|
|
|---|
|
| Military age | 18 years of age
|
| Availability | males age 15–49: 14,315,634 (2000 est.)
|
| Fit for military service | males age 15–49: 12,331,306 (2000 est.)
|
| Reaching military age annually | males: 311,160 (2000 est.)
|
|
| Dollar figure | $23.294 billion (FY99)
|
| Percent of GDP | 1.7% (FY99)
|
The
Guardia Di Finanza is a specialized
Police and fight against financial
Crime s, illegal drugs trafficking, customs and borders control, illegal immigration, money laundering, money counterfeiting; is also a Military Corps.
Italy has worked closely with the
United States and others on such issues as
NATO and
UN operations as well as with assistance to
Russia and the other
CIS nations, Middle East peace process, multilateral talks,
Somalia and
Mozambique peacekeeping, and combating drug trafficking, trafficking in women and children, and terrorism.
Under longstanding bilateral agreements flowing from NATO membership, Italy hosts important U.S. military forces at Vicenza – home of 173d Airborne Brigade – and Livorno (army); Aviano (air force); and Sigonella, Naples, and Gaeta – home port for the
U.S. Navy Sixth Fleet . The United States has about 16,000 military personnel stationed in Italy. Italy hosts the
NATO War College in Rome.
Effective
January 1 2005 , the Italian Army has become a fully-volunteer profession, open both to men and women.
As Of 2006 , Italy ranks third in the world in number of military forces operating in peace-keeping and peace-enforcing scenarios (
Afghanistan ,
Kosovo ,
Iraq ,
Balkans ,
Lebanon ,
Israel ), following only the
United States and
United Kingdom .
A new aircraft carrier, the ''Conte Cavour'', is in construction in the
Liguria region.
