Flag of Italy

Flag of Italy

Italian national flag was inspired by the French flag, which was brought there in 1796 when Napoleon attacked Italy. It differs from the French flag only by the left stripe that has green color, not blue. There are several theories explaining the green color. One of them says that Napoleon chose green as a reminder of the green island Corsica, whereas others think it refers to the green uniforms of Milan militia. Green is also associated with the region of Lombardy. Italy was very fragmented and unstable until the late 19th century, and this was also reflected in the frequent changes of the design of the flag. The flag in its current form was adopted in 1946.

Country information

Sovereign State Yes
Country codes IT, ITA (ISO 3166-1)
Official name Italian Republic
Capital city Rome
Continent Europe
Member of United Nations, European Union, NATO
Population 60 247 214 (2019)
Total area 301 339 km2
Highest point Monte Bianco (4 810 m, 15 781 ft)
Lowest point Jolanda di Savoia (-3 m, -10 ft)
GDP per capita $ 34 483 (World Bank, 2018)
Currency Euro (€, EUR)
Calling code +39
Internet TLD .it

Flags of neighboring countries

Country location