Official name: Republica Italiana, or the Republic of Italy
Location: Western Europe.
Area: 301,338 sq km (116,346 sq miles).
Population: 58.9 million
Population Density: 195.4 per sq km.
Capital: Rome
Language: Italian. Some German is spoken in the Alto Adige (S?ol) region, and some French in the Valle d''Aosta.
EU: Member since 1958.
Government: Kingdom of Italy declared in 1861. Republic since 1946.
Head of State: President Giorgio Napolitano since 2006.