This study presents the main results and the methodology used in the creation of the atlas of the risk of desertification in Italy. A desertified area was defined as an unproductive area for agricultural or forestry use, due to soil degradation processes. An area at risk of desertification was a tract of the earth's surface which is vulnerable or sensitive to the processes of desertification. In a vulnerable land, environmental characteristics are close to that of a desertified area, but some factors (e.g. vegetation cover or irrigation), successfully mitigate the desertification process. On the other hand, sensitive land is a surface where the process leading to desertification is active, although the land is not yet unproductive.The DPSIR (Driving force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response) framework has been adopted as a reference. Using the national soil information system and socio-economic layers, an atlas of indicators of desertification risks was created, which was organized into different soil degradation systems. 51.8 per cent of Italy was considered to be at potential risk of desertification. Some 21.3 per cent of Italy (41.1 per cent of the area at potential risk) featured land degradation phenomena. Specifically, 4.3 per cent of Italy is already unproductive; 4.7 per cent is sensitive and 12.3 per cent is vulnerable. In the territory at potential risk of desertification, unproductive lands, plus areas vulnerable or sensitive to soil erosion, are at least the 19 per cent. Areas affected by aridity also sum up to 19 per cent. Salt-affected soils in Italy are estimated to cover >1 million ha. Irrigation can mitigate soil aridity and salinization, nevertheless, only about 15 per cent of the sensitive and vulnerable lands of southern Italy are actually equipped with irrigation networks. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.