The interesting facts about Italy

Here is a collection of interesting facts about Italy. Here you will find the most interesting facts and figures.

Interesting facts about Italy

1. Italy is often called the «Bel Paese», which translated means “beautiful country”.
2. The official language is Italian. It is based on the Tuscan dialect, but in each region, as well as thousands of years ago, still speak their own dialect.
3. Each year, Italy, visited by more than 40 million. tourists! For this indicator, the country is in 4th place in the world.
4. On the whole territory of Italy are more than 3,000 museums.
5. An interesting fact: Over 20% of Italy’s population – over 65 years.
6. The average duration of Italian life is 79.5 years.

the river Po

7. The musical instrument “Piano” was invented in Italy in 1709 by the famous master of Bartolomeo Cristofori.
8. Italy has two dwarf state located in San Marino and the Vatican.
9. The world famous fairy tale “Pinocchio” came up with the Italian writer Carlo Collodi.
10. Interesting fact: the river Po – the longest river in Italy. Its length is 652 km left, and the pool area is 71 000 km2.
11. The average age of the Italians is 41 years.
12. Did you know that the famous explorers such as Marco Polo, John Cabot and Amerigo Vespucci were Italians!
13. The Italians – one of the biggest wine lovers of the world! Every year, the average citizen of the Italian drinks more than 26 liters of wine.
14. Interesting fact: the Italian explorer Marco Polo discovered the ice cream to Europe! Historians believe that after returning from China, Marco brought several kinds of recipes very tasty “frozen water”. Both the traveler said, are “icicles” in the Far East were eating before our era! There is an opinion that it was Marco Polo suggested adding milk ice cream!
15. The end of each word in the Italian language only in a vowel.
16. Italy can boast the largest number of hotels among European countries.
17. Every day in the largest fountain in Rome “Trevi” tourists throw for 3,000 euros! – interesting fact.
18. Lily is considered the national flower of Italy.
19. According to the UNESCO organization, Italy has almost 60% of world art heritage.

piazza dei miracoli

20. Bubonic plague XIV century, destroyed more than 30% of the Italian population.
21. In addition to pizza, pasta is one of the most popular foods. It is interesting to know that one Italian in the year eats more than 25 kg of pasta.
22. To create the wine in Italy learned yet for 1000 years BC.
23. Interesting fact: the first and most famous film festival in the world is the Venice Film Festival. His regular begun in 1932.
24. In Europe, there are only three active volcanoes: Etna, Stromboli and Vesuvius. All are located in the south of Italy. It is interesting to know that the Etna – the most active volcano in the world. He almost continuously erupted last 3500 years, and since 1999 he daily spewing lava.
25. An interesting fact: the largest Christian church in the world is the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. Its construction lasted 120 years with 1506 on 1626!
26. To this day it is not known who and where invented pizza. However, it became known fact that already in 1830 in Naples, opened the first pizzeria in Italy.
27. There are thousands of traditional Italian desserts, but only received worldwide fame “tiramisu”. An interesting fact that it was invented only in 1970. There is much debate about the authorship of this dessert, but we can confidently say that tiramisu gained popularity around the world in a very short period of time.
28. The first European bank emerged in Genoa in the XII century.
29. Did you know that such famous artists as Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Donatello, Fra Angelico, Tintoretto, Caravaggio, Bernini, Titian and Raphael were the Italians!
30. Interesting fact: the Italians invented cello, violin and piano.
31. Vivaldi, Corelli, Monteverdi, Albinoni – brilliant composers of the Baroque period.
32. The mechanical clock, barometer, thermometer, optical glass and phone – all Italian invention.

tiramisu

33. The Romans love cats so much that they called the bio-cultural heritage of the city! After the entry into force of the new law for killing a cat will need to pay a fine of EUR 10 000 and sit in jail for up to 3 years! It is interesting to know that in all Rome there are more than 300 thousand cats – an interesting fact.
34. “The shadow economy” Italy is considered the largest in the world.
35. The Italians produce the most expensive and prestigious cars in the world. The most famous are the brand Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Bugatti and De Tomaso.
36. Until 1861, Italy was fragmented into small states.
37. Italy’s population is 60 million. Man. The population density – 200 people / km2
38. The country covers an area of 309,547 km2.
39. An interesting fact is that about 75% of the territory of Italy covers highlands.
40. The Italians are 3 times more economical than the Americans!
41. Italy imports 75% ate. energy.
42. Rome was founded in 753 BC.
43. Italy is spending on arms over $ 20 billion.