<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000930667
<NAME> ISHARES, INC.

   <NUMBER> 08
   <NAME> ITALY INDEX FUND

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          AUG-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                               AUG-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         46282504
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        50026259
<RECEIVABLES>                                    10274
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                 6687744
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                56724277
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      6715860
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            6715860
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                   2250
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                      46464802
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          2250030
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          2700030
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                      (31459)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                       (170538)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                       3743362
<NET-ASSETS>                                  50008417
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                              1421179
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               199005
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                (617712)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                        1002472
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       8103329
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    (2555628)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          6550173
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                     (258556)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                     (4043442)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                         (708144)
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         450000
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                   (900000)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                       (8215429)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                       (716071)
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                      (10621)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           154493
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               25926
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                 617712
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                          62186316
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            21.56
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .39
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           2.51
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.12)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                       (1.80)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                             (.31)
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              22.23
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                    .99