Geography
Situated in southern Europe, Italy is a long peninsula shaped like a boot and includes the islands of Sicily (Sicilia) and Sardinia (Sardegna). It covers a land area of 301,230 sq km and is surrounded on the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea and on the east by the Adriatic.
Italy'scapital is Romeand it is the largest city of Italy. Other important cities are Milan, Florence and Bali. Venice is also a very popular tourist area well known as the city built on water and famous for its canals and gondolas.
Except for the fertile Po River Valley in the north and the narrow coastal belts farther south, Italy's mainland is generally mountainous, with considerable seismic activity.
The Alpine mountain area in the north separates Italy from France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. The Dolomite Mountains are a part of the Alps mountain range. The Apennine mountains cut down the center of Italy, stretching from north to south, dividing the east and west coasts. |
