Capital

Italien

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

Südafrika

name: Pretoria (administrative capital); Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital)

geographic coordinates: 25 42 S, 28 13 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: Pretoria is named in honor of Andries PRETORIUS, the father of voortrekker (pioneer) leader Marthinus PRETORIUS; Cape Town reflects its location on the Cape of Good Hope; Bloemfontein is a combination of the Dutch words bloem (flower) and fontein (fountain) meaning "fountain of flowers"

Citizenship

Italien

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

Südafrika

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of South Africa

dual citizenship recognized: yes, but requires prior permission of the government

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 year

Legal system

Italien

civil law system; judicial review of legislation under certain conditions in Constitutional Court

Südafrika

mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and customary law

Suffrage

Italien

18 years of age; universal except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25

Südafrika

18 years of age; universal

Area

Italien

total: 301,340 sq km

land: 294,140 sq km

water: 7,200 sq km

note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Südafrika

total: 1,219,090 sq km

land: 1,214,470 sq km

water: 4,620 sq km

note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)

Land use

Italien

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.)

Südafrika

agricultural land: 79.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 9.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 69.2% (2018 est.)

forest: 7.6% (2018 est.)

other: 13% (2018 est.)

Location

Italien

Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Südafrika

Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

Age structure

Italien

0-14 years: 12.08% (male 3,772,041/female 3,600,946)

15-64 years: 64.61% (male 19,430,217/female 19,997,042)

65 years and over: 23.31% (2023 est.) (male 6,248,663/female 7,972,946)

Südafrika

0-14 years: 27.29% (male 7,931,943/female 7,906,715)

15-64 years: 66.17% (male 19,158,920/female 19,253,679)

65 years and over: 6.54% (2023 est.) (male 1,596,882/female 2,200,193)

Birth rate

Italien

7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Südafrika

18.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Italien

11.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Südafrika

7.2 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Italien

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.

Südafrika

isiZulu or Zulu (official) 25.3%, isiXhosa or Xhosa (official) 14.8%, Afrikaans (official) 12.2%, Sepedi of Pedi (official) 10.1%, Setswana or Tswana (official) 9.1%, English (official) 8.1%, Sesotho or Sotho (official) 7.9%, Xitsonga or Tsonga (official) 3.6%, siSwati or Swati (official) 2.8%, Tshivenda or Venda (official) 2.5%, isiNdebele or Ndebele (official) 1.6%, other (includes South African sign language (official) and Khoi or Khoisan or Khoe languages) 2%; note - data represent language spoken most often at home (2018 est.)

major-language sample(s):
Die Wereld Feite Boek, n’ onontbeerlike bron vir basiese informasie. (Afrikaans)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

Life expectancy at birth

Italien

total population: 82.8 years (2023 est.)

male: 80.5 years

female: 85.3 years

Südafrika

total population: 71 years (2023 est.)

male: 69.4 years

female: 72.6 years

Major urban areas - population

Italien

4.316 million ROME (capital), 3.155 million Milan, 2.179 million Naples, 1.802 million Turin, 913,000 Bergamo, 850,000 Palermo (2023)

Südafrika

10.316 million Johannesburg (includes Ekurhuleni), 4.890 million Cape Town (legislative capital), 3.228 million Durban, 2.818 million PRETORIA (administrative capital), 1.296 million Port Elizabeth, 934,000 West Rand (2023)

Median age

Italien

total: 48.1 years (2023 est.)

male: 47 years

female: 49.1 years

Südafrika

total: 30.1 years (2023 est.)

male: 29.9 years

female: 30.3 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Italien

31.4 years (2020 est.)

Net migration rate

Italien

3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Südafrika

-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Italien

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

Südafrika

the population concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

Italien

-0.11% (2023 est.)

Südafrika

1.08% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Italien

1.24 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Südafrika

2.31 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Italien

urban population: 72% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Südafrika

urban population: 68.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Italien

4.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Südafrika

6.6% of GDP (2021 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Italien

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2020)

Südafrika

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2020)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Italien

-2.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Südafrika

-4.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Italien

13.46% (2021 est.)

Südafrika

6.12% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Italien

25.012 million (2021 est.)

Südafrika

22.398 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Italien

20.1% (2018 est.)

Südafrika

55.5% (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

Italien

9.83% (2021 est.)

9.16% (2020 est.)

9.95% (2019 est.)

Südafrika

33.56% (2021 est.)

29.22% (2020 est.)

28.47% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Italien

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

Südafrika

53% of GDP (2017 est.)

51.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Italien

1.87% (2021 est.)

-0.14% (2020 est.)

0.61% (2019 est.)

Südafrika

4.61% (2021 est.)

3.21% (2020 est.)

4.12% (2019 est.)

Exports

Italien

$687.948 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$559.952 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$636.153 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Südafrika

$130.885 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$94.123 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$105.988 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - partners

Italien

Germany 12%, France 11%, United States 10%, United Kingdom 5%, Spain 5%, Switzerland 5% (2019)

Südafrika

China 15%, United Kingdom 8%, Germany 7%, United States 6%, India 6% (2019)

Imports

Italien

$637.934 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$490.684 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$568.796 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Südafrika

$104.806 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$79.022 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$103.92 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - partners

Italien

Germany 16%, France 9%, China 7%, Spain 5%, Netherlands 5%, Belgium 5% (2019)

Südafrika

China 18%, Germany 11%, United States 6%, India 5% (2019)

Airports

Italien

129 (2021)

Südafrika

407 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Italien

total: 18,128,787 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2020 est.)

Südafrika

total: 1,303,057 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Italien

total: 44.25 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 75% (2021 est.)

Südafrika

total: 42.48 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 72% (2021 est.)

Railways

Italien

total: 18,475 km (2020) 12,936 km electrified

1289.3 0.950-mm gauge (151.3 km electrified)

Südafrika

total: 20,986 km (2014)

standard gauge: 80 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (80 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 19,756 km (2014) 1.065-m gauge (8,271 km electrified)

other: (2014) 1,150 km (passenger rail, gauge unspecified, 1,115.5 km electrified)

Roadways

Italien

total: 487,700 km (2007)

paved: 487,700 km (2007) (includes 6,700 km of expressways)

Südafrika

total: 750,000 km (2016)

paved: 158,124 km (2016)

unpaved: 591,876 km (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

Italien

total subscriptions: 19,994,902 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (2021 est.)

Südafrika

total subscriptions: 1,472,191 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Italien

total subscriptions: 78,114,933 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 132 (2021 est.)

Südafrika

total subscriptions: 100,328,005 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 169 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Italien

2,400 km (2012) (used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail)

Disputes - international

Italien

Italy-Austria-Switzerland: borders are shifting because glacier peaks that had served as a natural boundary are melting

Südafrika

South Africa-Botswana: none identified

South Africa-Eswatini: Eswatini seeks to reclaim land it says was stolen by South Africa

South Africa-Lesotho: crossborder livestock thieving, smuggling of drugs and arms, and illegal migration are problematic

South Africa-Mozambique: animal poachers cross the South Africa-Mozambique border to hunt wildlife in South Africa’s Kruger National Park; border fences were removed in some areas to allow animals to roam between nature reserves in the two countries; improved patrols, technology, and crossborder cooperation are reducing the problem

South Africa-Namibia: the governments of South Africa and Namibia have not signed or ratified the text of the 1994 Surveyor's General agreement placing the boundary in the middle of the Orange River; the location of the border could affect diamond mining rights; South Africa has always claimed that the northern bank of the Orange River is the border between the two countries, while Namibia’s constitution states that the border lies in the middle of the Orange River

South Africa-various: South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration

South Africa-Zimbabwe: Zimbabweans migrate illegally into South Africa in search of work or smuggle goods to sell at a profit back home