Italy

Italy is a country located in the south of Europe. It is a peninsula, shaped like a 'boot' and includes the larger islands of Sicily and Sardinia.

Originally formed as a monarchy in 1861, Italy is now a republic, founded in 1946, and is governed by a President elected by the State parliament.

The Fascist party governed the country from 1922 to 1943.

The official language is Italian although varieties of German are spoken in the northern Alto Adige (Sued Tirol) region. Regional and local dialects are also common throughout the country.

The capital city is Rome.

Major regions and cities: Lombardy (Milan), Veneto (Venice), Piedmont (Turin), Lazio (Rome), Sicily, Puglia, Tuscany (Florence), Emilia-Romagna (Bologna).

Sporting events
since 1964 Six Nations Rugby Cup - since 2000 (Rome)
 * UEFA Euro 1968
 * UEFA Euro 80
 * 1990 FIFA World Cup
 * 2006 Winter Olympics (Turin)
 * 2026 Winter Olympics (Milan/Cortina)

World Cup Winners: 1982, 2006

Other TV shows
links to external sites where available


 * Pavarotti: King of the High Cs (BBC Two, 1979 - rpt. 2023)
 * Italy Inside Out (BBC Two, 2009)
 * The Medici: Makers of Modern Art (BBC Four, 2008)
 * Opera Italia (BBC Four, 2010)
 * Shakespeare in Italy (BBC Two, 2012)
 * Inspector Montalbano (BBC Four, 2012)
 * The Young Montalbano (BBC Four, 2013)
 * Italy Unpacked (BBC Two, 2013)
 * Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy (BBC Two, 2022)
 * Amanda & Alan's Italian Job (BBC One, 2023)
 * Clive Myrie's Italian Roadtrip (BBC Two, 2023)