The northern Italian city of Milan has been chosen as the site of the 2015 World's Fair.

Milan won out over the Turkish port city of Izmir in a vote by members of the Paris-based International Exhibitions Bureau.

The outgoing Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi called it a "tight victory".

"It is a tight victory because the Turkish, well you've seen the presentation, they also have done a very, very serious and great job. But you know only one can win."

The broad based theme proposed by Milan is "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life," touching on health, the environment and sustainable living.