History of Italy in Timeline

Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a Southern and Western European country comprising a peninsula extending into the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by the Alps and including nearly 800 islands like Sicily and Sardinia. It shares land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Vatican City, and San Marino. The tenth-largest European country by area and the third-most populous EU member, Italy has nearly 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: Per capita income

Nearly half a million Italians died in the war, society was divided, and the economy all but destroyed – per capita income in 1944 was at its lowest point since 1900.

1906: Nobel Prize for Giosuè Carducci

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

1913: Male universal suffrage adopted

In 1913, Italy adopted male universal suffrage.

1914: Peak years of Italian diaspora

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

1914: Release of Cabiria

Cabiria, which is the most famous Italian silent film, was released in 1914.

1915: Italy entered into the First World War

In 1915, Italy entered into the First World War.

1915: Italy took part in World War I

In 1915, Italy joined World War I with the Entente against the Central Powers.

October 1918: Italian victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto

In October 1918, the Italians launched a massive offensive, culminating in victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, marking the end of war on the Italian Front.

1918: Italy took part in World War I

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

1919: Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye

The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1919 allowed for the annexation of Trentino and South Tyrol, the Julian March, Istria, the Kvarner Gulf, and the Dalmatian city of Zara by Italy.

1920: Treaty of Rapallo

The Treaty of Rapallo in 1920 allowed for the annexation of Trentino and South Tyrol, the Julian March, Istria, the Kvarner Gulf, and the Dalmatian city of Zara by Italy.

1921: Italian Grand Prix of Formula One Held

Since 1921, the Italian Grand Prix of Formula One has been held at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, with the exception of 1980.

1921: Giovanni Giolitti as prime minister

The pre-World War I period was dominated by Giovanni Giolitti, prime minister five times between 1892 and 1921.

October 1922: March on Rome

In October 1922, the Blackshirts of the National Fascist Party organised a mass demonstration and the "March on Rome" coup, leading to Mussolini's appointment as prime minister.

1922: Italian fascist dictatorship established

In 1922, the Italian fascist dictatorship was established.

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

The Treaty of Rome in 1924 led to annexation of Fiume by Italy.

1926: Nobel Prize for Grazia Deledda

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

1930: Rome Masters Founded

In 1930, the Rome Masters tennis tournament was founded, becoming one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments.

1932: Venice Film Festival Established

The Venice Film Festival was established in 1932, awarding the Golden Lion and becoming the oldest film festival in the world and one of the "Big Three" European film festivals.

1934: World Cup victory

Italy's football team won the World Cup in 1934.

1935: Invasion of Ethiopia

In 1935, Mussolini invaded Ethiopia and founded Italian East Africa, leading to international isolation.

1936: Nobel Prize for Luigi Pirandello

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

1938: World Cup victory

Italy's football team won the World Cup in 1938.

April 1939: Invasion of Albania

In April 1939, Italy invaded Albania.

June 1940: Italy entered World War II

On June 10, 1940, Italy entered World War II.

1940: Italy during World War II

From 1940 to 1943, Italy was 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.

1943: Italy during World War II

From 1943 to 1945, Italy was a co-belligerent of the Allies during the Italian resistance and liberation from German occupation and the collaborationist RSI in World War II.

1944: Per capita income lowest point since 1900

In 1944, per capita income was at its lowest point since 1900 in Italy.

April 1945: End of hostilities

Hostilities ended on April 29, 1945, when the German forces in Italy surrendered.

April 1945: Execution of Mussolini

In April 1945, with defeat looming, Mussolini attempted to escape north, but was captured and summarily executed by partisans.

1945: Italy during World War II

From 1943 to 1945, Italy was a co-belligerent of the Allies during the Italian resistance and liberation from German occupation and the collaborationist RSI in World War II.

1946: "Il Canto degli Italiani" becomes national anthem

In 1946, "Il Canto degli Italiani" became the national anthem of Italy.

1946: Establishment of the Italian Republic

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

1946: Formation of the Italian Army

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

1946: Monarchy replaced by a republic

In 1946, the monarchy in Italy was replaced by a republic, leading to a strong recovery for the country.

1946: Italian institutional referendum

In the aftermath of the war there was a revival of Italian republicanism, leading to the 1946 Italian institutional referendum.

1946: Italy becomes a republic

Italy became a republic after the 1946 referendum held on June 2, a day celebrated since as Festa della Repubblica.

1948: Scuderia Ferrari Competes in Grand Prix Racing

In 1948, Scuderia Ferrari began competing in Grand Prix racing, marking the start of their long and successful history in motorsports.

1948: Christian Democrats win a landslide victory

In 1948, fears of a Communist takeover led the Christian Democrats, under Alcide De Gasperi, to win a landslide victory.

1948: Constitution of Italy

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

1948: Republican Constitution approved

The Republican Constitution was approved in 1948.

1949: Italy joins NATO

In 1949, Italy became a member of NATO.

1950: Italian economic miracle

The Italian economic miracle, a period of significant economic growth in Italy, occurred during the 1950s.

1955: Admission to the United Nations

In 1955, Italy was admitted to the United Nations.

1956: Italy Hosts Winter Olympics

In 1956, Italy hosted the Winter Olympics.

1959: Salvatore Quasimodo

In 1959, poet Salvatore Quasimodo was writing.

1960: Italy Hosts Summer Olympics

In 1960, Italy hosted the Summer Olympics.

1960: Italo Calvino

In 1960, short story writer Italo Calvino was writing.

1963: Nuclear Reactors Operation

In 1963, Italy operated nuclear reactors.

1963: Vajont Dam Flood

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

1964: Gigliola Cinquetti wins Eurovision

In 1964, Gigliola Cinquetti won Eurovision.

1968: UEFA Euro victory

Italy's football team won the UEFA Euro in 1968.

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.

1975: Eugenio Montale

In 1975, poet Eugenio Montale was writing.

1976: Italian Players Win Davis Cup

In 1976, Italian players won the Davis Cup for the first time.

1978: Universal public healthcare system

Since 1978, Italy has run a universal public healthcare system.

1980: Umberto Eco

In 1980, Umberto Eco was writing.

1980: Italian Grand Prix of Formula One Not Held at Autodromo Nazionale Monza

In 1980, the Italian Grand Prix of Formula One was not held at Autodromo Nazionale Monza.

1982: World Cup victory

Italy's football team won the World Cup in 1982.

1983: Italy Men's Basketball Team Wins EuroBasket

In 1983, the Italy men's national basketball team won the EuroBasket championship, marking one of their best results in the sport.

1985: Catholicism is no longer the state religion

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

1986: Chernobyl disaster

The Chernobyl disaster took place in 1986. In the wake of this event Italy held referendums which led to the abandonment of nuclear power in 1987.

1987: Abandonment of nuclear power

In 1987, nuclear power in Italy was abandoned after referendums held in the wake of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

1990: Toto Cutugno wins Eurovision

In 1990, Toto Cutugno won Eurovision.

1990: Nuclear Programme Termination

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

1990: Italy Men's Volleyball Team Wins World Championship

In 1990, the Italy men's national volleyball team won the World Championship, marking the beginning of a dominant era for the team.

1991: Discovery of Ötzi

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

1992: Terror attacks by the Sicilian Mafia

In 1992, Italy faced terror attacks perpetrated by the Sicilian Mafia as a consequence of new anti-mafia measures by the government.

1993: Terror attacks by the Sicilian Mafia

In 1993, Italy faced terror attacks perpetrated by the Sicilian Mafia as a consequence of new anti-mafia measures by the government.

1994: Italy Men's Volleyball Team Wins World Championship Again

In 1994, the Italy men's national volleyball team won their second consecutive World Championship, solidifying their status as a top team in the sport.

1995: Lowest Total Fertility Rate

In 1995, the total fertility rate (TFR) in Italy reached an all-time low of 1.2 children per woman.

1997: Dario Fo

In 1997, satirist and theatre author Dario Fo was writing.

1998: Sarno Mudslides

In 1998, Sarno experienced mudslides due to deforestation, illegal building, and poor land-management policies.

1998: Italy Men's Volleyball Team Wins Third Consecutive World Championship

In 1998, the Italy men's national volleyball team completed a three-peat by winning their third consecutive World Championship.

1999: Italy Men's Basketball Team Wins EuroBasket Again

In 1999, the Italy men's national basketball team won the EuroBasket championship for the second time.

2000: Healthcare System Ranking

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: Decline in Farms

From 2000 to 2010, Italy experienced a decrease of -32% of total number of farms.

2000: Proportion of daily smokers

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

2002: Road Network

In 2002 there were 668,721 km of serviceable roads in Italy, including 6,487 km of motorways.

2002: Adoption of the Euro

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

2003: Troop Deployment to Afghanistan

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

2004: EU Enlargement

In 2004, the European Union underwent an enlargement, impacting migration patterns in Italy.

2004: Italy Men's Basketball Team Wins Silver at the Olympics

In 2004, the Italy men's national basketball team won the silver medal at the Olympics, achieving another significant milestone.

2004: Major Seaports

In 2004, there were 43 major seaports in Italy, including Genoa, the country's largest.

2005: 6,759 species recorded in Data bank of Italian vascular flora

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

2005: Civilian Air and Merchant Fleets

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

2005: Vehicle Circulation

In 2005, about 34,667,000 cars and 4,015,000 goods vehicles circulated on the Italian road network.

2005: Voluntary Military Service

Since 2005, military service in Italy has been voluntary.

2005: Restrictions on smoking 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: Italian Players Win Billie Jean King Cup

In 2006, Italian players won the Billie Jean King Cup.

2006: Italy Hosts Winter Olympics

In 2006, Italy hosted the Winter Olympics.

2006: World Cup victory

Italy's football team won the World Cup in 2006.

2007: EU Enlargement with Romania and Bulgaria

In 2007, Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union, leading to further changes in migration to Italy.

2008: Financial Crisis

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

2008: Nuclear Programme Overturn

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

2008: Number of illegal immigrants

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

2008: Slight increase in fertility rate

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

2008: Great Recession impact

The effects of the Great Recession that began in 2008 had a significant impact on Italy's economy and public finances.

2009: Italian Players Win Billie Jean King Cup

In 2009, Italian players won the Billie Jean King Cup.

2009: Messina Mudslides

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

2009: Mafia Presence Identified

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

2010: Agricultural Census

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

2010: Catholic population

Around 2010, Italy had the world's fifth-largest Catholic population and the largest in Europe.

2010: Italian Players Win Billie Jean King Cup

In 2010, Italian players won the Billie Jean King 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 were Carabinieri.

2010: Completion of Montalto di Castro Photovoltaic Power Station

In 2010, the Montalto di Castro Photovoltaic Power Station, which is the largest photovoltaic (PV) power station in Italy, was completed.

2010: Origin of foreign-born population

In 2010, the foreign-born population in Italy originated from Europe (54%), Africa (22%), Asia (16%), the Americas (8%), and Oceania (0.06%).

2011: Air Transport Passengers

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

2011: Minority Christian faiths

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

2012: Most common mother tongues among foreign residents

According to the Italian National Institute of Statistics, in 2012 Romanian was the most common mother tongue among foreign residents, with almost 800,000 people speaking it as their first language.

2012: Inland Waterways Network

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

2012: Proportion of daily smokers

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

2013: Top Global Fashion Capital Rankings

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

2013: EU Enlargement with Croatia

In 2013, Croatia joined the European Union.

2013: Italian Players Win Billie Jean King Cup

In 2013, Italian players won the Billie Jean King Cup.

2013: Financing the Palestinian Authority

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

2013: Troop Deployment Abroad

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

2013: UNESCO Includes Italian Festivals and Pasos

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: Mediterranean diet added to UNESCO list

In 2013, UNESCO, prompted by Italy, 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 rotating presidency of the EU Council.

2014: Solar energy accounts for 9% of electricity production

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

2014: Navy Fleet Size

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

2014: Income from travel and tourism in 2014

In 2014, the income from travel and tourism in Italy was EUR163 billion (10% of GDP), and 1,082,000 jobs were directly related to it (5% of employment).

2014: Population decline begins

Since 2014, the overall population of Italy has been falling steadily.

2015: Life expectancy in Italy

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

2015: Sergio Mattarella becomes President

In 2015, Sergio Mattarella became the president of Italy.

2015: Italian Automotive Industry

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

2016: Italian film achievements

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

2016: People becoming Italian citizens

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

2016: Rejection of institutional reforms in referendum

In 2016, institutional reforms intended to streamline the political system and strengthen the executive branch were rejected by a referendum.

2017: G7 Presidency

In 2017, Italy held the rotating presidency of the G7.

2017: Rome's arrivals in 2017

In 2017, Rome was the third most visited city in Europe, and 12th in the world, with 9.4 million arrivals.

2018: Presidency of 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.

2018: Secondary Education

In 2018, secondary education in Italy was evaluated as being below the average among OECD countries.

2018: Youth Unemployment Rate

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

2019: Ranking of Italian Universities

In 2019, 33 Italian universities were ranked among the world's top 500.

2019: Largest Export Partners

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

2020: Geographic distribution of foreign citizens

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

2020: Healthcare spending

In 2020, healthcare spending in Italy accounted for 10% of GDP.

2020: COVID-19 pandemic

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic severely affected Italy's public health and economic performance.

2020: UEFA Euro victory

Italy's football team won the UEFA Euro in 2020.

2021: Foreign residents

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

2021: Måneskin wins Eurovision

In 2021, Måneskin won Eurovision.

2021: Air Force Combat Jets

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

2021: ITA Airways Takes Over

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

2022: Giorgia Meloni becomes first female prime minister

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

2022: General Election

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

2022: Civil Airports

In 2022, there were 45 civil airports in Italy, including the hubs of Milan Malpensa Airport and Rome Fiumicino Airport.

2023: Italian Players Win Davis Cup

In 2023, Italian players won the Davis Cup.

2023: Record low number of births

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

2023: Italy's Rank as an Exporter

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

2024: Italian Exports

As of 2024, Italy exported €612 billion in goods and had a trade surplus of €46 billion.

2024: Italian Players Win Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup

In 2024, Italian players won the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup.

2024: Italy's Arrivals in 2024

In 2024, Italy was the fifth-most visited country, with a total of 57 million arrivals.

2024: Population below 59 million

In 2024, Italy's population is estimated to have fallen just below 59 million, representing a cumulative loss of more than 1.36 million people in one decade.

2024: Total fertility rate

In 2024, Italy's total fertility rate stood at 1.2.

August 2025: Approval of the Strait of Messina Bridge

In August 2025, the Meloni government gave final approval for the planned Strait of Messina Bridge, with construction scheduled to begin in the autumn of 2025.