Italian Armed Forces

Military of Italy
Military manpower
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.)
Military expenditures
Dollar figure	$23.294 billion (FY99)
Percent of GDP	1.7% (FY99)

Military branches

• Esercito Italiano (Army)
• Marina Militare Italiana (Navy)
• Aeronautica Militare (Air Force)
• Carabinieri (Military police)

The Guardia di Finanza (a specialised police for tax and financial crimes) is also a military corps, but it is going to be transformed, expectedly in a short time, into a civil administration, as previously happened for the State Police, Forestry Police and Prisons Police.

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 New Independent States, 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.

Due to a recent decision, starting January 1 2005, the Italian Army has become a fully-volunteer profession, open both to men and women.

External Links

• kamouflage.net: online index of camouflage uniforms from around the world
• kamouflage.net > Europe > Italy (Kingdom of Italy) > index