Italy
Population: 59.13 million
Climate: Temperate
Economy: GPD of $2.3 trillion, major trading partners include EU member states, US, China and Japan.
Government: A republic with directly elected Senate and Chamber of Deputies both of equal authority.
Famous for: Pizza, pasta, Ferrari, Silvio Berlusconi.
Star Player: Tiscali
Top IT industry: Telecommunications
Major IT contributions: Italian physicist Giovanni Caselli invented the Pantelegraph, a prototype of what we now know as the fax machine.
Paraguay
Population: 6.2 million
Climate: Subtropical and tropical.
Economy: GDP of $16 billion, major trading partners include Brazil, Argentina and the US.
Government: Constitutional democracy with President Fernando Armindo Lugo Mendez.
Famous for: Free-kick taking goalkeeper Chilavert, arts and crafts.
Star Player: SS7 Solutions
Top IT industry: Mobile communications
New Zealand
Population: 4.26 million
Climate: Temperate
Economy: GDP of $130 billion, major trading partners include Australia, US and China.
Government: A democracy with Prime Minister John Key. Queen Elizabeth II remains head of state with limited power, as in the UK.
Famous for: The All Blacks, Flight of the Conchords, sheep
Star Player: Datacom IT solutions provider
Top IT industry: IT services
Major IT contributions: A computer-controlled surf reef called Versareef was constructed in the US by a New Zealand firm.
Slovakia
Population: 5,391,000
Climate: Temperate
Economy: GDP $98.5 billion, major trading partners include Germany and Czech Republic
Government: Coalition government, with President Ivan Gasparovic
Famous for: Stunning natural scenery, ice hockey
Star Player: Slovak Telecom
Top IT industry: Mobile and telecoms
Major IT contributions: Slovak Jozef Murgas was the inventor of wireless telegraphy and helped develop ideas that would lead to wireless transmission of data and voice.
