The home of the leaning tower of Pisa, has also been the home of beautiful art, landscapes, and places of religious importance since it was the heart of the roman empire, which extended from Scotland to Iraq and south from the Rhine River to the Sahara desert in North Africa for over 2000 years. When the Roman Empire was divided up, Italy remained the leader in commerce, and arts; especially during the Renaissance, which originated in Italy. Rome, the capital of Italy, is one of the oldest and largest cities, and also the home of Vatican City, the seat of the Roman Catholic Church. Italy was united in 1861, but it lagged behind other European countries because it had few natural resources. Although it gained a little during World War I and under the fascist dictatorship of Benito Mussolini it suffered damage when occupied by Germany then invaded by allied forces. Because of outside help, Italy has regained its strength and is a founder of the European Economic Committee, and it now ranks among the leading commercial and cultural nations of the western world.

Italy Fact Summary

Official Name. Italian Republic.

Capital. Rome.

Italy. Italia, from Latin vituli (bull calves), sons of the bull god, name used by the Greeks for southwestern Italy and later by the Romans for the entire country.

Coat of Arms. Adopted in 1946. A five-pointed star symbolizing unity set over a cogwheel representing industry, surrounded by a laurel and oak wreath; Italiana appears on a ribbon.

Anthem. 'Inno di Mameli' (words by G. Mameli; music by M. Novaro, 1847).

NATURAL FEATURES

Borders (excluding Sicily and Sardinia). Coast 3,015 miles (4,852 kilometers); land frontier 1,058 miles (1,703 kilometers).

Natural Regions. Alps; Apennines; Po Valley.

Major Ranges. Alps, Apennines.

Notable Peaks. In Alps: Within Italy Gran Paradiso, 13,323 feet (4,061 meters); Monte Viso, 12,602 feet (3,841 meters); Presanella, 11,667 feet (3,556 meters); Monte Marmolada, 10,964 feet (3,342 meters). Partly in Italy Mont Blanc, 15,771 feet (4,807 meters); Monte Rosa (Dufourspitze), 15,203 feet (4,634 meters).

Major Rivers. Adige, Arno, Po, Tiber, Volturno.

Notable Lakes. Albano, Alleghe, Bolsena, Como, Garda, Iseo, Lesina, Lugano, Maggiore, Varano.

Major Islands. Sardinia, Sicily.

Climate. Mediterranean, with mild winters and hot, dry summers in central and southern regions. Alpine regions have cold, rainy winters; precipitation throughout the year.