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This article is about the geography of Italy.

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Italy is a Mediterranean country located in southern Europe. It is bordered by the Adriatic Sea on the east coast, the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west or Mediterranean coast, and the Ionian Sea to the south. In the north, Italy is bordered by the countries of France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia.

The Italian mainland is a long peninsula that resembles a tall boot, so much so that the country is often referred to as "the boot," with the Puglia region in the southeast being the "heel of the boot" and the Calabria region in the southwest being the "toe of the boot."

Italy only became a unified country in 1861, although the peninsula has several thousand years of history before that.

Italy is known for its Mediterranean climate, which is found mainly on the coast. Inland, it is generally cooler and wetter but usually hotter during the summer. Southern Italy has a hot and mostly dry climate while the north has more of an Alpine climate, getting lots of snow in winter.

Map of Italy

The area of Italy is 116,650 square miles (301,340 square kilometers), including the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, making it just slightly larger than the state of Arizona in the United States. The tiny sovereign nations of Vatican City and San Marino are enclaves within Italy.

Italy is divided into 20 different regions, including the islands of Sicily and Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea which are each a separate region. Each region has its own unique culture, customs, and cuisine so you'll find a lot of differences between regions in the north and those in the south. The central Italy region of Tuscany is probably the most well-known and most visited by tourists. See this map of Italy's regions for their locations and more information about them.

Italy's population is a little over 60,400,000 people. Although the Italian birth rate is low, the population is increasing due to immigrants entering the country. The population density is about 200 people per square kilometer. While Italian is spoken throughout the country, many regional dialects are still spoken.

The largest Italian city is Rome, with a population of 4.2 million people. Rome is also the capital and heads the list of top Italian cities to visit.

Italian Mountain Ranges and Volcanoes

About 40% of Italy's land is mountainous, offering great places to ski in winter and hike in summer. There are two major mountain ranges, the Alps and the Appennino or Apennines. The Alps, in the north, are divided into regions called, from west to east, the Occidentali , the Centrali, and the Orientali and are on the borders with France, Austria, and Switzerland.

The backbone of Italy is formed by the north-south trending Appennino chain. The Dolomites are really part of the Alps, located in the South Tyrol, Trentino, and Belluno. The highest point in Italy is Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc) at 15,781 feet, in the Alps on the French border.

Mount Vesuvius, in southern Italy near Naples, is the only active volcano on the European mainland. It was Vesuvius that buried the famous Roman city of Pompeii, whose ruins are a popular tourist site. On the island of Sicily, Mount Etna, also still active, is one of the world's largest volcanoes.

Rivers and Lakes in Italy

The rivers in Italy correspond to some of the major tourist destinations. The Po River starts in the Alps in the north and flows eastward from the city of Turin to the east coast and the Adriatic Sea, going through the very fertile Po Valley. At the river's end, the Po Delta is an interesting place to visit.

The Arno River flows from the north-central Apennines through the cities of Pisa and Florence (where it's crossed by the famous Ponte Vecchio) and empties into the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west coast.

The Tiber River flows from the Apennines and goes south through the city of Rome, also emptying into the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Italy has many lakes, especially in the northern part of the country. Lake Garda is the largest Italian lake, with a distance around the lake of 158 kilometers, or about 100 miles.

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Italian Geography Map, Facts, and Climate

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Explore the geography of Italy with this map and information about the mountains, rivers, volcanoes, seas, regions, and the climate of Italy.

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This article is about the history of Italy.

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Other articles where history of Italy is discussed: Italy: Italy in the early Middle Ages: The Roman Empire was an international political system in which Italy was only a part, though an important part. When the empire fell, a series of barbarian kingdoms initially ruled the peninsula, but, after the Lombard invasion of 568-569,...

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This video is about all of Italy and the geography of Italy.

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This video is about the wildlife in Italy.

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National Geographic - Italian Wildlife  - New Documentary HD 2018

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This article sums up that Italy's food is not just pizza and spaghetti. Italian foods has lots of different flavors and sauces.

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Italian food is more than just pizza and spaghetti. There's a wide range of ingredients, flavors, and dishes to experiment with in your own home.

How many of us have dreamed of casting aside everyday life and running off to a villa in Tuscany to soak up perfect sun-dappled views while the wine flows and the pasta bowl never seems to empty? Unfortunately that dream is usually rudely interrupted by the alarm clock. While we may not be able to do much about the lack of gorgeous vistas, the true flavors of Italy can be brought to life anytime the mood strikes.

"Italian food is bold and satisfying without being heavy. It's rich and textural and uses a whole palette of flavors," says Michael Chiarello, the chef and owner of Bottega in California's Napa Valley and author of cookbook Bottega. "Enjoying Italian cuisine is more experiential, not intellectual. It comes from a more emotional place that's very evocative."

And it evokes so much more than big plates of meatballs and chicken parmigiana. When Italian immigrants first arrived on American shores, they couldn't find their trusty olive oil, dried porcinis, prosciutto, and balsamico, so they adapted to the ingredients that surrounded them, which resulted in far more meats and sausages in dishes, along with a healthy helping of garlic. And thus American-Italian food was born. But to mistake that for authentic, traditional Italian cuisine would leave your tastebuds with only half the story.

A Typical Italian Meal

"Italian food is really a celebration of produce, and protein is a secondary thought," says Chiarello. A typical Italian meal will start with a big plate of antipasti, which are predominantly vegetables (like pepperoncini, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts) and a selection of cured meats (like prosciutto and capicola). Then it moves on to a small pasta dish, which is followed by a light protein-perhaps a leg of lamb, simply but deliciously prepared. "As the meal progresses, it gets more simple," says Chiarello. "Italian meals tend to have a reverse crescendo."

Traditional Italian Ingredients

From that initial crescendo to the last savored bite, every authentic Italian dish is built upon the most basic yet most flavorful ingredients. "Traditional products are very important in the flavors of Italy, which, at their best, are based on seasonality and locality," says Lidia Bastianich, the chef and owner of Felidia, Becco, Esca, Del Posto, and Eataly in New York City and the author of Lidia's Italy in America.

Olive oil is the cornerstone of most Italian cooking (to braise, fry, and drizzle), then come the vegetables. Garlic and onion are the familiar go-to's, but intense green vegetables are often stars on the plate. Balsamic vinegar always claims a prime spot in an Italian kitchen, and you would be hard-pressed to find a cook without a wedge of Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano within arm's reach.

Some might be surprised to learn how much of a staple fish is in the Italian diet, whether it's fresh from the sea or canned in oil, like sardines. Cured meats are also plentiful. The Italians are big fans of preservation, turning pork into sausage and salami, olives into extra-virgin olive oil, grapes into wine, and vegetables into pickled vegetables. They're firm believers in taking the time when you're trying to make the deliciousness last. Have cod and a pile of salt? Make salt cod. "The traditional Italian flavors are so intense that you don't need a lot of anything. A moderate amount will go a long way," says Bastianich.

Making the Perfect Pasta

Enter the ever popular starches, which are used as a vehicle for other flavors-from Arborio rice, which makes the creamiest risotto, to fettuccine, tortellini, and ziti. When preparing Italian cuisine at home, spring for the best pasta that you can afford. That is, of course, unless you're feeling ambitious and want to make your own.

It's much easier to make pasta than you think. Although there are an abundance of fancy gadgets out there-gnocchi boards, hand-cranked extruders, and cavatelli machines-all you need is a food processor, a rolling pin, and a smooth, comfortable surface. "Pasta is one of the simplest elements to do, but people are frightened of it," says Bastianich. Start out by combining flour and water, then build on that. Add some egg and some olive oil, whirl it all in the food processor, and dough forms. (Tip: When the dough starts to pull off the side of the processor, it's ready.) Next, use simple logic. If the dough is too sticky, add flour; if it's too dry, add water. Let the dough rest, then roll it out and cut it. It's that simple.

Whether or not you opt for making your own, starting with simple pasta dishes is a great way to bring the flavors of Italy to your table. Try recipes that have just two or three ingredients, make a five-minute sauce, and go from there. "Listen to your palate. If it says to lighten up on the anchovy flavor, do it. If you want to make a dish lighter, add vegetables, like broccoli shoots," says Bastianich. It's a flexible science.

Finally, remember that good Italian food starts with the shopping. Make quality ingredients a priority when you're bringing Italian cuisine to your kitchen. And when you find a dish that you love, stick with it. "Practice until you can do it with your heart and hands only-just like the Italians do," says Chiarello. Once that dish is perfected, move on to a new one or a new technique and soon you'll have a slew of delicious meals at your disposal.

Classic Italian Recipes

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How to Start Cooking Authentic Italian Food at Home, According to Lidia Bastianich

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Italian food is more than just pizza and spaghetti. There's a wide range of ingredients, flavors, and dishes to experiment with in your own home. How many of us have dreamed of casting aside everyday life and running off to a villa in Tuscany to soak up perfect sun-dappled views while the wine flows and the pasta bowl never seems to empty?