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With more than 39,8 million tourists a year Italy is the fourth most visited country in the world, behind France (77), Spain (51,7) and United States (41,9). There are famous places like Venice, Florence, Siena, Milan, Naples or Rome, each with a rich cultural heritage from the Roman Empire. Famous objects are the ruins of Pompei, the Capitole, vineyards in Tuscany, Sicily with Mt. Etna, the coastline of the Adriatic Sea or the Alps.

At the beginning of World War I Italy remained neutral, since the Triple Alliance had only defensive purposes, and the war was started by Austria. However, both the central empires and the Entente tried to attract Italy on their side, and in April 1915 the Italian government agreed (London Pact) to declare war on Austria in exchange for several territories (Trento, Trieste, Istria, Dalmatia). In October 1917, the Austrians, having received German reinforcements, broke the Italian lines at Caporetto, but the Italians (helped by their allies) stopped their advance on the river Piave, not far from Venice. After another year of trench warfare, and a successful Italian offensive in autumn 1918, the exhausted Austria surrendered to the allies on November 4 1918, soon followed by Germany.

Italy has worked closely with the United States and others on such issues as NATO and UN operations as well as with assistance to Russia and the New Independent States, Middle East peace process, multilateral talks, Somalia and Mozambique peacekeeping, and combating drug trafficking, trafficking in women and children, and terrorism.

The Church (and especially the bishop of Rome, the pope) had played an important political role since the times of Constantine, who tried to include it in the imperial administration.

Italy's dramatic self-renewal transformed the political landscape between 1992 and 1997. Scandal investigations touched thousands of politicians, administrators, and businessmen; the shift from a proportional to an Additional Member System (with the requirement to obtain a minimum of 4% of the national vote to obtain representation) also altered the political landscape.

Under longstanding bilateral agreements flowing from NATO membership, Italy hosts important U.S. military forces at Vicenza and Livorno (army); Aviano (air force); and Sigonella, Naples, and Gaeta – home port for the U.S. Navy Sixth Fleet. The United States has about 16,000 military personnel stationed in Italy. Italy hosts the NATO War College in Rome.

All on its treat agriculture is typical of the division between the agricultures of the northern and southern countries of the European Union. The northern part of Italy produces primarily grains, rice, corn, sugarbeets, soybeans, meat, and dairy products, while the south specializes in producing fruits, vegetables, olive oil, wine, and durum wheat.