Traveling Tales  Pantheon Dome, Rome  Amalfi Coast |
Who offends writes on sand; who is offended, on marble.
- Italian Proverb |
Stories | |
| |
Country Overview | |
Italy is a peninsula in Southern Europe, surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. It's total land area is 301,230 sq km, with 7, 600 km of coastline. The terrain is mostly mountainous, with some plains and coastal lowlands. The lowest point is sea level at the Mediteerranean Sea while the highest point is Mont Blanc at 4,807 m. Government type is republic with capital at Rome, where President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi has served as president since May 1999 and Prime Minister Silvio Berluscono lead the country's 20 administrative regions. Population is 57.8 million with a 0% rate of natural increase. Language is officially Italian with 55 million mother-tongue speakers. Notable minority groups also speak German, French and Slovene. In all, 33 languages are spoken in Italy. Economy is divided into a developed industrial north and a less developed agricultural south with more than 20% unemployment. GDP per capita is US$22,100 with 62% of workers in the service industry, 31% in industry and 6% in agriculture. Maps: Political Map - Physical Map |
