Italy is a country that is an extensive peninsula in the shape of a boot and a little bit larger than Arizona, but with about two-times the population of California. It is bounded on the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea and by the Adriatic on the eastern side. In the south, there is the Mediterranean Sea and the Ionean Sea. It is surrounded by Austria, France, Switzerland, and Slovenia in the north.
See some of the most popular places in Italy according to travelers worldwide.
| Capital: | Rome; (largest city) |
| Leader: | President: Giorgio Napolitano |
| Leader: | Prime Minister: Matteo Renzi |
| Government type: | Italian Republic |
| Population: | 61,261,254 .est (Source: Fact Monster) |
| Languages: | Italian (official) 74%, German, French, and Slovene-speaking minorities 1.
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| Ethnic Diversity: | Italian (includes small populations of German, French, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian- and Greek-Italians in the south) |
| Life Expectancy: | 79 years (men), 85 years (women) (source: United Nations) |
| Official Currency: | Euro (€) What's your currency value to the Euro |
| Climate: |
Residents and visitors enjoy a Mediterranean climate. The weather is mild in the coastal areas, and colder temperatures prevail as you go inland towards the mountains. In the summertime, everywhere in Italy can get quite hot and in the winter it can be very cold in all places. |
| National Holiday: | 2 June - Republic Day (Festa della Repubblica) |
| Religion: | Christianity 80%; small sections of Jehova Witnesses and Protestants |
| Area: | total: 301,338 sq km (116,346 sq miles) |
| Country Dialing Code: | 39 |
Italy can be incredibly invigorating!
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