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In the fifties Italy became a member of the NATO alliance and an ally of the United States, which helped to revive the Italian economy through the Marshall Plan. In the same years, Italy also became a member of the European Economical Community (EEC), which later transformed into the European Union (EU).

In the politically unstable situation after the fall of the western empire, the Church often became the only stable institution and the only source of learning. Even the barbarians had to rely on clerics in order to administrate their conquests. Furthermore, the catholic monastic orders, such as the Benedictines had a major role both in the economic life of the time, and in the preservation of the classical culture.

As a country, Italy offers many different faces, both culturally and geographically. The far north has many German speaking areas, popular destinations for skiing in the winter and walking during spring and summer. The Italian Lakes attract large numbers of visitors yearly, Tuscany (Toscana) and Umbria have been popular destinations for centuries, as has the Amalfi coast.

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.

Italy consists predominantly of a large peninsula with a distinctive boot shape that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, where together with its two main islands Sicily and Sardinia it creates distinct bodies of water, such as the Adriatic Sea to the north-east, the Ionian Sea to the south-east, the Tyrrhenian Sea to the south-west and finally the Ligurian Sea to the north-west.

The U.S.-Italian bilateral relationship is strong and growing. The U.S. and Italy cooperate closely on major economic issues, including within the G-8, which met in Genoa in July 2001. With a large population and a high per capita income, Italy is one of the United States' most important trade partners. In 2000 the United States was the fifth-largest foreign supplier of the Italian market and the largest supplier outside the EU. Total trade between the United States and Italy exceeded $33 billion in 1999. The U.S. ran a $12.1 billion deficit with Italy in 2000.

The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a southern European country, comprising a boot-shaped peninsula and two large islands in the Mediterranean Sea: Sicily and Sardinia. It shares its nothern alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent countries of San Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within Italian territory.

At the beginning of World War II Italy remained neutral (with the consent of Hitler), but it declared war on France and Britain on June 10, 1940, when the French defeat was apparent. Mussolini believed that Britain would beg for peace, and wanted "some casualties in order to get a seat at the peace table", but that proved a huge miscalculation. With the exception of the navy, the Italian armed forces were a major disappointment for Mussolini and Hitler, and German help was constantly needed in Greece and North Africa.

The birth of the Italian republic (officially on June 2, 1946) is a key event of Italian contemporary history. It is controversial because of suspicions of fraud that were advanced by monarchists). Until 1946, Italy was a monarchy ruled by the House of Savoy (kings of Italy and, previously, of Sardinia). In 1946, after the results of a popular referendum, it became a republic. A Constituent assembly was elected at the same time to prepare a new constitution for the Republic. This article is about the Referendum on the form of State.

After the invasion of Soviet Union failed (1941-42), and the United States entered the war (December 1941), the situation for the Axis started to deteriorate. In May 1943 the Anglo-Americans completely defeated the Italians and the Germans in North Africa, and in July they landed in Sicily. King Victor Emmanuel III reacted by arresting Mussolini and appointing the army chief of staff, Marshal Badoglio, as Prime Minister.

Italy is well-known for its art, culture, and several monuments, among them the leaning tower of Pisa and the Roman Colosseum, as well as for its food (pizza, pasta, etc.), wine, lifestyle, elegance, design, cinema, theatre, literature, poetry, visual arts, music (notably Opera), holidays, and generally speaking, for taste.

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.

Despite the everlasting struggles with foreign powers and within themselves, the northern cities' wealth continued to grow, until at least the 15th century, leading to great intellectual and artistical achievements such as those Dante, Giotto and of the Italian Renaissance masters (such as Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raffaello). This golden age ended in the 16th century, when the Italian city-states became prey of larger national states such as France and Spain.