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Archive 1 - Archived on December 8, 2006
Archive 2 - Archived on November 23, 2007

 Ragusa- Dubrovnik- has never been in Italy!
This article's statement in the part of ""Maratime Republics"" claiming that Ragusa was in Italy and therefore implying that it was an Italian republic is clearly a mistake.
One just needs to go into the Sponza palace, the Ragusian state archive in Dubrovnik and see any of the official documents. The laws regarding inner policy are clearly stated in Croatian: Those regarding foreign policy are written both in Croatian and Italian. All of the ruling families of Ragusa from Sorkocevic to Gucetic to Restic etc were Croatian. The greatest Ragusian poet and writer Ivan Gundulic, an aristocrat and one of the rulers, famous for his book ""Suze sina razmetnoga"", was one of the greatest Croatian nationalists.  Source: ""Dubrovnik, a history"", written by Robin Harris 2006.
According to the Robert Harris book Malta was independent until 1808 when Napoleon annexed it. According to Harris Dubrovnik with it's fleet of 700.000 tons (surpassing Venice in 1660) was the main hated rival of Venice in the Adriatic and always resisted the invasion plans of Venice. The last Venitian rector was sent home packing- politely but firmly- in 1351. According to Harris the recto packed his belongings in a hurry.

Some reflections  on this issue are necessary

First, it is necessary a reflection on the very concepts of Nation and State as these two terms are commonly considered near-synonyms and therefore used interchangeably. They have, instead different meanings. The term Italy refers to booth meanings. Italy as State was born in XIX cent, but Italy as Natiom is much older. Almost true, Ragusa never belonged to Italy-State except the Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy (1808-1809), but was seen for some centuries a part of Italy-Nation in the beginning of its birth process. Today Ragusa/Dubrovink, as well as Split and other Dalmatian towns, are out of Italy-State and out of Italy-Nation as well, they belong both to Croatia-Nation and to Croatia-State. On the other hand Lugano (Switzerland) and San Marino (independent republic) are out of Italy-State and still part of Italy-Nation. I suggest the book: L. TOMAZ, ""Il confine d'Italia in Istria e Dalmazia. Duemila anni di storia"" and the SSRN working paper: ARNALDO MAURI, Historical, Geopolitical and Economic Factors affecting State and Nation Boundaries: Foreword on Italy's Borders in Istria and Dalmatia.,  Of course, Ragusa as port city had a multiethnic population: besides Italians also Croats, Vlachs, Serbs, Albanians. Similar situations could be found in Istanbul, Alexandria, Izmir, Odessa. To be the birthplace of poets or outstanding men is insignificant. Tommaseo was born in Dalmatia, as many other great Italians, Garibaldi and Massena were born in Nice, the Greek poet Kavafis in Alexandria. Venice was rival of Ragusa, but was also rival of Genoa on the sea and of Milan on the mainland; also this point is insignificant to the discussion on Ragusa belonging to Italy-Nation in past centuries.87.9.19.187  

Romanians in 2007/2008

I think now that Romanians are the largest minority in Italy, someone should add this fact from this year.  
If you can give a reliable source that says this, go ahead and add it (including a reference to the source). However merely ""thinking"" that it's true is not a reliable source.   | Talk 
From BBC