Foreign relations of Italy

The foreign relations of the Italian Republic are how Italy connects and works with other countries around the world. Located in Europe, Italy has been an important European power since it became a united country in 1860. Italy works closely with its main allies, which are the NATO countries and the European Union (EU) states. Italy helped create both of these groups and is still a strong part of them.

Italy joined the United Nations in 1955 and supports many international groups. These include the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and World Trade Organization (GATT and WTO), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe, and the Central European Initiative.

Italy also takes turns leading some of these international groups, such as the OSCE, the G7, and the EU Council. Sometimes, Italy serves as a temporary member of the UN Security Council. The country plays a big role in the Mediterranean region and has friendly ties with countries that speak Romance languages in Europe and Latin America.

Even though Italy is a secular state, the city of Rome is home to the Pope and the headquarters of the Catholic Church, which also has its own diplomatic system. Today, Italy helps lead multinational forces and has troops in many places around the world. They work on peacekeeping missions and fight against organized crime, the illegal drug trade, human trafficking, piracy, and terrorism.

History

Main article: History of Italy

National unification

See also: Unification of Italy and Kingdom of Italy

The Risorgimento was the time from 1829 to 1871 when people in Italy started feeling like one nation. The leaders in the north, led by Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, wanted to unite Italy. They joined battles against Austria and worked with other countries like Britain and France. In 1860–1861, Giuseppe Garibaldi led a big movement to bring more land into Italy, and soon after, Italy became a united kingdom on 17 March 1861. Later, Italy joined battles with Prussia and took more land. In 1870, Italy took over Rome and finished uniting the country. Italy then formed an alliance with Germany and Austria.

World War I

See also: Italian entry into World War I and Italian Empire

After uniting, Italy still had people who spoke Italian living outside its borders. In 1915, Italy joined World War I to help complete its unity. Italy fought against the Ottoman Empire and gained colonies in Africa. Italy also fought against Austria-Hungary and, after the war, gained some land but not all it wanted. This made many Italians unhappy and helped lead to bigger changes in the country.

Fascism and World War II

See also: Fascist Italy (1922–1943) and Italian Civil War

In 1922, Benito Mussolini and his followers took power in Italy. They wanted to make Italy a big power again and took land from other countries. Italy joined battles in Africa and Europe but faced many losses. By 1943, the leaders changed, and Italy faced hard times until the war ended in 1945.

Republican era

See also: History of the Italian Republic

In 1946, Italy became a republic after a vote. Women could vote for the first time. Italy lost some land and all its colonies. In 1949, Italy joined NATO, and in the 1950s, it helped start the European Union. The economy grew strongly during this time.

Diplomatic relations

Italy has diplomatic ties with many countries around the world. This means Italy talks and works with other nations on important matters.

Bilateral relations by country

Africa

Americas

Asia

Europe

Oceania

International institutions

Italy is part of many important groups that help countries work together. These include the UN, EU, NATO, the OECD, the OSCE, the DAC, the WTO, the G7, the G20, the Union for the Mediterranean, the Latin Union, the Council of Europe, the Central European Initiative, the ASEM, the MEF, the ISA, the Uniting for Consensus and several Contact Groups. These groups help Italy and other countries discuss important issues and make decisions that affect the world.

Nobel Prizes

Main article: List of Italian Nobel laureates

Italy has had many people win the Nobel Prizes, one of the world’s most important awards. These winners come from different fields such as science, literature, and peace.