This is a picture of Rome, Italy, one of the first cities founded in Italy, which is also the nation s capital. The Nation of Italy BY TAYLOR CARMAN

This is a picture of Rome, Italy, one of the first cities founded in Italy, which is also the nation s capital. The Nation of Italy BY TAYLOR CARMAN

Location and Geography Italy is located in Southern Europe. It occupies a boot-shaped peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea. It also includes two large islands, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy got its name from ancient Romans.

Geography Italy s time zone is 6 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard. The coastline is 3,105 miles long. It s area is 116,275 square miles. Land use is 24.4% arable land; 8.6% permanent crops; 14.2% permanent meadows and pastures; 34.6% forest land; and 18.1% other.

This is the Italian flag.

North Italy and South Italy Northern Italy is urbanized and rich. People in Northern Italy work more hours than people in Southern Italy. They can also sometimes speak multiple languages. Southern Italy is full of agriculture and farming, but is less wealthy. Southerners usually just speak Italian and not multiple languages.

Economy Services including tourism, banking, and communications are Italy s main economic activities. Manufacturing is also very important. Italy s main products include iron and steel, machinery, automobiles, electrical appliances, textiles, chemicals, ceramics, and shoes. Italy has few natural resources. It has to import many of the raw materials needed for industry.

Language Italian is a Romance language. It came from Latin. It has 7 vowels and 20 consonant sounds. A word is generally spoken how it is spelled. Italian and English have similar systems of grammar.

This is the Italian alphabet and how to pronounce the letters.

Religion Italians are mostly Christian about 80% of Italy practices Christianity. Most are Roman Catholics. There are groups of Protestant and Jewish, and a small group of growing Muslims. Vatican City is the home of the pope and the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. This is a picture of Pope Francis.

Holidays January 1 January 6 March/April April 15 May/June May/June June 29 December 13 December 25 New Year's Day Epiphany Easter Assumption Day Corpus Christi Ascension / Festa del Grille St. Peter's Day Day of St. Lucia Christmas

Italian Culture History A variety of cultures grew up in the region that is now Italy during the Bronze Age, around 2000 BCE. The Apennine culture was one of the most popular cultures in Italy during that time. It was highly developed in agriculture from 1800 to 1000 BCE. Those are pots made by people of the Apennine culture.

Rome Rome is the capital of Italy. It was founded in the Etruscan period by Sabines and Latins, but was governed by Etruscans from 616 to 510 B.C. After two civil wars between political and military figures, Rome emerged as an empire.

Rome Continued This is a coliseum located in Rome, Italy.

Venice Venice is one of the world s most famous and unusual cities. Venice lies on about 120 islands in the Adriatic Sea. Instead of streets, the city uses canals for transportation. The city's location on the Adriatic Sea made it an important trading center as early as the A.D. 800's. Venice was once known as the "Queen of the Adriatic.

This is a picture of Venice from above. You can see a large canal and smaller canals used for transportation, and many houses, buildings, and boats.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a bell tower. It is located in Pisa, Italy. It is famous for leaning 141/2 feet out of line when measured from the seventh story. It inclines because its foundation was built on unstable soil. Construction began in 1173 and ended between 1360 and 1370.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa Continued The tower is part of a complex of three buildings a baptistery, a church, and the bell tower. The tower is 51 feet in diameter and about 180 feet tall. The walls are 13 feet thick at the base and from 6 to 7 feet thick at the top. In 1990, the tower was closed for repairs. Engineers stabilized the tower's foundation and straightened it about 15 inches to prevent it from eventually collapsing. The tower was reopened in 2001.

This is a close up view of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. You can see the many tourists and people visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa, as it s a popular place for tourists to visit.

Italy s Government Italy s Constitution became effective on January 1 st, 1948. It is made up of a President, Cabinet (Council of Ministers), Senate, and Chamber of Deputies. Italy is a unitary system. A unitary system is when a national government processes most of the power. The President is Giorgio Napolitano.

This is a picture of Italy s Constitution.

Trade Italy's closest trading partners are the other countries of Europe, as well as Russia. Industrial products, clothing, textiles, and foods are its leading exports. Fuels, other raw materials, meat, and grain products are major imports. This is a trade agency in Italy.

This is a picture of Italian money. (Euro s)

Energy Petroleum is the principal fuel consumed, and more than 75% of it is imported. 80% of the locally generated electricity comes from thermal electric power plants. The remainder is produced by hydroelectric installations. Italy is the world's largest net importer of electricity.

This a nuclear power plant in Italy.

Transportation There are 130 airports in Italy. As of 2010, there are 602 cars per 1,000 people. There are 12,259 miles of railroad. There are 8 major ports. There are many famous Italian car manufactures, such as Lamborghini.

Population Italy is mostly made of urban areas. The largest cities in Italy are Rome, Milan, and Naples, and they are the most populated. Population growth is declining. Marriage rates are also declining.

Communications Italian broadcasting is dominated by 2 medias: The RAI, which operates many television and radio stations; and Mediaset, which is the company owned by the country's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi. 30 million Italians use the Internet. The country's most influential daily newspapers are the Milanbased Corriere della Sera, the Rome-based La Repubblica, and Turin-based La Stampa.

This is the Italian newspaper, la Repubblica.

Education All children in Italy from age 6 to age 15 must attend school. Most children attend public schools. The required schooling is divided into a five-grade elementary school, followed by a three-year junior high school. After graduating from junior high school, students may attend one of different kinds of senior high schools.

Universities Any senior high school graduate may attend a university. Italy has about 50 public universities. The country also has a few private universities, most of which are run by the Roman Catholic Church. Most university programs last 4-6 years. The Sapienza University of Rome is the largest university in Italy.

This is a picture of The Sapienza University of Rome.

Italian Armed Forces Italy s armed forces include the army, navy, air force, and Carabinieri (police force used in Italy and internationally). Their service is voluntary.

Climate Geographically, Italy lies in the temperate zone. Because of the length of the peninsula, there is a variation between the climate of the north, attached to the European continent, and that of the south, surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. The Alps are a barrier against westerly and northerly winds.

Plant Life There are at least three zones of differing vegetation: the Alps, the Po valley, and the Mediterranean-Apennine area. This is a picture of the South Cliff Italian Gardens. Italy has many beautiful plants and gardens.

Plant Life in the Apennine zone In the Apennine zone along the whole peninsula, a typical tree is the holm oak, while the area closer to the sea is characterized by the olive, oleander, carob, mastic, and Aleppo pine. Sea grape is found on the coastal dunes.

Plant Life in The Alps Around the Lombard lakes, the most common trees are the evergreen cork oak, the European olive, the cypress, and the cherry laurel. Slight higher, the deciduous larch and the Norway spruce are found. In the high-altitude zone, rhododendron, green alder, and dwarf juniper, give way to pastureland that is covered with grasses, sedges, and wildflowers such as gentian, rock jasmine, campion, sea bindweed, primrose, and saxifrage.

Plant Life in the Po Valley In the drier, gravelly zones there are a few sedges. On the clayey upland plains, heather abounds and Scotch pine. There are the grasses beside the streams and in the bogs, and water lilies and pondweed on the banks of the marshes. The predominant plants are the cultivated crops wheat, corn, potatoes, rice, and sugar beets.

Lakes and Rivers There are five major lakes in Italy - Garda, Maggiore, Como, Iseo, and part of Lugano. They are world famous tourist attractions. Garda is the largest lake in Italy; Maggiore and Como are the second and third largest. This is Como Lake.

This is the northern part of Garda lake.

Animals Most of Italy s animals live in the mountains. Wolves hunt in the Apennines. Brown bears, lynx, ibex, and other animals are protected in parks and preserves in the Alps and the Apennines.

Agriculture Agriculture is a smaller part of the economy. Leading farm products are olive oil and wine made from local grapes. Wheat flour is used in making pasta, one of the main Italian foods. Other crops include sugar beets, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, rice, and fruits.

Italian Foods Cooking is something very important to Italians. Italian foods vary greatly by region. In the north, flat, ribbonshaped pastas served with cream sauces are most popular. In the south, macaroni served with tomato-based sauces is the favorite type of pasta. Pizza is a popular snack and is also eaten as a light meal. Fresh fruit is a popular dessert. Wine is served with every meal except breakfast.

Pizza is one of Italy s main and most popular dishes.

Sports In Italy Most Italians are passionate sports fans. Soccer is the most popular sport. Water polo is also popular in Italy. The Winter Olympics were held in Italy in 1956 and 2006.

Soccer Soccer is the most popular sport in Italy. The national team has one the World Cup four times, more than any other country except for Brazil. The most popular soccer players are national heroes.

This is a picture of the Italian soccer team during the World Cup 2014.

Additional Facts Did you know? In some years, Italy gets as many foreign tourists as it has citizens. Italy has some of the best highway systems. Health costs for most Italians are covered by insurance programs.

Italy Overview Italy is a beautiful country located in Europe. It is a popular tourist spot and place for people to visit. It is famous for its wine and food, sports, and its supply of electricity and energy.

MLA Citations Davis, John A. Venice. World Book Advanced. World Book, 2014. Web. 16 June 2014. Delzell, Charles F. "Italy." Lands and Peoples. Grolier Online, 2014. Web. 21 June 2014. Feinstein, Wiley. "Italian language." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2014. Web. 21 June 2014. Joes, Anthony James. Rome. World Book Advanced. World Book, 2014. Web. 17 June 2014. Italy. Britannica School. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web 17 June 2014. Migliorini, Paolo. "Italy." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 2014. Web. 21 June 2014. Rudd, J. William. "Leaning Tower of Pisa." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2014. Web. 19 June 2014.