Destinations › Europe · The Destination Index · universal template · every figure sourced
Italy.
Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia. 301,340 sq km and 58,915,656 people, 7,600 km of coastline, predominantly Mediterranean; alpine in far north; hot, dry in south.
Region · EuropePopulation · ~58,915,656Languages · Italian, with Neapolitan, Sicilian, Sardinian, Friulian, German and LadinEco Index · 75/100 · Good
The Eco Index across 12 pillars · scored 0 to 5 · World Bank, OWID, WHO/UNICEF JMP, FiBL, Protected Planet, IUCN, UNESCO (2023-24)
Conservation
Wildlife
Water
Food & farming
Organic & clean
Climate & energy
Waste
Health
Heritage
Ownership
Governance
Future
The History of Italy.
Italy sustains a broad living heritage, from opera and bel canto singing to regional folk forms such as the tarantella and Salento pizzica, Sardinian canto a tenore polyphony and Sicilian Opera dei Pupi puppet theatre. Community events including the Venice and Ivrea carnivals and the Palio di Siena remain deeply rooted, alongside Catholic patronal processions and ancestral seasonal rites across the regions.
Where the name comes from
Italia, usually traced to Vitelia or a related term for the calf, applied first to the far south and later to the whole peninsula. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
The land itself: rugged and mountainous for the most part, with plains and coastal lowlands. Its high point is Monte Bianco di Courmayeur, 4,748 m. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
Where it starts
Before Rome
Stone tools at Monte Poggiolo in Romagna are around 850,000 years old, among the earliest evidence of humans in Italy. From about 1800 BC the Nuragic civilisation built around 7,000 stone towers across Sardinia. The Etruscans held city-states across central Italy from roughly 900 BC with their own language, still only partly understood. Rome is one chapter of this, not the beginning of it.
How it got here
Empire, Renaissance, republic
Rome grew from city to republic to empire and left its law, engineering and language across three continents. Vesuvius buried Pompeii and Herculaneum in AD 79, preserving ordinary Roman life in extraordinary detail. From the fourteenth century Florence, Venice, Rome and Milan reshaped art, architecture, banking and science. The Italian states were unified in 1861, fascist rule from 1922 ended in war and resistance, and Italy became a republic by referendum in 1946, when women voted for the first time.
The timeline
c. 850,000 years ago
Monte Poggiolo.
Stone tools in Romagna are among the earliest evidence of humans in Italy. ↗
c. 1800 to 730 BC
The Nuragic civilisation.
Around 7,000 stone towers, the nuraghi, are built across Sardinia. ↗
c. 900 to 100 BC
The Etruscans.
A civilisation of city-states in central Italy with its own language, still only partly understood. ↗
753 BC to AD 476
Rome.
From city to republic to empire, leaving law, engineering and language across three continents. ↗
AD 79
Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Vesuvius buries both towns, preserving ordinary Roman life in extraordinary detail. ↗
1300s to 1500s
The Renaissance.
Florence, Venice, Rome and Milan reshape art, architecture, banking and science. ↗
1861
Unification.
The Italian states are unified into a single kingdom in 1861, completed with Rome in 1870. Unification was led from Piedmont, and the economic gap it left between north and south has never closed. ↗
1922 to 1943
Fascism.
Fascist rule from 1922 ends in 1943 with war, German occupation of the north, and a resistance that amounted to a civil war. The monarchy was abolished by referendum in 1946. ↗
1946
The republic.
Italy becomes a republic by referendum, and women vote for the first time. ↗
Ministero della Cultura, Italy · UNESCO World Heritage, Su Nuraxi di Barumini · Istituto Italiano di Preistoria e Protostoria
Nature and Biodiversity in Italy.
Protected areas cover about 21% of land and 11% of the sea (World Bank, 2025), including 25 national parks such as Gran Paradiso and Abruzzo. Coverage is strong and marine protection is meaningful, though hunting pressure and coastal development remain concerns.
Is wild Italy protected? 21.5% of the land is, against a 30% target for 2030
How protected is nature in Italy?
Forest cover32.9%
Terrestrial protected area21.5%
Marine protected area11%
222 (mammals, birds, fish & plants) listed as threatened.
Recorded in Italy and named in the open record. Endemic status is stated per species, not implied by this list.
Marsican brown bear
Ma
Sardinian
Sa
Corsican island forms
Co
The watchlist
ThreatenedVanellus gregariusCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Italy in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedCommon thread turtle (Mauremys sinensis)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Italy in GBIF occurrence data (turtle).
ThreatenedLanzas fire salamander (Salamandra lanzai)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Italy in GBIF occurrence data (amphibian).
ThreatenedGwynne's Mining Bee (Andrena bicolor)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Italy in GBIF occurrence data (insect).
ThreatenedCallianthemum kernerianumCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Italy in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedAnguilla anguillaCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Italy in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedPen Shell (Pinna nobilis)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Italy in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedChondrostoma soettaCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Italy in GBIF occurrence data (species).
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Italy. GBIF holds 1 verified occurrence records.
Common thread turtle (Mauremys sinensis)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Italy. GBIF holds 14 verified occurrence records.
Lanzas fire salamander (Salamandra lanzai)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Italy. GBIF holds 138 verified occurrence records.
Gwynne's Mining Bee (Andrena bicolor)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Italy. GBIF holds 2 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for Italy filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
National park in Apulia, mapped and named in the open record for Italy. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in Italy.
Northern Italy is water-rich, fed by Alpine rivers, great lakes and Apennine springs, and about 97% of people have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024). But the south and Sicily face severe recurrent drought, the Po hit record lows in 2022, and distribution networks lose roughly a third of their water to leaks.
Does Italy have enough fresh water? Yes, with headroom
96.8% of people here have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Tap water is safe for a visitor nearly everywhere.
Cleanest water: Alpine lakes and mountain spring rivers
How much fresh water does Italy have, per person?
3,093 m³
Italy
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
Italy withdraws about 33,783 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 29.8% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as medium water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 50%, homes and towns 27%, industry 23%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
What are the rules on Italy beaches?
·Tap water: Varies.
✓Plastic rules: EU single-use plastic ban in force; national plastic tax repeatedly delayed.
✓Solo travel: rated easy on the record for this destination.
✕Marine protection: 11% of the sea is protected. The 30x30 pledge for 2030 is not met yet.
Where does the sewage go?
78.2%
of people have safely managed sanitation
78.2% of people here use a safely managed sanitation service, meaning waste is contained, emptied and treated rather than reaching the ground or the sea untreated (2024, World Bank / WHO-UNICEF JMP, SDG 6.2.1). The rest is what the rivers and the coast receive.
How is the sea around Italy doing?
One cross-section, every answer measured.
Surface
What the coast carries
Hot summers, mild winters; August is crowded and the sun is fierce.
Nearshore
Protected water
11% of territorial waters are protected, against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Cleanest
Where the water is cleanest
Alpine lakes and mountain spring rivers.
The record
Measured
Northern Italy is water-rich, fed by Alpine rivers, great lakes and Apennine springs, and about 97% of people have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024). But the south and Sicily face severe recurrent drought, the Po hit record lows in 2022, and distribution networks lose roughly a third of their water to leaks.
Sea protected
11%
Against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Threatened species
222 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Mammals, birds, fish and higher plants on the IUCN list.
Cleanest water
here
Alpine lakes and mountain spring rivers.
Is the tap water safe in Italy?
96.8% of people have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Renewable fresh water works out at about 3,093 cubic metres per person a year (World Bank).
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 2 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 18.5% of what Italy renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). That is inside the 25% mark generally treated as water stress, so the supply has headroom.
When is the best time to visit Italy? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
.
How much fresh water does Italy actually have?
Nature renews about 3,093 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks Italy 109 of 208 countries measured, putting it in the wetter half of the world. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is above that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
Italy is one of Europe's agricultural powerhouses, largely self-sufficient in fruit, vegetables, wine, olive oil and rice, though a net importer of cereals, animal feed and meat. Orchards, vineyards and market gardens remain woven through the landscape and economy.
Where does the food in Italy come from?
11.2% imported
about US$75,002m a year
On the plate: Pasta and bread, olive oil, vegetables, legumes, tomatoes
How often each food is on the plate
Share of people eating each one regularly. These overlap, so they do not add up to 100%.
Pasta60%
Bread51%
Olive oil42%
Vegetables33%
Legumes24%
Tomatoes15%
1 of 10
bites are imported
The island buys in more food energy than it eats. About US$75,002m a year leaves the country to pay for it. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
About 11.2% of everything Italy buys in from abroad is food, roughly 1 in every 10 imported items on the dock (2024, World Bank). Farming itself is 2.1% of the economy and 44.3% of the land is agricultural, of which 24% is arable. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
What is killing people in Italy? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined81.5%
Diabetes7.7%
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 49.2%.
Can Italy feed itself?
24.0%
Arable land
44.3%
Agricultural land
858,916
Farmers
17,506,097
Arable acres
2.1%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Harvest: Grape harvest September to October; olive harvest October to December
Feeding itself
Italy is one of Europe's agricultural powerhouses, largely self-sufficient in fruit, vegetables, wine, olive oil and rice, though a net importer of cereals, animal feed and meat. Orchards, vineyards and market gardens remain woven through the landscape and economy.
Certification
About 16% of Italy's agricultural land is organic (FiBL, 2020 data), among the highest shares in the world and still rising under national and EU targets.
Water for crops
Northern Italy is water-rich, fed by Alpine rivers, great lakes and Apennine springs, and about 97% of people have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024). But the south and Sicily face severe recurrent drought, the Po hit record lows in 2022, and distribution networks lose roughly a third of their water to leaks.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certified-organic farmland is not separately reported for Italy, and that is a certification gap rather than proof nothing is grown cleanly. What the official land record does show: 44.3% of the country is agricultural land and 24% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in Italy are grapes, wheat, tomatoes, maize and apples (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Buy direct where residents buy: Orto Didattico E Fattoria Di Animazione, Tulipani-Italiani Pick Your Own Tulips, Castel Cerreto Soc. Coop. Agricola, Fattoria Vasadonna. Every one is a farm shop we have checked and listed ourselves, so the money goes to the grower rather than the importer. The checked list
Italy draws close to two-fifths of its electricity from renewables, with solar near 12% alongside hydropower and the geothermal fields of Larderello, the world's first geothermal power site (Ember, 2023). Its territorial CO2 emissions were about 5.1 tonnes per person in 2024 (Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), among the lower figures in Western Europe. Natural gas remains the largest single source of power, and Italy targets climate neutrality by 2050 in line with the EU. The mix of moderate emissions and moderate renewables places it in the middle band.
What powers Italy?
Renewable 48.7%Fossil 51.3%
Climate pollution per person
The safe amount, what the planet can absorb
2 tonnes
One person here
5.08 tonnes
The world average, for comparison
4.7 tonnes
The worst it ever got
7.65 tonnes
The grid
Italy draws close to two-fifths of its electricity from renewables, with solar near 12% alongside hydropower and the geothermal fields of Larderello, the world's first geothermal power site (Ember, 2023). Its territorial CO2 emissions were about 5.1 tonnes per person in 2024 (Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), among the lower figures in Western Europe.
Pollution
The Po Valley is one of Europe's most polluted air basins, and national PM2.5 averages about 14 µg/m³ (World Bank, 2023). Italy applies EU single-use plastic rules and recycles well, but pollution hotspots such as the Terra dei Fuochi near Naples and industrial Taranto persist.
Water stress
Northern Italy is water-rich, fed by Alpine rivers, great lakes and Apennine springs, and about 97% of people have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024). But the south and Sicily face severe recurrent drought, the Po hit record lows in 2022, and distribution networks lose roughly a third of their water to leaks.
What pollutes most here
1The gridThe share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.59%
2IndustryPo Valley heavy industry and the Taranto steelworks.named
3AirModelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.14.3 µg/m³ (PM2.5)
4On the recordThe Po Valley is one of Europe's most polluted air basins, and national PM2.5 averages about 14 µg/m³ (World Bank, 2023).
What has Italy promised on climate?
Net zero, whole economy2050
Electricity renewable today41% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target21.5% by 2025
Sea protected, against a 30% target11% by 2025
The net-zero target year on file with Climate Watch is 2050, status: in policy document; in political pledge. Measured against it, 41% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 59% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year5.08 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
Sydney return, economy2.94 t CO2e
Los Angeles return, economy1.84 t CO2e
Singapore return, economy1.81 t CO2e
Johannesburg return, economy1.39 t CO2e
New York return, economy1.24 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to Italy emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in Italy.
Data centres
105
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Grid renewable
48.7 %
What a machine here runs on.
What powers a data centre in Italy?
Most of the power behind a machine here is still burned.
Renewable 48.7%Fossil 51.3%
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 41% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. Italy has 105 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Milan (18), Rome (10), Turin (7), alongside 23 internet exchanges (MIX-IT, TOP-IX, Namex Rome, MINAP Milan). Named sites include Templus DC Milan MIL01, Telnet Caldera Milan, ITGate PdF (TRN1/TRN2), Piceno Datacenter.
Where the cables land. 55 landing points · Alicudi Porto, Bari, Cagliari, Cala d'Oliva
38% residents to 62% visitors across a year. 95,399,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 58,915,656 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in Italy
38,419k
Visitors a year
0.7
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is Italy?· for every $100 Italy earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · the 2020 peak
$ 154The worst year on the IMF record. Italy owed $154 for every $100 it earned.
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2020signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 138What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 136The IMF's own forecast has this falling to $136 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 Italy earns in a year, it owes $138 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). That is more than a full year of national income, and the interest is paid before anything else.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in Italy?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 95,399,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 58,915,656 residents, 1.6 visitors for every resident (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play
2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in Italy is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published
3
The plate
Food is only 11.2% of everything Italy imports (2024, World Bank), so most of a meal is bought from producers inside the country. Eating what the land here actually grows, wheat, grapes, tomatoes, maize, olives, apples, oranges, sugar beets, rice, keeps that money with the grower.
mostly home-grown
4
The power
41% of the electricity is renewable (2021, World Bank), so the energy on the bill is mostly generated inside the country rather than shipped in.
made at home
5
What actually stays
Of the two parts of a visitor's bill that can be measured here, the plate and the power stay inside Italy. This is not an economy where a visitor's money drains away, and the board is shorter for it.
most of it
6
Pay the bank first
Italy owes $138 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$138 per $100
7
A spread hand
The largest single export, machinery and mechanical appliances, is 17.2% of the total (2023, UN Comtrade). No one shock can take the whole board.
top export 17.2%
8
Community chest
Tourism earns 3.7% of everything Italy makes from exports (2020, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
3.7% of exports
9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From Sydney a return economy seat is 2.94 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
2.94 t CO2
10
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$2,738 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$2,738bn
GDPUS$2,551.6bn
Agriculture, share of GDP2.1%
Visitors a year38,419,000
Visitors per resident0.7
Residents~58,915,656
Agriculture
Farming is 2.1% of the economy. Italy is one of Europe's agricultural powerhouses, largely self-sufficient in fruit, vegetables, wine, olive oil and rice, though a net importer of cereals, animal feed and meat.
Natural materials
Natural-materials traditions stay alive, from Biella and Prato wool to Como silk, plus linen, leather and a growing hemp revival. Many of these remain working industries rather than heritage alone.
Energy
Italy draws close to two-fifths of its electricity from renewables, with solar near 12% alongside hydropower and the geothermal fields of Larderello, the world's first geothermal power site (Ember, 2023). Its territorial CO2 emissions were about 5.1 tonnes per person in 2024 (Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), among the lower figures in Western Europe.
Who owns the biggest hotels in Italy?
By rooms · company records and press.
Vegan Agrivilla I Pini · ~11 roomsIndependentnot published
Vegan Hotel La Vimea · ~40 roomsIndependentnot published
Agriturismo & AgriCamping Le Nosare · ~6 roomsIndependentnot published
Eco Hotel Ariston · ~22 roomsIndependentnot published
Hotel Saltus · ~28 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
201581,068k
201684,925k
201789,931k
201893,229k
201995,399k
202038,419k
International tourism receipts run at about US$20.46 billion in 2020 (World Bank / UN Tourism). That is 3.7% of everything the country earns from exports.
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
All-inclusive resortForeign-owned hotel and tourist restaurantsLocally owned stay and local restaurantsGuesthouse, markets and public transport
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Five swaps that move your money back on-island
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking pasta and bread, olive oil, vegetables, legumes, tomatoes over imported menus. The checked list →
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays. Eco tours →
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays →
4. Use the transport residents use Extensive rail network including high-speed trains, plus regional buses
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
swipe →
First time here
Italy combines Europe-leading organic farming, a produce-rich Mediterranean diet and deeply rooted regional cultures with serious Po Valley air pollution and worsening southern water stress.
Best time: Spring and early autumn
Getting around
Extensive rail network including high-speed trains, plus regional buses
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate is pasta and bread, olive oil, vegetables, legumes, tomatoes. The Mediterranean diet is native here, built on vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, olive oil and fruit, so eating unprocessed plant food is effortless.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
Good to know
Cards widely accepted; EUR. Cash for small shops and market stalls.
Rate my hotel. Tap yours for the honest verdict.
Ownership from company records and press.
Vegan Agrivilla I PiniVegan Hotel La VimeaAgriturismo & AgriCamping Le NosareEco Hotel AristonHotel Saltus
.
Who owns the big hotels
Vegan Agrivilla I PiniIndependent · 11 rooms
Vegan Hotel La VimeaIndependent · 40 rooms
Agriturismo & AgriCamping Le NosareIndependent · 6 rooms
Eco Hotel AristonIndependent · 22 rooms
Hotel SaltusIndependent · 28 rooms
None of the 5 properties listed here publishes who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in Italy.
How well is Italy actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, Italy scores 67 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is a state that generally does what it says it will do, which is what makes a climate pledge worth reading.
How well is Italy run? · each scored out of 100, higher is better
Clean government, scored 59 of 100
Control of corruption scores 59.1 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is above the halfway mark of governments measured.
59
Freedom and rights, scored 76 of 100
Voice and accountability, which measures free expression, free media and the ability to choose a government, scores 75.5 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Citizens here can question their government openly.
76
Government effectiveness, scored 67 of 100
Government effectiveness, which measures the quality of public services and how well policy is actually delivered, scores 66.7 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Delivery is rated above average.
67
Income equality, scored 34 of 100
The Gini index of income inequality reads 34.3 (2023, World Bank). Zero is perfect equality and 100 is one person holding everything. Below 40 is the level usually treated as manageable, and Italy sits inside it.
34
LGBTQ+ status: MixedSolo female travel: Easy99.4% adult literacyIndustry to avoid: Po Valley heavy industry and the Taranto steelworks
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around Extensive rail network including high-speed trains, plus regional buses
✓Air quality, measured Modelled annual mean 14.3 µg/m³ (PM2.5). The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³.
✓Where the air is cleanest Alpine and Apennine uplands away from the Po Valley
✓Tap water Varies
✓What to drink Tap water is generally safe but many locals drink bottled; fountains (nasoni) are fine in cities.
✓Plastic rules EU single-use plastic ban in force; national plastic tax repeatedly delayed
✓Sockets and voltage Type C/F, 230V
99.4%
literacy. Public spending on education runs at 4.1% of GDP and 7.4% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment stands at 100.7% gross (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2022 to 2023).
Made in Italy.
Natural-materials traditions stay alive, from Biella and Prato wool to Como silk, plus linen, leather and a growing hemp revival. Many of these remain working industries rather than heritage alone. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What Italy actually sells the world
The single biggest thing Italy sells the world is machinery and mechanical appliances, 17.2% of all exports in 2023 (about US$116.55 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are vehicles at 8.0%, pharmaceuticals at 7.4%, electrical machinery and electronics at 6.6%, plastics at 3.6%.
Made now · natural materials
Natural-materials traditions stay alive
Worked in Italy from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
From Biella
Worked in Italy from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Prato wool to Como silk
Worked in Italy from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Linen
Worked in Italy from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Leather
Worked in Italy from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Growing hemp revival. Many of these remain working industries rather than heritage alone
Worked in Italy from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Could make · grown here already
Pasta
Grown in Italy and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Bread
Grown in Italy and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Olive oil
Grown in Italy and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
The maths for an entrepreneur. Italy produces about US$2,552 billion a year, which is roughly US$43,309 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 2.1% of that, while food is 11.2% of everything the country imports. The country buys in more food than its own farms contribute to the economy, and every point of that gap is a business someone could build here rather than ship in. With 24% of the land arable, the raw material for that is already in the ground.
A living tradition of Italy, still practised rather than archived.
Bel canto singing
A living tradition of Italy, still practised rather than archived.
Tarantella
A living tradition of Italy, still practised rather than archived.
Salento pizzica folk dances
A living tradition of Italy, still practised rather than archived.
Sardinian canto a tenore polyphonyA living tradition of Italy, still practised rather than archived.
Sicilian Opera dei Pupi puppet theatreA living tradition of Italy, still practised rather than archived.
Does Italy protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. Italy sustains a broad living heritage, from opera and bel canto singing to regional folk forms such as the tarantella and Salento pizzica, Sardinian canto a tenore polyphony and Sicilian Opera dei Pupi puppet theatre. Community events including the Venice and Ivrea carnivals and the Palio di Siena remain deeply rooted, alongside Catholic patronal processions and ancestral seasonal rites across the regions. Some traditions are strongly commercialised for visitors, yet many remain genuinely practised by local communities.
Who it belongs to. Italy's regional identities, dialects, food cultures and village life are strongly alive, and agriturismo, borghi and small-town tourism channel money to local families. Mass tourism does strain cities such as Venice and Florence.
Only here. The Marsican brown bear, a subspecies surviving only in Italy's central Apennines.
Three futures for Italy, every one run forward from measured data.
Where the making actually happens
Named cultural and craft sites on the open map: Museum, Museo (Vahrn, Varna), Orto Botanico (Palermo). OpenStreetMap. Named craft workshops on the open map: Abat-jour, Accademia A, Allegri Imballaggi, Amaranthus Profumeria, Andrea Del Vecchio srl - Soluzioni esclusive, Angeli Cristallo.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
+21%
Forest cover
1995: 27.1 % → 2023: 32.9 %
+139%
Renewable electricity
1995: 17.2 % → 2021: 41 %
-34%
CO2 per person
1995: 7.65 t → 2024: 5.08 t
-31%
Tourist arrivals
1995: 55706 k → 2020: 38419 k
+0%
Protected land
2013: 21.4 % → 2025: 21.5 %
-49%
Farm workforce
1995: 6.58 % → 2025: 3.35 %
+100%
Protected sea
2013: 5.5 % → 2025: 11 %
-15%
Agricultural land
1995: 52.1 % → 2023: 44.3 %
+4%
Urban population
1995: 66.8 % → 2025: 69.7 %
-52%
Air pollution
1995: 30 µg/m³ → 2023: 14.3 µg/m³
-4%
Fresh water per person
1995: 3210.5 m³ → 2022: 3092.5 m³
+6%
Adult overweight
1995: 46.3 % → 2022: 49.2 %
+0%
Electricity access
1995: 100 % → 2024: 100 %
+109%
GDP per person
1995: 20712 → 2025: 43309
+4%
Population
1995: 56844 k → 2025: 58916 k
+289%
Renewable energy use
1995: 4.5 % → 2021: 17.5 %
-20%
Energy per person
1995: 2800 kg → 2024: 2231 kg
+32%
Protected area, total
2013: 11.2 % → 2025: 14.8 %
+7%
Life expectancy
1995: 78.2 yrs → 2024: 84 yrs
+8%
Cereal yield
1995: 4667 ha → 2023: 5059 ha
-48%
Fertiliser use
1995: 220 ha → 2023: 114.1 ha
-9%
Rural population
1995: 33.2 % → 2025: 30.3 %
+55%
Water productivity
1995: 38.3 $/m3 → 2022: 59.2 $/m3
+12%
Health spending
2000: 7.55 % → 2024: 8.44 %
+22%
Forest area
1995: 79795 km2 → 2023: 97276 km2
+12%
Electric power use
1995: 4598 kWh → 2024: 5137 kWh
-30%
Emissions: Agriculture
1990: 44.9 e → 2023: 31.5 e
-23%
Emissions: Building
1990: 67.5 e → 2023: 51.8 e
-40%
Emissions: Electricity/Heat
1990: 143.9 e → 2023: 86.8 e
-26%
Emissions: Energy
1990: 395.2 e → 2023: 292.2 e
-2%
Emissions: Industrial Processes
1990: 27.1 e → 2023: 26.7 e
-51%
Emissions: Manufacturing/Construction
1990: 74.2 e → 2023: 36.4 e
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 27.1% to 32.9% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 17.2% to 41.0% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 7.7 t to 5.1 t across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 55706k to 38419k across 25 recorded years.
World Bank ST.INT.ARVL
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 21.4% to 21.5% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.LND.PTLD.ZS
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 6.6% to 3.3% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 5.5% to 11.0% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 52.1% to 44.3% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.AGRI.ZS
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 66.8% to 69.7% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 30.0 µg/m³ to 14.3 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 3210.5 m³ to 3092.5 m³ across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.H2O.INTR.PC
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 46.3% to 49.1% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank SH.STA.OWAD.ZS
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 100.0% to 100.0% across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 20712 to 43309 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 56844k to 58916k across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.POP.TOTL
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 4.5% to 17.5% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 2800 kg to 2231 kg across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 11.2% to 14.8% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 78.17 yrs to 83.95 yrs across 29 recorded years.
World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 4667 kg/ha to 5059 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.YLD.CREL.KG
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 219.97 kg/ha to 114.11 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.CON.FERT.ZS
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 33.18% to 30.32% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 38.32 $/m3 to 59.2 $/m3 across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 7.55% to 8.44% across 24 recorded years.
World Bank SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 79795 km2 to 97276 km2 across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.K2
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 4598 kWh to 5137 kWh across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 44.88 to 31.48 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have building emissions moved?
Building emissions moved from 67.52 to 51.78 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have electricity/heat emissions moved?
Electricity/Heat emissions moved from 143.86 to 86.83 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have energy emissions moved?
Energy emissions moved from 395.24 to 292.17 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have industrial processes emissions moved?
Industrial Processes emissions moved from 27.06 to 26.65 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have manufacturing/construction emissions moved?
Manufacturing/Construction emissions moved from 74.23 to 36.35 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, natural fibres at 2/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
Current path
Every line above is a recorded World Bank series for this country. The current path is simply those series continuing at the pace already measured.
Computed from: recorded series, no policy change assumed
Best case
The pledges are met on their own stated timetables and the weakest pillars are lifted to match the strongest. Italy already shows it can do this: recycling scores 5/5.
Computed from: each published target delivered on its own date
What the best case actually asks for
Lift natural fibres
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Italy's record. Natural-materials traditions stay alive, from Biella and Prato wool to Como silk, plus linen, leather and a growing hemp revival. Many of these remain working industries rather than heritage alone. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift energy
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Italy's record. Italy draws close to two-fifths of its electricity from renewables, with solar near 12% alongside hydropower and the geothermal fields of Larderello, the world's first geothermal power site (Ember, 2023). Its territorial CO2 emissions were about 5.1 tonnes per person in 2024 (Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), among the lower figures in Western Europe. Natural gas remains the largest single source of power, and Italy targets climate neutrality by 2050 in line with the EU. The mix of moderate emissions and moderate renewables places it in the middle band. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift pollution
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Italy's record. The Po Valley is one of Europe's most polluted air basins, and national PM2.5 averages about 14 µg/m³ (World Bank, 2023). Italy applies EU single-use plastic rules and recycles well, but pollution hotspots such as the Terra dei Fuochi near Naples and industrial Taranto persist. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in Italy.
Who is in charge of Italy now · office-holders and institutions as published by the state itself; scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024
Giorgia Meloni
Prime Minister
Giorgia Meloni is the head of government of Italy, in office since 22 October 2022. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government: 75.5 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Control of corruption: 59.1 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Political stability and absence of violence: 71.2 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Rule of law: 67.6 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Regulatory quality: 65 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Giorgia MeloniPrime Minister
Parliament (Il Parlamento)Legislature, bicameral
Next election2029
Last election24-29 January 2022 (eight rounds)
Constitutioncurrent text dates from 1848
Government typeparliamentary republic
Italy national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
2050
Net zero
In Policy Document<br>In Political Pledge
Net-zero target as recorded by Climate Watch. Status: In Policy Document (2021) In Political Pledge (12/12/2020) ↗
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
swipe →
Is Italy sustainable?
Italy scores 75 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. Italy combines Europe-leading organic farming, a produce-rich Mediterranean diet and deeply rooted regional cultures with serious Po Valley air pollution and worsening southern water stress.
Is the water in Italy safe and plentiful?
Northern Italy is water-rich, fed by Alpine rivers, great lakes and Apennine springs, and about 97% of people have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024). But the south and Sicily face severe recurrent drought, the Po hit record lows in 2022, and distribution networks lose roughly a third of their water to leaks.
Can Italy feed itself?
Italy is one of Europe's agricultural powerhouses, largely self-sufficient in fruit, vegetables, wine, olive oil and rice, though a net importer of cereals, animal feed and meat. Orchards, vineyards and market gardens remain woven through the landscape and economy.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in Italy?
The Mediterranean diet is native here, built on vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, olive oil and fruit, so eating unprocessed plant food is effortless. Regional dishes from pasta e fagioli to ribollita are naturally plant-centred.
How much of Italy is actually protected?
Protected areas cover about 21% of land and 11% of the sea (World Bank, 2025), including 25 national parks such as Gran Paradiso and Abruzzo. Coverage is strong and marine protection is meaningful, though hunting pressure and coastal development remain concerns.
What wildlife is left in Italy?
Italy holds real iconic species, including the Apennine wolf, the critically small Marsican brown bear population and the Alpine ibex brought back from near-extinction, plus island endemics in Sardinia and Sicily. Biodiversity is notable but national endemism is modest.
Is Italy on clean energy?
Italy draws close to two-fifths of its electricity from renewables, with solar near 12% alongside hydropower and the geothermal fields of Larderello, the world's first geothermal power site (Ember, 2023). Its territorial CO2 emissions were about 5.1 tonnes per person in 2024 (Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), among the lower figures in Western Europe. Natural gas remains the largest single source of power, and Italy targets climate neutrality by 2050 in line with the EU.
How polluted is Italy?
The Po Valley is one of Europe's most polluted air basins, and national PM2.5 averages about 14 µg/m³ (World Bank, 2023). Italy applies EU single-use plastic rules and recycles well, but pollution hotspots such as the Terra dei Fuochi near Naples and industrial Taranto persist.
Does recycling work in Italy?
Italy recycles about half of its municipal waste, around 51% including composting (Eurostat, 2023), one of the better rates in Europe with strong separate collection and packaging recovery.
Is the farming in Italy organic?
About 16% of Italy's agricultural land is organic (FiBL, 2020 data), among the highest shares in the world and still rising under national and EU targets.
Are there natural materials and craft in Italy?
Natural-materials traditions stay alive, from Biella and Prato wool to Como silk, plus linen, leather and a growing hemp revival. Many of these remain working industries rather than heritage alone.
Is there living culture in Italy?
Italy's regional identities, dialects, food cultures and village life are strongly alive, and agriturismo, borghi and small-town tourism channel money to local families. Mass tourism does strain cities such as Venice and Florence.
What heritage does Italy keep alive?
Italy sustains a broad living heritage, from opera and bel canto singing to regional folk forms such as the tarantella and Salento pizzica, Sardinian canto a tenore polyphony and Sicilian Opera dei Pupi puppet theatre. Community events including the Venice and Ivrea carnivals and the Palio di Siena remain deeply rooted, alongside Catholic patronal processions and ancestral seasonal rites across the regions. Some traditions are strongly commercialised for visitors, yet many remain genuinely practised by local communities.
So is Italy actually green? The measured answer
What is working: the record is thin on the headline measures, and the sourced numbers below say why.
What is not: sea protected at 11% against a 30% mark, renewable electricity at 41% against a 100% mark.
Italy sits 11 of 77 at 75/100. Every name links to its own destination page, built exactly like this one. The full ranking →
What is Italy particularly good at?
✓Organic farming, scored 5/5. About 16% of Italy's agricultural land is organic (FiBL, 2020 data), among the highest shares in the world and still rising under national and EU targets.
✓Plant-based eating, scored 5/5. The Mediterranean diet is native here, built on vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, olive oil and fruit, so eating unprocessed plant food is effortless. Regional dishes from pasta e fagioli to ribollita are naturally plant-centred.
✓Recycling, scored 5/5. Italy recycles about half of its municipal waste, around 51% including composting (Eurostat, 2023), one of the better rates in Europe with strong separate collection and packaging recovery.
Where does Italy score worst?
✕Water, scored 3/5. Northern Italy is water-rich, fed by Alpine rivers, great lakes and Apennine springs, and about 97% of people have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024). But the south and Sicily face severe recurrent drought, the Po hit record lows in 2022, and distribution networks lose roughly a third of their water to leaks.
✕Wildlife, scored 3/5. Italy holds real iconic species, including the Apennine wolf, the critically small Marsican brown bear population and the Alpine ibex brought back from near-extinction, plus island endemics in Sardinia and Sicily. Biodiversity is notable but national endemism is modest.
✕Natural fibres, scored 2/5. Natural-materials traditions stay alive, from Biella and Prato wool to Como silk, plus linen, leather and a growing hemp revival. Many of these remain working industries rather than heritage alone.
Similar countries doing it better and worse
FranceScored on the same twelve pillars as Italy.78
SwitzerlandScored on the same twelve pillars as Italy.75
GermanyScored on the same twelve pillars as Italy.75
United KingdomScored on the same twelve pillars as Italy.65
MontenegroScored on the same twelve pillars as Italy.63
SerbiaScored on the same twelve pillars as Italy.58
A note from the lens of mother natureswipe →
Energy, 3/5
Italy draws close to two-fifths of its electricity from renewables, with solar near 12% alongside hydropower and the geothermal fields of Larderello, the world's first geothermal power site (Ember, 2023). Its territorial CO2 emissions were about 5.1 tonnes per person in 2024 (Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), among the lower figures in Western Europe.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Italy's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Food and farming, 4/5
Italy is one of Europe's agricultural powerhouses, largely self-sufficient in fruit, vegetables, wine, olive oil and rice, though a net importer of cereals, animal feed and meat. Orchards, vineyards and market gardens remain woven through the landscape and economy.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Italy's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Heritage, 4/5
Italy sustains a broad living heritage, from opera and bel canto singing to regional folk forms such as the tarantella and Salento pizzica, Sardinian canto a tenore polyphony and Sicilian Opera dei Pupi puppet theatre. Community events including the Venice and Ivrea carnivals and the Palio di Siena remain deeply rooted, alongside Catholic patronal processions and ancestral seasonal rites across the regions.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Italy's record, so it is where the score moves first.
The Italy Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in Italy, checked and listed.
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Government effectiveness
66.7 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Rule of law
67.6 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Political stability
71.2 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Voice and accountability
75.5 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Environmental Performance Index
60.3 / 100 · 29 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 29 of 180 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
62.8 / 100 · 36 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 36 of 180 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
58.5 / 100 · 53 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 53 of 180 countries assessed.
Air pollution
89.5 / 100 · 28 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 28 of 180 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
72.1 / 100 · 52 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 52 of 180 countries assessed.
Marine protected areas
45.3 / 100 · 105 of 131
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 105 of 131 countries assessed.
How Italy Is Scored. The Throne Standard.
Every destination on the index is scored the same way, so a 4 in Barbados means exactly what a 4 means in Iceland. No self-declared data and no brochure claims are accepted. Every figure on this page carries its named source and year, and the history on each page names what empire took as plainly as it scores the present.
The 12 pillars every destination is scored on, equally weighted
01
Conservation
Land and sea actually protected, not pledged
02
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost
03
Water
Fresh water per person, and the ocean’s health
04
Food & farming
Whether the place can feed itself
05
Organic & clean
Certified land and pesticide reality
06
Climate & energy
Emissions per person, how the grid is powered
07
Waste
Where the rubbish goes, what comes back
08
Health
What people eat and die of
09
Heritage
Living culture, and what the law keeps standing
10
Ownership
Who owns the economy, how much of a dollar stays
11
Governance
Freedom, honesty, promises kept
12
Future
Measured trends run forward, pledges against pace
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
One index, every destination. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
