As the wave of refugees and immigrants continues to stream into Europe, a number of EU states
have been criticized for not acting quickly enough.
Thousands have come to Italy seeking asylum, but is Italy stable enough to handle so many
immigrants?
Just how powerful is Italy?
Well, Italy is a little over 100,000 square miles, making it only the 7th largest country
in the European Union.
It is barely larger than the US state of Arizona.
With a population of about 60 million, Italy is the 4th most populous country in the EU.
But Italy is also the former home of the Roman Empire, one of the most important and influential
empires in world history.
At it’s height, it was the world leader in economy, military, politics, and culture.
It covered nearly 2 million square miles of territory, and contained a fifth of the global
population.
The country is littered with important ancient artifacts, hosting the largest number of World
Heritage Sites.
It also contains Vatican City, the world’s smallest recognized sovereign state.
Italy’s rich history has made it the 5th most visited country in the world.
However, unlike a number of other tourist-friendly countries, Italy’s massive economy is not
wholly dependent on tourism.
They have the 8th largest economy in the world, and the third largest in the Eurozone, after
Germany and France.
Agriculturally, Italy produces more wine than any other country, accounting for a third
of the world’s wine.
But the backbone of their economy lies in the huge number of individual manufacturing
companies.
Appliances like dishwashers, coffeemakers, refrigerators, and other mechanical devices
are Italy’s largest combined export.
With a GDP of over 2 trillion dollars, Italy has one of the highest standards of living
in the world, and the highest life expectancy in the EU.
Italy’s global relationships also make it an important regional power.
It was one of the leading founders of the European Union, and is a member of over a
dozen major geopolitical organizations.
This tight knit relationship with some of the world’s largest militaries means that
Italy doesn’t need an overwhelming military presence.
But still, they have the 16th most powerful military in the world, with over 350,000 troops,
and a budget of 34 billion dollars.
Italy has helped other countries fight the drug trade, human trafficking, piracy, and
terrorism.
As a self sufficient and well protected country, whose residents enjoy one of the highest standards
of living in the world, Italy is doing extremely well.
But Italy still suffers from government corruption, weak women’s rights, and a severe organized
crime problem.
Some say that Italy’s problems stem from powerful people taking advantage.
So how powerful is Italy?
Maybe too powerful for their own good.
Portugal is another European country facing economic difficulties.
To find out about how powerful Portugal is, watch this video.
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