Italian Geography
A glimpse at the population,climates, landscapes, and wildlife of Italy.
Italy primarily occupies the Italian Peninsula, extending from Southern Europe into the Mediterranean Sea. Within the Mediterranean, it borders the Ionian, Adriatic, and Tyrrhenian Seas. The country also possesses the nearby islands of Sardinia and Sicily. The Southern Alps mark its northern border with France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. Its total land area is 113,568 square miles or 294,140 square kilometers. Among its major cities are its capital Rome (approx. population 4.21 million), Milan (3.132 million), Naples (2.198 million), and Turin (1.786 million). The nation’s total population is estimated at 62,137,802 people.
Italy’s climate is for the most part Mediterranean. The coasts and southern regions tend toward hotter, drier weather. Farther north and inland areas see colder winters and higher rainfalls. The fertile Po River valley is fed by melting snows from the Alps. These plains offer a more continental climate and greater humidity. The Apennine Mountains run the length of the peninsula, connecting the Alps to the tip of Italy’s “boot.” Its forests are home to tree species like fir, pine, cypress, cork, olive, beech, and spruce. Larger wildlife include wolves, bears, lynx, ibex, and marine mammals such as porpoises and seals. The nation also lies along the migratory paths of many bird species moving between Europe and Africa.
Italy, from the CIA World Factbook.
References
Crawford, Michael Hewson. The Roman Republic. Harvard University Press. 1993.
Duggan, Christopher. A Concise History of Italy. Cambridge University Press. 2014.
Jones, Philip. The Italian City-State: From Commune to Signoria. Oxford University Press. 1997.
Kelly, Christopher. The Roman Empire: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. 2006.
Killinger, Charles. Culture and Customs of Italy. Greenwood Publishing. 2005.
“The World Factbook: Italy.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 12 July 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/it.html.
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