80 fascinating Facts About Italy

FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT ITALY

Fascinating Facts About Italy

Italy is a European country with a long Mediterranean coastline, has left a powerful mark on Western culture and cuisine. Ancient ruins and landmark art can be found all around the country.

  1. Italy is broken down into twenty regions.

  2. The first names in Italy usually end with ‘a’ for women and ‘o’ for men.

  3. Italy is one of the founding members of NATO and the European Union.

  4. Galileo’s middle finger is on display at a museum in Florence, Italy.

  5. Italy has hosted the Olympic Games three times, in 1956, 1960, and 2006.

  6. The winter Olympics has been held in Italy two times. in 1956 and in 2006.

  7. Italy is made up of over 70 islands.

  8. Italy is an earthquake-prone region. More earthquakes happen in Italy than any other European country.

  9. The espresso machine was invented in Italy.

  10. Italians consume over 45 bottles of wine per year, per capita.

  11. Many famous scientists and mathematicians were born and raised in Italy. Leonardo Da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Alessandro Volta, and Fibonacci.

  12. The Italians invented many other things including the thermometer, piano, violin, the telephone, and mechanical clock.

  13. The highest point in Italy is Mont Blanc, situated in the Alps, 15,770 feet.

  14. A 1700-Year Old Olive Tree, in Umbria, is the oldest olive tree in Italy.

  15. Italy’s main exports include machinery, metals, vehicles, pharmaceuticals, wine and other food products.

  16. Italy is home to the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a total of 51.

  17. Italy Became a United country in 1861, 156 years ago.

  18. Italy is home to three active volcanoes Mount Vesuvius, Mount Etna and Stromboli, Mount Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii in 79 AD.

  19. The First European country to have the fork.

  20. The average Italian consumes 25kg of pasta per year.

  21. Italy is home to some of the world’s most famous fashion brands: Armani, Gucci, Prada and Versace.

  22. In 1986 in Rome, When McDonald’s opened food purists outside of restaurants gave away free spaghetti, to remind the people of their heritage.

  23. More than three-quarters of Italy’s terrain is either hilly or Mountainous.

  24. Over €3,000 in Small Change gets thrown into the Trevi Fountain.

  25. The University of Bologna in Italy is the oldest University in the world, established in 1088.

  26. Italy is the world’s largest producer of wine.

  27. 51% of Italians can’t afford a vacation.

  28. Italian Traffic Police have two Lamborghini Gallardo in service.

  29. Italy is officially known as the Italian Republic.

  30. Italy has won the World Cup four times.

  31. In Venice, Italy, all gondolas are required to be painted in black by law.

  32. The river Po is Italy’s most famous and longest river.

  33. Much of Italy used to be part of Ancient Greece.

  34. Italy has more masterpieces per square mile than any other country in the world.

  35. Over 99% of all Italians can read and write, making them one of the highest educated countries in the world.

  36. Italy is host to one of the three most famous bike rides in Europe, “Giro d’Italia”.

  37. Italy has two independent states entirely contained within its boundaries: San Marino and Vatican City.

  38. Most common Italian surname is “Russo”.

  39. Romans adore cats Anyone convicted of killing a cat, could fail time in jail.

  40. Italy is the fifth most populated country in Europe.

  41. Italy is the fifth most visited country in the world.

  42. One-third of Italians have never used the Internet.

  43. Nobel Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi from Bologna invented the radio.

  44. Italy’s former currency was the lira before it adopted the euro.

  45. In Italy, there is a fountain that flows 24-hours a day with red wine.

  46. One of the first women in the world to receive an academic degree and the first to receive a PhD degree did it in 1678 in Padua, Italy.

  47. The flag of Italy is often referred to in Italy as il Tricolore because of its three colours. Green represents hope, white represents faith, and red represents the charity.

  48. The tricolour flag design of the Italian flag was inspired by France when Napoleon’s army took over Northern Italy.

  49. The Capital city of Italy is Rome, Rome is almost 3,000 years old.

  50. Italian is the closest to Latin.

  51. It is illegal to die in the town of Falciano del Massico in Campania in South Italy.

  52. The Longest Tunnel in the World is 57 km long and goes from Switzerland to Italy underneath the Alps.

  53. 37% of the Argentine population is of Italian descent.

  54. Poveglia is an island in Italy that is so haunted, that public access is not permitted.

  55. A man can be arrested in Italy for wearing a skirt in public.

  56. Italy has the eighth largest economy in the World.

  57. A protest in Rome, Italy, against the war in Iraq involved around 3 million people and was listed in the 2004 Guinness Book of World Records as the largest anti-war rally in history.

  58. Before the Columbian Exchange, there were no tomatoes in Italy.

  59. The Italian mafia accounts for 7% of Italy’s GDP.

  60. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Alfa Romeo are the most popular Italian sports car brands worldwide.

  61. The average employee in Italy works just 20 hours per week, one of the lowest amount in Europe.

  62. There is a 180-foot long stuffed pink bunny on top of a hill in Italy.

  63. Football fans in Italy are known as ‘Tifosi’, which means “carriers of Typhus”.

  64. Lake Reschenseee in Italy has a submerged village and the old visible building is a 14th-century medieval tower.

  65. Italian men usually live with their parents until marriage.

  66. There is a bronze 2.5 metres tall statue of Jesus Christ submerged in the Mediterranean Sea off San Fruttuoso.

  67. Italy’s national flower is the Lily.

  68. Sixty per cent of the world’s art treasures are in Italy.

  69. The name Italy comes from the word Italia, meaning “calf land”.

  70. Italy became a republic after a referendum, which was held on 2 June 1946. The day is celebrated as Republic Day ever since. Presently, Italy is a democratic republic.

  71. Italians believe that the number 17 is bad luck.

  72. 20% of Italian population is above 65 years of age.

  73. Italy has more hotel rooms than any other nation in Europe.

  74. Italy holds the Guinness Record for the country that has the most elevators.

  75. In the First World War, Italy joined the triple alliance and emerged victoriously but the gains were small in comparison to the cost of war.

  76. The Sardinian islands are known for their “witches” who concoct health potions for the locals.

  77. Pasta was introduced to Italy when the Arabs invaded Sicily in the 8th century.

  78. Italy’s highest court ruled in 2016 that stealing small amounts of food to stave off hunger is not a crime.

  79. Italian pizza originated in Naples during the 18th century.

  80. The famous children’s story, Pinocchio, was written by an Italian, Carlo Collodi.

FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT ITALY
FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT ITALY