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Compare Switzerland (2001) - Italy (2003)

Compare Switzerland (2001) z Italy (2003)

 Switzerland (2001)Italy (2003)
 SwitzerlandItaly
Administrative divisions 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich 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:
16.97% (male 634,030; female 601,929)

15-64 years:
67.73% (male 2,505,450; female 2,427,408)

65 years and over:
15.3% (male 453,366; female 661,091) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 14% (male 4,193,412; female 3,947,679)


15-64 years: 67.2% (male 19,625,428; female 19,337,861)


65 years and over: 18.8% (male 4,516,995; female 6,376,978) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish
Airports 67 (2000 est.) 134 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total:
42

over 3,047 m:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
4

1,524 to 2,437 m:
13

914 to 1,523 m:
7

under 914 m:
15 (2000 est.)
total: 96


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 34


1,524 to 2,437 m: 15


914 to 1,523 m: 30


under 914 m: 12 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
25

under 914 m:
25 (2000 est.)
total: 38


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 18


under 914 m: 18 (2002)
Area total:
41,290 sq km

land:
39,770 sq km

water:
1,520 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 less than twice the size of New Jersey slightly larger than Arizona
Background Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, may be rendering obsolete the country's concern for neutrality. Italy became a nation-state 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, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.
Birth rate 10.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 9.18 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues:
$32.66 billion

expenditures:
$34.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.3 billion (1998 est.)
revenues: $504 billion


expenditures: $517 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital Bern Rome
Climate temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 7,600 km
Constitution 29 May 1874 1 January 1948
Country name conventional long form:
Swiss Confederation

conventional short form:
Switzerland

local long form:
Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)

local short form:
Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Italian)
conventional long form: Italian Republic


conventional short form: Italy


local long form: Repubblica Italiana


local short form: Italia


former: Kingdom of Italy
Currency Swiss franc (CHF) euro (EUR)


note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Death rate 8.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 10.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $NA NA
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador J. Richard FREDERICKS

embassy:
Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3001 Bern

mailing address:
use embassy street address

telephone:
[41] (31) 357 70 11

FAX:
[41] (31) 357 73 44
chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin F. SEMBLER


embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome


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


telephone: [39] (06) 46741


FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356


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

chancery:
2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 745-7900

FAX:
[1] (202) 387-2564

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

consulate(s):
Boston
chief of mission: Ambassador Sergio VENTO


chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400


FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151


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


consulate(s): Detroit
Disputes - international none Croatia and Italy continue to debate bilateral property and ethnic minority rights issues stemming from border changes after the Second World War
Economic aid - donor ODA, $1.1 billion (1995) ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)
Economy - overview Switzerland, a prosperous and stable modern market economy with a per capita GDP 20% above that of the big western European economies, experienced solid growth of 3% in 2000, but growth is expected to fall back to about 2% in 2001. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Although the Swiss are not pursuing full EU membership in the near term, in 1999 Bern and Brussels signed agreements to further liberalize trade ties, and the agreements should come into force in 2001. Switzerland is still considered a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. 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, welfare-dependent agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. The current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Italy has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions.
Electricity - consumption 51.862 billion kWh (1999) 289.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 31.955 billion kWh (1999) 556 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 21.723 billion kWh (1999) 48.93 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 66.768 billion kWh (1999) 258.8 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
3.44%

hydro:
59.16%

nuclear:
35.43%

other:
1.97% (1999)
fossil fuel: 78.6%


hydro: 18.4%


nuclear: 0%


other: 3% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Lake Maggiore 195 m

highest point:
Dufourspitze 4,634 m
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc)
Environment - current issues air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity 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:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
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 German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)
Exchange rates Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6303 (January 2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996) euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state:
President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2001); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (since 1 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2001); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (since 1 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly from among its own members for a four-year term

elections:
president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held 6 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2001)

election results:
Moritz LEUENBERGER elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 76%; Kaspar VILLIGER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 72%
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 five-party government coalition includes Forza Italia, National Alliance, Northern League, Democratic Christian Center, United Christian Democrats
Exports $91.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000) 456,600 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals
Exports - partners EU 65.8% (Germany 22.6%, France 9.2%, Italy 8.0%, UK 5.5%, Austria 3.2%), US 12.4%, Japan 4.0% (1999) Germany 13.7%, France 12.2%, US 9.8%, UK 6.9%, Spain 6.4% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag 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 - $207 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $1.455 trillion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
2.8%

industry:
31.1%

services:
66.1% (1995)
agriculture: 2.4%


industry: 30%


services: 67.6% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $28,600 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $25,100 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2000 est.) 0.4% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 47 00 N, 8 00 E 42 50 N, 12 50 E
Geography - note landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
Heliports - 4 (2002)
Highways total:
71,059 km (including 1,638 km of expressways)

paved:
71,059 km

unpaved:
0 km (1999)
total: 479,688 km


paved: 479,688 km (including 6,621 km of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
2.8%

highest 10%:
25.2% (1992)
lowest 10%: 2.1%


highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)
Illicit drugs because of more stringent government regulations, used significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money laundering by organized crime and from smuggling
Imports $91.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) 2.158 million bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages and tobacco
Imports - partners EU 77.7% (Germany 31.0%, France 12.0%, Italy 9.7%, Netherlands 5.1%, UK 5.7%), US 7.1%, Japan 2.9% (1999) Germany 17.8%, France 11.3%, Netherlands 5.9%, UK 5%, US 4.9%, Spain 4.6%, Belgium 4.4% (2002)
Independence 1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation) 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
Industrial production growth rate 8.6% (2000 est.) -2.8% (2002)
Industries machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Infant mortality rate 4.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 6.82 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.5% (2000 est.) 2.4% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, 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, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000) 93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)
Irrigated land 250 sq km (1993 est.) 26,980 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly) 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 3.9 million (964,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian) (1998 est.) 23.6 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture 4.6% (1998 est.) services 63%, industry 32%, agriculture 5% (2001)
Land boundaries total:
1,852 km

border countries:
Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 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:
10%

permanent crops:
2%

permanent pastures:
28%

forests and woodland:
32%

other:
28% (1993 est.)
arable land: 28.07%


permanent crops: 9.25%


other: 62.68% (1998 est.)
Languages German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9% 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 civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations 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 bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on a basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections:
Council of States - last held in 1999 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2003)

election results:
Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 18, CVP 15, SVP 7, SPS 6; National Council - percent of vote by party - SPS 22.5%, SVP 22.6%, FDP 19.9%, CVP 15.8%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SPS 51, SVP 44, FDP 43, CVP 35, Greens 9, other small parties 18
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; 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:
79.73 years

male:
76.85 years

female:
82.76 years (2001 est.)
total population: 79.4 years


male: 76.47 years


female: 82.52 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
99% (1980 est.)

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.6%


male: 99%


female: 98.3% (2003 est.)
Location Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Map references Europe Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total:
24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 435,966 GRT/780,458 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 12, cargo 6, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker 1

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: UK 1 (2000 est.)
total: 462 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 8,518,900 GRT/9,963,040 DWT


ships by type: bulk 43, cargo 39, chemical tanker 98, combination ore/oil 5, container 28, liquefied gas 39, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 14, petroleum tanker 67, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 60, short-sea passenger 32, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 22


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 1, Denmark 4, France 1, Greece 3, Man, Isle of 1, Monaco 7, Netherlands 6, Norway 1, Panama 2, Spain 1, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 15, Turkey 1, UK 6, US 12 (2002 est.)
Military branches Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri
Military expenditures - dollar figure $3.1 billion (FY98) $20.2 billion (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.2% (FY98) 1.64% (2002)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
1,849,034 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 14,450,147 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
1,570,918 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 12,349,356 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age 20 years of age 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
42,597 (2001 est.)
males: 291,529 (2003 est.)
National holiday Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291) Republic Day, 2 June (1946)
Nationality noun:
Swiss (singular and plural)

adjective:
Swiss
noun: Italian(s)


adjective: Italian
Natural hazards avalanches, landslides, flash floods regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice
Natural resources hydropower potential, timber, salt mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal, arable land
Net migration rate 1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km gas 17,448 km; oil 1,245 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Adalbert DURRER, president]; Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruedi BAUMANN, president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Franz STEINEGGER, president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christiane BRUNNER, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties 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; Center-Right Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of Liberties and Freedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance, The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United Christian Democrats), Northern League; Christian Democratic Center or CCD [Marco FOLLINI]; Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero FASSINO]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation [Alfonso Pecoraro SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Armando COSSUTTA]; Italian Popular Party or PPI [Pierluigi CASTAGNETTI]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI]; Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Socialist Movement-Tricolor Flame or MS-Fiamma [Pino RAUTI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Southern Tyrols People's Party or SVP (German speakers) [Siegfried BRUGGER]; Sunflower Alliance (includes Green Federation, Italian Social Democrats); The Daisy Alliance (includes Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats); The Democrats [Arturo PARISI]; The Radicals (formerly Pannella Reformers and Autonomous List) [Marco PANNELLA]; The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United Christian Democrats); Union of Democrats for Europe or UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; United Christian Democrats or CDU [Rocco BUTTIGLIONE]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA 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 [Savino PEZZOTTA], which is Roman Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Pietro LARIZZA] which is lay centrist)
Population 7,283,274 (July 2001 est.) 57,998,353 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.27% (2001 est.) 0.11% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Basel 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 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998) AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)
Radios 7.1 million (1997) -
Railways total:
4,492 km (1,564 km double track)

standard gauge:
3,317 km 1.435-m gauge (3,288 km electrified)

narrow gauge:
1,165 km 1.000-m gauge (1,165 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (1998)
total: 19,493 km


standard gauge: 18,090 km 1.435-m gauge (11,375 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 88 km 1.000-m gauge (88 km electrified); 1,315 km 0.950-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2002)
Religions Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990) predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community
Sex ratio at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 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:
excellent domestic and international services

domestic:
extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks

international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
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 4.82 million (1998) 25 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.967 million (1999) 20.5 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995) 358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Total fertility rate 1.47 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 1.9% (2000 est.) 9.1% (2002 est.)
Waterways 65 km

note:
The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes
2,400 km


note: serves various types of commercial traffic, although of limited overall value (2002)
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