why did the Italians not colonize?

Question

Whilst the British, French,Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese colonized most of Africa, Americas, Asia and Australasia, why did the Italians not? They were a big nation with rich history.

So anybody know why Italy has no colonies? Especially when you think how smart the Romans were.

I know Ethiopia was under Italian rule, but that not much.

Answer 1

If we leave aside the Roman, Venetian and Genoese empires, I think the questioner is asking about modern day Italy?

Italy did have an empire.
In Africa
.... Libya from 1911 to 1943
.....Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) 1895 to 1941
.....Eritrea 1889 to 1941
.....Italian Somaliland (now part of Somalia) 1890 to 1941

In Europe
.....Albania from 1920 to 1941
.....Dodecanese Islands (now part of Greece) from 1911 to 1943

In China
.....Tientsin (Trading Concession) from 1901 to 1943

The reason why it was small and late developed, as as other answerers have suggested.....Italy only became a united country between 1815 and 1871.

Answer 2

Are you not forgetting the ROMAN EMPIRE....as in Rome, Italy? An Empire that stretched further than mankind could ever have imagined in those faraway times.
Presumably your question is regarding "modern" history and indeed Italy did not have a notable say in colonisation. However, I wonder whether past glories, coupled with the inevitable failure that Italy suffered after the decline of the Roman Empire, didn't leave a lasting and somewhat devastating dent on any future expansion plans that might have been put forward.

Answer 3

Italy only got into the colonisation game late because the country was not unified till 1860.
After that, Italy colonised Somalia, Eritrea and in 1913 Libya and the Greek island of Rhodes. Ethiopia you know about but you never wondered how they could access a landlocked country in the heart of Africa.
Italy's recognition as a great power "caused 80 years of comedy in diplomatic history" - A.J.P.Taylor

Answer 4

The Romans did colonise - big time. All around the med and up into what is now Germany, and of course Britain (its where the name comes from)

Italy had a problem with colonising. Like Germany it was late in unifying thus spent loads of effort in becoming a single country. It, like Germany, also did not have a sea board to the Atlantic. (Germany has a small one at Cluxhaven). It meant that all exploration and merchant enterprises had to go for long distance before it even got to the Atlantic.

Answer 5

Italy didn't exist as a single nation until the 1860's and 1870's. Until then Italians were too busy trying to over throw the people who had colonised them to do the same to anyone else.
By the time they got round to it,all the richest parts had been taken by other countries. The Germans had similar problems.

Answer 6

Italians are usually very peaceful people, and like some said they have enough problems of their own. Ethiopia is considered a big joke to most Italians. I live in Italy.

Answer 7

Sorry but Romans and Italians are the smae people. Rome ... Roman.
Also they did colonize parts of Africa. The only reason they did not join the 19th Century scamble of power was the Italian Confederate State did not come into being until the later years of the 19th Century.

Answer 8

The Italians colonised Eritrea, Libya and later Abyssinia in 1936 which they lost after the WW2

Answer 9

everything has a life.

once upon a time roman empire was well known for its extended boundaries,civilisation,culture and art.

but anarchy,corruption loss of morals steps in immediately once a empire is rich and power full.

same happened with Italy and then Italians had no power or finance to build back lost glory.

Answer 10

The Italians have had enough trouble trying to govern their own country. They haven't had a stable government long enough to get into colonization after the fall of the Roman Empire.