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                                                INFORMATION ABOUT ITALY!

LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Italy is located in southern Europe. It is bound by Tyrrhenian and Ligurian Seas to the west, France to the northwest, Switzerland and Austria to the north, Slovenia to the northeast, the Adriatic Sea to the east as well as the Ionian and Mediterranean Seas to the south. The territory includes the mainland and the islands of Sardinia and Sicily as well as some other smaller islands. The country is predominantly mountainous with plains accounting for less than 33% of the land area. The two principal mountain ranges are (1.) the Alps which are divided into the three ranges of the Western Alps, the Central Alps and the Eastern Alps. (2.) The Apennines which is divided into the Northern or Ligurian Apennines and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. Except for the Po Plain, the plains of Italy are small in land area and numbers. The principal rivers are the Po, Tevere or Tiber, Arno, Volturno, Liri and Adige as well as many shorter rivers that flow to the Adriatic Sea. Major Cities (pop. est.); Rome , Milan , Naples , Turin , Palermo , Genoa , Bologna , Florence . Land Use; forested 23%, pastures 15%, agricultural-cultivated 40%, other 22%.

CLIMATE: Italy has a temperate climate with a variety of regional characteristics. The Alps region has harsh winters and moderately warm summers with abundant rainfall. The Po Plain has harsh winters with long periods of subfreezing temperatures and warm sultry summers, with rainfall more common in winter. The Alpennine region has extremely mild winters and hot summers. Italy is also subject to fierce seasonal winds. Average temperature ranges in Rome are from 4 to 11 degrees Celsius (39 to 52 degrees Fahrenheit) in January to 20 to 30 degrees Celsius (68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit) in July.

PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are the Italians who account for 99% of the population and are an ethnic amalgamation of Lombard and Goths from the north, Greeks, Spaniards and Saracens from Sicily, Latins in and around Rome, Etruscans and others from Central Italy. Other ethnic minorities include the German speaking population of Bolzano, Tyroleans, Greeks, Albanians, Slovenes and a small number of French speakers.

RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians with 83% of the population Roman Catholic while there are also Protestant minorities. Other religious minorities include Jews and Muslims.

LANGUAGES: The official language is Italian which is spoken by 94% of the population. Each region has its own dialect and other minority languages include Sardinian, Rhaetian, German and French.MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are Germany, France, the UK, the USA, the former USSR and Saudi Arabia.

MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Asbestos, Cereals, Citrus Fruits, Fish, Grapes, Iron Ore, Livestock, Marble, Mercury, Oil and Natural Gas, Olives, Potash, Potatoes, Soft Fruits, Sugar, Sulfur, Vegetables, Zinc.

MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Agriculture, Chemicals, Clothing, Fishing, Food Processing, Iron and Steel, Machinery, Motor Vehicles, Oil and Gas Refining, Textiles, Tourism, Wine.

MAIN EXPORTS: Chemicals, Clothing, Food, Footwear, Iron and Steel, Machinery, Motor Vehicles, Petroleum Products, Textile Yarns and Fabrics.


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