Italy is a state located in Southern Europe and has extensive access to the Mediterranean Sea. Italy's neighbors are six European countries, which will be discussed in this article.
Where is Italy?
Before answering the question what kind of neighbors Italy has, you should find out where this country is located. And for this you need to carefully study the geographical map of Europe.
The modern state of Italy appeared not so long ago: in the last century. However, it can be considered one of the successors of the Roman Empire, which once existed on Earth. Today, the country occupies a fairly large area (by European standards) - 301 thousand km 2. By the way, many of Italy’s neighbors, alas, cannot boast of such a size of their territory.
Italy is located in the southern part of Europe, in the basin Mediterranean Sea. It occupies the entire Apennine Peninsula, and also includes a fairly large number of small islands. Part of the country is occupied by the Padan Lowland, and its extreme north is occupied by the southern spurs of the Alps. It is in Italy that the highest point is located - Mont Blanc (4810 meters).
Which countries are Italy's neighbors?
Despite the fact that about 80% of Italy lies in the Mediterranean Sea, the country also has land neighbors. There are six of them in total.
So, Italy's immediate neighbors are France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, as well as San Marino and the Vatican. All these states have a fairly high standard of living. And Italy tries to maintain good neighborly relations with everyone.
Second order (those states that do not have common borders with it): Monaco, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia.
Italy has the longest common border with Switzerland (almost 740 km), and the shortest with the Vatican (only 3.2 kilometers).
Features of the geographical location of Italy: pros and cons
Geographical position a given country can have both positive and negative sides. Both of them significantly influence the economic well-being of the state and its foreign policy.
The positive features of the geographical position of Italy include the following points:
- the country has access to the Mediterranean basin (almost 80% of its borders are sea);
- located in two favorable climatic zones- temperate and subtropical;
- located at the intersection of the most important sea and land transport corridors;
- all neighboring countries of Italy are highly developed states.
Perhaps the only drawback of Italy's geographical position is the fact that the country is too elongated in the submeridional direction (from north to south) and does not have a compact configuration.
The Vatican and San Marino are Italy's most unusual neighbors
In geography, there is such a thing as an “enclave” - a state that is surrounded by the territory of another country on all four sides of the world. And Italy borders on two such states - the Vatican and San Marino.
The Vatican is the center of Catholicism on the planet. It is the only theocratic monarchy on the island. It is here that St. Peter's Basilica and the residence of the Pope are located. And the Vatican is the only country in the world where official language Latin is listed.
San Marino is another one unusual neighbor Italy. This is one of the oldest states in Europe, which today occupies a very tiny area. San Marino has a huge number of architectural and historical attractions. It’s hard to believe that here, in a small area of 60 square kilometers, nine ancient fortresses have been preserved.
Finally...
The Republic of Italy is located in the south of Europe and has wide access to the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by six independent states (France, Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria, Vatican City and San Marino). The leadership of the republic maintains warm and friendly relations with all these countries.
In general, the geographical position of Italy can be assessed as advantageous. The country has free access to the World Ocean and is located in favorable conditions for agriculture. climatic conditions. Another advantage is that all of Italy’s neighbors are economically developed and prosperous states.
Education
Italy is a state located in Southern Europe and has extensive access to the Mediterranean Sea. Italy's neighbors are six European countries, which will be discussed in this article.
Where is Italy?
Before answering the question what kind of neighbors Italy has, you should find out where this country is located. And for this you need to carefully study the geographical map of Europe.
The modern state of Italy appeared not so long ago: in the last century. However, it can be considered one of the successors of the Roman Empire, which once existed on Earth. Today, the country occupies a fairly large area (by European standards) - 301 thousand km2. By the way, many of Italy’s neighbors, alas, cannot boast of such a size of their territory.
Italy is located in the southern part of Europe, in the Mediterranean Sea. It occupies the entire Apennine Peninsula, and also includes a fairly large number of small islands. Part of the country is occupied by the Padan Lowland, and its extreme north is occupied by the southern spurs of the Alps. The highest point is located in Italy European Union- Mont Blanc peak (4810 meters).
Which countries are Italy's neighbors?
Despite the fact that about 80% of Italy's state border runs along the Mediterranean Sea, the country also has land neighbors. There are six of them in total.
So, Italy's immediate neighbors are France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, as well as San Marino and the Vatican. All these states have a fairly high standard of living. And Italy tries to maintain good neighborly relations with everyone.
Second-order neighboring countries of Italy (those states that do not have common borders with it): Monaco, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia.
Italy has the longest common border with Switzerland (almost 740 km), and the shortest with the Vatican (only 3.2 kilometers).
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Features of the geographical location of Italy: pros and cons
The geographical location of a country can have both positive and negative sides. Both of them significantly influence the economic well-being of the state and its foreign policy.
The positive features of the geographical position of Italy include the following points:
- the country has access to the Mediterranean basin (almost 80% of its borders are sea);
- located in two favorable climatic zones - temperate and subtropical;
- located at the intersection of the most important sea and land transport corridors;
- all neighboring countries of Italy are highly developed states.
Perhaps the only drawback of Italy's geographical position is the fact that the country is too elongated in the submeridional direction (from north to south) and does not have a compact configuration.
The Vatican and San Marino are Italy's most unusual neighbors
In geography, there is such a thing as an “enclave” - a state that is surrounded by the territory of another country on all four sides of the world. And Italy borders on two such states - the Vatican and San Marino.
The Vatican is the center of Catholicism on the planet. It is the only theocratic monarchy in political map peace. This is where St. Peter's Basilica and the residence of the Pope are located. And the Vatican is the only country in the world where Latin is the official language.
San Marino is another unusual neighbor of Italy. This is one of the oldest states in Europe, which today occupies a very tiny area. Nevertheless, San Marino has a huge number of architectural and historical attractions. It’s hard to believe that here, in a small area of 60 square kilometers, nine ancient fortresses have been preserved.
Finally…
The Republic of Italy is located in the south of Europe and has wide access to the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by six independent states (France, Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria, Vatican City and San Marino). The leadership of the republic maintains warm and friendly relations with all these countries.
In general, the geographical position of Italy can be assessed as advantageous. The country has free access to the World Ocean and is located in climatic conditions favorable for agriculture. Another advantage is that all of Italy’s neighbors are economically developed and prosperous states.
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Favorable strategic position:
- central position in the Mediterranean Sea,
— 80% falls on maritime borders (from the entire length of the state border);
- peninsula, island, continental state (Apennine peninsula, Sardinia, Sicily and other small islands);
- Borders with developed countries Europe;
- located in two climatic zones;
— at the intersection of transport routes;
- a long extension from northwest to southeast.
The state was founded on modern borders in 1870, unifying the principality.
Italy is a parliamentary republic. Administratively, Italy is divided into 20 autonomous regions and 94 provinces.
Characteristics of the economic and geographical situation - EPP in Italy
In Italy, the Republic of San Marino and the Vatican State. Italy is a member of the NATO Alliance, the United Nations, the European Union, the IMF, the World Bank and others.
organizations.
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Characteristics of the economic and geographical location - EEA Italy Wikipedia
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GEOGRAPHY OF ITALY
Geography: State in southern Europe. In the north it borders with Switzerland and Austria, in the east - with Slovenia, in the northwest - with France. In the east it is washed by the Adriatic Sea, in the south by the Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, in the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Ligurian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
Italy also owns the islands of Elba, Sicily and Sardinia and several small islands.
Two independent states: San Marino and Vatican City are located on the Apennine Peninsula and are completely surrounded by Italy. The country's area is 301,302 sq. km. More than half of the country's territory is located on the Apennine Peninsula.
In the north of the country are the Italian Alps, where the highest point in the country is Mount Monte Cervino (4478 m).
- Geographically, Italy is located between 47 05′ and 35 29′ north latitudes and between 6 37′ and 18 31′ east longitudes.
- Italy is located in the Mediterranean Sea and includes the Apennine Peninsula, the Padana Plain, the southern slopes of the Alps, the islands of Sicily, Sardinia and a number of small islands.
- The total area of Italy is 301,230 square kilometers (land - 294,020 sq. km., water - 7,210 sq. km.
km.) At the same time, the length from north to south is 1170 km, the greatest distance from east to west in the middle part is 230 km, so that’s a big boot!!!
- Mountains occupy 35%, hills 42%, plains 23% of the entire territory.
- Length coastline 7122 km.
- The highest point of the country is Mont Blanc, in Italian Monte Bianco (4807 meters). However, in the Alps there are many peaks from 2000 to 4000 meters in height, and in the Apennine Mountains there are mountains up to 2000 meters.
There are many volcanoes in Italy, some of which are active: Vesuvius, Etna, Stromboli, Vulcono.
- The river network is developed mainly in the northern part of the country.
The most big river Italy - Po (682 km). Most of the remaining rivers are rushing, non-navigable, and their beds are fenced off by dams. Moreover, some rivers dry up in summer months so strong that any person can step over them, like some stream.
- The largest lake is Garda (390 sq. km), but there are several other large lakes: Como, Lago Maggiore. All of them are also in the north.
- Italy has few mineral resources, so a considerable part of the raw materials for industrial needs is imported.
Geographical position of Italy
There are small reserves of molybdenum, mercury, manganese, zinc, bauxite, sulfur, uranium ore and natural gas. Quite a lot of building materials such as marble and crushed stone. Hydropower resources are significant.
Italy has external land borders with France (488 km), Switzerland (740 km), Austria (430 km), Slovenia (232 km), and internal borders with the state of San Marino (39 km), and the city -Vatican State (3.2 km), located inside Rome.
The total length of land borders is 1932.2 km.
Italy, shaped like a boot, immediately catches your eye on the map. It is located between the Adriatic, Ionian, Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas, each of which is part of the Mediterranean Sea. The islands of Elba, Sardinia, Ischia, Capri, Sicily and the Aeolian Islands are located at a great distance from the mainland. Mountains dominate Italian topography and form its land boundaries from Genoa to Trieste.
The backbone of Italy is formed by the Apennines, stretching from Genoa down almost to Sicily. The Po Valley in the northeast forms the largest lowland and contains the most densely populated industrial areas.
Thanks to three active volcanoes - Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands, Vesuvius near Naples and Etna in Sicily - the country is occasionally hit by tremors and earthquakes, the strongest of which were recorded in 1908 and 1980.
But unfortunately, Italy's natural beauty is susceptible to destruction and industrial pollution, especially in large cities and along the coast.
A couple of millennia of human activity and the Italians' love of hunting contributed to the destruction of many species of animals that existed only in Italy. It is rarely seen in the country anymore brown bear or lynx, and in the alpine regions there are fewer and fewer wolves, marmots, chamois and deer.
Muflonov, wild boars and wild cats can be found in Sardinia, and birds: falcons, hawks and golden eagles have also become rare and are forced to hide from hunters and poachers.
The Italian climate varies from north to south and from lowlands to mountain peaks. Winters in the Alps are long and harsh, with snow falling there as early as mid-September. In the northern regions, winters are usually frosty and summers are hot, but closer to the south the climate becomes milder. The Sirocco, a hot and humid African wind that blows through the southern regions of the country, is responsible for at least a couple of scorchingly hot weeks in the summer.
Left a reply smart ass
Italy is located in southern Europe, in the center of the Mediterranean. On its territory, three parts can be distinguished: mainland (about 1/2 of the area), peninsular (Apennine Peninsula) and island (islands of Sicily, Sardinia and a number of small ones).
It borders with France in the north-west (border length - 488 km), with Switzerland (740 km) and Austria (430 km) - in the north and with Slovenia - in the north-east (232 km).
It also has internal borders with the Vatican (3.2 km) and San Marino (39 km). In the south it (through the Strait of Tunis) neighbors Africa. The coasts of Italy are washed by the seas: in the west - the Ligurian and Turrenian, in the south the Ionian, in the east the Adriatic.
Sea borders are 4 times longer than land borders. Even the deepest regions of the country are no more than 200 - 300 km from the coast.
Geography of Italy
The economic and geographical position in the center of the Mediterranean basin has long been favorable to the development of relations with the countries of the Middle East and North. Africa, as well as with other countries in Southern Europe. And now it contributes to the economic development of Italy. Land borders with France, Switzerland and Austria, and partly with the former Yugoslavia, run along the Alps.
Northern Italy is in a more advantageous position than Southern Italy, since it has the opportunity to carry out external economic relations both by land and by sea. Transcontinental airline lines pass through Italy.
Italy's position in the center of the Mediterranean basin, at the crossroads of trade routes between West and East, has always played an important role in the life of the country. In the 20th century Italy's position on the path from the countries of the Middle East with their rich oil fields to industrial areas is of particular importance Foreign Europe, whose industry consumes Middle Eastern oil.
With the rapid development of air transport, especially after World War II, the country found itself at the crossroads of the world's most important air routes connecting the countries of Europe, America, Asia and Africa. Italy's geographical position is extremely important from a strategic point of view.
NATO considers Italy the basis of its entire military system in Southern Europe and throughout the Mediterranean. The country is home to several dozen US and NATO military bases and training grounds. Italy is an active participant in this military bloc.
Economy of Italy
Advantages: competitive and quite creative middle class. Sets fashion all over the world in the field of design, production and production of clothing and household appliances.
Leading firms include Fiat (automotive), Montedison (plastics), Olivetti (communications), Benetton (clothing). Highly productive agriculture and production for tourists, famous fashion houses.
Weaknesses: Government deficits and debt growth are still high. Low economic growth, inefficient service sector, which is being intensively privatized.
Uneven distribution of wealth between the rich North and the poor South, where unemployment is 3 times higher. Insufficient tax discipline, which has been improving recently. Relatively small, internationally competitive enterprises. Heavy dependence on imported energy resources.
Italy is a highly developed industrial-agrarian country. Predominantly industrial and highly developed north and poor, agricultural south.
Gross national product per capita is $30,000 per year. Leading industries: mechanical engineering, metallurgy, chemical and petrochemical, light and food.
Italy is one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers to the world market of cars, bicycles and mopeds, tractors, washing machines and refrigerators, writing and calculating machines, radio-electronic products, industrial equipment, steel pipes, plastics and chemical fibers, car tires, as well as ready-made clothing and leather shoes, pasta, cheese, olive oil, wine, canned fruit and tomato.
IN agriculture crop production predominates.
The area of Italy is 301.2 thousand square meters. km. Administratively, the country is divided into 20 regions, and they, in turn, into 95 provinces, and those into 8 thousand communes.
Italy occupies a key position in the Mediterranean on the way from the countries of the Middle East with their richest oil fields to the industrial regions of Western Europe, whose industry consumes Middle Eastern oil.
A peculiarity of the economic and political-geographical position of Italy is that independent states are located on its territory: the Vatican is the center of the Roman catholic church, residence of the Pope and the Republic of San Marino.
These states have close economic relations with Italy. Both countries use Italian banknotes. San Marino is in a customs and postal union with Italy. For refusing to issue its own banknotes and organize a customs service, as well as for the obligation not to allow the construction of San Marino gambling houses on its territory in accordance with the 1953 treaty.
receives annual monetary compensation from Italy.
Millions of tourists and pilgrims seeking to visit the Vatican and San Marino spend considerable amounts of money in Italy, bringing huge income to the country.
Population. In 2000, Italy had a population of 57.4 million. Italians make up 94% of the inhabitants. There are also Friuls (450 thousand in the provinces of Udina Pordenons), Tyroleans (250 thousand in the province of Bolzano), Franco-Provencals (90 thousand live in the Trieste area), Slovenes (100 thousand), Albanians, and Greeks.
Italy until the early 1970s
was characterized by faster rates of population growth and mass emigration than in most other Western European countries. Currently, the population is not growing, but, on the contrary, is decreasing, the rate of annual decline is 0.11%.
WITH late XIX V. Italy stood out for its large emigration, generated by high agrarian overpopulation and mass unemployment.
In total, more than 20 million people have left Italy over the past 100 years.
The territory is densely populated; the average population density in 2000 was 196 people per 1 sq. m. km. However, population density fluctuates greatly between the highly urbanized industrial areas of Lombardy (375 people per 1 sq. km), Campania (425 people.
per 1 sq. km), Greater Naples (up to 1000 people per 1 sq. km), up to 40–70 people. per 1 sq.
Who does Italy border with?
km in Sardinia.
Official statistics do not divide the population into urban and rural. If we conventionally consider settlements with a population of more than 20 thousand as cities, then city dwellers make up 67%. Large cities are scattered throughout various regions of the country. 1/3 of all residents of the country live in them.
More than half of all major cities (24) are located in Northern Italy. Here, almost the entire space from Turin (4.3 million people) to Milan (4.2 million people) and further to Bergamo is an almost continuous urbanized area.
In central Italy, the largest cities are Rome (2.7 million people) and Naples (3.0 million people).
The service sector employs the largest number of the economically active population - 60%, industry - 32%, and agriculture - 8%.
Italy is characterized by a persistently high level of unemployment, in
The average life expectancy in 2000 for women was 81.7 years, for men – 75.3 years.
State system and political parties.
Italy is a parliamentary republic. The head of state is the president, elected by parliament and representatives of the regions for 7 years (since 1999 K. Champi).
Legislative power belongs to parliament, elected for 5 years under a mixed system. It consists of two chambers: the Senate of the Republic (322 senators) and the Chamber of Deputies (630).
The highest executive body is the Council of Ministers, headed by the chairman (since 2001 S. Berlusconi).
IN political life A number of political parties play a major role in the country.
1991 on the basis of the Italian Communist Party (founded on January 21, 1921), which announced the termination of its activities at the 20th Congress (1991). In 1992, the party had 1 million members. The governing body of the party is the National Council. In terms of the number of voters, it is the largest political party in Italy.
The Italian People's Party (IPN), the successor to the Christian Democratic Party, the former largest party, is gradually emerging from a severe crisis after its defeat in the 1994 parliamentary elections.
In March 1995
Due to the question of a coalition with right-wing parties - the Forza Italia movement and the National Alliance - the IPP split into two equal parts: “left” and “right”.
At the emergency congress of the IPP (July 1995), the right wing announced the creation of a new party - the United Christian Democrats.
The Northern League - Federative Italy - was created in 1982 and has about 70 thousand people. Mainly active in northern Italy.
Main program goal: federalism and protection of the interests of the highly productive North. Now the task is to transform the Northern League from regional to national.
The National Alliance (NA) was created on January 27, 1995 on the basis of the self-dissolved neo-fascist party Italian Social Movement - National Right Forces.
At the founding congress of the National Assembly, a break with fascist and neo-fascist ideology was declared. The new party has 90 thousand members and is guided by the following principles: commitment to the Catholic Church, protection of the individual, life, family. This is the fourth party in terms of the number of votes cast for it in the elections.
The remaining political parties have either left the political scene or no longer represent a significant force and are unable to play a significant role in the internal political life of the country.
The political situation in the country is difficult, which is associated with the deteriorating economic situation.
In Italy, separatist sentiments are strong in the north-west.
The political forces in this part of the country are in favor of creating an independent state - Padania.
Minerals. For the successful development of the economy, its security is of great importance natural resources, first of all, minerals.
Italy is very insufficiently and unevenly provided with raw materials and energy resources. Their deposits are mostly small, and the deposits are often inconvenient for development.
Italy's energy resources satisfy only 17% of its energy needs.
There is an acute shortage of coal. In Sardinia, Tuscany, Umbria, Calobria there are deposits of brown and coal. Limited oil reserves on the island. Sicily, the Padanian plain and the east coast of Central Italy (about 100 million tons) provide only 2% of Italy's oil needs.
There are natural gas deposits on the Padan Plain and its underwater continuation - the continental shelf Adriatic Sea.
Natural gas has also been discovered in the Northern, Central and Southern Apennines and Sicily.
Italy supplies almost 46% of its natural gas needs from its own reserves.
There are small deposits in Italy iron ore. It has been mined for 2,700 years, and now it is preserved only in Aosta and on the island. Elbe (total reserves 54 million tons).
Italy is much richer in polymetallic ores, which contain lead and zinc with an admixture of silver and other metals.
Italy occupies one of the first places in the world in reserves of mercury ore - cinnabar, which lies in the depths of the Amiata volcanic massif in Tuscany.
In the same area there are significant reserves of pyrites.
Bauxite is mined in Puglia. Antimony ores occur in Sardinia.
There are manganese deposits in Liguria and Central Italy.
The mineral resources of Italy are rich building materials– marble, granite, tuff and others.
In Carrara (Tuscany), the famous white Carrara marble is mined, which was used by the ancient Romans to create many sculptures and decorate buildings.
Italy's rivers have long been used to generate electricity.
Italy's total hydropower reserves amount to more than 56 billion kW, more than 60% of them are concentrated in the Alps.
Italy occupies the Apennine Peninsula, a small part of continental Europe (Fig. 1).
Fig.1. Sketchy map of Italy.
Italy owns the islands of Elba, Sicily and Sardinia. Within its borders are the tiny states of Vatican City and San Marino. It is washed in the west by the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas, in the east by the Adriatic, in the south by the Ionian and Mediterranean seas. It borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. This is a predominantly mountainous country - the Apennines stretch across the entire peninsula, and in the north - the southern slopes of the Alps. In the Italian Alps is the highest mountain in Europe - Mont Blanc (4807). In the Apennine Mountains and Sicily there are two active volcanoes: Etna (3340 m) and Vesuvius. Between the Alps and the Apennines lies the vast Lombardy (Padan) plain, including the Po River valley. The Apennines stretch from the Gulf of Genoa to the Gulf of Tarentum in Calabria. The highest point of the Apennines is Mount Corno (2914 m). Only about a third of the country's territory is occupied by plains. In addition to the Lombardy Plain, this is the coast of the Adriatic Sea, as well as three narrow flat strips along the western coast: Campania di Roma, Pontine Marshes and Maremma. A large number of rivers flow through Italy, the most important of which are the Po and Adige, located in the north of the country and flowing into the Adriatic Sea. The Tiber and Arno flow on the peninsula itself. Italy is also home to a large number of lakes, the largest being Garda, Lago Maggiore, Como and Lugano in the north and Trasimeno, Bolsena and Bracchiano in the south.
The total area of Italy is 301 thousand square meters. km.
In the center and south of the country, the vegetation is typically subtropical. Olives, oranges, lemons, palm, fig, date palm, pomegranate, almond, sugar cane and cotton grow in these regions. The vegetation of the Apennines resembles that of Central European countries: walnut, oak and cypress on the lower slopes and spruce and pine on the upper slopes of the mountains.
The country's fauna is not very rich: roe deer, ibex, and alpine marmot are occasionally found in the Alps. The bear is almost extinct, but the wolf and wild boar are found in large numbers in the mountainous regions of the country. Among the birds are eagle, falcon, vulture, hawk, partridge, quail, buzzard. Several species of reptiles, including three species poisonous snakes. Scorpions are found in the south of the country.
The capital of Italy, Rome, has almost 3 thousand years of history and for this it rightfully bears the name “eternal city”. The glory of Rome consists of priceless masterpieces of culture and art. Among them are the Colosseum, the Forum, the Triumphal Arch of Constantine, the architecture of the Tiber embankment, Venice Square and others.
While in Rome, it is unlikely that anyone will refuse to visit the Vatican - the smallest, but also the richest state in the world. The main attraction of the Vatican is St. Peter's Basilica - the largest and most important Catholic cathedral in the world.
Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is not inferior to Rome in the wealth and grandeur of its monuments. Such brilliant Florentines as Dante Alleghieri, Michelangelo Buonarotti, Boticceli, Raphael were born, lived and worked here. The magnificent Medicis shone here. These names will always attract tourists from all over the world. In Tuscany there are magnificent Pisa with its Square of Miracles, Siena, Lucca.
Venice is the most romantic city in the world. It is built on one hundred islands connected by 400 bridges.
The glory of Milan is the spiers of the Duomo Cathedral of European Gothic style, and the La Scala opera house.
The pearl of southern Italy is Naples. He absorbed various languages and cultures and created his own unique Neapolitan style. Having been in the south, you should not miss the opportunity to visit Pompeii - the ancient city, which in 78 was covered with the ashes of the erupting Vesuvius. In addition to architectural attractions, Italy is famous as a place for a wonderful holiday at sea or in the mountains.
Among the seaside resorts, the most famous are Liguria, Rimini, Lido di Venezia, Lido di Jesolo, Caorle, Cervia, Pesaro, Lignano. Holidays on the Tyrrhenian Sea coast are very popular.
Climatic features of the country and their influence on Italian cuisine
The territory of Italy, stretching far from north to south, is distinguished by a wide variety of climates - from moderately warm in the Padanian Plain to pronounced subtropical in Sicily. Mountains, large lakes, etc. significantly influence climate diversity.
Only the climate of peninsular and island Italy can be called Mediterranean. In the south, summers are dry and hot ( average temperature July - August + 26°C), winters are mild and warm (average January temperature + 8-10°C). In the northern and central parts of the Apennine Peninsula, July is cooler by an average of two degrees, and in January it is noticeably colder (+ 1.4-4 ° C).
Snow falls extremely rarely on the Apennine Peninsula. Here, 2/3 of all days of the year are cloudless. Maximum precipitation occurs in winter. Puglia is home to the driest place in Italy (San Pancrazio Salentino), with only 197 mm of precipitation per year. In the upper part of the Apennine Mountains the climate is cold, and in the closed intermountain valleys it is sharply continental. From March to October in southern Italy, especially in Sicily, the sirocco often blows, bringing dry heat and fine reddish dust from Africa. Sardinia in winter is characterized by a north-west wind from the Gulf of Lyon - the mistral.
There are significant climatic differences between the western and eastern slopes of the Apennines. The former receive more precipitation in the form of rain, the latter - in the form of snow. The climate of the western slopes is much milder. The coastal regions of Italy are particularly mild, especially the Ligurian Riviera, the coast of the Ionian Sea, and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Here the difference between the average temperatures of the coldest and warmest months is only 15°. Therefore, along the coasts of Italy, especially on the Ligurian Riviera, famous climatic resorts stretch in a chain.
The climate of the Padan Plain is transitional from subtropical to temperate, and closer to temperate continental. Summer here is almost as hot as on the Apennine Peninsula (average July temperature + 23-24°C), but winter is cold and foggy (average January temperature is about 0°), sometimes frosts down to -10°. Snow lies on the plains for 20-30 days, at an altitude of 1000 m above sea level - 2.5 months, and at an altitude of 2000 m - up to 200 days. Of the 600-1000 mm of annual precipitation, half occurs here in spring and summer. They often fall in the form of heavy downpours, sometimes catastrophic. In summer there are frequent thunderstorms and hail.
In the Alps, the climate varies with altitude from warm temperate to cold. Those facing wet areas receive the most precipitation. west winds the slopes of the Carnic Alps (in the valley of the Isonzo River - over 3300 mm per year), in the remaining Alpine regions an average of 1000 mm of precipitation falls per year. Often in the Alps there are such heavy snowfalls that the passes become impassable. In winter, a dry and warm foehn - tramontana - often blows in the foothills, and a strong cold wind - bora - blows from the low mountains near Trieste.
According to table. 1, Italy can rightfully be called “the main garden of Europe”.
Table 1. Average daily temperatures (all indicated in degrees above zero).
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Every year in the country, harvests reach 55 million centners of fruits, such as apples, pears, peaches, and cherries (Fig. 2). Most of the apples and pears are grown in the north of the country. Peaches, apricots, and figs are grown in Campania. In the southern regions, cultivation of almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts is widespread.
Italy is one of the significant producers of citrus fruits, whose harvests amount to about 30 million centners (Fig. 3). Most citrus fruits are grown in the south of the country, especially on the island. Sicily. In addition to the already well-known oranges, plantations of bergamot and lime are grown here.
Fig.2. Berries and fruits of Italy.
Fig.3. Citrus fruits of Italy.
Bergamot is used to make an essence that is used to make perfumes and is added to tea in very small quantities. Traditional grape growing plays not only a symbolic historical role, but also an economically viable production. About 250 grape varieties are grown in Italy. The most widely distributed are 15 of all varieties. The yield reaches 120 million centners per year and there is a constant struggle with France for the palm. Vineyards are everywhere and harmonize perfectly with the local landscape. Apulia and Sicily produce the largest grape harvest. Another equally famous crop is the olive, widely distributed throughout the country. 90% of the total harvest belongs to the southern part of the country.
Growing fruit in Italy has become so famous over the centuries that many local farmers now give lessons in the skill to their colleagues. Moreover, these are not some one-day meetings of business partners, but full-fledged advanced training courses, which are extremely difficult to get into.
Viticulture in Italy has flourished since ancient times. Although the climate of Italy is heterogeneous, since its territory stretches 11° from north to south, grapes are grown in almost every region.
After France, Italy is the world's largest producer and consumer of wine. Table grapes are consumed in large quantities within the country, but only part of it is exported to other European countries. Some grapes are dried to meet local needs for raisins, sultanas and currants (about 3 thousand tons), but industrial drying of grapes has not been developed.
In the spaces between the grape bushes, grains or other annual crops are sown. About 1054 thousand hectares are occupied only by vineyards. Taking into account grapes planted together with other crops, total area under grapes is approximately 1680 thousand hectares. The total volume of wine production reaches 48 million hl per year.
The most famous Italian wines are produced in the regions of Piedmont, Venice and Tuscany. The best varietal wine is obtained from Nebbiolo berries grown in the Barolo vineyards in Piedmont. The same area produces Barbaresco, Barbera, Grinolino and Fresia wines. Here is also the birthplace of Italian vermouth and the widely known asti spumate - sparkling wine made from white Muscat (Fig. 4).
Italy produces 428 thousand tons of table grapes. About half of this quantity, especially that part which is consumed domestically, consists of selected bunches of wine varieties. The table viticulture region is now expanding and is located south of Rome, centered on Bari. The main variety here is Regina (Fig. 5). Italy exports table grapes to Germany, France and Switzerland.
Fig.4. White Muscat grape variety.
Fig.5. Regina grape variety. Varietal capers are also grown in Italy. The best varieties
buds are not inferior to grapes in terms of profitability. The plant is light-loving and drought-resistant. It grows in one place for more than 15 years. Capers are propagated by seeds, parts of a bush or layering. The green, ovoid, cucumber-shaped fruits open when ripe like a tulip flower. Withstands frosts down to –8°C. Therefore, this plant is suitable for the Italian climate. From one bush per season you can harvest up to three kilograms, while the cost of cultivation is minimal. The most valuable are the ovaries measuring up to one centimeter in length. Ripe fruits are juicy and sweet taste
In cooking, capers are rarely used whole; they are usually mashed with salt or herbs, or finely chopped to distribute the salty flavor throughout the dish. Using even a small amount of capers in borscht and solyanka does not involve adding salt in its pure form, so it is recommended to rinse the capers well or soak them in water before using, thereby removing excess saltiness.
Pickled capers can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time (up to 9 months), but under one condition - they must be covered with marinade. Pickled capers retain their readiness for consumption well even when room temperature. Capers go well with a wide range of foods, but we will still present a few win-win options that have been tested for several hundred years.
So, capers emphasize the taste of lamb, beef, chicken and other types of meat, and are also good in tandem with any seafood. Capers are often added to pasta along with olive oil or butter. Combinations of capers with mozzarella, feta cheese and feta are very tasty, and if you add crushed capers to mayonnaise, you get a quick and original sauce.
Also, the Italian climate is perfect for olives. Loose sandy and loamy soils with sufficient lime content are most favorable for olive. Tolerant to some soil salinity. The most valuable product obtained from olive fruits is olive oil. It has an excellent taste, is 98% digestible (sunflower oil is only 80%), and is widely used in cooking and in the production of high-grade canned food.
86% of the total olives are produced in the Mediterranean region. Over the past few years, olive cultivation has steadily expanded to a large number of geographical zones, in response to the increasing consumption of olive oil, due to its nutritional value and recognized beneficial properties for good health .
Geographical location, climate and vegetation determined the main trends in Italian cuisine.
Full title: Italian Republic (Italian)Repubblica Italiana).
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State capital : Rome. Official language : Italian. Political system : Republic (President). Main religion : Catholicism (Catholics). Has common borders with states : France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia. Geographical position : Italy is a predominantly mountainous country. In the north are the southern slopes of the Alps with the highest point of Western Europe, Mount Mont Blanc (4808 m), to the south is the Padan Plain; on the peninsula there are the Apennine mountains (the highest point is Mount Corno Grande, 2914 m). Active volcanoes (Vesuvius, Etna); earthquakes are frequent. Population: 59.5 million people (as of 2007), 94% are Italians, 2% are French. Administrative division : The country is divided into 20 regions (of which 5 have a special status), comprising 110 provinces as an administrative-territorial unit. Autonomous regions have their own parliaments - regional councils and governments - juntas, which have powers in matters of local self-government. |
Italy… This is a treasured word for many travelers. Here, past and present are in amazing harmony: new buildings are being erected on the ruins of ancient Roman walls, modern museums display exhibits from the pre-Roman period, young people in luxury cars rush along the busy streets, and somewhere high in the mountains their grandparents carefully preserve traditions and rituals of centuries ago. The attractive power of Italy forces us to overcome the bustle of train stations and airports in order to feel the spirit of distant eras settled on the ruins Colosseum, feel the playful spirit of the Venetian carnival, hear the melodic ringing of the bells of numerous temples, look at the immortal creations of great masters - Leonardo, Michelangelo,Raphael And Botticelli, plunge into the waters warm sea on a beautiful golden beach or ski down the breathtaking heights of the snow-white alpine slopes. Italy also has many restaurants and cafes with gourmet cuisine, the most famous football clubs with crowds of excitedly bawling tifosi fans, Italian mafia, luxurious Italian cars, fashion houses and boutiques of world-famous fashion brands, many types of coffee, bars and discos filled with young people. So, Italy is glad to welcome you!
Geographical position
Italy seems somewhat distant from other European countries due to its geographical location: located on the Apennine Peninsula in the Mediterranean basin, it is delimited from Europe by mountains and sea. Italy also occupies some part of the continental territory, the southern slopes of the Alps, the islands of Sardinia, Sicily and small coastal islands. In the north it borders with Austria and Switzerland, in the northwest with France, and in the east with Slovenia. The coasts of Italy are washed by the waters of five seas at once: in the east - the waters of the Adriatic Sea, in the south - the Ionian and Mediterranean, in the west - the Tyrrhenian, Ligurian and Mediterranean seas. Italy to equally can be called both a maritime and a mountainous country, since its total area is 301,250 sq. km, of which the territory from the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea occupies about 300 thousand sq. km. Italy has two active volcanoes - Vesuvius And Etna, as well as the highest mountain in Europe - Mont Blanc, or, as the Italians themselves call it, Monte Bianco.
There are also two independent states on Italian territory: Vatican- the residence of the head of the Catholic Church - the Pope, and San Marino. The capital of Italy is the city of Rome - one of the most ancient cities in the world (founded around 753 BC). Today the population of Rome is 1.2 million people.
Climate
Temperatures in January - the coldest month in Italy - range from -1 to -12°C, in July - from +23 to +32°C. Half of the annual precipitation falls in winter months, and in the north - in spring and autumn. Winter in Italy is quite mild, but it often rains in January-February. Milan and surrounding provinces are characterized by foggy winters and hot summers. And most sunny place in Italy is the southeastern coast of Sardinia: the largest number of sunny days per year is recorded here.
Political structure
Italy is a parliamentary republic. The legislative body is a bicameral parliament (Chamber of Deputies and Senate).
Religion
In Italy, the Catholic religion predominates (99%), which is not surprising for a country in which the stronghold of the Catholic faith is located - the city-state of the Vatican and the residence of the Pope.
The remaining 1% is distributed among other denominations.
Holidays
Italians love and know how to celebrate. As in any other country, secular and religious holidays are celebrated in Italy, therefore, when going on a trip, it will be useful to know where and when festivities and special events take place.
As throughout the world, on the night from December 31 to January 1, Italians celebrate New Year . It is customary to meet him in the family, at discos or in restaurants. When walking under the windows of houses on New Year's Eve, be careful: this holiday is traditionally accompanied not only by the shooting of firecrackers and firecrackers, but also by throwing out all sorts of junk and old unusable dishes from the windows.
January 1 is also celebrated World Peace Day: on this day of Peter the Pope celebrates a solemn mass in the Cathedral of St. Petra.
If you want to go to the famous Italian carnival, then plan your trip from the day of Epiphany until the beginning of Lent. Carnivals in Venice and Viareggio are very popular. The latter hosts a mask parade several times during the carnival season. And you can get to the famous “orange fights” in the Piedmontese city of Ivrea. The main spring holiday is Easter. Its celebration begins on Easter Monday and lasts until the end of the week. On this day, it is customary to give children chocolate eggs with surprises hidden inside.
April 25 – celebrated in Italy Day of liberation from fascism, 1st of May - Labor Day, and on the first Sunday in June the Day of the Proclamation of the Republic is celebrated.
Nov. 1 - All Saints' Day
Italy is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of economic development. She is the key European country, member of the EU, NATO. The exceptional role of Italy in development international tourism, which is associated not only with a favorable geographical location, but also its special role in the formation and development of European civilization. Main features geographical location of Italy due to its wide access to the Mediterranean Sea. The coastal position compensates for the inconvenience of the land borders of Italy, which pass mainly through the Alpine mountains. Land connections with neighboring European countries are maintained through a system of Alpine tunnels and passes. This creates difficulties in their implementation in winter, and also leads to environmental problems.
Natural conditions and resources. 80% of the country's borders are maritime, and more than 3% of Italy's territory is occupied by mountains and hills. Primorskoe geographical location of Italy, subtropical Mediterranean climate and mountainous terrain are the main natural factors determining the development of the country. The natural conditions of northern Italy are determined by its alpine position. The Alps encircle the country from the north, protecting it from the penetration of cold air currents. Here is the largest in Italy, the Polyanskaya Lowland, and the longest (652 km) and most important river flows. economic importance river of the country - Po. The few tributaries originating in the Alps and Apennines have significant hydroelectric potential.
Own energy resources satisfy the country's needs by 10-15%. Mineral energy resources are represented by insignificant reserves of oil and natural gas. The energy of Alpine rivers and thermal springs is used.
Feature agroclimatic resources V geographical position of Italy, are a high supply of heat and light and a lack of moisture. Therefore, a significant part of agricultural land needs irrigation. Natural vegetation is represented by unproductive thickets of low-growing trees and shrubs. Anthropogenic landscapes dominate. In many areas, environmental problems related to marine pollution and land degradation are acute. Generally natural conditions favorable for people’s lives and the development of many sectors of the economy. The country's asset is its powerful natural and recreational potential. 
Population. In the 20th century The demographic situation in Italy was very unstable. Until the 70s of the XX century. The country was distinguished by high natural population growth (more than 10%) and intensive emigration. Before the Second World War, emigrants were sent mainly overseas - to the countries of America: the USA. Canada, Argentina and others, then to Western European countries. At the end of the 20th century. demographic situation changed dramatically. The birth rate has declined and natural increase is now negative. The process of population aging has begun. The number of immigrants has increased sharply: not only due to the countries of the Balkan Peninsula, African and Asian Mediterranean, but also due to the return of Italians to their homeland. These demographic changes were caused by an increase in the standard of living in the country, the acceleration of urbanization processes, and changes in the social status of women. Italians make up 95% of the population. The vast majority of them are Catholics.
The share of the urban population is 90%. The largest city- Rome. There are three large agglomerations - Milan, Naples and Rome. There is no clear superiority of any one urban center. At the same time, recently the population in most of the largest cities has been declining, while small and medium-sized cities (especially coastal ones), on the contrary, are growing.
Farming. After the Second World War, Italy's economy began to develop rapidly. Attraction of foreign capital (mainly from the USA), cheap labor, low military expenses, income from tourism, the active role of the state in modernizing production and developing the service sector - all this contributed to the fact that the level economic development Italy is closer to the leaders European states. The most popular “fast food” in the world today is Italian pizza. It has won a strong place on the tables of many countries because it easily adapts to the characteristics of local national cuisines.
