Capital of Italy: Rome
The capital of Italy is Rome. Italy sits in Europe, has a population of 59,037,474, and uses the EUR. Official languages include Italian.
Quick facts
- Capital: Rome
- Continent: Europe
- Population: ~59,037,474
- Area: 301,340 km²
- Population density: 196 people per km²
- Official language: Italian
- Currency: EUR
- ISO code: IT
How big is Italy?
By population, Italy ranks 25th in the world, holding roughly 0.74% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 71st.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Italy has 196 people per square kilometre, which is about 3.3 times the world average of 59.4. It is more crowded than its size alone would suggest.
Within Europe, Italy is the 5th most populous country of 46.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Italy in population are South Africa (59,893,885) and Myanmar (54,179,306).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Philippines (300,000 km²) and Oman (309,500 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
Italian is spoken officially in 4 countries in this dataset, including San Marino, Switzerland and Vatican City.
The EUR is not unique to Italy — it is also used by Andorra, Austria, Belgium and Croatia, and 21 others. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.
Italy in Europe
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Russia, Germany, United Kingdom and France.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Europe is the block Italy belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Italy and a page on the flag of Italy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Italy?
The capital of Italy is Rome.
What is the population of Italy?
About 59,037,474, making it the 25th most populous country in the world.
How big is Italy?
301,340 square kilometres, ranking 71st by land area, at a density of 196 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Italy use?
The EUR, shared with 25 other countries.