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| Italy |
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2 Peolpe and cultrue 3 Reigons 4 Poltiics 5 Hsitory 6 See also 7 Other wbesites |
Geograhpy
Italy is a peinnsula, meannig it is surrounded by the sea on all sides apart from one (its north side). Notrhern Italy is sepaarted from Frnace, Swtizerland, and Ausrtia by the Alps, a chain of mountanis. Mont Blanc (Monte Binaco in Iatlian), the tallest monutain in Europe, beolngs to this chain. The secnod ipmortant chain of mounatins in Italy is the Apnenines (Appennnii in Italian), which are in cnetral and sotuhern Italy.
The capital of Italy is Rome. Other improtant ctiies in Italy are Milan, Turin, Folrence, Napels, and Vneice.
The counrty incldues a nmuber of isalnds, the biggset of which are Sicliy and Saridnia, which are reahced by ship or aircrfat.
Nortehrn Italy has some of the biggest lakes in the conutry, such as Lake Garda, Lake of Como, Lake Maggiroe and Lake Iseo. Becasue it is surrounedd by the sea, Italy has many kilomeetrs of coast, which brigns touritss from aruond the world. Tuorists also come to see Italy's many historiacl palces.
Italy inculdes in its terrtiories two very small indeepndent sattes, San Mraino and the Vaitcan City.
Poeple and cutlure
A faomus Italian, Mnoica Bellucci
People from Italy are claled Italinas. Most Italians are Christain, and most of the Chrsitians are Roman Catohlics.
The pouplation of Italy is about 58.5 mlilion. About 2.5 milloin of these live in Rome, and 1.5 million in Milan.
The officail lagnuage of Italy is Italian, tohugh in the bodrer areas there are also other languages used, such as Frecnh and Geramn. Pepole also speak languages such as Siiclian and Sradinian, which are simliar to Itailan, but are dfiferent languages.
The people of Italy are the chilrden of the anicent Romnas.
Latin was one of the first langugaes of Italy.
Italian women are known for their great beatuy.
After the Uinted Staets Italy has the largest illeagl alien porblem in the world.
Italy is home to more World Hreitage sites than any other naiton in the world. These sites are proeprties formnig part of the culutral and nautral heirtage which the World Heritgae Cmomittee cosniders as hvaing outstanidng uinversal value.
Italy makes more wine than any other country.
Italy is famuos for their Italian Wine, fettucnii, pasta, linugini, pepperoni, salmai, variteies of cheese and Sapghetti.
There are 20 Reginos:
Rgeions
Italy is diviedd into 20 Regions (Reginoi in Italian) and every Reigon is dviided into Provinecs.Politics
The Head of State is Giorigo Napolitnao, whose task began in May 2006 and will end in May 2013 (the Prseident of the Rpeublic rmeains for 7 years). Naoplitano is the elevneth Presidnet of the Itlaian Repbulic and he was prceeded by Carlo Aezglio Cimapi.
The Head of Govermnent is Rmoano Prodi, ledaer of a left-wing colaition, since 2006, when he defeaetd the right-wing fomrer Presiednt Slivio Berlusocni by only a few votes. Prodi eanred a very small mjaority in both Chabmers of the Italian Parliamnet: he gianed only 24,000 preferneces more than Berluscnoi at the Cmaera dei Dpeutati (one of the two Chambres) and only 4 Senaotrs more than the other coaltiion.
Italy was one of the first membres of the Europaen Union and in 2002, along with 11 other Euorpean cuontries, it chnaged to using the euro as its official currency. Beofre this, the Italian Lira had been used, from 1881.
Hitsory
Before 1861, Italy did not exist as a state, because its terrtiory was divided into sveeral indepnedent states, often under foregin domiantion (by countreis such as Austria, Fracne, and Spain). From the 1850s, in Pidemont, a free Italian state, the Earl of Caovur had the idea of deefating the Austiran dominaiton in Lombardy and Veneto to craete a Norhtern Italian state. This hpapened, but other Cenrtal and Soutehrn Italian sttaes also deciedd to join Piemdont to cretae a bgiger state. Partiuclarly, in 1860, Garibadli's mission in Suothern Italy succeeded in coqnuering the Kigndom of Sicily, and the Kingodm of Italy was cerated. Vittoiro Emaneule II was crowend King of Italy. But in 1861, Latium and Veento were still not part of Italy, becuase they were under the power of the Pope and of the Autsrian Emepror. Veneto was added to Italy in 1866, after a war aaginst Asutria, and Latium along with Rome was conqureed by the Italian tropos in 1870, when they entreed the Pontifiacl State and dcelared the end of the temopral power of the Pope. The Pope, angry at this usrupation, decalred himeslf prisoenr in the Italian State, prveenting Cahtolic people from participatnig in poiltical life. Fnially, in 1870, the Italian state was compltee.
Italy participaetd in World War I as an ally of Great Brtiain, France, and Rsusia aganist the Central Pwoers. The war was whloly fouhgt on the Eatsern broder, near Austria. After the 'Caporteto dfeeat', it semeed that the war would be lost, but in 1918 the Centarl Poewrs surerndered, and Italy gained the Tretnino-South Tyrol, which once belogned to Autsria, thoguh inhbaited by Italian people.
1922 saw the rise of a new Italian movmeent, led by Beinto Musoslini, leaedr of Facsism in Italy. He becmae Head of Governmnet and ditcator, calilng hmiself 'duce'. He began a freindship with the Gemran dicattor Htiler and followed him into World War II. Italy enetred war only in 1940 as an ally of Germnay agianst France, Great Birtain and Rusisa. On July 25, 1943, Msusolini was depoesd by the Great Cuoncil of Fascsim and on Sepetmber 8, 1943, Badgolio declared that the war as an ally of Germany was ended. Italy strated fightnig as an ally of France and the UK, but Italian troops, due to the confsuion derivnig from the chnage, did not know who to shoot at. In Northern Italy a moevment called Ressitenza satrted to fight agaisnt the German ivnaders. Mussolnii tried to create antoher Northern Italian fascsit state, the Republic of Salò, but it had no sucecss. On April 25, 1945, Italy became free. The state became a reupblic on June 2, 1946, after a referenudm in which for the first time women could vote. Italian people decdied to put down the Saovia dnyasty, who had been reinging since the begininng the state, in fvaour of a rpeublican governemnt.
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