Italia / Italy
Is a country located partly on the European Continent and partly on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent states of San Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within the Italian Peninsula, and Campione d'Italia is an Italian exclave in Switzerland. The territory of Italy covers 301,338 km² and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. With 60.2 million inhabitants, it is the sixth most populous country in Europe, and the twenty-third most populous in the world.
The land known as Italy today has been the cradle of European cultures and peoples, such as the Etruscans and the Romans. Italy's capital, Rome, was for centuries the political centre of Western civilisation, as the capital of the Roman Empire. After its decline, Italy would endure numerous invasions by foreign peoples, from Germanic tribes such as the Lombards and Ostrogoths, to the Normans and later, the Byzantines, among others. Centuries later, Italy would become the birthplace of the Renaissance, an immensely fruitful intellectual movement that would prove to be integral in shaping the subsequent course of European thought.
Through much of its post-Roman history, Italy was fragmented into numerous kingdoms and city-states (such as the Kingdom of Sardinia, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Duchy of Milan), but was unified in 1861, a tumultuous period in history known as the "Risorgimento". In the late 19th century, through World War I, and to World War II, Italy possessed a colonial empire, which extended its rule to Libya, Eritrea, Italian Somaliland, Ethiopia, Albania, Rhodes, the Dodecanese and a concession in Tianjin, China.
Modern Italy is a democratic republic and the world's eighteenth most developed country, with the eighth or tenth highest quality of life index rating in the world. Italy enjoys a very high standard of living, and has a high nominal GDP per capita. It is a founding member of what is now the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Italy is also a member of the G8 and G20. It has the world's seventh-largest nominal GDP, tenth highest GDP (PPP) and the fifth highest government budget in the world. It is also a member state of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Trade Organization, the Council of Europe, and the Western European Union. Italy, on addition to this, has the world's eight-largest defence budget and shares NATO's nuclear weapons.
Italy, especially Rome, has an important place in political, military and cultural affairs, with worldwide organizations such as Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Glocal Forum, and the NATO Defence College being headquartered in the country and the city. The country's European political, social and economic influence make it a major regional power, alongside the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Russia, and Italy has been classified in a study as being the eleventh greatest worldwide national power. The country has a high public education level, high labour force, is a globalised nation, and also has 2009's sixth best international reputation. Italy also has the world's nineteenth highest life expectancy, and the world's second best healthcare system. It is the world's fifth most visited country, with over 43.7 million international arrivals, and boasts a long tradition of excellence in all the arts and sciences, including the fact that Italy has the world's greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites to date.
History
Please go to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Italy
Geography
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Italy
Other info
Oficial name:
Repubblica Italiana
Formation:
Unification 17 March 1861
- Republic 2 June 1946
Area:
301.338 km2
Inhabitants:
58.450.000
Languages:
Albanian, Arbëreshë [aae] 80,000 (1963 L. Newmark). Ethnic population: 260,000 (1976 M. Stephens). Southern; Calabria, Apulia, Basilicata, Molise, Sicily. Alternate names: Arbëreshë. Dialects: Sicilian Albanian, Calabrian Albanian, Central Mountain Albanian, Campo Marino Albanian. Speakers say the four Italian dialects are not inherently intelligible with each other. Lexical similarity 45% with Tosk Albanian. Classification: Indo-European, Albanian, Tosk
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Bavarian [bar] 258,885 in Italy (2000 WCD). South Bavarian is in the Bavarian Alps, Tyrol, Styria, including Heanzian dialect of Burgenland, Carinthia, northern Italy, and part of Gottschee; Central Bavarian is in the Alps and Lower Austria and Salzburg; North Bavarian in the north of Regensburg, to Nuremburg and Western Bohemia, Czech Republic. Alternate names: Bayerisch, Bavarian Austrian. Dialects: Central Bavarian, North Bavarian, South Bavarian. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Upper German, Bavarian-Austrian
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Catalan-Valencian-Balear [cat] 20,000 in Alghero (1996). Alghero, northwest coast on Sardinia. Dialects: Algherese. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, East Iberian
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Cimbrian [cim] 2,230. Population includes 500 in Lusernese Cimbrian in Trentino Alto Oolige 40 km southeast from Trento, plus 1,500 Sette Comuni Cimbrian (40% of Roana (Rowan), 70% of Messaselva di Roana Rotzo) in Veneto around 60 km north of Vicenza (1978 H. Kloss), and 230 or 65% of Giazza (Ijetzan) Veneto, 43 km northeast of Verona (1992 R. Zamponi). There were 22,700 speakers in Sieben Gemeinde and 12,400 in Dreizehn Gemeinde in 1854. Northeast Italy, Sette and Tredici Comuni (Sieben and Dreizehn Gemeinde) south of Trent, towns of Giazza (Glietzen, Ljetzen), Roana (Rabam), Lusern, some in Venetia Province. Alternate names: Tzimbro, Zimbrisch. Dialects: Lusernese Cimbrian, Tredici Communi Cimbrian (Tauch), Sette Comuni Cimbrian. Structural and intelligibility differences indicate that the 3 dialects listed could be considered separate languages. Lusernese Cimbrian is heavily influenced by Italian. Heavily influenced by Bajuwarisch dialects. It is sometimes considered to be a dialect of South Bavarian. Different from Bavarian, Walser, and Mocheno. No written influence from Standard German. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Upper German, Bavarian-Austrian
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Corsican [cos] 1,000 in Italy (1990). Maddalena Island, northeast coast of Sardinia. Alternate names: Corso, Corsu, Corse, Corsi. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Southern, Corsican
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Croatian [hrv] 3,500 in Italy (N. Vincent in B. Comrie 1987). Molise, southern, villages of Montemitro, San Felice del Molise, Acquaviva-Collecroce. Dialects: Croatian. Classification: Indo-European, Slavic, South, Western
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Emiliano-Romagnolo [eml] 2,000,000 in Emilia-Romagna (2003). Population total all countries: 2,020,112. Northwest Italy, region of Piacenza to that of Ravenna, and between the Po and the Adriatic and the Apennines, in the territories of Emilia and Romagna, southern Pianura Padana (all provinces), southern Lombardia (Provinces Mantova and Pavia), northern Toscana (Lunigiana), northern Marche (Province Pesaro). Also spoken in San Marino. Alternate names: Emiliano, Emilian, Sammarinese. Dialects: Western Emiliano, Central Emiliano, Eastern Emiliano, Northern Romagnolo, Southern Romagnolo, Mantovano, Vogherese-Pavese, Lunigiano. A structurally separate language from Italian (F.B. Agard). Related to Lombard (R.A. Hall 1974:29, S. Fleischman 1992, OIEL 3:339). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Italian
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Franco-Provençal [frp] 70,000 in Italy (1971 census). Population includes 700 Faetar speakers (1995 Naomi Nagy). Northwest Italy, Aosta Valley. A small speech community also in Faeto and Celle S. Vito in the Province of Foggia in Apulia, and Guardia Piemontese in Calabria, Cosenza. Covers a huge area. Dialects: Valle D'aosta (Patoé Valdoten, Valdotain, Valdostano), Faeto (Faetar), Celle San Vito. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, Southeastern
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French [fra] 100,000 in Italy (1987 Harris). Aosta Valley. Alternate names: Français. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
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Friulian [fur] 794,000 (2000). Northeast and adjacent areas, northern Friuli-Venezia-Giulia on the borders of the Austrian Province of Corinthia and the Republic of Slovenia. Alternate names: Furlan, Frioulan, Frioulian, Priulian, Friulano. Dialects: East Central Friulian, Western Friulian, Carnico. Friulian, Ladin, and Romansch are separate languages (R. A. Hall, Jr. 1978, personal communication). F. B. Agard considers it to be structurally closer to Italian than to Romansch (personal communication 1981). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Rhaetian
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German, Standard [deu] 225,000 in Italy (1987 Vincent in B. Comrie). Northern, Trentino-Alto Adige, South Tyrol, Province of Bolzano. Alternate names: Tedesco. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German
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Greek [ell] 20,000 in Italy (1987 Vincent in B. Comrie). Southern, east of Reggio; Salento (Colimera, Sternatía, Zollino) and Aspromonte (Bova, Condofuri, Palizzi, Roccoforte, Roghudi). Alternate names: Greco. Dialects: Salento, Aspromonte. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic
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Italian [ita] 55,000,000 in Italy. Population includes some of whom are native bilinguals of Italian and regional varieties, and some of whom may use Italian as second language. Population total all countries: 61,489,984. Also spoken in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Egypt, Eritrea, France, Germany, Israel, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Paraguay, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Vatican State. Alternate names: Italiano. Dialects: Tuscan, Abruzzese, Pugliese, Umbrian, Laziale, Central Marchigiano, Cicolano-Reatino-Aquilano, Molisano. Regional varieties coexist with the standard language; some are inherently unintelligible (Nida) to speakers of other varieties unless they have learned them. Aquilano, Molisano, and Pugliese are very different from the other Italian 'dialects'. Piemontese and Sicilian are distinct enough to be separate languages (F. B. Agard 1981, personal communication). Venetian and Lombard are also very different (Philippe Cousson 1981, personal communication). Neapolitan is reported to be unintelligible to speakers of Standard Italian. Northern varieties are closer to French and Occitan than to standard or southern varieties (Agard, N. Vincent). Lexical similarity 89% with French, 87% with Catalan, 85% with Sardinian, 82% with Spanish, 78% with Rheto-Romance, 77% with Rumanian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
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Italian Sign Language [ise] Alternate names: Lingua Italiana Dei Segni, Lis. Dialects: Partially intelligible with French Sign Language. Not intelligible with American Sign Language. Regional differences, but signers from different regions seem to communicate fluently. Classification: Deaf sign language
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Judeo-Italian [itk] 200. Alternate names: Italkian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
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Ladin [lld] 30,000 in Italy (2001 census). Ethnic population: 38,000. Autonomous province of Bolzano or Southern Tyrol (German Südtirol, Italian Alto Adige), in the Valleys of Gherdëina (Italian Val Gardena, German Grödnertal) and of Badia (Italian Val Badia, German Gadertal); autonomous province of Trento (Trient) or Trentino, in the Valley of Fascia (Italian Val di Fassa, German Fassatal) and in the province of Belluno in Fodom (Italian Livinallongo, German Buchenstein) and in Anpezo (Italian Ampezzo, around Cortina d'Ampezzo). Also spoken in USA. Alternate names: Dolomite, Rhaeto-Romance. Dialects: Atesino, Cadorino, Nones (Nones Blot, Nonesh, Parlata Trentina, Nonese), Gardenese (Grüdno, Grödnerisch), Fassano, Badiotto (Gadertalisch), Marebbano (Ennebergisch), Livinallese, Ampezzano. Friulian, Ladin (in Italy), and Romansch (in Switzerland) are separate languages (R. A. Hall, Jr. 1978, personal communication). Seven dialects. The dialect of Val di Fassa is taught in schools. Distinct from Ladino (Dzhudezmo, Judeo-Spanish). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Rhaetian
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Ligurian [lij] 1,915,749 in Italy (2000 WCD). Population total all countries: 1,920,849. Liguria, northern Italy; east and west of Genoa along the Riviera and mountain hinterland, St. Pietro and St. Antioch, islands off southwest coast of Sardinia, cities of Carloforte and Calasetta in Sardinia. Also spoken in France, Monaco. Alternate names: Líguru, Ligure. Dialects: Genoese (Genoan, Genovese). Ligurian is closer to Piemontese, Lombard, and French than to Standard Italian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Italian
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Lombard [lmo] 8,830,855 in Italy (2000 WCD). Population total all countries: 9,133,855. Milan, Lombardy, 3 valleys of Graubünden (Val Mesolcina, Val Bregaglia, Val Poschiavo), northern Italy. Western Lombard varieties also in Sicily. Ticino is in Switzerland. Also spoken in Switzerland, USA. Alternate names: Lombardo. Dialects: Milanese, Eastern Lombard, Western Lombard (Piazza Armerina, Novara, Nicosia, San Fratello), Alpine Lombard, Novarese Lombard, Trentino Western, Latin Fiamazzo, Latin Anaunico, Bergamasco, Ticinese (Ticino). A group of dialects, some of which may be separate languages. Western Lombard dialects (of Ticino and Graubnnden) are inherently intelligible to each other's speakers. Speakers in more conservative valleys may have to use some kind of 'standard' dialect to communicate with speakers of other dialects of Lombard. Very different from Standard Italian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Italian
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Mócheno [mhn] 1,900 (1992 Raoul Zamponi). Population includes 400 Fierozzo, 1,000 Palú, 460 Gereut. Valle del Fersina (Trentino). Dialects: Fierozzo (Florutz), Palú (Palai), Frassilongo (Gereut). Speakers can partially understand Bavarian, Cimbrian, or Standard German. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Upper German, Bavarian-Austrian
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Napoletano-Calabrese [nap] 7,047,399 (1976). Campania and Calabria provinces, southern Italy. Alternate names: Neapolitan-Calabrese. Dialects: Napoletano (Neapolitan, Tirrenic), Northern Calabrese-Lucano (Lucanian, Basilicatan). Limited inherent intelligibility of Standard Italian. Neapolitan and Calabrese are reported to be very different from each other. Southern Calabrian is reported to be a dialect of Sicilian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
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Piemontese [pms] 3,106,620 in Italy (2000 WCD). Northwest Italy, Piedmont, except for the Provençal- and Franco-Provençal-speaking Alpine valleys. Also spoken in Australia, USA. Alternate names: Piemontèis, Piedmontese. Dialects: High Piemontese (Alto Piemontese), Low Piemontese (Basso Piemontese). Distinct enough from Standard Italian to be considered a separate language. Considerable French influence. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Italian
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Provençal [prv] 100,000 in Italy (1990 P. Blanchet). Upper valleys of the Italian Piedmont (Val Mairo, Val Varacho, Val d'Esturo, Entraigas, Limoun, Vinai, Pignerol, Sestriero), Guardia Piemontese in Calabria. Alternate names: Provenzale. Dialects: Transalpin. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, Oc
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Romani, Balkan [rmn] 5,000 Arlija in Italy (1990). Dialects: Arlija (Erli). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Balkan
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Romani, Sinte [rmo] 14,000 in Italy (1980). Population includes 10,000 Manouche, 4,000 Slovenian-Croatian. North Italy. Dialects: Piedmont Sintí, Slovenian-Croatian, Manouche. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Northern
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Romani, Vlax [rmy] 4,000 in Italy. Population includes 1,000 to 3,000 Kalderash, 1,000 Lovari. Dialects: Kalderash, Lovari. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Vlax
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Sardinian, Campidanese [sro] 345,180 (2000 WCD). Southern Sardinia. Alternate names: Sardu, Campidanese, Campidese, South Sardinian. Dialects: Cagliare (Cagliari, Cagliaritan), Arborense, Sub-Barbaricino, Western Campidenese, Central Campidanese, Ogliastrino, Sulcitano, Meridionale, Sarrabense. Cagliaritan is the dialect of Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia. Campidanese is quite distinct from the other Sardinian languages. Lexical similarity 62% between Cagliare and Standard Italian, 73% with Logudorese, 66% with Gallurese. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Southern, Sardinian
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Sardinian, Gallurese [sdn] Gallurese is in northeastern Sardinia. Alternate names: Northeastern Sardinian, Gallurese. Dialects: Lexical similarity 83% with Standard Italian, 81% with Sassarese, 70% with Logudorese, 66% with Cagliare. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Southern, Sardinian
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Sardinian, Logudorese [src] 1,500,000 (1977 M. Ibba, Rutgers University). Population includes all Sardinian languages. Central Sardinia. Alternate names: Sard, Sardarese, Logudorese, Central Sardinian. Dialects: Nuorese, Northern Logudorese, Barbaricino, Southwestern Logudorese. No one form of Sardinian is selected as standard for literary purposes. Logudorese is quite different from other Sardinian varieties. Lexical similarity 68% with Standard Italian, 73% with Sassarese and Cagliare, 70% with Gallurese. 'Sardinian' has 85% lexical similarity with Italian, 80% with French, 78% with Portuguese, 76% with Spanish, 74% with Rumanian and Rheto-Romance. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Southern, Sardinian
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Sardinian, Sassarese [sdc] Northwestern Sardinia. Alternate names: Northwestern Sardinian, Sassarese. Dialects: Lexical similarity 81% with Gallurese, 76% with Standard Italian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Southern, Sardinian
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Sicilian [scn] 4,832,520 (2000 WCD). Sicily, an island off the southern mainland. Alternate names: Calabro-Sicilian, Sicilianu, Siculu. Dialects: Western Sicilian (Palermo, Trapani, Central-Western Agrigentino), Central Metafonetica, Southeast Metafonetica, Eastern Nonmetafonetica, Messinese, Isole Eolie, Pantesco, Southern Calabro. Distinct enough from Standard Italian to be considered a separate language. Pugliese (see Italian) and Southern Calabrese are reported to be dialects of Sicilian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
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Slovenian [slv] 100,000 in Italy (N. Vincent in B. Comrie 1987). The provinces of Trieste and Gorizia in northeast near Slovenia border. Alternate names: Slovene. Dialects: Primorski, Cividale, Resia. Classification: Indo-European, Slavic, South, Western
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Venetian [vec] 2,180,387 in Italy (2000 WCD). Northern Italy, city of Venice, area of the Tre Venezie; Venezia Eugànea westward to Verona, southward to the Po, and eastward to the border of the Fruili; Venezia Tridentina, in the Adige valley and neighboring mountain regions to the north of Trent; and Venezia Giulia, east of the Friuli, and including Trieste. Bisiacco is spoken in Gorizia Province. Also spoken in Croatia, Slovenia. Alternate names: Veneto, Venet. Dialects: Istrian, Triestino, Venetian Proper, Bisiacco. Distinct from Standard Italian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Italian
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Walser [wae] 3,400 in Italy (1978 Fazzini). Valle d'Aosta: Val Lesa (Gressoney, Issime, Gaby); Piemonte: Valsesie (Alagna, Rima S. Siuseppe, Rimelle), Novara: Valle Anzacxa (Macugnage); Val Formazza (Formazza, Pomatt). 9 communities in Italy, and 4 former ones. Alternate names: Walscher. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Upper German, Alemannic
Capital city:
Roma
Meaning country name:
From Latin Italia, the name having entered Latin from a non-Latin source. The etymology of Italia probably directly relates to an ancient Greek word italos (bull), from PIE *wet; the Greek word follows the sound-changes from Proto-Indo-European to Greek, but the Latin equivalent vitulus (young bull) from this root, does not. Speakers of ancient Oscan called Italy Viteliu, also from PIE *wet. Varro wrote that the region got its name from the excellence and abundance of its cattle (italos, "bull" hence italia). Some disagree with this etymology. Compare Italus.
Friagi or Friaz' in Old Russian: from the Byzantine appellation for the medieval Franks.
Valland (variant in Icelandic): land of "valer", (an Old Norse name for Celts, later also used for the Romanized tribes).
Włochy (Polish) and Olaszország (Hungarian): from Gothic walh, the same root as in Valland, see details under "Wallachia" below.
Description Flag:
The flag of Italy (often referred to in Italian as Il Tricolore) is a tricolour featuring three equally sized vertical bands of green, white and red, with the green at the hoist side.
The first entity to use the Italian flag was the Cispadane Republic in 1796, after Napoleon's army crossed Italy. During this time, many small republics based on the Jacobian model, were formed and almost all used the French tricolour with different colours. The colours chosen by the Cispadane Republic were red and white, the colours of the Flag of Milan, and green which was the colour of the uniform of the Lombard Legion .
Some have tried to attribute some particular values to the colours and a common interpretation is that the green represents the country's plains and the hills; white, the snowy Alps; and red, the blood spilt in the Italian Independence wars. A more religious interpretation is that the green represents hope, the white represents faith and the red represents charity. This interpretation references the three theological virtues.
Coat of arms:
The Coat of Arms of the Italian Republic depicted here has been the symbol of the Italian Republic since May 5, 1948. Technically it is a pictorial image rather than a coat of arms, as it was not designed to obey traditional heraldic rules.
The emblem comprises a white five-pointed star, with a red border, superimposed on a five-spoked cogwheel which stands between an olive on its left and a branch of oak on its right; the branches in turn are bound by a red ribbon bearing the legend "REPUBBLICA ITALIANA" (Italian Republic in Italian).
The star is an ancient symbol for the personification of Italy (Italia Turrita), usually shining on her head, and was a symbol of the Kingdom of Italy from 1890; The steel cogwheel refers to the first article of the Constitution of Italy, which says that "Italy is a democratic Republic based on work"; its shape recalls also a mural crown, another symbol used for the personification of Italy;
The olive branch stands for the Republic’s desire for peace, internal and international, and refers to Article 11 of the Constitution ("Italy rejects war [...]");
The oak branch stands for the strength and dignity of the Italian people.
Oak and olive trees are also characteristic of the Italian landscape.
National Anthem: Il Canto degli Italiani
Italian lyrics
Fratelli d'Italia,
l'Italia s'è desta,
dell'elmo di Scipio
s'è cinta la testa.
Dov'è la Vittoria?
Le porga la chioma,
che schiava di Roma
Iddio la creò.
CORO:
Stringiamoci a coorte,
siam pronti alla morte.
Siam pronti alla morte,
l'Italia chiamò.
Stringiamoci a coorte,
siam pronti alla morte.
Siam pronti alla morte,
l'Italia chiamò!
Noi fummo da secoli
calpesti, derisi,
perché non siam popolo,
perché siam divisi.
Raccolgaci un'unica
bandiera, una speme:
di fonderci insieme
già l'ora suonò.
CORO
Uniamoci, amiamoci,
l'unione e l'amore
rivelano ai popoli
le vie del Signore.
Giuriamo far libero
il suolo natio:
uniti, per Dio,
chi vincer ci può?
CORO
Dall'Alpi a Sicilia
Dovunque è Legnano,
Ogn'uom di Ferruccio
Ha il core, ha la mano,
I bimbi d'Italia
Si chiaman Balilla,
Il suon d'ogni squilla
I Vespri suonò.
CORO
Son giunchi che piegano
Le spade vendute:
Già l'Aquila d'Austria
Le penne ha perdute.
Il sangue d'Italia,
Il sangue Polacco,
Bevé, col cosacco,
Ma il cor le bruciò.
CORO
English
English translation
Brothers of Italy,
Italy has awakened,
with Scipio's helmet
binding her head.
Where is Victory?
Let her bow down,
For God has made her
Rome's slave.
CHORUS:
Let us join in cohort,
We are ready to die!
We are ready to die!
Italy has called!
Let us join in cohort,
We are ready to die!
We are ready to die!
Italy has called!
We were for centuries
Downtrodden and derided,
because we are not one people,
because we are divided.
Let one flag, one hope
gather us all.
The hour has struck
for us to join together!
CHORUS
Let us unite and love one another;
Union and love
Show the people
The way of the Lord
Let us swear to free
Our native soil;
United under God,
Who can defeat us?
CHORUS
From the Alps to Sicily,
Legnano is everywhere;
Every man has the heart
and hand of Ferruccio
The children of Italy
Are all called Balilla;
Every trumpet blast
sounds the Vespers.
CHORUS
Mercenary swords,
they're feeble reeds.
The Austrian eagle
Has already lost its plumes.
The blood of Italy
and the Polish blood
Was drank, along with the Cossack,
But it burned her heart.
CHORUS
Internet Page: www.quirinale.it
Italy in diferent languages
eng: Italy
arg | ast | bre | cos | eus | fao | fin | glg | ina | ita | jav | kal | lat | mlg | nor | nso | pap | roh | ron | rup | smo | spa | sqi: Italia
bam | bis | cor | hat | ibo | mos: Itali
fra | fur | jnf | nrm: Italie
por | rms | sme | tet: Itália
afr | lim | nld: Italië
cat | oci | srd: Itàlia
crh | gag | kaa: İtaliya / Италия
deu | ltz | nds: Italien / Italien
hrv | lit | slv: Italija
lin | que | tgl: Italya
dan | swe: Italien
dje | hau: Italiya
dsb | hsb: Italska
est | vor: Itaalia
kin | run: Ubutariyano
lld-fas | lld-grd: Talia
tur | zza: İtalya
aze: İtaliya / Италија
bos: Italija / Италија
ces: Itálie
csb: Italskô; Jitalskô; Jitaliô
cym: Yr Eidal
epo: Italujo; Italio
frp: Étalie
frr: Itaalien
fry: Itaalje
gla: An Eadailt
gle: An Iodáil / An Iodáil
glv: Yn Iddaal
haw: ʻIkalia
hun: Olaszország
ind: Italia / ايتاليا
isl: Ítalía; Valland
kmr: Îtalî / Итали / ئیتالی
kur: Îtalya / ئیتالیا
lav: Itālija
liv: Itāļmō
lld-bad: Talia; Italia
mlt: Italja
mol: Italia / Италия
mri: Ītari
msa: Itali / ايتالي
nbl: i-Ithali
non: Ítalía; Ítalíaland
pol: Włochy
rmy: Italiya / इतालिया
sag: Italïi
scn: Italia; Talia
slk: Taliansko
slo: Italia / Италиа; Italzem / Италзем
smg: Italėjė
som: Talyaani
swa: Uitaliani; Italia
szl: Wuochy
tah: ʻItāria
ton: ʻItali
tsn: Itale
tuk: Italiýa / Италия
uzb: Italiya / Италия
vie: Ý Đại Lợi; Ý
vol: Litaliyän
wln: Itåleye
wol: Itaali
xho: i-Itali
zul: i-Italiya; iTaliyana
chu: Италія (Italīja)
alt | bul | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | rus | tyv | udm: Италия (Italija)
che | chv | mon | oss: Итали (Itali)
ady | kbd: Италие (Italie)
abq: Италия (Itałija)
bak: Италия / İtaliya
bel: Італія / Italija
chm: Италий (Italij)
kaz: Италия / Ïtalïya / يتاليا
mkd: Италија (Italija)
srp: Италија / Italija
tat: Италия / İtaliä
tgk: Итолиё / ایتالیا / Itolijo; Италия / ایتلیه / Italija
ukr: Італія (Italija)
xal: Италь (Ital')
ara: إيطاليا (Īṭāliyā)
ckb: ئیتالیا / Îtalya; ئیتالستان / Îtalistan
fas: ایتالیا / Itâliyâ; ایطالیا / Itâliyâ
prs: ایتالیا (Ītāliyā); اتالیا (Itāliyā)
pus: ايټاليا (Īṫāliyā); ايټاليه (Īṫāliyâ); اټالیا (Iṫāliyā); ايټالي (Īṫālī); ايتاليا (Ītāliyā); ايطاليا (Īṭāliyā)
uig: ئىتالىيە / Italiye / Италия
urd: اٹلی (Iṫalī); اتالیہ (Itāliyâ)
div: އިޓަލީ (Iṫalī)
syr: ܐܝܛܠܝܐ (Īṭaliyā)
heb: איטליה (Îṭalyah); איטאליה (Îṭâlyah)
lad: איטאליה / Italia
yid: איטאַליע (Italye)
amh: ጣልያን (Ṭalyan); ኢጣልያ (Iṭalya)
tir: ኢጣልያ (Iṭalya)
ell-dhi: Ιταλία (Italía)
ell-kat: Ἰταλία (Italía)
hye: Իտալիա (Italia)
kat: იტალია (Italia)
hin | mar | nep: इटली (Iṭalī)
ben: ইতালি (Itāli); ইতালী (Itālī)
pan: ਇਟਲੀ (Iṭalī)
kan: ಇಟಲಿ (Iṭali)
mal: ഇറ്റലി (Iṟṟali)
tam: இத்தாலி (Ittāli)
tel: ఇటలీ (Iṭalī)
zho: 意大利 (Yìdàlì)
yue: 意大利 (Yidaaihleih)
jpn: イタリア (Itaria)
kor: 이탈리아 (Itallia)
bod: དགྱིའི་དའ་རླིས་ (dGyi'i.da'.rlis.); ཨི་ཏ་ལི་ (I.ta.li.); ཨེ་ཏ་ལི་ (E.ta.li.); ཡི་ཏ་ལི་ (Yi.ta.li.)
dzo: ཨྀཊ་ལི་ (Īṭa.li.)
mya: အီတလီ (Itáli)
tha: อิตาลี (Itālī)
lao: ອິຕາລີ (Itālī)
khm: អ៊ីតាលី (Ītālī); អ៊ិតាលី (Itālī)
Italia / Italy
Is a country located partly on the European Continent and partly on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent states of San Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within the Italian Peninsula, and Campione d'Italia is an Italian exclave in Switzerland. The territory of Italy covers 301,338 km² and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. With 60.2 million inhabitants, it is the sixth most populous country in Europe, and the twenty-third most populous in the world.
The land known as Italy today has been the cradle of European cultures and peoples, such as the Etruscans and the Romans. Italy's capital, Rome, was for centuries the political centre of Western civilisation, as the capital of the Roman Empire. After its decline, Italy would endure numerous invasions by foreign peoples, from Germanic tribes such as the Lombards and Ostrogoths, to the Normans and later, the Byzantines, among others. Centuries later, Italy would become the birthplace of the Renaissance, an immensely fruitful intellectual movement that would prove to be integral in shaping the subsequent course of European thought.
Through much of its post-Roman history, Italy was fragmented into numerous kingdoms and city-states (such as the Kingdom of Sardinia, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Duchy of Milan), but was unified in 1861, a tumultuous period in history known as the "Risorgimento". In the late 19th century, through World War I, and to World War II, Italy possessed a colonial empire, which extended its rule to Libya, Eritrea, Italian Somaliland, Ethiopia, Albania, Rhodes, the Dodecanese and a concession in Tianjin, China.
Modern Italy is a democratic republic and the world's eighteenth most developed country, with the eighth or tenth highest quality of life index rating in the world. Italy enjoys a very high standard of living, and has a high nominal GDP per capita. It is a founding member of what is now the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Italy is also a member of the G8 and G20. It has the world's seventh-largest nominal GDP, tenth highest GDP (PPP) and the fifth highest government budget in the world. It is also a member state of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Trade Organization, the Council of Europe, and the Western European Union. Italy, on addition to this, has the world's eight-largest defence budget and shares NATO's nuclear weapons.
Italy, especially Rome, has an important place in political, military and cultural affairs, with worldwide organizations such as Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Glocal Forum, and the NATO Defence College being headquartered in the country and the city. The country's European political, social and economic influence make it a major regional power, alongside the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Russia, and Italy has been classified in a study as being the eleventh greatest worldwide national power. The country has a high public education level, high labour force, is a globalised nation, and also has 2009's sixth best international reputation. Italy also has the world's nineteenth highest life expectancy, and the world's second best healthcare system. It is the world's fifth most visited country, with over 43.7 million international arrivals, and boasts a long tradition of excellence in all the arts and sciences, including the fact that Italy has the world's greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites to date.
History
Please go to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Italy
Geography
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Italy
Other info
Oficial name:
Repubblica Italiana
Formation:
Unification 17 March 1861
- Republic 2 June 1946
Area:
301.338 km2
Inhabitants:
58.450.000
Languages:
Albanian, Arbëreshë [aae] 80,000 (1963 L. Newmark). Ethnic population: 260,000 (1976 M. Stephens). Southern; Calabria, Apulia, Basilicata, Molise, Sicily. Alternate names: Arbëreshë. Dialects: Sicilian Albanian, Calabrian Albanian, Central Mountain Albanian, Campo Marino Albanian. Speakers say the four Italian dialects are not inherently intelligible with each other. Lexical similarity 45% with Tosk Albanian. Classification: Indo-European, Albanian, Tosk
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Bavarian [bar] 258,885 in Italy (2000 WCD). South Bavarian is in the Bavarian Alps, Tyrol, Styria, including Heanzian dialect of Burgenland, Carinthia, northern Italy, and part of Gottschee; Central Bavarian is in the Alps and Lower Austria and Salzburg; North Bavarian in the north of Regensburg, to Nuremburg and Western Bohemia, Czech Republic. Alternate names: Bayerisch, Bavarian Austrian. Dialects: Central Bavarian, North Bavarian, South Bavarian. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Upper German, Bavarian-Austrian
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Catalan-Valencian-Balear [cat] 20,000 in Alghero (1996). Alghero, northwest coast on Sardinia. Dialects: Algherese. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, East Iberian
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Cimbrian [cim] 2,230. Population includes 500 in Lusernese Cimbrian in Trentino Alto Oolige 40 km southeast from Trento, plus 1,500 Sette Comuni Cimbrian (40% of Roana (Rowan), 70% of Messaselva di Roana Rotzo) in Veneto around 60 km north of Vicenza (1978 H. Kloss), and 230 or 65% of Giazza (Ijetzan) Veneto, 43 km northeast of Verona (1992 R. Zamponi). There were 22,700 speakers in Sieben Gemeinde and 12,400 in Dreizehn Gemeinde in 1854. Northeast Italy, Sette and Tredici Comuni (Sieben and Dreizehn Gemeinde) south of Trent, towns of Giazza (Glietzen, Ljetzen), Roana (Rabam), Lusern, some in Venetia Province. Alternate names: Tzimbro, Zimbrisch. Dialects: Lusernese Cimbrian, Tredici Communi Cimbrian (Tauch), Sette Comuni Cimbrian. Structural and intelligibility differences indicate that the 3 dialects listed could be considered separate languages. Lusernese Cimbrian is heavily influenced by Italian. Heavily influenced by Bajuwarisch dialects. It is sometimes considered to be a dialect of South Bavarian. Different from Bavarian, Walser, and Mocheno. No written influence from Standard German. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Upper German, Bavarian-Austrian
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Corsican [cos] 1,000 in Italy (1990). Maddalena Island, northeast coast of Sardinia. Alternate names: Corso, Corsu, Corse, Corsi. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Southern, Corsican
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Croatian [hrv] 3,500 in Italy (N. Vincent in B. Comrie 1987). Molise, southern, villages of Montemitro, San Felice del Molise, Acquaviva-Collecroce. Dialects: Croatian. Classification: Indo-European, Slavic, South, Western
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Emiliano-Romagnolo [eml] 2,000,000 in Emilia-Romagna (2003). Population total all countries: 2,020,112. Northwest Italy, region of Piacenza to that of Ravenna, and between the Po and the Adriatic and the Apennines, in the territories of Emilia and Romagna, southern Pianura Padana (all provinces), southern Lombardia (Provinces Mantova and Pavia), northern Toscana (Lunigiana), northern Marche (Province Pesaro). Also spoken in San Marino. Alternate names: Emiliano, Emilian, Sammarinese. Dialects: Western Emiliano, Central Emiliano, Eastern Emiliano, Northern Romagnolo, Southern Romagnolo, Mantovano, Vogherese-Pavese, Lunigiano. A structurally separate language from Italian (F.B. Agard). Related to Lombard (R.A. Hall 1974:29, S. Fleischman 1992, OIEL 3:339). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Italian
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Franco-Provençal [frp] 70,000 in Italy (1971 census). Population includes 700 Faetar speakers (1995 Naomi Nagy). Northwest Italy, Aosta Valley. A small speech community also in Faeto and Celle S. Vito in the Province of Foggia in Apulia, and Guardia Piemontese in Calabria, Cosenza. Covers a huge area. Dialects: Valle D'aosta (Patoé Valdoten, Valdotain, Valdostano), Faeto (Faetar), Celle San Vito. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, Southeastern
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French [fra] 100,000 in Italy (1987 Harris). Aosta Valley. Alternate names: Français. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
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Friulian [fur] 794,000 (2000). Northeast and adjacent areas, northern Friuli-Venezia-Giulia on the borders of the Austrian Province of Corinthia and the Republic of Slovenia. Alternate names: Furlan, Frioulan, Frioulian, Priulian, Friulano. Dialects: East Central Friulian, Western Friulian, Carnico. Friulian, Ladin, and Romansch are separate languages (R. A. Hall, Jr. 1978, personal communication). F. B. Agard considers it to be structurally closer to Italian than to Romansch (personal communication 1981). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Rhaetian
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German, Standard [deu] 225,000 in Italy (1987 Vincent in B. Comrie). Northern, Trentino-Alto Adige, South Tyrol, Province of Bolzano. Alternate names: Tedesco. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German
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Greek [ell] 20,000 in Italy (1987 Vincent in B. Comrie). Southern, east of Reggio; Salento (Colimera, Sternatía, Zollino) and Aspromonte (Bova, Condofuri, Palizzi, Roccoforte, Roghudi). Alternate names: Greco. Dialects: Salento, Aspromonte. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic
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Italian [ita] 55,000,000 in Italy. Population includes some of whom are native bilinguals of Italian and regional varieties, and some of whom may use Italian as second language. Population total all countries: 61,489,984. Also spoken in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Egypt, Eritrea, France, Germany, Israel, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Paraguay, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Vatican State. Alternate names: Italiano. Dialects: Tuscan, Abruzzese, Pugliese, Umbrian, Laziale, Central Marchigiano, Cicolano-Reatino-Aquilano, Molisano. Regional varieties coexist with the standard language; some are inherently unintelligible (Nida) to speakers of other varieties unless they have learned them. Aquilano, Molisano, and Pugliese are very different from the other Italian 'dialects'. Piemontese and Sicilian are distinct enough to be separate languages (F. B. Agard 1981, personal communication). Venetian and Lombard are also very different (Philippe Cousson 1981, personal communication). Neapolitan is reported to be unintelligible to speakers of Standard Italian. Northern varieties are closer to French and Occitan than to standard or southern varieties (Agard, N. Vincent). Lexical similarity 89% with French, 87% with Catalan, 85% with Sardinian, 82% with Spanish, 78% with Rheto-Romance, 77% with Rumanian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
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Italian Sign Language [ise] Alternate names: Lingua Italiana Dei Segni, Lis. Dialects: Partially intelligible with French Sign Language. Not intelligible with American Sign Language. Regional differences, but signers from different regions seem to communicate fluently. Classification: Deaf sign language
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Judeo-Italian [itk] 200. Alternate names: Italkian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
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Ladin [lld] 30,000 in Italy (2001 census). Ethnic population: 38,000. Autonomous province of Bolzano or Southern Tyrol (German Südtirol, Italian Alto Adige), in the Valleys of Gherdëina (Italian Val Gardena, German Grödnertal) and of Badia (Italian Val Badia, German Gadertal); autonomous province of Trento (Trient) or Trentino, in the Valley of Fascia (Italian Val di Fassa, German Fassatal) and in the province of Belluno in Fodom (Italian Livinallongo, German Buchenstein) and in Anpezo (Italian Ampezzo, around Cortina d'Ampezzo). Also spoken in USA. Alternate names: Dolomite, Rhaeto-Romance. Dialects: Atesino, Cadorino, Nones (Nones Blot, Nonesh, Parlata Trentina, Nonese), Gardenese (Grüdno, Grödnerisch), Fassano, Badiotto (Gadertalisch), Marebbano (Ennebergisch), Livinallese, Ampezzano. Friulian, Ladin (in Italy), and Romansch (in Switzerland) are separate languages (R. A. Hall, Jr. 1978, personal communication). Seven dialects. The dialect of Val di Fassa is taught in schools. Distinct from Ladino (Dzhudezmo, Judeo-Spanish). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Rhaetian
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Ligurian [lij] 1,915,749 in Italy (2000 WCD). Population total all countries: 1,920,849. Liguria, northern Italy; east and west of Genoa along the Riviera and mountain hinterland, St. Pietro and St. Antioch, islands off southwest coast of Sardinia, cities of Carloforte and Calasetta in Sardinia. Also spoken in France, Monaco. Alternate names: Líguru, Ligure. Dialects: Genoese (Genoan, Genovese). Ligurian is closer to Piemontese, Lombard, and French than to Standard Italian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Italian
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Lombard [lmo] 8,830,855 in Italy (2000 WCD). Population total all countries: 9,133,855. Milan, Lombardy, 3 valleys of Graubünden (Val Mesolcina, Val Bregaglia, Val Poschiavo), northern Italy. Western Lombard varieties also in Sicily. Ticino is in Switzerland. Also spoken in Switzerland, USA. Alternate names: Lombardo. Dialects: Milanese, Eastern Lombard, Western Lombard (Piazza Armerina, Novara, Nicosia, San Fratello), Alpine Lombard, Novarese Lombard, Trentino Western, Latin Fiamazzo, Latin Anaunico, Bergamasco, Ticinese (Ticino). A group of dialects, some of which may be separate languages. Western Lombard dialects (of Ticino and Graubnnden) are inherently intelligible to each other's speakers. Speakers in more conservative valleys may have to use some kind of 'standard' dialect to communicate with speakers of other dialects of Lombard. Very different from Standard Italian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Italian
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Mócheno [mhn] 1,900 (1992 Raoul Zamponi). Population includes 400 Fierozzo, 1,000 Palú, 460 Gereut. Valle del Fersina (Trentino). Dialects: Fierozzo (Florutz), Palú (Palai), Frassilongo (Gereut). Speakers can partially understand Bavarian, Cimbrian, or Standard German. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Upper German, Bavarian-Austrian
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Napoletano-Calabrese [nap] 7,047,399 (1976). Campania and Calabria provinces, southern Italy. Alternate names: Neapolitan-Calabrese. Dialects: Napoletano (Neapolitan, Tirrenic), Northern Calabrese-Lucano (Lucanian, Basilicatan). Limited inherent intelligibility of Standard Italian. Neapolitan and Calabrese are reported to be very different from each other. Southern Calabrian is reported to be a dialect of Sicilian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
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Piemontese [pms] 3,106,620 in Italy (2000 WCD). Northwest Italy, Piedmont, except for the Provençal- and Franco-Provençal-speaking Alpine valleys. Also spoken in Australia, USA. Alternate names: Piemontèis, Piedmontese. Dialects: High Piemontese (Alto Piemontese), Low Piemontese (Basso Piemontese). Distinct enough from Standard Italian to be considered a separate language. Considerable French influence. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Italian
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Provençal [prv] 100,000 in Italy (1990 P. Blanchet). Upper valleys of the Italian Piedmont (Val Mairo, Val Varacho, Val d'Esturo, Entraigas, Limoun, Vinai, Pignerol, Sestriero), Guardia Piemontese in Calabria. Alternate names: Provenzale. Dialects: Transalpin. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, Oc
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Romani, Balkan [rmn] 5,000 Arlija in Italy (1990). Dialects: Arlija (Erli). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Balkan
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Romani, Sinte [rmo] 14,000 in Italy (1980). Population includes 10,000 Manouche, 4,000 Slovenian-Croatian. North Italy. Dialects: Piedmont Sintí, Slovenian-Croatian, Manouche. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Northern
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Romani, Vlax [rmy] 4,000 in Italy. Population includes 1,000 to 3,000 Kalderash, 1,000 Lovari. Dialects: Kalderash, Lovari. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Vlax
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Sardinian, Campidanese [sro] 345,180 (2000 WCD). Southern Sardinia. Alternate names: Sardu, Campidanese, Campidese, South Sardinian. Dialects: Cagliare (Cagliari, Cagliaritan), Arborense, Sub-Barbaricino, Western Campidenese, Central Campidanese, Ogliastrino, Sulcitano, Meridionale, Sarrabense. Cagliaritan is the dialect of Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia. Campidanese is quite distinct from the other Sardinian languages. Lexical similarity 62% between Cagliare and Standard Italian, 73% with Logudorese, 66% with Gallurese. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Southern, Sardinian
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Sardinian, Gallurese [sdn] Gallurese is in northeastern Sardinia. Alternate names: Northeastern Sardinian, Gallurese. Dialects: Lexical similarity 83% with Standard Italian, 81% with Sassarese, 70% with Logudorese, 66% with Cagliare. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Southern, Sardinian
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Sardinian, Logudorese [src] 1,500,000 (1977 M. Ibba, Rutgers University). Population includes all Sardinian languages. Central Sardinia. Alternate names: Sard, Sardarese, Logudorese, Central Sardinian. Dialects: Nuorese, Northern Logudorese, Barbaricino, Southwestern Logudorese. No one form of Sardinian is selected as standard for literary purposes. Logudorese is quite different from other Sardinian varieties. Lexical similarity 68% with Standard Italian, 73% with Sassarese and Cagliare, 70% with Gallurese. 'Sardinian' has 85% lexical similarity with Italian, 80% with French, 78% with Portuguese, 76% with Spanish, 74% with Rumanian and Rheto-Romance. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Southern, Sardinian
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Sardinian, Sassarese [sdc] Northwestern Sardinia. Alternate names: Northwestern Sardinian, Sassarese. Dialects: Lexical similarity 81% with Gallurese, 76% with Standard Italian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Southern, Sardinian
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Sicilian [scn] 4,832,520 (2000 WCD). Sicily, an island off the southern mainland. Alternate names: Calabro-Sicilian, Sicilianu, Siculu. Dialects: Western Sicilian (Palermo, Trapani, Central-Western Agrigentino), Central Metafonetica, Southeast Metafonetica, Eastern Nonmetafonetica, Messinese, Isole Eolie, Pantesco, Southern Calabro. Distinct enough from Standard Italian to be considered a separate language. Pugliese (see Italian) and Southern Calabrese are reported to be dialects of Sicilian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
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Slovenian [slv] 100,000 in Italy (N. Vincent in B. Comrie 1987). The provinces of Trieste and Gorizia in northeast near Slovenia border. Alternate names: Slovene. Dialects: Primorski, Cividale, Resia. Classification: Indo-European, Slavic, South, Western
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Venetian [vec] 2,180,387 in Italy (2000 WCD). Northern Italy, city of Venice, area of the Tre Venezie; Venezia Eugànea westward to Verona, southward to the Po, and eastward to the border of the Fruili; Venezia Tridentina, in the Adige valley and neighboring mountain regions to the north of Trent; and Venezia Giulia, east of the Friuli, and including Trieste. Bisiacco is spoken in Gorizia Province. Also spoken in Croatia, Slovenia. Alternate names: Veneto, Venet. Dialects: Istrian, Triestino, Venetian Proper, Bisiacco. Distinct from Standard Italian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Italian
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Walser [wae] 3,400 in Italy (1978 Fazzini). Valle d'Aosta: Val Lesa (Gressoney, Issime, Gaby); Piemonte: Valsesie (Alagna, Rima S. Siuseppe, Rimelle), Novara: Valle Anzacxa (Macugnage); Val Formazza (Formazza, Pomatt). 9 communities in Italy, and 4 former ones. Alternate names: Walscher. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Upper German, Alemannic
Capital city:
Roma
Meaning country name:
From Latin Italia, the name having entered Latin from a non-Latin source. The etymology of Italia probably directly relates to an ancient Greek word italos (bull), from PIE *wet; the Greek word follows the sound-changes from Proto-Indo-European to Greek, but the Latin equivalent vitulus (young bull) from this root, does not. Speakers of ancient Oscan called Italy Viteliu, also from PIE *wet. Varro wrote that the region got its name from the excellence and abundance of its cattle (italos, "bull" hence italia). Some disagree with this etymology. Compare Italus.
Friagi or Friaz' in Old Russian: from the Byzantine appellation for the medieval Franks.
Valland (variant in Icelandic): land of "valer", (an Old Norse name for Celts, later also used for the Romanized tribes).
Włochy (Polish) and Olaszország (Hungarian): from Gothic walh, the same root as in Valland, see details under "Wallachia" below.
Description Flag:
The flag of Italy (often referred to in Italian as Il Tricolore) is a tricolour featuring three equally sized vertical bands of green, white and red, with the green at the hoist side.
The first entity to use the Italian flag was the Cispadane Republic in 1796, after Napoleon's army crossed Italy. During this time, many small republics based on the Jacobian model, were formed and almost all used the French tricolour with different colours. The colours chosen by the Cispadane Republic were red and white, the colours of the Flag of Milan, and green which was the colour of the uniform of the Lombard Legion .
Some have tried to attribute some particular values to the colours and a common interpretation is that the green represents the country's plains and the hills; white, the snowy Alps; and red, the blood spilt in the Italian Independence wars. A more religious interpretation is that the green represents hope, the white represents faith and the red represents charity. This interpretation references the three theological virtues.
Coat of arms:
The Coat of Arms of the Italian Republic depicted here has been the symbol of the Italian Republic since May 5, 1948. Technically it is a pictorial image rather than a coat of arms, as it was not designed to obey traditional heraldic rules.
The emblem comprises a white five-pointed star, with a red border, superimposed on a five-spoked cogwheel which stands between an olive on its left and a branch of oak on its right; the branches in turn are bound by a red ribbon bearing the legend "REPUBBLICA ITALIANA" (Italian Republic in Italian).
The star is an ancient symbol for the personification of Italy (Italia Turrita), usually shining on her head, and was a symbol of the Kingdom of Italy from 1890; The steel cogwheel refers to the first article of the Constitution of Italy, which says that "Italy is a democratic Republic based on work"; its shape recalls also a mural crown, another symbol used for the personification of Italy;
The olive branch stands for the Republic’s desire for peace, internal and international, and refers to Article 11 of the Constitution ("Italy rejects war [...]");
The oak branch stands for the strength and dignity of the Italian people.
Oak and olive trees are also characteristic of the Italian landscape.
National Anthem: Il Canto degli Italiani
Italian lyrics
Fratelli d'Italia,
l'Italia s'è desta,
dell'elmo di Scipio
s'è cinta la testa.
Dov'è la Vittoria?
Le porga la chioma,
che schiava di Roma
Iddio la creò.
CORO:
Stringiamoci a coorte,
siam pronti alla morte.
Siam pronti alla morte,
l'Italia chiamò.
Stringiamoci a coorte,
siam pronti alla morte.
Siam pronti alla morte,
l'Italia chiamò!
Noi fummo da secoli
calpesti, derisi,
perché non siam popolo,
perché siam divisi.
Raccolgaci un'unica
bandiera, una speme:
di fonderci insieme
già l'ora suonò.
CORO
Uniamoci, amiamoci,
l'unione e l'amore
rivelano ai popoli
le vie del Signore.
Giuriamo far libero
il suolo natio:
uniti, per Dio,
chi vincer ci può?
CORO
Dall'Alpi a Sicilia
Dovunque è Legnano,
Ogn'uom di Ferruccio
Ha il core, ha la mano,
I bimbi d'Italia
Si chiaman Balilla,
Il suon d'ogni squilla
I Vespri suonò.
CORO
Son giunchi che piegano
Le spade vendute:
Già l'Aquila d'Austria
Le penne ha perdute.
Il sangue d'Italia,
Il sangue Polacco,
Bevé, col cosacco,
Ma il cor le bruciò.
CORO
English
English translation
Brothers of Italy,
Italy has awakened,
with Scipio's helmet
binding her head.
Where is Victory?
Let her bow down,
For God has made her
Rome's slave.
CHORUS:
Let us join in cohort,
We are ready to die!
We are ready to die!
Italy has called!
Let us join in cohort,
We are ready to die!
We are ready to die!
Italy has called!
We were for centuries
Downtrodden and derided,
because we are not one people,
because we are divided.
Let one flag, one hope
gather us all.
The hour has struck
for us to join together!
CHORUS
Let us unite and love one another;
Union and love
Show the people
The way of the Lord
Let us swear to free
Our native soil;
United under God,
Who can defeat us?
CHORUS
From the Alps to Sicily,
Legnano is everywhere;
Every man has the heart
and hand of Ferruccio
The children of Italy
Are all called Balilla;
Every trumpet blast
sounds the Vespers.
CHORUS
Mercenary swords,
they're feeble reeds.
The Austrian eagle
Has already lost its plumes.
The blood of Italy
and the Polish blood
Was drank, along with the Cossack,
But it burned her heart.
CHORUS
Internet Page: www.quirinale.it
Italy in diferent languages
eng: Italy
arg | ast | bre | cos | eus | fao | fin | glg | ina | ita | jav | kal | lat | mlg | nor | nso | pap | roh | ron | rup | smo | spa | sqi: Italia
bam | bis | cor | hat | ibo | mos: Itali
fra | fur | jnf | nrm: Italie
por | rms | sme | tet: Itália
afr | lim | nld: Italië
cat | oci | srd: Itàlia
crh | gag | kaa: İtaliya / Италия
deu | ltz | nds: Italien / Italien
hrv | lit | slv: Italija
lin | que | tgl: Italya
dan | swe: Italien
dje | hau: Italiya
dsb | hsb: Italska
est | vor: Itaalia
kin | run: Ubutariyano
lld-fas | lld-grd: Talia
tur | zza: İtalya
aze: İtaliya / Италија
bos: Italija / Италија
ces: Itálie
csb: Italskô; Jitalskô; Jitaliô
cym: Yr Eidal
epo: Italujo; Italio
frp: Étalie
frr: Itaalien
fry: Itaalje
gla: An Eadailt
gle: An Iodáil / An Iodáil
glv: Yn Iddaal
haw: ʻIkalia
hun: Olaszország
ind: Italia / ايتاليا
isl: Ítalía; Valland
kmr: Îtalî / Итали / ئیتالی
kur: Îtalya / ئیتالیا
lav: Itālija
liv: Itāļmō
lld-bad: Talia; Italia
mlt: Italja
mol: Italia / Италия
mri: Ītari
msa: Itali / ايتالي
nbl: i-Ithali
non: Ítalía; Ítalíaland
pol: Włochy
rmy: Italiya / इतालिया
sag: Italïi
scn: Italia; Talia
slk: Taliansko
slo: Italia / Италиа; Italzem / Италзем
smg: Italėjė
som: Talyaani
swa: Uitaliani; Italia
szl: Wuochy
tah: ʻItāria
ton: ʻItali
tsn: Itale
tuk: Italiýa / Италия
uzb: Italiya / Италия
vie: Ý Đại Lợi; Ý
vol: Litaliyän
wln: Itåleye
wol: Itaali
xho: i-Itali
zul: i-Italiya; iTaliyana
chu: Италія (Italīja)
alt | bul | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | rus | tyv | udm: Италия (Italija)
che | chv | mon | oss: Итали (Itali)
ady | kbd: Италие (Italie)
abq: Италия (Itałija)
bak: Италия / İtaliya
bel: Італія / Italija
chm: Италий (Italij)
kaz: Италия / Ïtalïya / يتاليا
mkd: Италија (Italija)
srp: Италија / Italija
tat: Италия / İtaliä
tgk: Итолиё / ایتالیا / Itolijo; Италия / ایتلیه / Italija
ukr: Італія (Italija)
xal: Италь (Ital')
ara: إيطاليا (Īṭāliyā)
ckb: ئیتالیا / Îtalya; ئیتالستان / Îtalistan
fas: ایتالیا / Itâliyâ; ایطالیا / Itâliyâ
prs: ایتالیا (Ītāliyā); اتالیا (Itāliyā)
pus: ايټاليا (Īṫāliyā); ايټاليه (Īṫāliyâ); اټالیا (Iṫāliyā); ايټالي (Īṫālī); ايتاليا (Ītāliyā); ايطاليا (Īṭāliyā)
uig: ئىتالىيە / Italiye / Италия
urd: اٹلی (Iṫalī); اتالیہ (Itāliyâ)
div: އިޓަލީ (Iṫalī)
syr: ܐܝܛܠܝܐ (Īṭaliyā)
heb: איטליה (Îṭalyah); איטאליה (Îṭâlyah)
lad: איטאליה / Italia
yid: איטאַליע (Italye)
amh: ጣልያን (Ṭalyan); ኢጣልያ (Iṭalya)
tir: ኢጣልያ (Iṭalya)
ell-dhi: Ιταλία (Italía)
ell-kat: Ἰταλία (Italía)
hye: Իտալիա (Italia)
kat: იტალია (Italia)
hin | mar | nep: इटली (Iṭalī)
ben: ইতালি (Itāli); ইতালী (Itālī)
pan: ਇਟਲੀ (Iṭalī)
kan: ಇಟಲಿ (Iṭali)
mal: ഇറ്റലി (Iṟṟali)
tam: இத்தாலி (Ittāli)
tel: ఇటలీ (Iṭalī)
zho: 意大利 (Yìdàlì)
yue: 意大利 (Yidaaihleih)
jpn: イタリア (Itaria)
kor: 이탈리아 (Itallia)
bod: དགྱིའི་དའ་རླིས་ (dGyi'i.da'.rlis.); ཨི་ཏ་ལི་ (I.ta.li.); ཨེ་ཏ་ལི་ (E.ta.li.); ཡི་ཏ་ལི་ (Yi.ta.li.)
dzo: ཨྀཊ་ལི་ (Īṭa.li.)
mya: အီတလီ (Itáli)
tha: อิตาลี (Itālī)
lao: ອິຕາລີ (Itālī)
khm: អ៊ីតាលី (Ītālī); អ៊ិតាលី (Itālī)