate 15.7% (2006 est.) 1.9% (2000)
Industries copper, tin, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Infant mortality rate total: 81.44 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 90.91 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 71.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.8% (2006 est.) 2.5% (2000)
International organization participation ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)
Irrigated land 1,750 sq km (2003) 27,100 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National Assembly Standing Committee) Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15 judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative Supreme Courts)
Labor force 2.1 million (2006 est.) 23.4 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 80%


industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)
services 61.9%, industry 32.6%, agriculture 5.5% (1999)
Land boundaries total: 5,083 km


border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km
total:
1,932.2 km

border countries:
Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km
Land use arable land: 4.01%


permanent crops: 0.34%


other: 95.65% (2005)
arable land:
31%

permanent crops:
10%

permanent pastures:
15%

forests and woodland:
23%

other:
21% (1993 est.)
Languages Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic 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)
Legal system based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 30 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP 113, independents 2
bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which 232 are directly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportional representation plus, in addition, there are a small number of senators-for-life including former presidents of the republic; members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional proportional representation; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)

election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties 177 (Forza Italia 82, National Alliance 46, CCD-CDU 29, Northern League 17, others 3), Olive Tree 128 (Democrats of the Left 62, Daisy Alliance 42, Sunflower Alliance 16, Italian Communist Party 3, independents 5), non-affiliated with either coalition 10, senators for life 9; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties 367 (Forza Italia 189, National Alliance 96, CCD-CDU 40, Northern League 30, others 12), Olive Tree 248 (Democrats of the Left 138, Daisy Alliance 76, Sunflower Alliance 18, Italian Communist Party 9, independents 7), non-affiliated with either coalition 15
Life expectancy at birth total population: 55.89 years


male: 53.82 years


female: 58.04 years (2007 est.)
total population:
79.14 years

male:
75.97 years

female:
82.52 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 68.7%


male: 77%


female: 60.9% (2001 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
98% (1998)

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Map references Southeast Asia Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT


by type: cargo 1 (2007)
total:
445 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,005,136 GRT/10,556,244 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 44, cargo 41, chemical tanker 77, combination ore/oil 4, container 24, liquefied gas 38, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 11, petroleum tanker 85, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 64, short-sea passenger 26, specialized tanker 14, vehicle carrier 15 (2000 est.)
Military - note Laos is one of the world's least developed countries; the Lao People's Armed Forces are small, poorly funded, and ineffectively resourced; there is little political will to allocate sparse funding to the military, and the armed forces' gradual degradation is likely to continue; the massive drug production and trafficking industry centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an important narcotics transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers are active on the Lao-Burma border (2005) -
Military branches Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $20.7 billion (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.5% (2006) 1.7% (FY00/01)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
14,248,674 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
12,244,166 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
304,369 (2001 est.)
National holiday Republic Day, 2 December (1975) Republic Day, 2 June (1946)
Nationality noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)


adjective: Lao or Laotian
noun:
Italian(s)

adjective:
Italian
Natural hazards floods, droughts regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice
Natural resources timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal, arable land
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines refined products 540 km (2006) crude oil 1,703 km; petroleum products 2,148 km; natural gas 19,400 km
Political parties and leaders Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] - Democrats of the Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats), Sunflower Alliance (including Green Federation, Italian Democratic Socialists), Italian Communist Party; Christian Democratic Center or CDC [Pier Ferdinando CASINI]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Rocco BUTTIGLIONE]; Communist Renewal or RC [Fausto BERTINOTTI]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation [Grazia FRANCESCATO]; House of Liberties (formerly Freedom Alliance, a center-right coalition) [leader Silvio BERLUSCONI] - Forza Italian, National Alliance, Christian Democratic Center, Christian Democratic Union, Northern League; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO]; Italian Democratic Socialists [Enrico BOSELLI]; Italian Popular Party [Pierluigi CASTAGNETTI]; Italian Renewal [Lamberto DINI]; Italian Social Movement-Tricolored Flame or MSI-FI [Pino RAUTI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Radical Party (formerly Panella Reformers and Autonomous List) [Marco PANNELLA]; Southern Tyrols People's Party or SVP (German speakers) [Siegfried BRUGGER]; Union of Democrats for Europe [Clemente MASTELLA]; The Democrats [Arturo PARISI]
Political pressure groups and leaders noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria, Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL [Sergio COFFERATI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Sergio D'ANTONI] which is Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Pietro LARIZZA] which is lay centrist)
Population 6,521,998 (July 2007 est.) 57,679,825 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 30.7% (2005 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.37% (2007 est.) 0.07% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Gela, Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Milazzo, Naples, Porto Foxi, Porto Torres (Sardinia), Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trieste, Venice (2001)
Radio broadcast stations AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2006) AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)
Radios - 50.5 million (1997)
Railways - total:
19,394 km

standard gauge:
18,071 km 1.435-m gauge; Italian Railways (FS) operates 16,014 km of the total standard gauge routes (11,322 km electrified)

narrow gauge:
112 km 1.000-m gauge (112 km electrified); 1,211 km 0.950-m gauge (153 km electrified) (1998)
Religions Buddhist 65%, animist 32.9%, Christian 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.8% (1995 census) predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community
Sex ratio at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.008 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.978 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.791 male(s)/female


total population: 0.984 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.7 male(s)/female

total population:
0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)
Telephone system general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas


domestic: multiple service providers; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership about 10 per 100 persons


international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)
general assessment:
modern, well developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services

domestic:
high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks

international:
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables
Telephones - main lines in use 90,067 (2006) 25 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 638,200 (2006) 20.5 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 7 (includes 1 station relaying Vietnam Television from Hanoi) (2006) 358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Total fertility rate 4.59 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.18 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 2.4% (2005 est.) 10.4% (2000 est.)
Waterways 4,600 km


note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2007)
2,400 km

note:
for various types of commercial traffic, although of limited overall value
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