Italian ethnicity - top countries
Italian ethnicity is common in the following countries, according to MyHeritage DNA users' data.
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The culture and genetic legacy of Italians were shaped by the Roman Empire as well as contact with northern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean. Italian exploration 500 years ago and subsequent emigration have resulted in a large Italian presence in South and North America (U.S., Brazil, Argentina and others), neighboring European countries (Germany and Switzerland), as well as in Australia and southern Africa. The European Renaissance — a period of tremendous artistic and scientific innovation during the 14th–17th centuries — began in Italy and was most famously embodied by the Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci. For many Italians, cuisine is one of the most important elements of Italian culture. There are at least 450 varieties of the most popular Italian dish — pasta.