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Introduction |
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Italy (Italia), republic in southern Europe, bounded on the north by Switzerland and Austria; on the east by Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea; on the south by the Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea; on the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Ligurian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea; and on the northwest by France. It comprises, in addition to the Italian mainland, the Mediterranean islands of Elba, Sardinia, and Sicily, and many lesser islands. In are two independent countries, San Marino and Vatican City. Rome, is the capital and largest city of Italy. The area of Italy is 301,323 sq km (116,341 sq mi).
Administratively, Italy is divided into 20 regions, each of which is subdivided into provinces and communes.
By the 1991 census, Italy had a population of 56,778,031. The 2002 estimated population is 57,715,625.
The climate of Italy is highly diversified, with extremes ranging from frigid in the higher elevations of the Alps and Apennines, to semitropical along the coast of the Ligurian Sea and the western coast of the lower peninsula. The average annual temperature, however, ranges from about 11° to 19°C (about 52° to 66°F); it is about 13°C (about 55°F) in the Po Valley, about 18°C (about 64°F) in Sicily, and about 14.5°C (about 58°F) in the coastal lowlands.
Climatic conditions on the peninsula are characterized by regional variations, resulting chiefly from the configurations of the Apennines, and are influenced by tempering winds from the adjacent seas. In the lowlands regions and lower slopes of the Apennines bordering the western coast from northern Tuscany (Toscana) to the vicinity of Rome, winters are mild and sunny, and cooling Mediterranean breezes modifies the extreme temperatures. Temperatures in the same latitudes on the east of the peninsula are much lower, chiefly because of the prevailing northeastern winds. Along the upper eastern slopes of the Apennines, climatic conditions are particularly bleak. In contrast to the semitropical conditions prevalent in southern Italy and along the Gulf of Genoa, the climate of t Lombardy is continental. Warm summers and severe winters, with temperatures as low as -15°C (5°F), prevail in this region, which is shielded from sea breezes by the Apennines.
Heaviest precipitation occurs in Italy during the fall and winter months. The lowest mean annual rainfall, about 460 mm (about 18 in), occurs in the province of Foggia in the south and in southern Sicily and Sardinia; the highest, about 1,520 mm (about 60 in), occurs in the province of Udine in the northeast.
Rivers and Lakes
Italy has many rivers, of which the Po and the Adige are the most important. The
Po, 652 km (405 mi) long, is navigable for about 480 km (about 300 mi), and with
its tributaries affords about 970 km (about 600 mi) of inland waterways. The
Adige, 410 km (255 mi) long, enters Italy from the Austrian province of Tirol
(Tyrol), flows east, and, like the Po, empties into the Adriatic. Alluvial
deposits are slowly elevating the beds of these rivers from the mountains.
The rivers of the Italian Peninsula are shallow, often dry during the summer season, and consequently of little importance for navigation or industry. The chief peninsular rivers are the Arno and the Tiber. From its sources in the Apennines, the Arno flows west for about 240 km (about 150 mi), through a well-cultivated valley and the cities of Florence and Pisa. The Tiber rises not far from the sources of the Arno and runs through the city of Rome.
Both the northern and peninsular regions of Italy have numerous lakes. The principal lakes of northern Italy are Garda, Maggiore, Como, and Lugano; the peninsular lakes, which are considerably smaller, include Trasimeno, Bolsena, and Bracciano.
Plants and Animals
The flora of the central and southern lowlands of Italy is typically
Mediterranean. Among the characteristic vegetation of these regions are trees
such as the olive, orange, lemon, palm, and citron. Other common types,
especially in the extreme south, are fig, date, pomegranate, and almond trees.
The vegetation of the Apennines closely resembles that of central Europe. Dense
growths of chestnut, cypress, and oak trees occupy the lower slopes, and at
higher elevations, there are extensive stands of pine.
Italy has fewer varieties of animals than are found generally in comparable
areas of Europe. Small numbers of marmot, chamois, and ibex live in the Alps.
The bear, numerous in ancient times, is now virtually extinct, but the wolf and
wild boar still flourish in the mountain regions. Another fairly common
quadruped is the fox. Among the predatory species of bird are the eagle hawk,
vulture, buzzard, falcon, and kite, confined for the most part to the mountains.
The quail, woodcock, partridge, and various migratory species abound in many
parts of Italy. Reptiles include several species of lizards and snakes and three
species of the poisonous viper family. Scorpions are also found.
Natural Resources
Italy is poor in natural resources, much of the land being unsuitable for
agriculture due to mountainous terrain or unfavorable climate. Italy, moreover,
is seriously deficient in basic natural resources such as coal. The most
important mineral resources are natural gas, petroleum, lignite, sulfur, and
pyrites. Other mineral deposits include lead, manganese, zinc, mercury, and
bauxite. Many of these deposits are on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.
However, they had been heavily depleted by the early 1990s. Italy is rich in
various types of building stone, notably marble. The coastal waters of Italy
teem with fishes, of which sardine, tuna, and anchovy have the greatest
commercial importance. Freshwater fishes include eels and trout.
Principal Cities
The capital and largest city of Italy is Rome, which is a famous cultural
and tourist center. Other cities with large populations include Milan, an
important manufacturing, financial, and commercial city; Genoa, the
leading port in Italy and a major trade and commercial center; Naples,
one of the busiest ports in Italy; Turin, a transportation junction and
major industrial city; Palermo, the capital and chief seaport of Sicily;
Bologna, a major transportation center and agricultural market; Florence,
a cultural, commercial, transportation, and industrial center; Bari, a
major commercial center; Catania, a manufacturing and commercial city of
Sicily; and Venice, a leading seaport and a cultural and manufacturing
center.
Environmental Issues
Industrial and urban pollution is a major concern in Italy. Sulfur dioxide
emissions that have been linked with health problems and damage to buildings
have decreased since 1970, but progress in cleaning the air has been slower than
in other European countries. Nitrogen oxide emissions are still on the rise,
however, linked with continued growth of the transportation sector. Electric
cars are becoming a popular solution to air-quality problems in urban areas.
Nature conservation has been practiced in Italy since Roman times. There are currently five national parks, each independently administered. In addition, there are many other types of smaller protected areas. The lack of a national system of protected areas with centralized administration has impeded efforts to create new preserves and to legally protect existing ones. The government provides incentives for forest preservation and tree planting. About 22.1 percent (1995) of the country is forested, of which 42 percent is managed for tree harvest and only one-quarter is mature forest. A significant proportion of forests is under private management. Forest biomass has increased in recent years due to a decline in human encroachment on mountain habitats. Since the early 1980s Italy has had fairly comprehensive laws and guidelines protecting the sea and coastlines.
Italy has ratified numerous international environmental
agreements, including the World Heritage Convention and agreements concerning
air pollution, biodiversity, climate change, endangered species, hazardous
wastes, marine dumping, the nuclear test ban, the ozone layer, ship pollution,
tropical timber, wetlands, and whaling. Regionally, Italy is party to the
European Wild Birds Directive and the Council of Europe (CE), under which dozens
of biogenetic reserves have been designated. Ten specially protected marine
areas exist in Italy under the Mediterranean Action Plan. Several transborder
parks have been established with France and Switzerland.