The Italian population is more than 62 million. Every year many people immigrate to Italy. The Italian culture is rich in art, architecture, and traditions. Here are some of the things you should know about the Italian culture.
About 96% population of Italy is Italian. The rest of the population is from Albania, Germany, Austria and other regions. So, apart from the Italian traditions, you will also find values and traditions from the German, Albanian and the other ethnic groups. As countries like Switzerland, France, Austria, and Slovenia lies on the border of the country, you will find influences of their culture in Italy as well.
Family value is very important in Italy. Unlike the ‘nuclear family’ structure in the US where the parents and kids are considered to be part of a family ‘extended family’ is the norm in Italy. The children stay close to their family even after adolescence. The Italians have very frequent family gatherings. Children are taught about family values from a very young age.
The Vatican City is situated at the center of Rome. So, the religion is influenced by it. The major religion here is Roman Catholicism. About 80% of the population is Roman Catholic or Christians. Muslims and other religions make up the rest of the population.
As Italians are very family oriented, you will find many businesses are family businesses. Even some of the big companies are run by families. Meetings are less formal in Italy than the other European countries. Verbal communication is important in case of business dealings.
Role of women
The Italians with traditional mindset believe that men are the primary earners and women’s role is to take care of the home and family. This view hasn’t changed much. Even though women are now working and shifting towards the American culture, but most of the works they do are care-related. You won’t find many women workers in the other sectors.
Italy had more governments than any of the European countries. Only once the government remained in power for a full five-year period. After the World War II, Italy had 63 governments. This often leads to chaos in the country and the country’stability becomes a concern.
If you plan to move to Italy, then these facts will help you to adjust quickly to the new culture. The Italian culture is influenced by the American culture now, still, they hold some of their traditional values.