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Italian Association Fun Facts

Fun Facts

Did you know that...

  • Italy is slightly larger than Arizona.
  • Almost 20% of Italy's population is over 65 years old.
  • Italy borders Austria, France, Vatican City, San Marino, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Its longest border is with Switzerland.
  • The average Italian family has 1.27 children.
  • Everybody 18 and over can vote, however you have to be at least 25 to vote in Senate elections.
  • The Italian flag is inspired by the French flag introduced during Napoleon's 1797 invasion of the peninsula.
  • The average Italian makes $26,700 a year, however those in the more prosperous north make almost $40,000.
  • The thermometer is an Italian invention.
  • The name of Electricity measurement Volt comes from Alessandro Volta, who invented the first battery in 1779
  • The average life expectancy at birth for an Italian is 79.54 years.
  • The city of Naples gave birth to the pizza .
  • The piano hails from Italy.
  • The longest river in Italy is the Po.
  • The average Italian consumes half a pound of bread a day.
  • Italy's contributions to science include the barometer, electric battery, nitroglycerin, and wireless telegraphy.
  • Famous Italian explorers include Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo, John Cabot, and Amerigo Vespucci.
  • Today's modern Italian language originated in the region of Tuscany.
  • Enrico Fermi, inventor of the nuclear reactor, was an Italian.
  • The automobile is one of Italy's greatest products. In addition to the Fiat brand, Fiat owns the Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Chrysler brands.
  • With almost 40 million visitors, Italy is the fourth most visited country in the world.
  • St. Nicholas is from Bari, Italy.  Italians celebrate la festa della befana.  La Befana is a good witch who comes on Jan 6th and brings candy to children.
  • The ice cream cone was invented in Italy.
  • Italy has three active volcanoes: Etna, Vesuvius, and Stromboli.  Vesuvius is the volcano that destroyed Pompeii.
  • Rome is known as "the eternal city."
  • Italy contains two independent states- San Marino and Vatican City.
  • Venice is a group of 117 islands.