For centuries, the vast majority of the population remained illiterate. Even at the time of the unification of Italy in 1861, 74.7 percent of the population were illiterate.
حتى عند توحيد ايطاليا سنة ١٨٦١ ،‏ كان ٧‏,٧٤ في المئة من السكان أُميِّين .‏