Editorials

Ten Things You Didn’t Know About Italy

Avatar photo

24 November 2021

By Josh P

Renowned for its food and culture, Italy has some of the largest influences on the global food scene. With a large historic background as well, this article will look at ten things you didn’t know about Italy.

10. Ageing population

In terms of European countries with the oldest populations, Italy has the oldest. 23.4% of the population is over 65, which could be attributed to higher life expectancy rates in the country.

9. National dish

With so many globally loved dishes, it is hard to guess what the national dish would be. Ragu alla Bolognese, or Bolognese as it is more simply known, is the national dish of the nation. With such widespread popularity, it isn’t hard to see why.

8. Catholicism

While many countries have an extremely mixed religious population, Italy has a predominantly Catholic population. Some estimates suggest that as many as 83.3% of the country identify as Catholic.

7. Wine fountain

We all know that wine is a common pairing for many Italian dishes, but did you know there is a fountain in Italy that provides free wine 24/7? Found in the Abruzzo region, visitors can drink free wine around the clock.

6. Family

While global corporations dominate the majority of countries, Italy has retained a strong family-owned business culture.

Family-owned businesses make up 85% of all businesses in the country, with 66% of them managed by members of the family.

5. Telephone dispute

While many people would attribute the invention of the telephone to Scotsman Alexander Graham Bell, this is disputed by some Italians. Antonio Meucci is believed to have begun work on a telephone in 1849, however he was unable to upkeep the costs of the patenting process.

Recommended Reading: Ten Things You Didn’t Know About Scotland

4. Volcanoes

We all know about the famed eruption of Mount Vesuvius but did you know that the country has more than one active volcano? Mount Vesuvius, Mount Etna and the island of Stromboli are all continuously active volcanoes.

3. Pasta

Most people could sit and name a large list of different pasta shapes. In Italy, there are actually over 400 unique forms of pasta that come from across the country.

2. Rome

Despite now only being the capital of Italy, Rome far proceeds Italy historically. Rome has existed for 2774 years, while modern-day Italy was only formed in 1871.

1. Coffee

By population, Italians consume some of the highest amounts of coffee globally. On average, Italians drink coffee four times a day with 97% of the population consuming this high level of coffee.

Like this article? Please share!