Campione d'Italia

:"Campione redirects here. For the football song, see Campione 2000"Infobox Settlement
official_name = _it. Comune di Campione d'Italia
established_title = Roman foundation
established_date = 77 BC
established_title2 =
established_date2 =
nickname =
motto =
website = [http://www.comune.campione-d-italia.co.it/ www.comune.campione-d-italia.co.it/]


imagesize = 200px
image_caption = Campione d'Italia


image_shield = Campione_d'Italia-Stemma.pngshield_size = 60px


mapsize = 150px
map_caption = Location of the city of Campione
subdivision_type = Sovereign state
subdivision_name = Italy
subdivision_name1 = Lombardy
subdivision_type1 = Region
subdivision_name1 = Lombardy
subdivision_type2 = Province
subdivision_name2 = Province of Como
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Maria Paola Rita Mangili
area_magnitude =
area_total_sq_mi =
area_total_km2 = 1.6
population_footnotes = [http://demo.istat.it/index_e.html ISTAT demographics]
population_as_of = January 1, 2007
population_total = 2201
population_metro =
area_urban_km2 =
area_urban_sq_mi =
population_density_km2 =
population_density_sq_mi =
population_blank1_title = Called
population_blank1 = Campionesi
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd=45 |latm=58 |lats = |latNS=N |longd=08 |longm=58 |longs= |longEW=E
elevation_m = +273
elevation_ft = 896
postal_code_type = Postal codes
postal_code = I-22060 CH-6911
area_code = 004191
blank_name = Patron saints
blank_info = St. Zenone
( [April 12] )
footnotes =

Campione d'Italia is an Italian "comune" (municipality) of the Province of Como in the Lombardy region, occupying an enclave within the Swiss canton of Ticino, separated from the rest of Italy by Lake Lugano and mountains. The enclave is less than convert|1|km|yd as the crow flies from the rest of Italy, but the hilly terrain requires a journey by road of over convert|14|km|mi to reach the nearest Italian town, Lanzo d'Intelvi, and over convert|28|km|mi to reach the city of Como. [cite web |url=http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Campione+d%27Italia+CO,+Italia&daddr=Como+Como,+Lombardia,+Italia&hl=en&geocode=&mra=pe&mrcr=0&sll=39.669315,-42.906212&sspn=92.369054,158.203125&ie=UTF8&z=12 |title=Shortest road path between Campione and Como - Google Maps]

History

First settlements in the area date back to the first century BC, when the Romans founded the garrison town of "Campilonum" to protect their territories from Helvetii invasions attempts.

Its status came about when Ticino chose to become part of the Swiss Confederation in 1798, and Campione's people chose to remain part of Lombardy, which subsequently became part of Italy in 1859. The "d'Italia" was added to the appellation under Prime Minister Benito Mussolini, who was keen to showcase Campione to its neighbours.

During World War II, the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS) the predecessor of the CIA, maintained a unit in Campione and used it for operations into Italy. Fact|date=June 2008 At the time the pro-Nazi Italian regime didn't have control over the enclave. The Swiss turned a blind eye to the situation as long as the Americans kept a low profile. Fact|date=June 2008

Economy and Administration

Campione has a considerable amount of economic and administrative integration with Switzerland. Because of its particular status, legal tender in the town is the Swiss Franc but the Euro is widely accepted; Italian citizens residing in Campione must abide by Swiss law regarding customs duties. Presently, car plates are not Italian, but Swiss; similarly, the telephone system is almost entirely operated by Swisscom, meaning that calls from Italy (with very few exceptions such as calling the city hall) require the international dialing code for Switzerland (0041) and the Ticino area code: (91). Mail may be sent using either a Swiss postal code or an Italian one using Switzerland or Italy as destination country respectively.
Pursuant to bilateral agreements, Italians residing in Campione also benefit from many services and facilities located in Swiss territory, such as hospital care, that would otherwise be available only to Swiss residents. [ cite web |url=http://www.ti.ch/CAN/SegGC/comunicazioni/GC/odg-mes/5898.htm |title=Rapporti tra il Cantone Ticino e il Comune di Campione d’Italia (Relations between Canton Ticino and Campione d'Italia) (Italian)|accessdate=2008-08-11]
Like the Italian town of Livigno, it is exempt from the EU VAT. Campione takes advantage of its status by operating a famous casino, the Casinò di Campione, as gambling laws are less strict than in both Italy and Switzerland (also a legacy of the pre-World War II era).

References

External links

* [http://www.campioneitalia.com/homepage/homepage.cfm?lang=en Campione d'Italia]
* [http://www.comune.campione-d-italia.co.it/ Comune di Campione d'Italia]
* [http://campione.enclaves.org/ The Border of Campione d'Italia]