Frequently Asked Questions about Italy

The crime in Italy is generally confined to bag snatching and pick-pocketing, and there is a misconception that Italy has a high crime rate. Organised crime is a reality but this does not affect the man on the street. This link to crime information is provided by the Property Showrooms website: www.propertyshowrooms.com/italy/guide/crime-and-police-in-italy.asp
Ethnic Italians constitute 95 percent of the population, and the largest ethnic minority is Romanian, with increasing waves of immigration from the EU countries of Eastern Europe and illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and North Africa. The population density of Italy ranks among the highest in Europe. Statistics on the population mix of Italy provided by Maps of The World website:
www.mapsofworld.com/italy/italy-population.html
Italy’s economic growth in the past 15 years has been the slowest in the European Union. However, the actual economy is the seventh largest in the world. It is a member of the G8 group of industrialized nations and the economy is reliant on importing raw materials for industry. The Italian Economy Watch looks at Italy’s current economic trends: italyeconomicinfo.blogspot.com
Italy is a parliamentary democracy with a history of coalition governments. Its major political parties include People of Freedom, Democratic Party, Northern League, Italy of Values, Union of Christian and Centre Democrats, and the Communist Refoundation Party. A website on Western European Government providing a background to Italy’s political system: wess.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Italian_Politics_%26_Government
Italy’s climate varies from one region to another, with Mediterranean conditions experienced on the coast and continental weather and temperatures in the interior. The higher elevations of the Alps and Appenines encounter particularly frigid conditions. Rainfall occurs mainly during the autumn and winter seasons with the wettest parts in the north of the country. Temperatures tend to fluctuate year round between 11°C and 30°C. The hottest month is July and the coldest is January, when the average daily minimum and maximum can range from 4°C to 6°C.