Italy Facts – An Astonishing Collection of 43 Facts
Italy, officially known as the Italian Republic, is situated on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Being the most densely populated country in Europe, Italy is still one of the most visited countries of the world. Below is an amazing collection of Italy facts that everyone should know:
1. Italians refer to their country as Italia.
2. The largest wine producer in the world is Italy.
3. The University of Bologna founded in 1088 is considered Europe’s oldest university and it remains still operational until this day.
4. Italy’s is the eighth largest economy in the world.
5. There is a Lamborghini Gallardo in service for Italian Traffic Police.
6. Because of Pasta, the fork was created.
7. Men within ages 30 to 35 and still single still live with their parents.
8. Geographically, Italy is mountainous and covers over 75% of the country.
9. Over 51% of Italian’s can’t afford a vacation.
10. The city of Venice alone has 417 bridges.
11. The nuclear reactor inventor Enrico Fermi, was an Italian.
12. Every year around 500,000 Italians visit an exorcist.
13. The most common Italian surname is Russ.
14. Italy imports over 75% of its energy.
15. The Italy Florence museum has Galileo’s middle finger on the display.
16. In Milan, it’s a legal requirement to smile at all times, except during funerals or hospital visits.
17. His enemies were forced to swallow an enormous amount of Castor oil, do you know who he was – Italy’s Prime Minister Benito Mussolini.
18. Italy’s GDP has a 7% contribution by the Italian mafia.
19. Italy biggest industry is the automobile industry. Fiat is one of the famous brands from Italy. Fiat owns other brands like Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Maserati, Lamborghini and all time famous Ferrari.
20. With a population of 61 million, Italy ranks 5th position in Europe for being most populous country.
21. Italy has an 180 foot long stuffed pink bunny.
22. Each day about 3,000 Euros is thrown into the Trevi fountain.
23. Around one-third of Italians have never used the Internet.
24. Switzerland to Italy runs the longest Tunnel of 57 Kms.
25. 17 is the unlucky number in Italy, not the 13.
26. In Italy the average working hours by an employee is 20 hours per week.
27. Italy holds the Guiness record for having the most elevators.
28. A report says babies in Italy cry more than elsewhere.
29. More than 20% of Italy’s population is over 65 years old.
30. In 1889, to honor Italy’s Queen Margherita of Savoy, Naples invented the “Pizza Margherita”.
31. Lira was the name of Italy’s currency before the Euro came into existence.
32. Pinocchio the famous children’s storybook was written by an Italian.
33. Italians earn on average USD 26,700 per year.
34. Italy’s unemployment rate is around 12.4%.
35. Italy has contributed a lot to science with inventions like the barometer, nitroglycerin, eyeglasses, the electric battery, and wireless telegraphy.
36. Other inventions that come from Italy are also the piano, the ice cream cone, the espresso machine, the telephone, and the typewriter.
37. Italy bags the highest hotel rooms than any other nation in Europe.
38. In Italy, there is a fountain that flows 24-hours a day with red wine.
39. Italy has seen almost 60 governments, since the end of World War II.
40. The average Italian consumes 25 kilograms of pasta and 26 gallons of wine a year.
41. With about 2.8 million people, Rome has the largest population followed by Milan with 1.3 million people.
42. The seven famous Hills of Rome are Aventine, Palatine, Caelian, Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline, and Capitoline.
