FULL COUNTRY NAME: Italian Republic CAPITAL CITY: Rome
ITALY ID CARD
POPULATION: 60.592.547( 92 % Italian, 8 % Other Ethnic Groups) ETHNIC GROUPS: 54 % European, 22 % African, 16 % Asian, 8 % American LANGUAGES: Italian( official language), other minorities: French, German, Slovenian
RELIGIONS: 83.3 % Christianity, 12.4 % No religion, 3.7 % Islam, 0.2 % Buddhism, 0.1 % Hinduism, 0.3 % other religions
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary republic HEAD OF STATE: President of Italian Republic CURRENCY: Euro( Ilenia Inglima)
Italy or“ The Boot”
Italy is a peninsula and, because of its shape, it is nicknamed“ Lo Stivale”, that is“ The Boot”. One of its best aspect is the climate, typically Mediterranean, with mild rainy winters and dry summers. But this year winter is much colder than usual, and many regions are covered with snow. The Apennine Mountains form the peninsula ' s backbone; the Alps form its northern boundary. The largest of its northern lakes is Garda and the principal river is Po. There are also volcanos and the most important is Etna, the highest volcano in Europe. Italy is surrounded on the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea and on the east by the Adriatic Sea.
It has also 800 islands, but only 80 of them are inhabited, including the island of Lampedusa, the gateway to Europe for thousands of migrants. Italy has an extended coastline, with cliffs and beaches that attract millions of tourists.
The Italian territory is really varied and beautiful, but frail. The central regions have been hit by several earthquakes recently, that have destroyed ancient monuments and small villages, with tens of victims, and an avalanche of snow has caused destruction too in Abruzzo, a mountainous region in the centre of Italy.
Italy has great literature and art. Italian food is famous all over the world, with ingredients and recipes that vary from region to region. One typical food is pizza, that is really good!
Gresia Fratacci