Italy (Italian Italia),
republic in southern Europe, bounded on the north by Switzerland and Austria;
on the east by Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea; on the south by the Ionian Sea
and the Mediterranean Sea; on the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Ligurian Sea,
and the Mediterranean Sea; and on the northwest by France. It comprises, in
addition to the Italian mainland, the Mediterranean islands of Elba, Sardinia,
and Sicily
and many lesser islands. Enclaves within mainland Italy
are the independent countries of San Marino
and Vatican City; the latter is a papal state
mostly enclosed by Rome, the capital and largest
city of Italy.
The area of Italy
is 301,323 sq km (116,341 sq mi).
LAND AND RESOURCES More than
half of Italy consists of
the Italian Peninsula, a long projection of the
continental mainland. Shaped much like a boot, the Italian
Peninsula extends generally southeast
into the Mediterranean Sea. From northwest to
southeast, the country is about 1145 km (about 710 mi) long; with the addition
of the southern peninsular extremity, which extends north to south, it is about
1360 km (about 845 mi) long. The maximum width of the mainland portion of Italy is about
610 km (about 380 mi) in the north; the maximum width of the peninsula is about
240 km (about 150 mi). On the northern frontiers are the Alps, which extend in
a wide arc from Ventimiglia on the west to Gorizia on the east, and include
such high peaks as Monte Cervino (4477 m/ 14,688 ft) and Monte Rosa, which
rises to its highest point (4634 m/ 15,203 ft) in Switzerland just west of the
border. The highest point in Italy
is near the summit of Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco), on the border of Italy, France,
and Switzerland; the peak,
located in France,
is 4807 m (15,771 ft). Between the Alps and the Apennines, which form the
backbone of the Italian
Peninsula, spreads the
broad Plain of Lombardy, comprising the valley of the Po River. The northern
Apennines project from the Maritime Alps along the Gulf
of Genoa to the sources of the Tiber River.
Monte Cimone (2163 m/7097 ft) is the highest summit of the northern Apennines. The central Apennines, beginning at the source
of the Tiber, consist of several chains. In
the eastern portion of this rugged mountain district is Monte Corno (2912 m/
9554 ft), the highest Apennine peak. The southern Apennines stretch southeast
from the valley of the Sangro River to the coast of the Gulf of Taranto,
where they assume a more southerly direction. High peaks of the Apennine ranges
of the Calabrian Peninsula,
as the southern extremity of the Italian
Peninsula is known,
include Botte Donato (1929 m/6329 ft) and Montalto (1957 m/6422 ft). The
Apennines form the watershed of the Italian
Peninsula. The main
uplifts are bordered by less elevated districts, known collectively as the
sub-Apennine region. Only about one-third of the total land surface of Italy is made
of plains, of which the greatest single tract is the Plain of Lombardy. The
coast of Italy along the
northern Adriatic Sea is low and sandy, bordered by shallow waters and, except
at Venice, not
readily accessible to oceangoing vessels. From a point near Rimini
southward, the eastern coast of the peninsula is fringed by spurs of the Apennines. Along the middle of the western coast,
however, are three stretches of low and marshy land, the Campagna di Roma, the Pontine Marshes, and the Maremma. The western coast of Italy is broken up by bays, gulfs,
and other indentations, which provide a number of natural anchorages. In the
northwest is the Gulf of Genoa, the harbor of the important commercial city of
Genoa. Naples, another leading western coast port, is situated on
the beautiful Bay of Naples, dominated by the volcano Mount
Vesuvius. A little farther south is the Gulf
of Salerno, at the head of which
stands the port
of Salerno. The
southeastern end of the peninsula is deeply indented by the Gulf of Taranto,
which divides the so-called heel of Italy
(ancient Calabria) from the toe (modern Calabria). The Apennine
range continues beneath the narrow Strait
of Messina and traverses the island of Sicily,
where the volcano Mount Etna, 3323 m (10,902
ft) high, is located. Another active volcano rises on Stromboli, one of the
Lipari Islands (Isole Eolie), northwest of the Strait of Messina.
In addition to volcanic activity, Italy is also plagued by frequent
minor earthquakes, especially in the southern regions.
Rivers and Lakes Italy has many
rivers, of which the Po and the Adige are
the most important. The Po, 652 km (405 mi)
long, is navigable for about 480 km (about 300 mi) and with its tributaries
affords about 970 km (about 600 mi) of inland waterways. The Adige, 410 km (255
mi) long, enters Italy from
the Austrian province of Tirol (Tyrol), flows east, and, like the Po, empties
into the Adriatic. The beds of these rivers
are slowly being elevated by alluvial deposits from the mountains.
The rivers of the Italian
Peninsula are shallow,
often dry during the summer season, and consequently of little importance for
navigation or industry. The chief peninsular rivers are the Arno and the Tiber. From its sources in the Apennines, the Arno flows
west for about 240 km (about 150 mi), through a well-cultivated valley and the
cities of Florence and Pisa. The Tiber rises not far from the
sources of the Arno and runs through the city of Rome. Both the northern and peninsular
regions of Italy
have numerous lakes. The principal lakes of northern Italy
are Garda, Maggiore, Como,
and Lugano; the peninsular lakes, which are considerably smaller, include
Trasimeno, Bolsena, and Bracciano.
Natural Resources Italy is poor
in natural resources, much of the land being unsuitable for agriculture due to
mountainous terrain or unfavorable climate. Italy,
moreover, is seriously deficient in such basic natural resources as coal. The
most important mineral resources are natural gas, petroleum, lignite, sulfur,
and pyrites. Other mineral deposits include lead, manganese, zinc, mercury, and
bauxite. Many of these deposits are on the islands of Sicily
and Sardinia. However, they had been heavily
depleted by the early 1990s. Italy
is rich in various types of building stone, notably marble. The coastal waters
of Italy
teem with fishes, of which sardine, tuna, and anchovy have the greatest
commercial importance. Freshwater fishes include eels and trout.
Plants and Animals The flora
of the central and southern lowlands of Italy is typically Mediterranean.
Among the characteristic vegetation of these regions are such trees as the
olive, orange, lemon, palm, and citron. Other common types, especially in the
extreme south, are fig, date, pomegranate, and almond trees, and sugarcane and
cotton. The vegetation of the Apennines closely resembles that of central Europe. Dense growths of chestnut, cypress, and oak trees
occupy the lower slopes, and at higher elevations, there are extensive stands
of pine and fir.
Italy has
fewer varieties of animals than are found generally in comparable areas of Europe. Small numbers of marmot, chamois, and ibex live
in the Alps. The bear, numerous in ancient
times, is now virtually extinct, but the wolf and wild boar still flourish in
the mountain regions. Another fairly common quadruped is the fox. Among the
predatory species of bird are the eagle hawk, vulture, buzzard, falcon, and
kite, confined for the most part to the mountains. The quail, woodcock,
partridge, and various migratory species abound in many parts of Italy. Reptiles
include several species of lizards and snakes and three species of the
poisonous viper family. Scorpions are also found.
