Italy is a sovereign state.
The Big Four , also known as G4 or EU4 , refers to France , Germany , Italy and the United Kingdom . A developed country , industrialized country , more developed country , or `` more economically developed country '' ( MEDC ) , is a sovereign state that has a highly developed economy and advanced technological infrastructure relative to other less industrialized nations . The eurozone , officially called the euro area , is a monetary union of 19 of the 28 European Union ( EU ) member states which have adopted the euro as their common currency and sole legal tender . The Human Development Index ( HDI ) is a composite statistic of life expectancy , education , and per capita income indicators , which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development . Italy . Following the liberation of Italy and the rise of the resistance , the country abolished the monarchy , reinstated democracy , enjoyed a prolonged economic boom and , despite periods of sociopolitical turmoil ( e.g. Anni di piombo , Mani pulite , the Second Mafia War , the Maxi Trial and subsequent assassinations of anti-mafia officials ) , became a major developed country .