Italy

Languages:

The official language of Italy is Italian, and it is spoken by the vast majority of the population. Italian is a Romance language that evolved from the Tuscan dialect and has been the primary language of the country since the unification of Italy in the 19th century. Italy also has several regional languages, including Sardinian, Sicilian, Lombard, and Neapolitan. These languages are recognized by the Italian government and are protected under regional laws. However, Italian is the language of instruction in schools, and proficiency in Italian is required for citizenship.

Religion:

Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion in Italy, with over 80% of the population identifying as Catholic. The Roman Catholic Church has played a significant role in the country's history and culture, and its influence can be seen in many aspects of Italian life. Other Christian denominations, such as Protestantism and Orthodox Christianity, are also practiced in Italy but represent a much smaller percentage of the population. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of people who identify as having no religion, with this group now representing around 20% of the population. The Italian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination based on religious beliefs.

Ethnic Groups:

Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)