Facts About Italy: The Mediterranean Boot
There are many interesting facts about Italy. It is most recognizable on a map as the boot-shaped country that juts out into the Mediterranean Sea. Well that boot is actually a peninsula in south central Europe. Italy is a little bit bigger than the State of Arizona, with a population of over 58 million people.
Basic Facts About Italy
Italy’s neighbors to the north are the countries of France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The Adriatic Sea is on the east coast of Italy, and across the Adriatic are three countries that used to be known as Yugoslavia: Slovania, Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Italy’s west coast is taken up by the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Continental Italy is surrounded on three sides by water, but there are also several Italian islands that make up this southern European country. The largest are Sardinia and Sicily; two smaller ones include Elba and Capri, and all are in the Mediterranean Sea.
Italy is full of hills and mountains, which cover approximately 75 percent of the country. The Alps soar skyward on Italy’s northern border, and are shared with Austria, France, Switzerland and Slovenia. The Apennine Mountains stretch north to south along the east coast of Italy.
Italy is home to a few volcanoes, the most well-known of which is Mount Vesuvius, a volcano located near the city of Naples, which destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii. Etna, on the Island of Sicily, is one of the largest volcanoes in the world.
Facts About Italy and Its Cities
Italy is well known for its fashion and food, and both can be found plentifully in the larger cities around Italy, including Florence – the birthplace of the Renaissance, Genoa – the busy port city in Northern Italy, Milan – Italy’s hub of commerce, Naples – the city that gave us pizza, Turin – where Italy’s industries like Fiat thrive, and Venice – the “City of Water” that is actually a string of islands.
Rome is the capital of Italy and has a population of over 3 million. It is one of the most important European cities both historically and today. Vatican City is totally separate principality within Rome that houses the Pope and is the home of the Catholic Church.
Facts About Italy and Its People
Unsurprisingly, Italian is the language of Italy, although French and German are also spoken in some areas in northern Italy. Roman Catholicism is the religion of choice.
It’s no surprise that Italians love to eat and drink. Every true Italian enjoys their espresso and cappuccino on a daily basis. Then there’s the pasta, pizza, risotto and seafood, which is plentiful in the surrounding waters. Delicious desserts and sumptuous wines round out the package and explain why Italy is the fourth most visited city in the world.