History of Italy in Timeline

Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is located in Southern and Western Europe, primarily consisting of a peninsula extending into the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by the Alps to the north. It includes nearly 800 islands like Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Vatican City, and San Marino. As the tenth-largest country in Europe by area, it's also the third-most populous EU member with nearly 59 million residents. Rome serves as Italy's capital and largest city, with other major urban centers including Milan, Naples, Turin, Palermo, Bologna, Florence, Genoa, and Venice.

1900: Reference point for per capita income

The year 1900 is mentioned as a reference point when describing Italy's lowest per capita income during the war.

1904: Olympics not taken part

Italy has been successful in the Olympics, not taking part in 1904.

1906: Nobel laureate Giosuè Carducci

Giosuè Carducci was a Nobel laureate in 1906.

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 film

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

1915: World War I

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

1915: Italy enters World War I

In 1915, Italy entered into the First World War, also considered the Fourth Italian War of Independence.

October 1918: 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 the war on the Italian Front.

1918: World War I

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

1919: Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye

In 1919, the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye allowed for the annexation of Trentino Alto-Adige.

1920: Treaty of Rapallo

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

1921: Giovanni Giolitti's last term as prime minister

In 1921, Giovanni Giolitti served his last term as prime minister.

1921: Italian Grand Prix of Formula One has been held since 1921

The Italian Grand Prix of Formula One has been held since 1921 always at Autodromo Nazionale Monza.

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: Establishment of the Italian fascist dictatorship

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

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

1926: Nobel laureate Grazia Deledda

Grazia Deledda was a Nobel laureate in 1926.

1930: Rome Masters tennis

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

1932: Venice Film Festival

Since 1932, the Venice Film Festival, awarding the Golden Lion, has been held and is the oldest in the world.

1934: World cup victory

Italy's team is one of the most successful, with World Cup victory in 1934.

1935: Invasion of Ethiopia

In 1935, Mussolini invaded Ethiopia and founded Italian East Africa.

1936: Nobel laureate Luigi Pirandello

Luigi Pirandello was a Nobel laureate in 1936.

1938: World cup victory

Italy's team is one of the most successful, with World Cup victory in 1938.

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: World War II

During World War II, Italy was part of the Axis powers from 1940 to 1943.

July 1943: Allied invasion of Sicily

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

1943: Armistice with the Allied powers

During World War II, Italy signed an armistice with the Allied powers in 1943, ending its involvement with the Axis.

1944: Lowest per capita income since 1900

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

April 1945: Surrender of German forces

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

April 1945: Capture and execution of Mussolini

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

1945: Italian resistance and liberation

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

1946: "Il Canto degli Italiani" becomes national anthem

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

Loading Video...

1946: Establishment of Unitary Parliamentary Republic

In 1946, Italy became a unitary parliamentary republic with the abolishment of the monarchy.

1946: Birth of the Italian Republic

In 1946, Italy's National Day, the Festa della Repubblica, celebrates the birth of the Italian Republic.

1946: Formation of the Army

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

1946: Referendum establishes the Republic

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

1948: Christian Democrats win landslide victory

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

1948: Constitution of Italy

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

1948: Competition since 1948

Italian Scuderia Ferrari is the oldest surviving team in Grand Prix racing, competing since 1948.

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 of the 1950s

Italy's population almost doubled during the 20th century, but the pattern of growth was uneven because of large-scale internal migration from the rural south to the industrial north, a consequence of the Italian economic miracle of the 1950s.

1955: Admission to the United Nations

In 1955, Italy was admitted to the United Nations.

1956: Winter Olympics hosted

Italy hosted Winter Olympics in 1956

1959: Nobel laureate Salvatore Quasimodo

Salvatore Quasimodo was a Nobel laureate in 1959.

1960: Short story writer Italo Calvino

Italo Calvino was a short story writer in 1960.

1960: Summer games hosted

Italy hosted a Summer games in 1960.

1963: Operation of Nuclear Reactors

In 1963, Italy operated nuclear reactors as part of its nuclear program.

1963: Vajont Dam Flood

In 1963, the Vajont Dam flood occurred as one of the ecological disasters resulting from deforestation, illegal building, and poor land management policies.

1964: Gigliola Cinquetti wins Eurovision

Gigliola Cinquetti won Eurovision in 1964.

1968: UEFA Euro victory

Italy's team is one of the most successful, with UEFA Euro victory in 1968.

1973: Oil crisis contributes to economic difficulties

The 1973 oil crisis contributed to economic difficulties during the Years of Lead.

1975: Nobel laureate Eugenio Montale

Eugenio Montale was a Nobel laureate in 1975.

1976: Davis cup win

Italian players won the Davis Cup in 1976.

1978: Establishment of Universal Public Healthcare System

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

1980: Economic Slowdown

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

1980: Italian Grand Prix of Formula One

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

1980: Umberto Eco

Umberto Eco was active in 1980.

1982: World cup victory

Italy's team is one of the most successful, with World Cup victory in 1982.

1983: EuroBasket Gold

Italy men's basketball team's best results were gold at EuroBasket 1983.

1985: End of Catholicism as Official Religion

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

1986: Chernobyl Disaster

In 1986, the Chernobyl disaster influenced the decision to abandon nuclear power in Italy.

1987: Abandonment of Nuclear Power

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

1990: Termination of Nuclear Program

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

1990: World Championship

The men's team won World Championships in 1990

1990: Toto Cutugno wins Eurovision

Toto Cutugno won Eurovision in 1990.

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

Between 1992 and 1993, 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

Between 1992 and 1993, Italy faced terror attacks perpetrated by the Sicilian Mafia as a consequence of new anti-mafia measures by the government.

1994: World Championship

The men's team won World Championships in 1994

1995: All-time low Total Fertility Rate

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

1997: Nobel laureate Dario Fo

Dario Fo was a Nobel laureate in 1997.

1998: Sarno Mudslides

In 1998, Sarno mudslides happened due to ecological disasters from deforestation, illegal building, and poor land-management policies.

1998: World Championship

The men's team won World Championships in 1998

1999: EuroBasket Gold

Italy men's basketball team's best results were gold at EuroBasket 1999.

2000: WHO Ranking of Healthcare System

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: Proportion of Daily Smokers

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

2000: Reduction in the Number of Farms

Since 2000, there has been a −32% reduction in the number of farms in Italy.

2002: Adoption of the Euro

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

2002: Road Network

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

2003: Troop Deployment to Afghanistan

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

2004: Major Seaports

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

2004: Olympics silver

Italy men's basketball team's best results were silver at the 2004 Olympics.

2005: Recorded Vascular Plant Species

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: Circulation of Cars and Goods Vehicles

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 has been restricted to "specially ventilated rooms" in Italy.

August 2006: Troop Deployment to Lebanon

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

2006: Fed cup win

Italian players won the Fed Cup in 2006.

2006: Winter Olympics hosted

Italy hosted Winter Olympics in 2006

2008: Railway Network

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

2008: Government Overturns Nuclear Program Termination

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

2008: Estimated Illegal Immigrants

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

2008: Financial Crisis

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

2008: Slight Increase in Fertility Rate

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

2009: Report on Mafia Presence

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

2009: Messina Mudslides

In 2009, Messina mudslides occurred as a result of deforestation, illegal building, and poor land-management policies.

2009: Fed cup win

Italian players won the Fed Cup in 2009.

2010: Agricultural Census

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

2010: Leading producer of renewable energy

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: Origin of Foreign-Born Population

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

2010: Fed cup win

Italian players won the Fed Cup in 2010.

2010: Completion of Montalto di Castro Photovoltaic Power Station

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

2011: Air Transport Passengers

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

2011: Berlusconi resigns

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

2011: Minority Christian Faiths

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

2012: Inland Waterways Network

In 2012, the national inland waterways network 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%, down from 24% in 2000 but above the OECD average.

2013: Projected TFR

As of 2013 the TFR is expected to reach 1.6–1.8 in 2030

2013: Start of increased migrant influx

From 2013 to 2018, Italy took in over 700,000 migrants during the European migrant crisis, mainly from sub-Saharan Africa.

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

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.

2013: Top Global Fashion Capital Rankings

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

2014: Presidency of EU Council

In 2014, Italy held the rotating presidency of the EU Council.

2014: Matteo Renzi becomes prime minister

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

2014: Solar Energy Production

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

2014: Navy Vessels in Operation

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

2014: Travel and tourism income in Italy

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

The overall population has been falling steadily since 2014 and is estimated to have fallen just below 59 million in 2024, representing a cumulative loss of more than 1.36 million people over the span of a decade.

2015: Life Expectancy in Italy

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

2015: Sergio Mattarella Becomes President

In 2015, Sergio Mattarella became the President of Italy.

2015: Automotive Industry Contribution to GDP

In 2015, the Italian automotive industry contributed 9% to GDP.

2016: Film awards

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

2016: Italian Citizenship

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

2016: Constitutional reform rejected in referendum

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

2017: Presidency of G7

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

2017: Tourism in Rome

In 2017, Rome was the third most visited city in Europe, and 12th in the world, with 9.4 million 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: Evaluation of 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 extremely high, at 32%.

2019: Italian Universities Ranked Among World's Top 500

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: Distribution of Foreign Population

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

2020: Healthcare Spending

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

2020: Renewable energy consumption

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

2020: UEFA Euro victory

Italy's team is one of the most successful, with UEFA Euro victory in 2020.

February 2021: Conte resigns

In February 2021, after a government crisis, Conte resigned.

2021: Foreign Residents in Italy

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

2021: Italian Air Force Operations

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

2021: Måneskin wins Eurovision

Måneskin won Eurovision in 2021.

2021: ITA Airways

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, the general election saw the Brothers of Italy, Democratic Party, and Five Star Movement win a majority of seats in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The centre-right coalition won most seats in parliament.

2022: Civil Airports

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

2023: Italy's rank as world exporter

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

2023: Record Low Births

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

2023: Davis cup win

Italian players won the Davis Cup in 2023.

2024: Global Innovation Index Ranking

In 2024, Italy was ranked 26th in the Global Innovation Index.

2024: Tourism in Italy

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.

2024: Total Fertility Rate

In 2024, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in Italy stood at 1.2.

2024: Davis cup win

Italian players won the Davis Cup in 2024.

August 2025: Final Approval of Strait of Messina Bridge

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