History of Italy in Timeline

Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern and Western Europe. It's a peninsula extending into the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by the Alps and encompassing nearly 800 islands including Sicily and Sardinia. Its land borders are shared with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Vatican City, and San Marino. Italy is the tenth-largest European country by area and the third-most populous EU member with almost 59 million residents. Rome is its capital and largest city, with other major cities including Milan, Naples, Turin, Palermo, Bologna, Florence, Genoa, and Venice.

1900: Low Point of Income

In 1944, Italy's per capita income reached its lowest point since 1900.

1904: Italy did not take part in the Olympiad

Italy has taken part in 47 Games out of 48 (not 1904).

1906: Giosuè Carducci: Nobel laureate

In 1906, nationalist poet Giosuè Carducci received the Nobel Prize.

1913: Adoption of male universal suffrage

In 1913, male universal suffrage was adopted in Italy.

1914: Peak years of Italian diaspora

Between 1898 and 1914, the peak years of Italian diaspora, approximately 750,000 Italians emigrated annually.

1914: Cabiria silent film

Cabiria, from 1914, is the most famous Italian silent film.

1915: Italy in World War I

From 1915 to 1918, Italy participated in World War I as part of the Entente against the Central Powers.

October 1918: Italian victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto

In October 1918, the Italians secured a victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, leading to the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the end of the war on the Italian Front.

1918: Italy in World War I

From 1915 to 1918, Italy participated in World War I as part of the Entente against the Central Powers.

1919: Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye

In 1919, the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye allowed Italy to annex Trentino Alto-Adige, the Julian March, and Istria.

1920: Treaty of Rapallo

In 1920, the Treaty of Rapallo allowed for annexation of Trentino Alto-Adige, the Julian March, Istria, the Kvarner Gulf, and the Dalmatian city of Zara.

1921: Giolitti's last term as prime minister

Giovanni Giolitti served as prime minister for the last time in 1921.

1921: Italian Grand Prix first race

Since 1921, the Italian Grand Prix of Formula One has been held, always at Autodromo Nazionale Monza (except 1980).

October 1922: March on Rome

In October 1922, the Blackshirts of the National Fascist Party organized the "March on Rome," leading to Mussolini's appointment as prime minister.

1922: Establishment of the Italian fascist dictatorship

In 1922, the Italian fascist dictatorship was established in Italy.

1923: Founding of the Italian Air Force

In 1923, the Italian Air Force was founded as an independent service arm by King Victor Emmanuel III as the Regia Aeronautica ('Royal Air Force').

1924: Treaty of Rome

In 1924, the Treaty of Rome led to the annexation of Fiume by Italy.

1926: Grazia Deledda: Nobel laureate

In 1926, realist writer Grazia Deledda received the Nobel Prize.

1930: Rome Masters was founded

The Rome Masters, one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments, was founded in 1930.

1932: Venice Film Festival

Since 1932, the Venice Film Festival, which awards the Golden Lion, is the oldest film festival in the world.

1934: Italy won World Cup

In 1934, Italy's national football team won the World Cup.

1935: Invasion of Ethiopia

In 1935, Mussolini invaded Ethiopia, leading to the formation of Italian East Africa and Italy's isolation from the League of Nations.

1936: Luigi Pirandello: Nobel laureate

In 1936, modern theatre author Luigi Pirandello received the Nobel Prize.

1938: Italy won World Cup

In 1938, Italy's national football team won the World Cup.

1939: Annexation of Albania

In 1939, Italy annexed Albania.

June 1940: Italy enters World War II

Italy entered World War II on June 10, 1940.

1940: Italy in World War II

From 1940 to 1943, Italy was initially part of the Axis powers during World War II.

July 1943: Allied invasion of Sicily

In July 1943, the Allied invasion of Sicily began, leading to the collapse of the Fascist regime and the deposition of Mussolini.

1943: Italy in World War II

From 1943 to 1945, Italy became a co-belligerent of the Allies during the Italian resistance and the liberation of Italy in World War II.

1944: Low Point of Income

In 1944, Italy's per capita income reached its lowest point since 1900.

April 1945: End of Hostilities

Hostilities in Italy ended on April 29, 1945, with the surrender of German forces.

April 1945: Execution of Mussolini

In April 1945, Mussolini was captured and summarily executed by partisans while attempting to escape.

1945: Italy in World War II

From 1943 to 1945, Italy became a co-belligerent of the Allies during the Italian resistance and the liberation of Italy in World War II.

1946: "Il Canto degli Italiani" becomes the national anthem

In 1946, "Il Canto degli Italiani" was established as the national anthem of Italy.

1946: Italian institutional referendum

In 1946, Italy became a republic following the Italian institutional referendum held on June 2, which is celebrated as Festa della Repubblica.

1946: Establishment of the Italian Republic

In 1946, Italy became a unitary parliamentary republic, and the monarchy was abolished.

1946: Formation of the Italian Army

In 1946, the Italian Army was formed when Italy became a republic, from what remained of the "Royal Italian Army".

1948: Christian Democrats win election

In 1948, the Christian Democrats, under Alcide De Gasperi, won a landslide victory.

1948: Constitution of Italy

In 1948, the Constitution of Italy was established as the highest source of law.

1948: Approval of the Republican Constitution

In 1948, the Republican Constitution was approved in Italy.

1948: Scuderia Ferrari in Grand Prix racing

Since 1948, Italian Scuderia Ferrari has competed in Grand Prix racing.

1949: Italy joins NATO

In 1949, Italy became a member of NATO.

1950: Italian Economic Miracle

Starting in 1950, large-scale internal migration from the rural south to the industrial north occurred, a consequence of the Italian economic miracle of the 1950–1960s.

1955: Admittance to the United Nations

Italy was admitted to the United Nations in 1955.

1956: Italy hosted Winter Olympics

Italy hosted Winter Olympics in 1956.

1959: Salvatore Quasimodo: Nobel laureate

In 1959, poet Salvatore Quasimodo received the Nobel Prize.

1960: Italy hosted Summer Olympics

Italy hosted Summer Olympics in 1960.

1960: Italo Calvino: short story writer

Short story writer Italo Calvino was active in 1960.

1963: Nuclear reactors operated

In 1963, Italy began operating nuclear reactors.

1963: Vajont Dam flood

In 1963, the Vajont Dam flood occurred due to deforestation, illegal building, and poor land-management policies, contributing to significant erosion in Italy's mountainous regions.

1964: Gigliola Cinquetti won Eurovision

In 1964, Gigliola Cinquetti won Eurovision.

1968: Italy won UEFA Euro

In 1968, Italy's national football team won UEFA Euro.

1973: Oil Crisis

From the late 1960s until the early 1980s, the country experienced the Years of Lead, characterised by economic difficulties, especially after the 1973 oil crisis; social conflicts; and terrorist massacres.

1975: Eugenio Montale: Nobel laureate

In 1975, poet Eugenio Montale received the Nobel Prize.

1976: Italy won the Davis Cup

In 1976, Italian players won the Davis Cup.

1978: Universal public healthcare system established

Since 1978, Italy has had a universal public healthcare system run by the state.

1980: Economic slowdown

Beginning in the 1980s, Italy experienced a progressive slowdown in GDP growth.

1980: Italian Grand Prix at Imola

In 1980, the Italian Grand Prix of Formula One was held at Autodromo Dino Ferrari in Imola.

1980: Umberto Eco

Umberto Eco was active in 1980.

1982: Italy won World Cup

In 1982, Italy's national football team won the World Cup.

1983: Gold at EuroBasket for Italy's men's basketball team

The Italy men's basketball team won gold at EuroBasket 1983.

1985: Catholicism no longer the official religion

Since 1985, Catholicism is no longer the official religion of Italy.

1986: Chernobyl disaster

The Chernobyl disaster occurred in 1986, leading to referendums that resulted in the abandonment of nuclear power in Italy.

1987: Abandonment of nuclear power

Nuclear power in Italy was abandoned after 1987 referendums following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

1990: Italy men's volleyball team won World Championships

In 1990, Italy's men's national volleyball team won the World Championships.

1990: Toto Cutugno won Eurovision

In 1990, Toto Cutugno won Eurovision.

1990: Nuclear programme terminated

In 1990, after the Chernobyl disaster and referendums, Italy's nuclear program was terminated.

1991: Discovery of Ötzi

In 1991, Ötzi, a natural mummy dated to 3400–3100 BC, was discovered in the Similaun glacier.

1992: Mafia terror attacks

Between 1992 and 1993, Italy faced terror attacks perpetrated by the Sicilian Mafia.

1993: Mafia terror attacks

Between 1992 and 1993, Italy faced terror attacks perpetrated by the Sicilian Mafia.

1994: Italy men's volleyball team won World Championships

In 1994, Italy's men's national volleyball team won the World Championships.

1995: All-time low Total Fertility Rate of 1.2 in Italy

In 1995, Italy's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) reached an all-time low of 1.2 children per woman.

1997: Dario Fo: Nobel laureate

In 1997, satirist and theatre author Dario Fo received the Nobel Prize.

1998: Italy men's volleyball team won World Championships

In 1998, Italy's men's national volleyball team won the World Championships.

1998: Sarno mudslides

In 1998, Sarno experienced mudslides as a result of deforestation, illegal building, and poor land-management policies.

1999: Gold at EuroBasket for Italy's men's basketball team

The Italy men's basketball team won gold at EuroBasket 1999.

2000: Italy's healthcare system ranked second best

According to research by the World Health Organization (WHO) dating back to 2000, Italy had the second best healthcare system in the world in terms of spending efficiency and access to public care for citizens, after France.

2000: Decrease in number of farms

From 2000 to 2010, there was a 32% decrease in the number of farms in Italy.

2000: Smoking in Italy

In 2000, the proportion of daily smokers in Italy was 24%.

2002: Serviceable roads in Italy

In 2002, Italy had 668,721 km of serviceable roads, including 6,487 km of motorways.

2002: Adoption of the euro

Italy joined the common European currency, the euro, in 2002.

2003: Troop deployment to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom

From 2003, Italy deployed over 2,000 troops to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

2004: Number of seaports

In 2004, Italy had 43 major seaports.

2004: Silver at the Olympics for Italy's men's basketball team

The Italy men's basketball team won silver at the 2004 Olympics.

2005: Vascular plant species recorded

As of 2005, 6,759 vascular plant species are recorded in the Data bank of Italian vascular flora.

2005: Civilian air and merchant fleet

In 2005, Italy maintained a civilian air fleet of about 389,000 units and a merchant fleet of 581 ships.

2005: Number of vehicles

In 2005, there were approximately 34,667,000 cars and 4,015,000 goods vehicles in Italy.

2005: Voluntary military service

Since 2005, military service in Italy has been voluntary.

2005: Smoking restrictions in public places

Since 2005, smoking in public places in Italy has been restricted to "specially ventilated rooms".

August 2006: Troop deployment to Lebanon

In August 2006, Italy deployed about 2,450 troops for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

2006: Italy won the Fed Cup

In 2006, Italian players won the Fed Cup.

2006: Italy hosted Winter Olympics

Italy hosted the Winter Olympics in 2006.

2008: Railway network total length

In 2008, Italy's railway network totalled 16,529 km, of which 11,727 km was electrified.

2008: Government overturns nuclear programme termination

In 2008, the Italian government overturned the decision to terminate the nuclear program, with plans to build up to four nuclear power plants.

2008: Estimate of illegal immigrants in Italy

In 2008, the number of illegal immigrants in Italy was estimated to be 670,000.

2008: Financial crisis impact

Italy was hit by the 2008 financial crisis, which exacerbated structural problems.

2008: Slight Increase in TFR

Since 2008, when the TFR climbed slightly to 1.4, the number of births has consistently declined every year.

2009: Mafia presence in comuni

A 2009 report identified 610 comuni with a strong Mafia presence, affecting 13 million Italians and 15% of GDP.

2009: Italy won the Fed Cup

In 2009, Italian players won the Fed Cup.

2009: Messina mudslides

In 2009, Messina experienced mudslides caused by deforestation, illegal building, and poor land-management policies.

2010: Agricultural census

According to the last agricultural census, there were 1.6 million farms in 2010.

2010: Italy won the Fed Cup

In 2010, Italian players won the Fed Cup.

2010: Renewable energy production

In 2010, Italy ranked as the fourth largest provider of installed solar energy capacity and sixth largest of wind power capacity.

2010: Italian military personnel

In 2010, the Italian military had 293,202 personnel on active duty, of which 114,778 are Carabinieri.

2010: Breakdown of foreign-born population by region of origin

In 2010, the distribution of the foreign-born population in Italy was as follows: Europe (54%), Africa (22%), Asia (16%), the Americas (8%), and Oceania (0.06%).

2010: Completion of Montalto di Castro Photovoltaic Power Station

The Montalto di Castro Photovoltaic Power Station, the largest photovoltaic power station in Italy, was completed in 2010.

2011: Number of passengers using air transport

In 2011, Italy was fifth in Europe by the number of passengers using air transport, with about 148 million passengers.

2011: Resignation of Berlusconi

In 2011, amidst the Great Recession, Berlusconi resigned and was replaced by the technocratic cabinet of Mario Monti.

2011: Minority Christian faiths in Italy

In 2011, minority Christian faiths in Italy included an estimated 1.5 million Orthodox Christians, while Protestantism has been growing.

2012: National inland waterways network length

In 2012, Italy's national inland waterways network had a length of 2,400 km for commercial traffic.

2012: Smoking in Italy

In 2012, the proportion of daily smokers in Italy was 22%.

2013: Projected TFR to reach 1.6-1.8 in Italy

As of 2013, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in Italy is expected to reach 1.6-1.8 by 2030.

2013: Start of the European migrant crisis

From 2013 to 2018, Italy was the entry point and leading destination for most asylum seekers entering the EU.

2013: Financial contribution to Palestinian Authority

In 2013 alone, Italy contributed €60 million to the Palestinian Authority.

2013: Italy won the Fed Cup

In 2013, Italian players won the Fed Cup.

2013: Troop deployments abroad

In 2013, Italy had 5,296 troops deployed abroad, engaged in 33 UN and NATO missions in 25 countries.

2013: Top Global Fashion Capital Rankings

In 2013, Rome was ranked sixth and Milan twelfth in the Top Global Fashion Capital Rankings by Global Language Monitor.

2013: UNESCO includes Italian festivals

In 2013, UNESCO included Italian festivals and pasos such as the Varia di Palmi, the Macchina di Santa Rosa in Viterbo, and faradda di li candareri in Sassari among the intangible cultural heritage.

2013: UNESCO adds Mediterranean diet to list

In 2013, prompted by Italy, UNESCO added the Mediterranean diet to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of Italy, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, and Croatia.

2014: EU Council presidency

In 2014, Italy held the EU Council presidency.

2014: Renzi becomes prime minister

In 2014, Matteo Renzi became prime minister and the government started constitutional reform.

2014: Travel and tourism contributed EUR163 billion to Italy's GDP

In 2014, income from travel and tourism in Italy was EUR163 billion, representing 10% of the country's GDP, and this sector directly supported 1,082,000 jobs which was 5% of employment.

2014: Solar energy production

In 2014, solar energy production accounted for 9% of Italy's electricity, the highest contribution from solar energy in the world.

2014: Italian Navy operations

In 2014, the Italian Navy operated 154 vessels in service, including minor auxiliary vessels.

2014: Italy's population began to fall steadily

The overall population in Italy has been falling steadily since 2014, contributing to a significant decrease in the following decade.

2015: Life expectancy in Italy

In 2015, Italy's life expectancy was 80.5 years for men and 84.8 years for women, ranking the country 5th in the world.

2015: Italian automotive industry contribution to GDP

In 2015, the Italian automotive industry contributed 9% to GDP, with over 144,000 firms and almost 485,000 employees.

2015: Sergio Mattarella becomes President of Italy

Since 2015, Sergio Mattarella has been the president of Italy.

2016: Italian films achievements

As of 2016, Italian films have won 12 Palmes d'Or, 11 Golden Lions, and 7 Golden Bears.

2016: People became Italian citizens

In 2016, about 201,000 people became Italian citizens.

2016: Constitutional reform rejected

In 2016, constitutional reform was rejected in a referendum and Paolo Gentiloni became prime minister.

2017: G7 presidency

In 2017, Italy held the G7 presidency.

2017: Rome: third most visited city in Europe

In 2017, Rome was the third most visited city in Europe, and twelfth in the world, with 9.4 million tourist arrivals.

2018: Giuseppe Conte becomes prime minister

After the 2018 general election, Giuseppe Conte became prime minister of a populist coalition.

2018: Presidency of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

In 2018, Italy held the rotating presidency of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

2018: Secondary education below average in Italy

In 2018, secondary education in Italy was evaluated as being below the average among OECD countries, with a wide gap between northern and southern schools.

2018: Youth unemployment rate

In 2018, the youth unemployment rate in Italy was 32%.

2019: 33 Italian universities ranked among world's top 500

In 2019, 33 Italian universities were ranked among the world's top 500, highlighting the country's strong presence in tertiary education.

2019: Largest export partners

In 2019, Italy's largest export partners were Germany (12%), France (11%), and the US (10%).

2020: Geographical distribution of foreign citizens in Italy

In 2020, 61% of foreign citizens lived in the north of Italy, 24% in the centre, 11% in the south, and 4% on the islands.

2020: Italy won UEFA Euro

In 2020, Italy's national football team won UEFA Euro.

2020: Healthcare spending at 10% of GDP

In 2020, healthcare spending in Italy accounted for 10% of the country's GDP.

2020: Renewable energy consumption

In 2020, renewable energy provided approximately 37% of Italy's energy consumption.

February 2021: Conte resigns

In February 2021, Conte resigned as prime minister after a government crisis.

2021: Italy's foreign residents

In 2021, Italy had about 5.2 million foreign residents, making up 9% of the population.

2021: Måneskin won Eurovision

In 2021, Måneskin won Eurovision.

2021: Italian Air Force operations

In 2021, the Italian Air Force operated 219 combat jets.

2021: ITA Airways became flag carrier

Since 2021, Italy's flag carrier has been ITA Airways, which took over from Alitalia.

2022: General election

During the 2022 general election, the Brothers of Italy, Democratic Party, and Five Star Movement won 357 of the 400 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, and 187 of 200 in the Senate.

2022: Meloni becomes prime minister

In 2022, Giorgia Meloni was sworn in as Italy's first female prime minister.

2022: Civil airports

In 2022, Italy had 45 civil airports.

2023: Italy won the Davis Cup

In 2023, Italian players won the Davis Cup.

2023: Record low number of births in Italy since 1861

In 2023, Italy recorded a record low of 379,000 births, marking the fewest births since 1861.

2023: 57 million tourist arrivals in Italy

In 2023, Italy was the fourth most visited country with a total of 57 million tourist arrivals.

2023: Italy as world's ninth-largest exporter

Italy was the world's 9th-largest exporter in 2023.

2024: Italy won the Davis Cup

In 2024, Italian players won the Davis Cup.

2024: Italy ranked 26th in the Global Innovation Index

In 2024, Italy was ranked 26th in the Global Innovation Index, indicating its standing in technological advancement and innovation on a global scale.

2024: Italian population falls below 59 million

In 2024, Italy's overall population fell just below 59 million, representing a cumulative loss of more than 1.36 million people over the span of a decade.