Italy is a peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea and is surrounded by seas on all three sides. Its most prominent feature is its boot-like shape kicking the island of Sicily. It is approximately 1,130 kilometres long and has a total area of approximately 301,238 square kilometres comprising some of the most varied and scenic landscapes on earth. Italy's land borders are with Switzerland, France, Austria and Slovenia. There are two independent states within Italy's borders: San Marino and Vatican City. Italy also has two independent countries within its borders. Vatican City is the center for the Roman Catholic Church, and is the world's smallest country. San Marino, on the north east coast of Italy, is an independent republic
Mountains
Much of Italy is covered by mountains. The Dolomite mountains which extend across northern Italy are part of the Alps mountain range. The Apennine mountains cut down the center of Italy, stretching from north to south, dividing the east and west coasts.
Italy is mostly mountainous with ranges over 700 metres covering a third of the country. The best known ranges are the Alps, the Dolomites and the Apennines.
The Italian Alps are divided into three main groups. The first group, the Western Alps run north to south from Aosta to the Cadibona Pass, with the highest peaks of Mount Viso 3,841 metres and Gran Paradiso 4,061 metres which is regarded as the highest mountain completely within Italy. The second group, the Central Alps run west to east from the Western Alps to the Brenner Pass, leading into Austria and the Trentino - Alto Adige valley. This group also has high peaks, such as Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc) with a summit of 4,807 metres just over the border in France, Monte Cervino (Matterhorn) 4,478 metres, Monte Rosa with a summit of 4,634 metres just over the border in Switzerland, and Mount Ortles 3,905 metres. The last group, the Eastern Alps run west to east from the Brenner Pass to Trieste and include the Dolomites and Mount Marmolada 3,343 metres. The Italian foothills of the Alps, which reach no higher than 2,500 metres, lie between these great ranges and the Po valley.
The Apennines form the backbone of the country running down the full length of the Italian peninsula from the Cadibona Pass to the tip of Calabria, continuing onto the island of Sicily. The range is about 2,000 kilometres long. Although narrow at each end, only about 32 kilometres wide, it is about 190 kilometres wide in the Central Apennines, east of Rome, where the "Great Rock of Italy" (Gran Sasso d'Italia) provides the highest Apennine peak at 2,912 metres. This area also includes the only glacier in Italy, Calderone, the southernmost in Europe.
Lakes
There are about 1,500 lakes in Italy. Most of these are small Alpine lakes that are used for hydroelectric schemes. Other lakes, such as Bolsena and Albano in Lazio, occupy the craters of extinct volcanoes. There are also coastal lagoons, such as Lakes Lesina and Varano in Puglia, and lakes resulting from prehistoric faulting, such as Lake Alleghe, near Belluno. The best-known, largest, and most important of the Italian lakes are Lakes Garda, Maggiore, Como, Iseo, and Lugano. They are situated in the north of Italy around Milan. They have a semi-Mediterranean climate and are surrounded by groves of olive and citrus trees. Italy also has considerable areas in which, as a result of porous rock, the water systems run underground, forming subterranean streams, sinkholes, and lakes. These are often associated with caves, the most famous of which are those of Castellana, in Puglia.
Coasts
Including islands, Italy has a total coastline of 7,600 kilometres, much of which is extremely varied. Along the two Ligurian rivieras, on either side of Genoa, the coast alternates between high, rocky zones and level gravel. The most famous of the rocky areas is called Cinque Terre, running from Sestri Levante down to La Spezia. The coast southwards from Tuscany to Campania consists of long, sandy, crescent beaches mixed with higher, more rocky stretches. The Tyrrhenian coasts of basilicata and Calabria are high and rocky, though sometimes broken by short beaches, many of them with spectacular white sand, particularly towards the south. The coast of Puglia is flat, as is most of the Adriatic coast of Italy, although it is dominated by terraced hills behind. The majestic delta of the Po River, extending from Rimini to Monfalcone, is riddled with the lagoons most famously around Venice. The Carso, the limestone coastal region between Trieste and Istria, is rocky.
Islands
Italy is surrounded by sea on three sides. To the north west is the Ligurian sea, to the west and south west the Tyrrhenian sea, to the south and south east is the Ionian sea and to the east is the Adriatic sea. The two largest islands in the Mediterranean, Sicily and Sardinia, are both a part of Italy. Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, with active volcanoes and earthquakes. Sardinia is basically mountains rising out of the ocean. There are many other island groups too.
Rivers
The rivers of Italy have been important throughout history, from the time of the Roman Empire and even today. Italy's rivers have been the primary water sources of this peninsular nation, with major cities springing up along the river banks for easy access to fresh water. There are over a thousand rivers and streams in Italy. The major rivers in Italy include the Po River, the Tiber, Arno, Reno, and Adige Rivers.Major rivers draining into the Adriatic Sea include the Po, Adige, Reno, Savio, and the Isonzo. The Po the longest river in Italy, flowing through Turin and Ferrara, before emptying into the Adriatic Sea after about 652 kilometers (405 miles). The Adige River is also quite long, flowing 410 kilometers (250 miles) from the border of Austria and Switzerland over near Verona and out into the Adriatic Sea.The Tiber flows through Rome, and drains into the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west of Italy. The Tiber is the third longest river in Italy, flowing about 406 kilometers (252 miles) from the Apennine Mountain range, through the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, and finally Lazio, where it reaches Rome.The Arno eventually flows into the Ligurian Sea after first passing through Florence in the Tuscany region.Each of these and the other rivers of Italy has many smaller tributaries, which carry the fresh water to other cities and areas of the country.
Beaches
Mountains
Much of Italy is covered by mountains. The Dolomite mountains which extend across northern Italy are part of the Alps mountain range. The Apennine mountains cut down the center of Italy, stretching from north to south, dividing the east and west coasts.
Italy is mostly mountainous with ranges over 700 metres covering a third of the country. The best known ranges are the Alps, the Dolomites and the Apennines.
The Italian Alps are divided into three main groups. The first group, the Western Alps run north to south from Aosta to the Cadibona Pass, with the highest peaks of Mount Viso 3,841 metres and Gran Paradiso 4,061 metres which is regarded as the highest mountain completely within Italy. The second group, the Central Alps run west to east from the Western Alps to the Brenner Pass, leading into Austria and the Trentino - Alto Adige valley. This group also has high peaks, such as Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc) with a summit of 4,807 metres just over the border in France, Monte Cervino (Matterhorn) 4,478 metres, Monte Rosa with a summit of 4,634 metres just over the border in Switzerland, and Mount Ortles 3,905 metres. The last group, the Eastern Alps run west to east from the Brenner Pass to Trieste and include the Dolomites and Mount Marmolada 3,343 metres. The Italian foothills of the Alps, which reach no higher than 2,500 metres, lie between these great ranges and the Po valley.
The Apennines form the backbone of the country running down the full length of the Italian peninsula from the Cadibona Pass to the tip of Calabria, continuing onto the island of Sicily. The range is about 2,000 kilometres long. Although narrow at each end, only about 32 kilometres wide, it is about 190 kilometres wide in the Central Apennines, east of Rome, where the "Great Rock of Italy" (Gran Sasso d'Italia) provides the highest Apennine peak at 2,912 metres. This area also includes the only glacier in Italy, Calderone, the southernmost in Europe.
Lakes
There are about 1,500 lakes in Italy. Most of these are small Alpine lakes that are used for hydroelectric schemes. Other lakes, such as Bolsena and Albano in Lazio, occupy the craters of extinct volcanoes. There are also coastal lagoons, such as Lakes Lesina and Varano in Puglia, and lakes resulting from prehistoric faulting, such as Lake Alleghe, near Belluno. The best-known, largest, and most important of the Italian lakes are Lakes Garda, Maggiore, Como, Iseo, and Lugano. They are situated in the north of Italy around Milan. They have a semi-Mediterranean climate and are surrounded by groves of olive and citrus trees. Italy also has considerable areas in which, as a result of porous rock, the water systems run underground, forming subterranean streams, sinkholes, and lakes. These are often associated with caves, the most famous of which are those of Castellana, in Puglia.
Coasts
Including islands, Italy has a total coastline of 7,600 kilometres, much of which is extremely varied. Along the two Ligurian rivieras, on either side of Genoa, the coast alternates between high, rocky zones and level gravel. The most famous of the rocky areas is called Cinque Terre, running from Sestri Levante down to La Spezia. The coast southwards from Tuscany to Campania consists of long, sandy, crescent beaches mixed with higher, more rocky stretches. The Tyrrhenian coasts of basilicata and Calabria are high and rocky, though sometimes broken by short beaches, many of them with spectacular white sand, particularly towards the south. The coast of Puglia is flat, as is most of the Adriatic coast of Italy, although it is dominated by terraced hills behind. The majestic delta of the Po River, extending from Rimini to Monfalcone, is riddled with the lagoons most famously around Venice. The Carso, the limestone coastal region between Trieste and Istria, is rocky.
Islands
Italy is surrounded by sea on three sides. To the north west is the Ligurian sea, to the west and south west the Tyrrhenian sea, to the south and south east is the Ionian sea and to the east is the Adriatic sea. The two largest islands in the Mediterranean, Sicily and Sardinia, are both a part of Italy. Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, with active volcanoes and earthquakes. Sardinia is basically mountains rising out of the ocean. There are many other island groups too.
Rivers
The rivers of Italy have been important throughout history, from the time of the Roman Empire and even today. Italy's rivers have been the primary water sources of this peninsular nation, with major cities springing up along the river banks for easy access to fresh water. There are over a thousand rivers and streams in Italy. The major rivers in Italy include the Po River, the Tiber, Arno, Reno, and Adige Rivers.Major rivers draining into the Adriatic Sea include the Po, Adige, Reno, Savio, and the Isonzo. The Po the longest river in Italy, flowing through Turin and Ferrara, before emptying into the Adriatic Sea after about 652 kilometers (405 miles). The Adige River is also quite long, flowing 410 kilometers (250 miles) from the border of Austria and Switzerland over near Verona and out into the Adriatic Sea.The Tiber flows through Rome, and drains into the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west of Italy. The Tiber is the third longest river in Italy, flowing about 406 kilometers (252 miles) from the Apennine Mountain range, through the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, and finally Lazio, where it reaches Rome.The Arno eventually flows into the Ligurian Sea after first passing through Florence in the Tuscany region.Each of these and the other rivers of Italy has many smaller tributaries, which carry the fresh water to other cities and areas of the country.
Beaches
Volcanoes
Many elements of the Italian territory are of volcanic origin. Most of the small islands in the south, like are volcanic islands. There are also active volcanoes Etna, in Sicily, the largest active volcano in Europe- Vulcano, Stromboli, and Vesuvius, near Naples, the only active volcano on mainland Europe.
Many elements of the Italian territory are of volcanic origin. Most of the small islands in the south, like are volcanic islands. There are also active volcanoes Etna, in Sicily, the largest active volcano in Europe- Vulcano, Stromboli, and Vesuvius, near Naples, the only active volcano on mainland Europe.