ITALY-Katie

= I T A L Y  = = = =        = =       __C__  __ountry facts:__  Italy borders Austria, France, Vatican City, San Marino, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Its longest border is with Switzerland. Everybody 18 and over can vote, however you have to be at least 25 to vote in Senate elections. The Italian flag is inspired by the French flag introduced during Napoleon's 1797 invasion of the peninsula. The language spoken in Italy is italian. =    = Education/Schools:The Italian school system is offered free to all children in Italy regardless of nationality. All children are required to attend school from age six through sixteen with the compulsory age limit being raised over the next couple years. Even the public nursery schools are free with reasonable sized classes and motivated teachers. The school system has a good reputation but tends to focus on rote memorization and obedience over creativity. =   = __Cultural facts:__ The family is the centre of the social structure and provides a stabilizing influence for its members. In the north, generally only the nuclear family lives together; while in the south, the extended family often resides together in one house. The family provides both emotional and financial support to its members. = =Money: The money in italy is Euro. = = = = Government: In 1946 Italy changed its government. In this year, the people voted to change their nation from a monarchy, which was ruled by a king to a republic that was headed by a president. King Humbert the 2nd fastest left the throne and the voters elected 556 members to the Constituent Assembly to write a constitution. The constitution was passed in 1947 and took effect on January 1,1948. The constitution established a government, which was made up of a president, the Council of Ministers headed by a prime minister, and a Parliament with a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies. = = = = = =    =