ITALY
| Republic in Southern Europe. One of the OECD countries. Member of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). Information also applies to San Marino, Sardinia and Sicily. San Marino is within the EU Customs area, but outside the EU fiscal (VAT) area. | |
| CAPITAL | Rome. |
| PRINCIPAL PORT | Cagliari (Sardinia), Genoa, Leghorn, Naples, Palermo (Sicily), Trieste. |
| POPULATION | 57,634,327 (July 2000 est.). |
| LANGUAGE(S) | Italian. |
| WEIGHTS AND MEASURES | Metric system. |
| ELECTRICITY SUPPLY | 220v. 50 cycles AC. |
| CURRENCY(-IES) | The euro. |
| EXCHANGE RATE | 1.59 euro = £1 sterling (fluctuating rate). |
| TIME | 1 hour ahead of GMT. Clocks change (by one hour) to summer and winter time at the end of March and September, respectively. |
DIALLING CODE |
Italy: 00 39; Vatican: 00
39 06 6982; San Marino: 00 378. The "0" before the area code must be included when dialling an Italian telephone number from outside Italy. Within Italy, the full area code must be used when dialling all numbers (even within the same area). However, the "0" before Italian mobile telephone numbers has now been dropped. |
| PUBLIC HOLIDAYS | 1, 6 Jan; 25 Apr; 1 May; 15 Aug; 1 Nov; Dec. 8, 25, 26; in addition, the following which have variable dates: Anniversary of the Republic; World War 1 Victory Anniversary Day; Easter Monday. |
| BRITISH CONSULATE GENERAL | Via San Paolo 7, 20121 Milano. Tel: 00 39 02 723001, fax: 00 39 02 72020153. This is the main commercial post in Italy. |
| EMBASSY(-IES) | 14 Three Kings Yard, Davies
Street, London W1Y 4EH. Tel: 020 7312 2200, fax: 020 7312 2230, e-mail: emblondon@embitaly.org.uk - website: www.embitaly.org.uk Consular Section: 38 Eaton Place, London SW1S 3DQ. Tel: 020 7235 9371. Trade Centre: 37 Sackville Street, London W1S 3DQ. Tel: 020 7734 2412. |
| BRITISH EMBASSY | Via XX Settembre 80a, 1-00187 Roma RM. Tel: 00 39 06 4220 0001 or 4220, fax: 00 39 06 487 3324, e-mail: VisaEnquiries@rome.mail.fco.gov.uk (visa enquiries), info@rome.mail.fco.gov.uk (general enquiries). |
| CHAMBER(S) OF COMMERCE | Italian Chamber of Commerce and
Industry for Great Britain, 1 Princes Street, London W1B 2AY. Tel: 020 7495 8191, fax: 020
7495 8194. British Chamber of Commerce for Italy, Via Camperio 9, 20122 Milan. Tel: 00 39 02 0876981, fax: 00 39 02 864 61885. |