Spain vs. Italy
Introduction
Spain | Italy | |
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Background | Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World War I and II, but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy, and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. More recently, Spain has emerged from a severe economic recession that began in mid-2008, posting four straight years of GDP growth above the EU average. Unemployment has fallen, but remains high, especially among youth. Spain is the Eurozone's fourth largest economy. The country has faced increased domestic turmoil in recent years due to the independence movement in its restive Catalonia region. | Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy is a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC) and its subsequent successors the EC and the EU. It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include sluggish economic growth, high youth and female unemployment, organized crime, corruption, and economic disparities between southern Italy and the more prosperous north. |
Geography
Spain | Italy | |
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Location | Southwestern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, and Pyrenees Mountains; southwest of France | Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia |
Geographic coordinates | 40 00 N, 4 00 W | 42 50 N, 12 50 E |
Map references | Europe | Europe |
Area | total: 505,370 sq km land: 498,980 sq km water: 6,390 sq km note: there are two autonomous cities - Ceuta and Melilla - and 17 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera | total: 301,340 sq km land: 294,140 sq km water: 7,200 sq km note: includes Sardinia and Sicily |
Area - comparative | almost five times the size of Kentucky; slightly more than twice the size of Oregon | almost twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona |
Land boundaries | total: 1,952.7 km border countries (5): Andorra 63 km, France 646 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1224 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 8 km and Morocco (Melilla) 10.5 km note: an additional 75-meter border segment exists between Morocco and the Spanish exclave of Penon de Velez de la Gomera | total: 1,836.4 km border countries (6): Austria 404 km, France 476 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.4 km, San Marino 37 km, Slovenia 218 km, Switzerland 698 km |
Coastline | 4,964 km | 7,600 km |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean) | territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Climate | temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast | predominantly Mediterranean; alpine in far north; hot, dry in south |
Terrain | large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees Mountains in north | mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands |
Elevation extremes | highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 660 m | highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc) 4,748 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 538 m |
Natural resources | coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land | coal, antimony, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land |
Land use | agricultural land: 54.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 24.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 9.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 20.1% (2018 est.) forest: 36.8% (2018 est.) other: 9.1% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 47.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 22.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 8.6% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 15.7% (2018 est.) forest: 31.4% (2018 est.) other: 21.5% (2018 est.) |
Irrigated land | 38,000 sq km (2012) | 39,500 sq km (2012) |
Natural hazards | periodic droughts, occasional flooding volcanism: volcanic activity in the Canary Islands, located off Africa's northwest coast; Teide (3,715 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; La Palma (2,426 m), which last erupted in 1971, is the most active of the Canary Islands volcanoes; Lanzarote is the only other historically active volcano | regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Etna (3,330 m), which is in eruption as of 2010, is Europe's most active volcano; flank eruptions pose a threat to nearby Sicilian villages; Etna, along with the famous Vesuvius, which remains a threat to the millions of nearby residents in the Bay of Naples area, have both been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Stromboli, on its namesake island, has also been continuously active with moderate volcanic activity; other historically active volcanoes include Campi Flegrei, Ischia, Larderello, Pantelleria, Vulcano, and Vulsini |
Environment - current issues | pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification | air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol |
Geography - note | strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar; Spain controls a number of territories in northern Morocco including the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas; Spain's Canary Islands are one of four North Atlantic archipelagos that make up Macaronesia; the others are Azores (Portugal), Madeira (Portugal), and Cabo Verde | strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe |
Total renewable water resources | 111.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 191.3 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
Population distribution | with the notable exception of Madrid, Sevilla, and Zaragoza, the largest urban agglomerations are found along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts; numerous smaller cities are spread throughout the interior reflecting Spain's agrarian heritage; very dense settlement around the capital of Madrid, as well as the port city of Barcelona | despite a distinctive pattern with an industrial north and an agrarian south, a fairly even population distribution exists throughout most of the country, with coastal areas, the Po River Valley, and urban centers (particularly Milan, Rome, and Naples), attracting larger and denser populations |
Demographics
Spain | Italy | |
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Population | 47,260,584 (July 2021 est.) | 62,390,364 (July 2021 est.) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 15.02% (male 3,861,522/female 3,650,085) 15-24 years: 9.9% (male 2,557,504/female 2,392,498) 25-54 years: 43.61% (male 11,134,006/female 10,675,873) 55-64 years: 12.99% (male 3,177,080/female 3,319,823) 65 years and over: 18.49% (male 3,970,417/female 5,276,984) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 13.45% (male 4,292,431/female 4,097,732) 15-24 years: 9.61% (male 3,005,402/female 2,989,764) 25-54 years: 40.86% (male 12,577,764/female 12,921,614) 55-64 years: 14% (male 4,243,735/female 4,493,581) 65 years and over: 22.08% (male 5,949,560/female 7,831,076) (2020 est.) |
Median age | total: 43.9 years male: 42.7 years female: 45.1 years (2020 est.) | total: 46.5 years male: 45.4 years female: 47.5 years (2020 est.) |
Population growth rate | -0.03% (2021 est.) | 0.09% (2021 est.) |
Birth rate | 8.05 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 8.37 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
Death rate | 9.78 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 10.7 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
Net migration rate | 1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 3.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
Infant mortality rate | total: 3.14 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 3.14 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 82.21 years male: 79.22 years female: 85.39 years (2021 est.) | total population: 82.67 years male: 80.01 years female: 85.49 years (2021 est.) |
Total fertility rate | 1.51 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.47 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.4% (2020 est.) | 0.2% (2020 est.) |
Nationality | noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish | noun: Italian(s) adjective: Italian |
Ethnic groups | Spanish 84.8%, Moroccan 1.7%, Romanian 1.2%, other 12.3% (2021 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth | Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south) |
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 150,000 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children | 140,000 (2020 est.) note: estimate does not include children |
Religions | Roman Catholic 58.2%, atheist 16.2%, agnostic 10.8%, other 2.7%, non-believer 10.5%, unspecified 1.7% (2021 est.) | Christian 80.8% (overwhelmingly Roman Catholic with very small groups of Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestants), Muslim 4.9%, unaffiliated 13.4%, other 0.9% (2020 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - deaths | <1,000 (2020) note: estimate does not include children | <1000 (2020 est.) |
Languages | Castilian Spanish (official nationwide) 74%, Catalan (official in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community (where it is known as Valencian)) 17%, Galician (official in Galicia) 7%, Basque (official in the Basque Country and in the Basque-speaking area of Navarre) 2%, Aranese (official in the northwest corner of Catalonia (Vall d'Aran) along with Catalan, <5,000 speakers); note - Aragonese, Aranese Asturian, Basque, Calo, Catalan, Galician, and Valencian are recognized as regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area) major-language sample(s): L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.4% male: 98.9% female: 98% (2018) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.2% male: 99.4% female: 99% (2018) |
Major infectious diseases | respiratory diseases: Covid-19 (see note) (2020) note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Spain; as of 19 July 2021, Spain has reported a total of 4,161,850 cases of COVID-19 or 8,792.77 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 171.38 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 19 July 2021, 63.52% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine; the Department of Homeland Security has issued instructions requiring US passengers who have been in Spain to travel through select airports where the US Government has implemented enhanced screening procedures | respiratory diseases: Covid-19 (see note) (2020) note: a new coronavirus is causing respiratory illness (COVID-19) in Italy; illness with this virus has ranged from mild to severe with fatalities reported; as of 19 July 2021, Italy has reported a total of 4,289,528 cases of COVID-19 or 7,192.19 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 214.4 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 19 July 2021, 60.61% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine; the US Department of Homeland Security has issued instructions requiring US passengers who have been in Italy to travel through select airports where the US Government has implemented enhanced screening procedures |
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 18 years male: 17 years female: 18 years (2018) | total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2018) |
Education expenditures | 4.2% of GDP (2017) | 4% of GDP (2017) |
Urbanization | urban population: 81.1% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.24% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla | urban population: 71.3% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
Drinking water source | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 98.8% of population rural: 98.6% of population total: 98.8% of population unimproved: urban: 1.2% of population rural: 1.4% of population total: 1.2% of population (2017 est.) |
Major cities - population | 6.669 million MADRID (capital), 5.624 million Barcelona, 835,000 Valencia (2021) | 4.278 million ROME (capital), 3.144 million Milan, 2.183 million Naples, 1.795 million Turin, 900,000 Bergamo, 850,000 Palermo (2021) |
Maternal mortality rate | 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 2 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
Health expenditures | 9% (2018) | 8.7% (2018) |
Physicians density | 3.87 physicians/1,000 population (2017) | 3.98 physicians/1,000 population (2018) |
Hospital bed density | 3 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 3.2 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 23.8% (2016) | 19.9% (2016) |
Mother's mean age at first birth | 31.1 years (201 est.) | 31.3 years (2019 est.) |
Contraceptive prevalence rate | 62.1% (2018) note: percent of women aged 18-49 | 65.1% (2013) note: percent of women aged 18-49 |
Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 52.4 youth dependency ratio: 21.9 elderly dependency ratio: 30.4 potential support ratio: 3.3 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 57 youth dependency ratio: 20.4 elderly dependency ratio: 36.6 potential support ratio: 2.7 (2020 est.) |
Government
Spain | Italy | |
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Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain conventional short form: Spain local long form: Reino de Espana local short form: Espana etymology: derivation of the name "Espana" is uncertain, but may come from the Phoenician term "span," related to the word "spy," meaning "to forge metals," so, "i-spn-ya" would mean "place where metals are forged"; the ancient Phoenicians long exploited the Iberian Peninsula for its mineral wealth | conventional long form: Italian Republic conventional short form: Italy local long form: Repubblica Italiana local short form: Italia former: Kingdom of Italy etymology: derivation is unclear, but the Latin "Italia" may come from the Oscan "Viteliu" meaning "[Land] of Young Cattle" (the bull was a symbol of southern Italic tribes) |
Government type | parliamentary constitutional monarchy | parliamentary republic |
Capital | name: Madrid geographic coordinates: 40 24 N, 3 41 W time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: Spain has two time zones, including the Canary Islands (UTC 0) etymology: the Romans named the original settlement "Matrice" after the river that ran through it; under Arab rule it became "Majerit," meaning "source of water"; in medieval Romance dialects (Mozarabic) it became "Matrit," which over time changed to "Madrid" | name: Rome geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 29 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: by tradition, named after Romulus, one of the legendary founders of the city and its first king |
Administrative divisions | 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular - comunidad autonoma) and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas, singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia; Aragon; Asturias; Canarias (Canary Islands); Cantabria; Castilla-La Mancha; Castilla-Leon; Cataluna (Castilian), Catalunya (Catalan), Catalonha (Aranese) [Catalonia]; Ceuta*; Comunidad Valenciana (Castilian), Comunitat Valenciana (Valencian) [Valencian Community]; Extremadura; Galicia; Illes Baleares (Balearic Islands); La Rioja; Madrid; Melilla*; Murcia; Navarra (Castilian), Nafarroa (Basque) [Navarre]; Pais Vasco (Castilian), Euskadi (Basque) [Basque Country] note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central government, are all along the coast of Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de Soberania) | 15 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 5 autonomous regions (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma) regions: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte (Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Toscana (Tuscany), Umbria, Veneto; autonomous regions: Friuli Venezia Giulia, Sardegna (Sardinia), Sicilia (Sicily), Trentino-Alto Adige (Trentino-South Tyrol) or Trentino-Suedtirol (German), Valle d'Aosta (Aosta Valley) or Vallee d'Aoste (French) |
Independence | 1492; the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th century A.D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain | 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1871) |
National holiday | National Day (Hispanic Day), 12 October (1492); note - commemorates the arrival of COLUMBUS in the Americas | Republic Day, 2 June (1946) |
Constitution | history: previous 1812; latest approved by the General Courts 31 October 1978, passed by referendum 6 December 1978, signed by the king 27 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978 amendments: proposed by the government, by the General Courts (the Congress or the Senate), or by the self-governing communities submitted through the government; passage requires three-fifths majority vote by both houses and passage by referendum if requested by one tenth of the members of either house; proposals disapproved by both houses are submitted to a joint committee, which submits an agreed upon text for another vote; passage requires two-thirds majority vote in Congress and simple majority vote in the Senate; amended 1992, 2011 | history: previous 1848 (originally for the Kingdom of Sardinia and adopted by the Kingdom of Italy in 1861); latest enacted 22 December 1947, adopted 27 December 1947, entered into force 1 January 1948 amendments: proposed by both houses of Parliament; passage requires two successive debates and approval by absolute majority of each house on the second vote; a referendum is only required when requested by one fifth of the members of either house, by voter petition, or by five Regional Councils (elected legislative assemblies of the 15 first-level administrative regions and 5 autonomous regions of Italy); referendum not required if an amendment has been approved by a two-thirds majority in each house in the second vote; amended many times, last in 2020 |
Legal system | civil law system with regional variations | civil law system; judicial review of legislation under certain conditions in Constitutional Court |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25 |
Executive branch | chief of state: King FELIPE VI (since 19 June 2014); Heir Apparent Princess LEONOR, Princess of Asturias (daughter of the monarch, born 31 October 2005) head of government: President of the Government (Prime Minister-equivalent) Pedro SANCHEZ Perez-Castejon (since 2 June 2018); Vice President (and Minister of the President's Office) Maria del Carmen CALVO Poyato (since 7 June 2018) cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the monarch usually proposes as president the leader of the party or coalition with the largest majority of seats, who is then indirectly elected by the Congress of Deputies; election last held on 10 November 2019 (next to be held November 2023); vice president and Council of Ministers appointed by the president election results: percent of National Assembly vote - NA note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are non-binding | chief of state: President Sergio MATTARELLA (since 3 February 2015) head of government: Prime Minister Mario DRAGHI (since 13 February 2021); the prime minister's official title is President of the Council of Ministers; note - Prime Minister Giuseppe CONTE resigned on 26 January 2021 cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, known officially as the President of the Council of Ministers and locally as the Premier; nominated by the president; the current deputy prime ministers, known officially as vice-presidents of the Council of Ministers, are Matteo Salvini (L) and Luigi Di Maio (M5S) (since 1 June 2018) elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a 7-year term (no term limits); election last held on 31 January 2015 (next to be held in 2022); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by parliament election results: Sergio MATTARELLA (independent) elected president; electoral college vote count in fourth round - 665 out of 1,009 (505-vote threshold) |
Legislative branch | description: bicameral General Courts or Las Cortes Generales consists of: Senate or Senado (266 seats; 208 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 58 members indirectly elected by the legislatures of the autonomous communities; members serve 4-year terms) Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; 348 members directly elected in 50 multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote, with a 3% threshold needed to gain a seat, and 2 directly elected from the North African Ceuta and Melilla enclaves by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms or until the government is dissolved) elections: Senate - last held on 10 November 2019 (next to be held no later than November 2023) Congress of Deputies - last held on 10 November 2019 (next to be held no later than November 2023) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSOE 113, PP 97, ERC 15, EAJ/PNV 10, C's 9, other 22; composition - men 163, women 103; percent of women 39% Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSOE 28.7%, PP 20.8%,Vox 15.1%, Unidos Podemos 12.8%, C's 6.8%, ERC 3.6%, other 12.8%; seats by party - PSOE 120, PP 88, Vox 52, Unidos Podemos 35, C's 10, ERC 13, other 23; composition - men 184, women 166; percent of women 47.4%; note - total General Courts percent of women 43.7% | description: bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of: Senate or Senato della Repubblica (321 seats; 116 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 193 members in multi-seat constituencies and 6 members in multi-seat constituencies abroad directly elected by party-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 6 ex-officio members appointed by the president of the Republic to serve for life) Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 629 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 1 member from Valle d'Aosta elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 4 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 4 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - center-right coalition 37.5% (L 17.6%, FI 14.4%, FdI 4.3%, UdC 1.2%), M5S 32.2%, center-left coalition (PD 19.1%, +E 2.3%, I 0.5%, CP 0.5%, SVP-PATT 0.4%), LeU 3.3%; seats by party - center-right coalition 77(L 37, FI 33, FdI 7), M5S 68, center-left coalition 44(PD 43, SVP-PATT 1), LeU 4; composition - men 208, women 113, percent of women 35.2% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - center-right coalition 37% (L 17.4%, FI 14%, FdI 4.4%, UdC 1.3%), M5S 33%, center-left coalition 22.9% (PD 18.8%, E+ 2.6%, I 0.6%, CP 0.5%, SVP-PATT 0.4%); seats by party - center-right coalition 151 (L73, FI 59, FdI 19), M5S 133, center-left coalition 88 (PD 86, SVP 2), LeU 14; composition - men 405, women 225, percent of women 35.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 35.5% Note: in October 2019, Italy's Parliament voted to reduce the number of Senate seats from 315 to 200 and the number of Chamber of Deputies seats from 630 to 400; a referendum to reduce the membership of Parliament held on 20-21 September 2020 was approved, effective for the 2023 election |
Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo (consists of the court president and organized into the Civil Room, with a president and 9 judges; the Penal Room, with a president and 14 judges; the Administrative Room, with a president and 32 judges; the Social Room, with a president and 12 judges; and the Military Room, with a president and 7 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional de Espana (consists of 12 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates proposed by the General Council of the Judiciary Power, a 20-member governing board chaired by the monarch that includes presidential appointees, lawyers, and jurists confirmed by the National Assembly; judges can serve until age 70; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Assembly, executive branch, and the General Council of the Judiciary, and appointed by the monarch for 9-year terms subordinate courts: National High Court; High Courts of Justice (in each of the autonomous communities); provincial courts; courts of first instance | highest courts: Supreme Court of Cassation or Corte Suprema di Cassazione (consists of the first president (chief justice), deputy president, 54 justices presiding over 6 civil and 7 criminal divisions, and 288 judges; an additional 30 judges of lower courts serve as supporting judges; cases normally heard by 5-judge panels; more complex cases heard by 9-judge panels); Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (consists of the court president and 14 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Council of the Judiciary, headed by the president of the republic; judges may serve for life; Constitutional Court judges - 5 appointed by the president, 5 elected by Parliament, 5 elected by select higher courts; judges serve up to 9 years subordinate courts: various lower civil and criminal courts (primary and secondary tribunals and courts of appeal) |
Political parties and leaders | Asturias Forum or FAC [Carmen MORIYON] Basque Country Unite (Euskal Herria Bildu) or EH Bildu (coalition of 4 Basque pro-independence parties) Basque Nationalist Party or PNV or EAJ [Andoni ORTUZAR] Canarian Coalition or CC [Ana ORAMAS] (coalition of 5 parties) Junts per Catalunia or JxCat [Carles PUIDGEMONT] Ciudadanos Party or C's [Albert RIVERA] Compromis - Communist Coalition [Joan BALDOVI] New Canary or NCa [Pedro QUEVEDOS] Unidas Podemos [Pablo IGLESIAS Turrion] (formerly Podemos IU; electoral coalition formed for May 2016 election) People's Party or PP [Pablo CASADO] Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Oriol JUNQUERAS i Vies] Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Pedro SANCHEZ] JxCat-Junts Together for Catalonia [Jordi SANCHEZ] Union of People of Navarra or UPN [Javier ESPARZA] Navarra Suma (electoral Coaltion formed by Navarrese People's Union (UPN), Ciudadanos (C's), and the Popular Partty (PP) ahead of the 2019 election) Vox or Vox [Santiago ABASCAL] | Governing Coalition: Other parties and parliamentary groups: |
International organization participation | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Santiago CABANAS Ansorena (since 17 September 2018) chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100 FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670 email address and website: emb.washington@maec.es http://www.exteriores.gob.es/embajadas/washington/en/pages/inicio2.aspx consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico) | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Maurizio GREGANTI, Minister (since 15 June 2021) chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 FAX: [1] (202) 518-2154 email address and website: amb.washington@cert.esteri.it https://ambwashingtondc.esteri.it/ambasciata_washington/en/ consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco consulate(s): Charlotte (NC), Cleveland (OH), Detroit (MI), Hattiesburg (MS), Honolulu (HI), New Orleans, Newark (NJ), Norfolk (VA), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Seattle |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Conrad TRIBBLE (since 20 January 2021) note - also accredited to Andorra embassy: Calle de Serrano, 75, 28006 Madrid mailing address: 8500 Madrid Place, Washington DC 20521-8500 telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200 FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303 email address and website: askACS@state.gov https://es.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Barcelona | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Thomas D. SMITHAM (since 4 January 2021); note - also accredited to San Marino embassy: via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187 Roma mailing address: 9500 Rome Place, Washington DC 20521-9500 telephone: [39] 06-46741 FAX: [39] 06-4674-2244 email address and website: uscitizenrome@state.gov https://it.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples |
Flag description | three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms is quartered to display the emblems of the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left, Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; the red scroll across the two columns bears the imperial motto of "Plus Ultra" (further beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe; the triband arrangement with the center stripe twice the width of the outer dates to the 18th century note: the red and yellow colors are related to those of the oldest Spanish kingdoms: Aragon, Castile, Leon, and Navarre | three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; design inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797; colors are those of Milan (red and white) combined with the green uniform color of the Milanese civic guard note: similar to the flag of Mexico, which is longer, uses darker shades of green and red, and has its coat of arms centered on the white band; Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green |
National anthem | name: "Himno Nacional Espanol" (National Anthem of Spain) lyrics/music: no lyrics/unknown note: officially in use between 1770 and 1931, restored in 1939; the Spanish anthem is the first anthem to be officially adopted, but it has no lyrics; in the years prior to 1931 it became known as "Marcha Real" (The Royal March); it first appeared in a 1761 military bugle call book and was replaced by "Himno de Riego" in the years between 1931 and 1939; the long version of the anthem is used for the king, while the short version is used for the prince, prime minister, and occasions such as sporting events | name: "Il Canto degli Italiani" (The Song of the Italians) lyrics/music: Goffredo MAMELI/Michele NOVARO note: adopted 1946; the anthem, originally written in 1847, is also known as "L'Inno di Mameli" (Mameli's Hymn), and "Fratelli D'Italia" (Brothers of Italy) |
International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
National symbol(s) | Pillars of Hercules; national colors: red, yellow | white, five-pointed star (Stella d'Italia); national colors: red, white, green |
Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Spain dual citizenship recognized: only with select Latin American countries residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years for persons with no ties to Spain | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Italy dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years for EU nationals, 5 years for refugees and specified exceptions, 10 years for all others |
Economy
Spain | Italy | |
---|---|---|
Economy - overview | After a prolonged recession that began in 2008 in the wake of the global financial crisis, Spain marked the fourth full year of positive economic growth in 2017, with economic activity surpassing its pre-crisis peak, largely because of increased private consumption. The financial crisis of 2008 broke 16 consecutive years of economic growth for Spain, leading to an economic contraction that lasted until late 2013. In that year, the government successfully shored up its struggling banking sector - heavily exposed to the collapse of Spain's real estate boom - with the help of an EU-funded restructuring and recapitalization program. Until 2014, contraction in bank lending, fiscal austerity, and high unemployment constrained domestic consumption and investment. The unemployment rate rose from a low of about 8% in 2007 to more than 26% in 2013, but labor reforms prompted a modest reduction to 16.4% in 2017. High unemployment strained Spain's public finances, as spending on social benefits increased while tax revenues fell. Spain's budget deficit peaked at 11.4% of GDP in 2010, but Spain gradually reduced the deficit to about 3.3% of GDP in 2017. Public debt has increased substantially - from 60.1% of GDP in 2010 to nearly 96.7% in 2017. Strong export growth helped bring Spain's current account into surplus in 2013 for the first time since 1986 and sustain Spain's economic growth. Increasing labor productivity and an internal devaluation resulting from moderating labor costs and lower inflation have improved Spain's export competitiveness and generated foreign investor interest in the economy, restoring FDI flows. In 2017, the Spanish Government's minority status constrained its ability to implement controversial labor, pension, health care, tax, and education reforms. The European Commission expects the government to meet its 2017 budget deficit target and anticipates that expected economic growth in 2018 will help the government meet its deficit target. Spain's borrowing costs are dramatically lower since their peak in mid-2012, and increased economic activity has generated a modest level of inflation, at 2% in 2017. | Italy's economy comprises a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, highly subsidized, agricultural south, with a legacy of unemployment and underdevelopment. The Italian economy is driven in large part by the manufacture of high-quality consumer goods produced by small and medium-sized enterprises, many of them family-owned. Italy also has a sizable underground economy, which by some estimates accounts for as much as 17% of GDP. These activities are most common within the agriculture, construction, and service sectors. Italy is the third-largest economy in the euro zone, but its exceptionally high public debt and structural impediments to growth have rendered it vulnerable to scrutiny by financial markets. Public debt has increased steadily since 2007, reaching 131% of GDP in 2017. Investor concerns about Italy and the broader euro-zone crisis eased in 2013, bringing down Italy's borrowing costs on sovereign government debt from euro-era records. The government still faces pressure from investors and European partners to sustain its efforts to address Italy's longstanding structural economic problems, including labor market inefficiencies, a sluggish judicial system, and a weak banking sector. Italy's economy returned to modest growth in late 2014 for the first time since 2011. In 2015-16, Italy's economy grew at about 1% each year, and in 2017 growth accelerated to 1.5% of GDP. In 2017, overall unemployment was 11.4%, but youth unemployment remained high at 37.1%. GDP growth is projected to slow slightly in 2018. |
GDP (purchasing power parity) | $1,925,576,000,000 (2019 est.) $1,888,743,000,000 (2018 est.) $1,843,934,000,000 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $2,562,135,000,000 (2019 est.) $2,553,384,000,000 (2018 est.) $2,529,503,000,000 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.95% (2019 est.) 2.43% (2018 est.) 2.97% (2017 est.) | 0.34% (2019 est.) 0.83% (2018 est.) 1.73% (2017 est.) |
GDP - per capita (PPP) | $40,903 (2019 est.) $40,360 (2018 est.) $39,575 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $42,492 (2019 est.) $42,259 (2018 est.) $41,785 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2.6% (2017 est.) industry: 23.2% (2017 est.) services: 74.2% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 2.1% (2017 est.) industry: 23.9% (2017 est.) services: 73.9% (2017 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 20.7% (2018 est.) | 20.1% (2018 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 24% (2011) | lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 26.8% (2000) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.7% (2019 est.) 1.6% (2018 est.) 1.9% (2017 est.) | 0.6% (2019 est.) 1.1% (2018 est.) 1.2% (2017 est.) |
Labor force | 19.057 million (2020 est.) | 22.92 million (2020 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 4.2% industry: 24% services: 71.7% (2009) | agriculture: 3.9% industry: 28.3% services: 67.8% (2011) |
Unemployment rate | 14.13% (2019 est.) 15.25% (2018 est.) | 9.88% (2019 est.) 10.63% (2018 est.) |
Distribution of family income - Gini index | 34.7 (2017 est.) 32 (2005) | 35.9 (2017 est.) 27.3 (1995) |
Budget | revenues: 498.1 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 539 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 903.3 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 948.1 billion (2017 est.) |
Industries | textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment | tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics |
Industrial production growth rate | 4% (2017 est.) | 2.1% (2017 est.) |
Agriculture - products | barley, milk, wheat, olives, grapes, tomatoes, pork, maize, oranges, sugar beet | milk, grapes, wheat, maize, tomatoes, apples, olives, sugar beet, oranges, rice |
Exports | $533.771 billion (2019 est.) $521.855 billion (2018 est.) $510.327 billion (2017 est.) | $687.34 billion (2019 est.) $678.788 billion (2018 est.) $667.866 billion (2017 est.) |
Exports - commodities | cars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, delivery trucks, clothing and apparel (2019) | packaged medicines, cars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, valves, trunks/cases, wine (2019) |
Exports - partners | France 15%, Germany 11%, Portugal 8%, Italy 8%, United Kingdom 7%, United States 5% (2019) | Germany 12%, France 11%, United States 10%, United Kingdom 5%, Spain 5%, Switzerland 5% (2019) |
Imports | $463.145 billion (2019 est.) $459.742 billion (2018 est.) $441.197 billion (2017 est.) | $647.058 billion (2019 est.) $649.963 billion (2018 est.) $631.54 billion (2017 est.) |
Imports - commodities | crude petroleum, cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, natural gas, refined petroleum (2019) | crude petroleum, cars, packaged medicines, natural gas, refined petroleum (2019) |
Imports - partners | Germany 13%, France 11%, China 8%, Italy 7% (2019) | Germany 16%, France 9%, China 7%, Spain 5%, Netherlands 5%, Belgium 5% (2019) |
Debt - external | $2,338,853,000,000 (2019 est.) $2,366,534,000,000 (2018 est.) | $2,463,208,000,000 (2019 est.) $2,533,153,000,000 (2018 est.) |
Exchange rates | euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.82771 (2020 est.) 0.90338 (2019 est.) 0.87789 (2018 est.) 0.7525 (2014 est.) 0.7634 (2013 est.) | euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.82771 (2020 est.) 0.90338 (2019 est.) 0.87789 (2018 est.) 0.885 (2014 est.) 0.7634 (2013 est.) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Public debt | 98.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 99% of GDP (2016 est.) | 131.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 132% of GDP (2016 est.) note: Italy reports its data on public debt according to guidelines set out in the Maastricht Treaty; general government gross debt is defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year, in the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); the general government sector comprises central, state, and local government and social security funds |
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $69.41 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $63.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $151.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $130.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.) |
Current Account Balance | $29.603 billion (2019 est.) $27.206 billion (2018 est.) | $59.517 billion (2019 est.) $51.735 billion (2018 est.) |
GDP (official exchange rate) | $1,393,351,000,000 (2019 est.) | $2,002,763,000,000 (2019 est.) |
Credit ratings | Fitch rating: A- (2018) Moody's rating: Baa1 (2018) Standard & Poors rating: A (2019) | Fitch rating: BBB- (2020) Moody's rating: Baa3 (2018) Standard & Poors rating: BBB (2017) |
Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 77.9 (2020) Starting a Business score: 86.9 (2020) Trading score: 100 (2020) Enforcement score: 70.9 (2020) | Overall score: 72.9 (2020) Starting a Business score: 86.8 (2020) Trading score: 100 (2020) Enforcement score: 53.1 (2020) |
Taxes and other revenues | 37.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 46.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -3.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -2.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 32.5% male: 30.9% female: 34.5% (2019 est.) | total: 29.2% male: 27.8% female: 31.2% (2019 est.) |
GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 57.7% (2017 est.) government consumption: 18.5% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.6% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.6% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 34.1% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -31.4% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 61% (2017 est.) government consumption: 18.6% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.5% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: -0.2% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 31.4% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -28.3% (2017 est.) |
Gross national saving | 22.9% of GDP (2019 est.) 22.4% of GDP (2018 est.) 22.2% of GDP (2017 est.) | 21% of GDP (2019 est.) 21% of GDP (2018 est.) 20.6% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
Spain | Italy | |
---|---|---|
Electricity - production | 258.6 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 275.3 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
Electricity - consumption | 239.5 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 293.5 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
Electricity - exports | 14.18 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 6.155 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
Electricity - imports | 21.85 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 43.18 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
Oil - production | 1,700 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 90,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
Oil - imports | 1.325 million bbl/day (2017 est.) | 1.341 million bbl/day (2017 est.) |
Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 13,790 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
Oil - proved reserves | 150 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 487.8 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
Natural gas - proved reserves | 2.548 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 38.11 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
Natural gas - production | 36.81 million cu m (2017 est.) | 5.55 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
Natural gas - consumption | 31.27 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 75.15 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
Natural gas - exports | 2.888 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 271.8 million cu m (2017 est.) |
Natural gas - imports | 34.63 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 69.66 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
Electricity - installed generating capacity | 105.9 million kW (2016 est.) | 114.2 million kW (2016 est.) |
Electricity - from fossil fuels | 47% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 54% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
Electricity - from other renewable sources | 32% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 32% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
Refined petroleum products - production | 1.361 million bbl/day (2017 est.) | 1.607 million bbl/day (2017 est.) |
Refined petroleum products - consumption | 1.296 million bbl/day (2017 est.) | 1.236 million bbl/day (2017 est.) |
Refined petroleum products - exports | 562,400 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 615,900 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
Refined petroleum products - imports | 464,800 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 422,500 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
Spain | Italy | |
---|---|---|
Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 19,639,778 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41.54 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 19,519,434 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31.35 (2019 est.) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 55,354,944 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 117.09 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 79,480,756 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127.64 (2019 est.) |
Internet country code | .es | .it |
Internet users | total: 42,478,990 percent of population: 86.11% (July 2018 est.) | total: 46,305,301 percent of population: 74.39% (July 2018 est.) |
Telecommunication systems | general assessment: well-developed and one of the largest telecom markets in Europe, with average mobile penetration for Europe; regulator has championed competition; LTE is nearly universal with shifts of service to 5G; operator joined government smart cities project; fixed-line broadband is backed by investment in fiber infrastructure; fiber broadband accounts for most of all fixed-line broadband connections; Chinese company Huawei contributes investment to the telecom sector; increased connectivity through submarine cable connection to Brazil; importer of broadcasting equipment from Europe (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line 42 per 100 and mobile-cellular 118 telephones per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 34; landing points for the MAREA, Tata TGN-Western Europe, Pencan-9, SAT-3/WASC, Canalink, Atlantis-2, Columbus -111, Estepona-Tetouan, FEA, Balalink, ORVAL and PENBAL-5 submarine cables providing connectivity to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South America, Asia, Southeast Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: well-developed, fully automated telephone, and data services; among highest mobile penetration rates in Europe; benefitted from progressive government programs aimed at developing fiber in broadband sector; leading edge of development with 5G in six cities; fiber network reaches more than half of population; Milan developing smart city technology; importer of broadcasting equipment and computers from China (2021) (2020)domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks; 32 per 100 for fixed-line and 133 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2019) international: country code - 39; landing points for Italy-Monaco, Italy-Libya, Italy-Malta, Italy-Greece-1, Italy-Croatia, BlueMed, Janna, FEA, SeaMeWe-3 & 4 & 5, Trapani-Kelibia, Columbus-III, Didon, GO-1, HANNIBAL System, MENA, Bridge International, Malta-Italy Interconnector, Melita1, IMEWE, VMSCS, AAE-1, and OTEGLOBE, submarine cables that provide links to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia and US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 15,616,585 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33.03 (2019 est.) | total: 17,470,489 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28.06 (2019 est.) |
Broadcast media | a mixture of both publicly operated and privately owned TV and radio stations; overall, hundreds of TV channels are available including national, regional, local, public, and international channels; satellite and cable TV systems available; multiple national radio networks, a large number of regional radio networks, and a larger number of local radio stations; overall, hundreds of radio stations (2019) | two Italian media giants dominate - the publicly owned Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI) with 3 national terrestrial stations and privately owned Mediaset with 3 national terrestrial stations; a large number of private stations and Sky Italia - a satellite TV network; RAI operates 3 AM/FM nationwide radio stations; about 1,300 commercial radio stations |
Transportation
Spain | Italy | |
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Railways | total: 15,333 km (9,699 km electrified) (2017) standard gauge: 2,571 km 1.435-m gauge (2,571 km electrified) (2017) narrow gauge: 1,207 km 1.000-m gauge (400 km electrified) (2017) broad gauge: 11,333 km 1.668-m gauge (6,538 km electrified) (2017) mixed gauge: 190 km 1.668-m and 1.435m gage (190.1 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified); 4 km 0.600-m gauge | total: 20,182 km (2014) standard gauge: 18,770.1 km 1.435-m gauge (12,893.6 km electrified) (2014) narrow gauge: 122.3 km 1.000-m gauge (122.3 km electrified) (2014) 1289.3 0.950-m gauge (151.3 km electrified) |
Roadways | total: 683,175 km (2011) paved: 683,175 km (includes 16,205 km of expressways) (2011) | total: 487,700 km (2007) paved: 487,700 km (includes 6,700 km of expressways) (2007) |
Waterways | 1,000 km (2012) | 2,400 km (used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail) (2012) |
Pipelines | 10481 km gas, 358 km oil, 4378 km refined products (2017) | 20223 km gas, 1393 km oil, 1574 km refined products (2013) |
Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Algeciras, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cartagena, Huelva, Tarragona, Valencia (all in Spain); Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (in the Canary Islands) container port(s) (TEUs): Algeciras (5,125,385), Barcelona (3,324,650), Valencia (5,439,827) (2019) LNG terminal(s) (import): Barcelona, Bilbao, Cartagena, Huelva, Mugardos, Sagunto | major seaport(s): Augusta, Cagliari, Genoa, Livorno, Taranto, Trieste, Venice oil terminal(s): Melilli (Santa Panagia) oil terminal, Sarroch oil terminal container port(s) (TEUs): Genoa (2,621,472), Gioia Tauro (2,523,000) (2019) LNG terminal(s) (import): La Spezia, Panigaglia, Porto Levante |
Merchant marine | total: 474 by type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 36, oil tanker 25, other 412 (2020) | total: 1,310 by type: bulk carrier 42, container ship 7, general cargo 114, oil tanker 107, other 1,040 (2020) |
Airports | total: 135 (2020) | total: 129 (2013) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 102 (2020) over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 23 | total: 98 (2017) over 3,047 m: 9 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 31 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 29 (2017) under 914 m: 11 (2017) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 33 (2020) 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 19 | total: 31 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 10 (2013) under 914 m: 20 (2013) |
Heliports | 13 (2020) | 5 (2013) |
National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 21 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 552 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 80,672,105 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,117,070,000 mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 9 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 180 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 27,630,435 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1.418 billion mt-km (2018) |
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | EC | I |
Military
Spain | Italy | |
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Military branches | Spanish Armed Forces: Army (Ejercito de Tierra), Spanish Navy (Armada Espanola, AE, includes Marine Corps), Spanish Air Force (Ejercito del Aire Espanola, EdA); Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) (2021) note: the Civil Guard is a military force with police duties (including coast guard) under both the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of the Interior; it also responds to the needs of the Ministry of Finance | Italian Armed Forces: Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI; includes aviation, marines), Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI); Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri, CC) (2021) note(s): the Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie; for its civil police functions, the Carabinieri falls under the control of the Ministry of the Interior; the Financial Guard (Guardia di Finanza) under the Ministry of Economy and Finance is a force with military status and nationwide remit for financial crime investigations, including narcotics trafficking, smuggling, and illegal immigration |
Military service age and obligation | 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service by a Spanish citizen or legal immigrant, 2-3 year obligation; women allowed to serve in all SAF branches, including combat units; no conscription (abolished 2001), but Spanish Government retains right to mobilize citizens 19-25 years of age in a national emergency (2019) | 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in any military branch; Italian citizenship required; 1-year service obligation; conscription abolished 2004 (2019) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.17% of GDP (2020 est.) 0.91% of GDP (2019) 0.93% of GDP (2018) 0.91% of GDP (2017) 0.81% of GDP (2016) | 1.39% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.18% of GDP (2019) 1.23% of GDP (2018) 1.2% of GDP (2017) 1.18% of GDP (2016) |
Military - note | Spain joined NATO in 1982, but refrained from participating in the integrated military structure until 1996 | Italy is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949 |
Military and security service personnel strengths | the Spanish Armed Forces have approximately 120,000 active duty troops (75,000 Army; 25,000 Navy, inc about 5,000 marines; 20,000 Air Force); 80,000 Guardia Civil (2021) | the Italian Armed Forces have approximately 170,000 active personnel (100,000 Army; 30,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force); approximately 107,000 Carabinieri (2020) |
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the inventory of the Spanish military is comprised of domestically-produced and imported Western weapons systems; France, Germany, and the US are the leading suppliers of military hardware since 2010; Spain's defense industry manufactures land, air, and sea weapons systems and is integrated within the European defense-industrial sector (2020) | the Italian Armed Forces' inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced, jointly-produced, and imported European and US weapons systems; the US is the leading supplier of weapons to Italy since 2010, followed by Germany; the Italian defense industry is capable of producing equipment across all the military domains with particular strengths in naval vessels and aircraft; it also participates in joint development and production of advanced weapons systems with other European countries and the US (2020) |
Military deployments | approximately 200 Iraq (training mission, counter-ISIS coalition); 350 Latvia (NATO); 625 Lebanon (UNIFIL); approximately 400 Mali (EUTM); 150 Turkey (NATO) (2021) | 120 Djibouti; 1,100 Middle East/Iraq/Kuwait (NATO, counter-ISIS campaign, European Assistance Mission Iraq); 630 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); 200 Latvia (NATO); 1,200 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 400 Libya; 290 Niger; 150 Somalia (EUTM) (2021) |
Transnational Issues
Spain | Italy | |
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Disputes - international | in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement; the Government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; after voters in the UK chose to leave the EU in a June 2016 referendum, Spain again proposed shared sovereignty of Gibraltar; UK officials rejected Spain's joint sovereignty proposal; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; both countries claim Isla Perejil (Leila Island); Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz | Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and northern Africa |
Illicit drugs | despite rigorous law enforcement efforts, North African, Latin American, Galician, and other European traffickers take advantage of Spain's long coastline to land large shipments of cocaine and hashish for distribution to the European market; consumer for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish; destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering site for Colombian narcotics trafficking organizations and organized crime | important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money laundering by organized crime and from smuggling |
Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 14,133 (Syria) (2019); 415,000 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2021) stateless persons: 5,914 (2020) note: 227,332 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021) | refugees (country of origin): 25,241 (Nigeria), 20,063 (Pakistan), 17,849 (Afghanistan), 15,842 (Mali), 14,029 (Somalia), 12,968 (Gambia), 8,974 (Bangladesh), 7,659 (Cote d'Ivoire), 7,644 (Senegal), 7,118 (Eritrea), 6,995 (Iraq), 6,353 (Ukraine), 5,953 (Ghana) (2019) stateless persons: 3,000 (2020) note: 560,848 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021) |
Terrorism
Spain | Italy | |
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Terrorist Group(s) | Basque Fatherland and Liberty (disbanded 2018); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa'ida note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T | Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) |
Environment
Spain | Italy | |
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Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 9.48 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 244 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 36.94 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 15.28 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) methane emissions: 41.3 megatons (2020 est.) |
Total water withdrawal | municipal: 4.89 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 5.966 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 20.36 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 9.488 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 7.7 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 17 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.02% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.) |
Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 20.151 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 3,393,428 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16.8% (2015 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 29.524 million tons (2015 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 7,646,716 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 25.9% (2015 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook