Area:  total: 301,230 sq km  land: 294,020 sq km Coastline: 7,600 km Population: 56,735,130 (July 1999 est.) Source: CIA Worldfact Book (2000)

Italy   Basic Data Contacts CSD Data Other Links Other Data Country Contacts National Research Council Agency for New Technology, Energy and Environment (ENEA) ENEA-Marine Environment Research Center   (Source:  CIA World Factbook 1999)     OCEANS AND COASTAL AREAS Many thanks to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, the source of the following information. The information was taken from the Italy's submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (last update: April 1997). For further information on the Italy's social and economic factors, natural resources, and institutional structures see the United Nations System-Wide Web Site on National Implementation of the Rio Commitments National Information for Italy at:  http://www.un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/countr/italy/index.htm   The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea was signed by Italy in 1982 and ratified in 1994. The Italian coastline is approximately 7,100 km long. The beaches extend for approximately 52% of the littoral development with more than 1500 km in a state of erosion. Counting ports, wharves and protective works, there are more than 600 km of concrete defenses. Sea water quality has improved slightly, as shown by the analysis of data on the suitability of bathing water in the 1992-95 period; the percent of favorable samples increased from 91.4% in 1992 to 93.9% in 1995. In the latter year, bathing was not allowed along 592 km of coastal area due to pollution. Of this area, 81% was due to the exceeding of the legal limits on biological parameters.  After the algae infestations of the late 1980s in the upper Adriatic and in some parts of the Tirana, there have been no more major incidences of eutrofissation and mucilaginous algae formations. In the Orbetello and Venice lagoons, projects are underway to lower the risk of new eutrophic excesses. In Italian ports in 1993, 16,244 thousand tons of chemical products were moved, including fertilizer, 12,048 thousand being shipped in and 7,196 thousand being shipped out. The movement of oil products unloaded and loaded at 15 ports amounted to approximately 170 million tons a year, more than 70% of which was at the five largest oil ports (Tireste, Genoa, Venice, Cagliari, Augusta). During the 1992-96 period (as of 31 May) the Ministry of the Environment, on the indication of the maritime authorities, coordinated actions on 216 cases of pollution or danger of pollution in the national territorial seas. The causes were as follows: 17% from navigation accidents (collisions, accidents, running aground, sinking); 83% to accidents (not closely tied to navigation, such as breakdowns or mistakes in use of on board equipment, oil terminals, or ground facilities). Eight marine reserves have been instituted (7 marine reserves plus the National Park of the Maddalena archipelago), 4 of which were created in the 1990s.        Other Links Mediterranean Action Plan Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the European Union       Other Data n.a.       (top)