ITALY

SUBMITTED TO: RICHA SHARMA

SKIPS
BY ANKIT MEHTA

Italy

History of Italy Prehistory & antiquity: Excavations throughout Italy reveal a Neanderthal presence dating back to the Palaeolithic period, some 200,000 years ago, modern Humans arrived about 40,000 years ago. The Ancient peoples of preRoman Italy such as the Umbrian, the Latin (from which the

Romans emerged), Volsci, Samnites, the Celts and the Ligures which inhabited northern Italy, and many others were IndoEuropean peoples; the main historic peoples of non-Indo-European heritage include the Etruscans, the Elymians and Sicani in Sicily and the prehistoric Sardinians.

Between the 17th and the 11th century BC Mycenaean Greeks established contacts with Italy and in the 8th and 7th centuries BC Greek colonies were established all along the coast of Sicily and the southern part of the Italian Peninsula became known as Magna Graecia. Also the Phoenicians established colonies on the coasts of Sardinia and Sicily.

Ancient Rome was at first a small agricultural community founded around the 8th century BC that grew over the course of the centuries into a colossal empire encompassing the whole Mediterranean Sea, in which Ancient Greek and Roman cultures merged into one civilization. This civilization was so influential that its legacy is profound in the world. Ancient Rome heavily influenced and left its mark in modern government, law, politics, administration, cities, engineering, philosophy, architecture and arts, forming the ground that Western civilization is based upon. In a slow decline since the late 2nd century AD, the empire finally broke into two parts in 395 AD: the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire. The western part under the pressure of the Franks, the Vandals, the Huns, the Goths and other populations from

Eastern Europe finally dissolved in 476 AD, when the last western Emperor was deposed by the Barbarian chief Odoacer. Early Modern: The Black Death pandemic in 1348 left its mark on Italy by killing one third of the population.[33][34] However, the recovery from the disaster of the Black Death led to a resurgence of cities, trade and economy which greatly stimulated the successive phases of Humanism and Renaissance, cultural movements both born in the peninsula, and later spread in Europe.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, Northern and upper Central Italy were divided into a number of warring city-states, the rest of the peninsula being occupied by the larger Papal States and Naples. The strongest among these city-states annexed the surrounding territories giving birth to the Signorie, regional states led by merchant families which founded local dynasties. Dominated by merchant oligarchies, they enjoyed a relative freedom and nurtured academic and artistic advancement. Warfare between the states was common, invasion from outside Italy confined to intermittent sorties of Holy Roman Emperors. These wars were primarily fought by armies of mercenaries known as condottieri, bands of soldiers drawn from around Europe, but especially Germany and Switzerland, led largely by Italian captains.

Decades of fighting eventually saw Florence, Milan and Venice emerge as the dominant players that agreed to the Peace of Lodi in 1454, which saw relative calm brought to the region for the first time in centuries. This peace would hold for the next forty years, and Venice's unquestioned hegemony over the sea also led to unprecedented peace for much of the rest of the 15th century. The Italian Renaissance peaked in the mid-16th century as foreign invasions plunged the region into the turmoil of the Italian Wars.

However, the ideas and ideals of the Renaissance endured and even spread into the rest of Europe, setting off the Northern Renaissance, and the English Renaissance. In the meantime, the discovery of the Americas, the new routes to Asia discovered by the Portuguese and the rise of the Ottoman Empireall factors which eroded the traditional Italian dominance in trade with the East started the economic decline of the peninsula. The triumph of Napoleon at the Battle of Marengo placed Italy under French control and paved him the way to become Emperor.

Following the Italian Wars (1494 to 1559), Italy saw a long period of relative peace, first under Habsburg Spain (1559 to 1713) and then under Habsburg Austria (1713 to 1796). The plague repeatedly returned to haunt Italy throughout the 14th to 17th centuries. In the first half of the 17th century, a plague claimed some 1.7 million victims, or about 14% of Italys population. As Spain declined in the 17th century, so did its Italian possessions in Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, and Milan. Southern Italy was impoverished, stagnant, and cut off from the mainstream of events in Europe. Despite that, Italy kept making its contribution to the European culture, giving birth to the Baroque Style.

In the 18th century, as a result of the War of Spanish Succession, Austria replaced Spain as the dominant foreign power, while the House of Savoy emerged as a major regional power expanding to Piedmont and Sardinia. In this century, the ideas of the Enlightenment influenced the Italian rulers, paving the way to reforms which started an economic recovery in northern Italy and Tuscany.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the northern and central parts of the country were invaded and later partly annexed to the Empire and

partly reorganized as a new Kingdom of Italyessentially a client state of the French Empire while the southern half of the peninsula was administered by Joachim Murat, Napoleon's brother-in-law, who was crowned as King of Naples. The 1814 Congress of Vienna restored the situation of the late 18th century, but the ideals of the French Revolution could not be eradicated. Italian Republic: Italy became a republic after a referendum held on 2 June 1946, a day celebrated since as Republic Day. This was also the first time that Italian women were entitled to vote. Victor Emmanuel III's son, Umberto II, was forced to abdicate and exiled. The Republican Constitution was approved on 1 January 1948. Under the Paris Peace Treaties of 1947, most of Venezia Giulia was lost to Yugoslavia and, later, the Free Territory of Trieste was divided between the two states.

Fears in the Italian electorate of a possible Communist takeover proved crucial for the first universal suffrage electoral outcome on 18 April 1948, when the Christian Democrats, under the leadership of Alcide De Gasperi, obtained a landslide victory. Consequently, in 1949 Italy became a member of NATO. The Marshall Plan helped to revive the Italian economy which, until the late 1960s, enjoyed a period of sustained economic growth commonly called the "Economic Miracle". In 1957, Italy was a founding member of the European Economic Community (EEC), which became the European Union (EU) in 1993. In 1957 Italy was among the EEC's six founding members. The country signed the Lisbon Treaty in 2007.

From the late 1960s until the early 1980s, the country experienced the Years of Lead, a period characterized by economic crisis, widespread social conflicts and terrorist massacres carried out by

opposing extremist groups, with the alleged involvement of US intelligence. The Years of Lead culminated in the assassination of the Christian Democrat leader Aldo Moro in 1978 and in the Bologna railway station massacre in 1980, where 85 people died; these events had deeply affected the whole country.

In the 1980s, for the first time since 1945, two governments were led by non-Christian-Democrat premiers: one liberal (Giovanni Spadolini) and one socialist (Bettino Craxi); the Christian Democrats remained, however, the main government party. During Craxi's government, the economy recovered and Italy became the world's fifth largest industrial nation, gaining entry into the G7 Group. However, as a result of his spending policies, the Italian national debt skyrocketed during the Craxi era, soon passing 100% of the GDP.

In the early 1990s, Italy faced significant challenges, as voters disenchanted with political paralysis, massive public debt and the extensive corruption system (known as Tangentopoli) uncovered by the 'Clean Hands' investigation demanded radical reforms. The scandals involved all major parties, but especially those in the government coalition: the Christian Democrats, who ruled for almost 50 years, underwent a severe crisis and eventually disbanded, splitting up into several factions. The Communists reorganized as a social-democratic force. During the 1990s and the 2000s (decade), centre-right (dominated by media magnate Silvio Berlusconi) and centre-left coalitions alternatively governed the country, which entered a prolonged period of economic stagnation.

About the ITALY : Officially the Italian Republic is a unitary parliamentary republic in Southern Europe. The territory of Italy covers some 301,338 km2 (116,347 sq mi) and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. Flag description 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.

Demographic view Italy's population was approximately 61,261,254 (July 2012 EST.) The population growth rate is 0.38% percent with a death rate of 9.93 per 1,000 and a birthrate of 9.06 per 1,000. Population growth declined quickly after World War II with the industrialization of the country. The majority of the people are ethnically Italian, but there are other ethnic groups in the population, including FrenchItalians and SloveneItalians in the north and AlbanianItalian and GreekItalians in the south.

Environment: After its quick industrial growth, Italy took a long time to confront its environmental problems. After several improvements, it now ranks 84th in the world for ecological sustainability. National parks cover about five percent of the country. In the last decade, Italy has become one of the world's leading producers of renewable energy, ranking as the worlds fourth largest holder of installed solar energy capacity and the sixth largest holder of wind power capacity in 2010. Renewable energies now make up about 12% of the total primary and final energy consumption in Italy, with a future target share set at 17% for the year 2020. Lake Garda is the largest of the Italian lakes.

However, air pollution remains a severe problem, especially in the industrialised north, reaching the tenth highest level worldwide of industrial carbon dioxide emissions in the 1990s. Italy is the twelfth largest carbon dioxide producer. Extensive traffic and congestion in the largest metropolitan areas continue to cause severe environmental and health issues, even if smog levels have decreased dramatically since the 1970s and 1980s, and the presence of smog is becoming an increasingly rarer phenomenon and levels of sulphur dioxide are decreasing.

Many watercourses and coastal stretches have also been contaminated by industrial and agricultural activity, while due to

rising water levels, Venice has been regularly flooded throughout recent years. Waste from industrial activity is not always disposed of by legal means and has led to permanent health effects on inhabitants of affected areas, as in the case of the Seveso disaster. The country has also operated several nuclear reactors between 1963 and 1990 but, after the Chernobyl disaster and a referendum on the issue the nuclear program was terminated, a decision that was overturned by the government in 2008, planning to build up to four nuclear power plants with French technology. This was in turn struck down by a referendum following the Fukushima nuclear accident. Deforestation, illegal building developments and poor land-management policies have led to significant erosion all over Italy's mountainous regions, leading to major ecological disasters like the 1963 Vajont Dam flood, the 1998 Sarno and 2009 Messina mudslides.

Linguistic affiliation The official language is Italian. Various "dialects" are spoken, but Italian is taught in school and used in government. Sicilian is a language with Greek, Arabic, Latin, Italian, Norman French, and other influences and generally is not understood by Italian speakers. There are pockets of German, Slovene, French, and other speakers.

Economic View 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 exceptionally high public debt burdens and structural impediments to growth have rendered it vulnerable to scrutiny by financial markets.

Their public debts account for 120.1 % of their GDP as stated till 2011, During the second half of 2011 the government passed a series of three austerity packages to balance its budget by 2013 and decrease its public debt burden. These measures included a hike in the value -added tax, pension reforms, and cuts to public administration. The government also faces pressure from investors and European partners to address Italy's long-standing structural impediments to growth, such as an inflexible labor market and widespread tax evasion. Their overview of their fact files of Economy

GDP composition by sectors: Agriculture 2 %

Industry 24.7 % Service 73.4 % important economic center of Italy - Milan Italy's economy is basically one of private enterprise. The government, however, owns a large share of major commercial and financial institutions. For example, the government has major shares in the petroleum, transportation, and telecommunication systems. Business & Industries across the Italy Italy is important in textile production, clothing and fashion, chemicals, cars, iron. Main exports: engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, electric goods, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals.

Government of ITALY Italy is a republic with twenty regions under the central government. There are three branches of government: executive, judicial, and legislative. The legal system is a combination of civil and ecclesiastical law. The system treats appeals as new trials. There is a Constitutional Court that has the power of judicial review. A chief of state (the president) and a head of government (the prime minister) head the executive branch. There have been numerous changes of government since the end of

World War II. There are two houses in the parliament: the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Both houses have elected and appointed members chosen through a complicated system of proportional representation and appointed. Voters must be 25 years old to vote for senators but only 18 in all other elections. Various political parties in italy are People of Freedom (PdL), Democratic Party (PD), Northern League (LN), Italy of Values (IdV), Union of the Centre (UdC), Movement of the Autonomy (MpA).

2) Culture of the Country : Italian culture has a rich history that includes art, classic architecture, popular traditions, and customs. Includes links to trends in Italy today as well as resources on folklore, history, and artistic traditions. Below is the detailed view about each area of italy which represents their culture: Festivals and holidays in Italy: There is always a reason to celebrate in Italy, whether it's an historical event, religious holiday, or festival. There are many festivals and holidays in Italy, for example, Christmas, Easter etc. Dancing in Italy: As in many countries, dancing is an important component of Italian culture. Once such dance, the Tarantella (Tarantula), originated in the middle Ages, and is said to be probably the most recognized

song of all the Italian folklore music.

Drink & food in Italy:

One of the most enjoyable ways to learn a language is over a meal or in a bar, chatting to native speakers. It is a good idea to brush up on your Italian skills for ordering food and drink prior to departure on holiday abroad. Learn to cook this delicious food with this list of Italian recipes. Graphic Arts:

The history of Italian graphic arts is at least as long as that of literature. Italian artists such as Michelangelo, Leonardo, Fra

Angelico, Raphael, and numerous others are known throughout the world. There is not one type of art in which Italy is not famous.

The city of Rome is itself a living museum in which throughout the country there are churches, palaces, and museums that preserve the past. They acquire over 35 million art pieces in its museums. Moreover, Italy has 700 cultural institutes, over 300 theaters, and about 6,000 libraries, which hold over 100 million books.

Italian Literature: There are a number of Italian texts, both classic and contemporary, that are must-reads for anyone interested in the history, culture, and language of Italy.

Italian Fashion: Italians way of dressing is changing, it's getting more and more relaxed as the years progress; or, so it seems.

Music in Italy: In Italy, the music maintained a prominent place in the society and politics of this country, besides being one of the cultural characteristics of ethnic identity and national tradition. Italian music has a tradition of popular music, includes the traditional styles of each region and also covers a wide spectrum of instrumental music and opera.

Commercial Activities: Milan is the most important economic center of Italy. It is located in the midst of rich farmland and great industrial development. It has extensive road and rail connections, aiding its industrial power. Milan is predominant in the production of automobiles, airplanes, motorcycles, major electric appliances, railroad materials, and other metalworking. It is also important for its textiles and fashion industry. Chemical production, medicinal products, dyes, soaps, and acids are also important.

Marriage: Currently, marriage is as free as anywhere else in the world. Except for those who enter the clergy, almost all Italians marry. But there is a custom in many families for a child to remain unmarried to care for aged parents. Divorce was forbidden until recently. Bring up and Educate for the child: Children are indulged when young. As they grow older, they are expected to obey their parents and contribute to the work of the household. They are trained to be loyal to the family and defend it against others. The Catholic Church is still important in Italian lives through providing a structure for rites of passage. . Directions are given, surveillance is constant, and physical punishment is common.

Religious Beliefs: There are beliefs in the evil eye, charms, spells, messages through dreams, and various other types of omens. Witches have powers and there are antiwitches. Many of these beliefs, of course, have yielded to the rationalism of the modern age. Others, however, exist below the surface. Religious Practitioners: Rome, or more precisely Vatican City, is the center of the Roman Catholic religion. Thus, the Pope, cardinals, bishops, monsignors, priests, members of various male and female religious orders, and others are omnipresent. The seven sacraments form a framework for religious life. Churches are plentiful and also attract the tourist dollar. There are more folklike practitioners who carry on "magic" or "superstitious" practicesvarious healers who may have the gift of hands, witches, purveyors of charms and spells, and many others. Death and the Afterlife: Italians generally believe in a life after death in which the good are rewarded and the evil punished. There is a belief in a place where sins are purged, purgatory. Heaven and hell are realities for most Italians. The deceased are to be remembered and are often spoken to quietly. Funerals today take place in funeral parlors. Respect for the dead is expected. Failure to attend a wake for a family member or friend is cause for a breach of relationship unless there is a patently valid reason.

Secular Celebrations

Most secular celebrations also are tied to religious holidays, like Christmas or New Year's. The Anniversary of the Republic is celebrated on 2 June. There is a show of patriotism through air shows and fireworks. Generally, it, too, is a day off and a family holiday. Independence Day is March 17.

Culture Etiquette: Italians generally are effusive in their public behavior. There is a great deal of public embracing and kissing upon greeting people. It is also polite to sit close to people and to interact by lightly touching people on the arms. Italian gazes are intense. It is felt that someone who cannot look you in the eyes is trying to hide something. Elders expect and get respect. They enter a room first.

Men stand for women and youngsters for adults. Children tend to be used to run errands and help any adult, certainly any adult in the family. Gazing intently at strangers is common, and Italians expect to be looked at in public. Traditionally, younger women deferred to men in public and did not contradict them. Older women, however, joined in the general give and take of conversation without fear. Italians have little respect for lines and generally push their way to the front. There is great care given to preserving one's bella figura, dignity. Violating another's sense of selfimportance is a dangerous activity. II Italian Cultural Etiquette 1. Schedules a. The month of August is typically reserved for family vacations and many businesses will close. Avoid scheduling any business during this month when the only people in the cities are tourists and those involved in the tourism business. 2. Italian Cultural Tips a. When exchanging gifts with your new Italian business partners, the most appreciated are specialty consumable items such as liquors and delicacies. 3. Italian Dress a. Italian fashion is always up to date and elegant. Even when dressed casually, Italians are at the height of chic. First

impressions are critical and the image you present by the clothes you wear can make all the difference. Take the time to review and even update your personal image before traveling to Italy.

ITALIAN BUSINESS ETIQUETTE Italian Greeting a. Always offer special consideration to the most senior in the group. b. Understand that handshakes may include grasping the upper arm with other hand, even the double cheek kiss. c. Do not use first names unless specified. 2. Italian Business Meetings a. Italians like to get acquainted and will engage in small talk, and then continue on to the ideas and issues. b. The Italian pace of negotiations tends to be rather slow, meetings are not the time to make any concrete decisions. c. Topics of conversation include, culture, food, art, wine, soccer, family, films, etc. Discussions on religion or politics can be tricky and are best avoided. 3. Business Card

Business cards are not normally exchanged during social occasions. When it is appropriate, offering an Italian translation

of your business documents and card will impress your Italian colleagues. 4. Structure and hierarchy in Italian companies Italian business organisations generally have a fixed hierarchical structure, with a clear division between the ranks and little association amongst employees of varying status. In larger traditional Italian businesses, this hierarchy is noticeably present in thecordata or chain of command. Only the most senior managers make decisions.

5. Working practices in Italy Punctuality in the Italian business environment, as a rule, is taken very seriously. However, even though you will be expected to arrive on time, your Italian counterparts may not always adhere to this rule. The Italian bureaucracy and legal systems are rather slow; therefore expect decisions and business actions to take time. Generally speaking, the best times to make business appointments are in the morning between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., or after 3p.m.

Stick to any verbal commitments as failing to follow through with an agreed-upon decision can cost you credibility and, very likely, the business relationship.

Do's and Don'ts:

DO maintain eye contact while talking. This is a sign to your Italian business colleagues that you are sincere and honest.

DO shake hands with everyone when being introduced during a business or social meeting. Men should wait for women to extend their hand first. DO ensure that you knock before entering an office in Italy and always close the door behind you. DON'T appear impatient or rush your Italian colleagues in their business negotiations. Italians may see this as a sign of weakness. DON'T give a business gift until you receive one first. In addition, gifts showcasing your company's logo should be avoided. DON'T be surprised if during business meetings your Italian colleagues speak simultaneously or interrupt one another. It is a common trait of the Italian communication style.

My perception about Italy: The country is known for its literature and fashion. The whole country is diversified and beautifully interlinked with each other. They have a very

strong culture and are proud of their glorious past. The people of Italy are very fond of music and food. They believe in go much and are very god fearing. They believe in the conceptions of death & afterlife. The country is beautiful destination for spend vacations. The exotic refreshness and beauty gives a good experience to everyone. Italy have full of place to visit. Thats why Italy is my favourite country.

Thank you.