Italy, officially known as the Republic of Italy, is situated in the southern part of Europe. It covers an area of approximately 301,225 sq km. Italy is situated at 42º50´ North of the Equator, and longitudinally at 12º 50´East of Greenwich. Rome is the capital and also the largest city in Italy. The other important cities in Italy are Venice and Milan.
Interestingly, the Italian peninsula is “boot-shaped” and comprises of the Po River valley and two large islands in the Mediterranean Sea, namely Sicily and Sardinia. The northern boundary of Italy is shared with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The Italian peninsula creates distinct bodies of water, namely the Adriatic Sea, Ionian Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea and the Ligurian Sea. San Marino and the Vatican are two independent enclaves on the Italian mainland. The other small islands in the Meditterenean Sea that form a part of Italy are Elba, Capri, Ischia and the Lipari Islands. The Italian coastline stretches up to 7,600 km.
Italy, to its people is “Belpaese”, which means “beautiful country”. A visitor to Italy cannot deny the beauty of its versatile landscape with a blend of hills and hot beaches. Geographically, the Apennine Mountains are the backbone of this peninsula, where they join the Alps in the northwest. The Italian terrain is mostly rugged and mountainous with some plains and coastal lowlands. The ‘Po’ river is the biggest in Italy, with its tributaries flowing down from the Alps, the Apennines and the Dolomities. The Tiber, Adige and the Arno share their space with the Po River.
Northern Italy is flanked by hills with Mont Blanc being the highest point at 4,810 mts. Italy is associated with two famous volcanoes, the currently dormant Vesuvius near Naples and the very active Etna on Sicily. Italy is a favorite with tourists and one of Europe’s most beautiful countries.
By: Jennifer Bailey
Italy provides detailed information on Italy, Italy Vacations, Map of Italy, History of Italy and more. Italy is affiliated with Italy Travel Guide.
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