Italian Geography

Italy is a country belonging to the European Union, whose territory is mainly in the Italian peninsula, plus some nearby islands. Bordered on the south Tyrrhenian Seas Mediterranean, Ionian, south and east, and north to the Adriatic, Slovenia and Austria and northwest with France, Switzerland and the Ligurian Sea, in the Mediterranean. Within the peninsula are also independent countries of San Marino and the Vatican City. The peninsula is separated from the rest of Europe by the Alps.


The capital of Italy is Rome, the official language of Italy, the euro currency (formerly the Italian lira) and the official time of the CET (UTC +1). The total area of ​​Italy is 301,270 km ², has 1932 miles of coastline and 7,600 border.
A core part of the peninsula, are Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia, as well as many minor ones: Agates, Burano, Capraia, Caprera, Capri, Elba, Pianosa, Favignana, Ferdinandea, Giannutri, Giudecca, Santo Stefano, Aegadian , Aeolian, Lavezzi, Pelagie, Ischia, Lampedusa, Linosa, Lipari, Montecristo, Murano, Palmaria, Pandataria, Pantelleria, Pianosa, Procida, Salina, Stromboli, Tavolara, Tiber, Tinetto, Tino, Tremiti, Ustica and Vulcan.
Italy occupies a central position in the Mediterranean, and as such it dominated for centuries. It is the birthplace of the Roman Empire, which spread all around the Mediterranean, and is in the direct origin of Western European civilization that dominates the world. During the Middle Ages and the early modern period was divided into multiple republics, many of them very powerful: Genoa, Venice, Florence, and especially the Papal States, from which he ruled the Catholic Church Pope. It is also the birthplace of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, artistic styles reference in the Western world. It unifies again in the nineteenth century, after the Napoleonic invasion, and becomes, then, one of the main European countries. After the Second World War reached a level of development that places him among the first in the world. Founding member of the European Union since the founding treaty was signed in Rome in 1957.
Today Italy is a democratic parliamentary republic and is governed by the constitution of 1948. Executive power rests with the president and the prime minister. The President is the head of state. It ensures the unity of the country and respect the constitution. It acts as a referee in political conflicts. He is elected by Parliament for a period of seven years. The president appoints the prime minister, who is the head of government and elect their ministers. The prime minister has to be accepted by parliament.
The legislative power is vested in a bicameral parliament consisting of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Both cameras have the same powers. Deputies and senators are democratically elected in direct elections for a period of five years. However, there are a few senators for life.
The judicial power is vested in the courts. The country's highest courts are the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court.
The Italian political game without ever leaving the strict democratic margins, is very unstable, and governments often happen, we always need partnerships and fall because of more or less high-profile scandals. However, political stability is very noticeable background.
Italy is divided into 20 administrative regions, and these into provinces and these, in turn, in municipalities or communes. Five of the regions: Valle d'Aosta, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sicily, Sardinia and Trentino-Alto Adige, have a special status that gives them greater political autonomy.