Borders
The Italian Republic is a country of Southern Europe.
It borders France to the west, Switzerland and Austria to the north, Slovenia to the east.

It is composed by:

• a continental part bordered by the Alps;
• a peninsular part which extends as far as the Mediterranean Sea;
• an insular part which includes Sardinia and Sicily.

Italy has got twenty regions:

• Valle d�Aosta;
• Piemonte;
• Liguria;
• Lombardia;
• Veneto;
• Friuli Venezia-Giulia;
• Trentino Alto Adige;
• Emilia Romagna;
• Toscana;
• Umbria;
• Marche;
• Molise;
• Abruzzo;
• Campania;
• Basilicata;
• Puglia;
• Calabria;
• Sardegna;
• Sicilia;
• Lazio.

Italian mountains

The two important chains of mountains are the Alps and the Penines which run across Italy.
The highest Italian mountains are:

• Mont Blanc
• Monte Rosa;
• Monte Cervino;

• Lake Garda;
• Lake Maggiore;
• Lake Como;
• Lake Trasimeno.

• the Po;
• the Tevere;
• the Adige;
• the Arno.

Italian cities
Rome is the capital of Italy.
In the centre of the city there is the City of Vatican, the heart of Christianity.
Its historic centre is very famous in the world.

Other important Italian cities are:

• Milan;
• Naples;
• Turin;
• Palermo;
• Genoa;
• Bologna;
• Florence;
• Bari;
• Venice.

Italian food
Italian food is very tasty.
It includes typical elements of Mediterranean diet.
Every region has got a typical dish.
The most famous Italian dishes are pizza and pasta.

Italian culture
Art and music are the most important fields of Italian culture.
The most famous works of art are in Florence, Pisa, Milan, Rome, Pompei, Cagliari.

They are:

• Giotto�s bell tower;
• The Sistine Chapel;
• The Tower of Pisa;
• Milan Cathedral;
• The Coliseum;
• The Archeogical site of Pompei;
• St. Peter�s Cathedral;
• Nuraghes.

Instead Italian music became famous thanks to composers like Puccini, Verdi and Paganini.

Borders
It is bordered by France to the west, Switzerland to the north and the region of Piedmont to the south and east.

Geography
The natural landscape of Valle d�Aosta is nearly entirely composed of Alpine relief (Graian Alps and Pennine Alps) dominated by the peaks and glaciers of Monte Bianco, Gran Paradiso, Monte Rosa, Cervino and Gran Combin, so Valle d�aosta could be considered as the vastest complex of mountains and valleys in Europe. There are numerous passageways: Piccolo San Bernandino; two tunnels: Monte Bianco and of Gran San Bernardo. The minor valleys are: val di Cogne, Valsavarenche, val de la Thuile, valle di Gressoney, Valtournanche, val Ferret. The region has only one real river The Dora Baltea which flows south to join the Po. There are a lot of artificial lakes.

Capital city
The capital city of Valle d�Aosta is Aosta.

Economy
Aosta Valley remained agricultural and pastoral until the construction of dams for hydroelectric power brought metal-working industry to the region. Today it is also a major centre for winter sports, especially Courmayeur and Cervinia.

Products
In Valle d�Aosta there are typical products: wines, cheese ( the typical one is fontina) , handicraft, salami, and products from industry.

Linda

Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The main-town is Turin. Piedmont borders France.to the west Valle D�Aosta to the north-west , Switzerland to the north, Lombardy to the East and Liguria to the south . In Piedmont there are 56 National Parks. The most important Park is Gran Paradiso National Park. Piedmont is divided into eight provinces: Alessandria, Asti, Biella, Cuneo, Novara, Turin, Verbania e Vercelli.

Mountains
The most important mountains in Piedmont are M.Rosa e Monviso. M.Rosa is the second highest montain of the Alps.

Rivers
The most important river are the Po, the Tanaro, the Bormida, the Dora Baltea, the Belbo . The Po is the longest river in Italy.

Economy
Piedmont isan agricoltural region. It produces wine. The most important wines are Barolo, Barbera e Moscato. In Piedmont there are many industrial centres. In Turin there is FIAT. In Cuneo there is FERRERO,the chocolate factory. In 2006 Turin hosted the XX Olympic Winter Games.

Town
The most important cities in Piedmont are Turin , Asti and Cuneo. Turin is the fourth city for population after Rome , Milan and Naples. And Turin is the third city after Rome and Milan for economy. Cuneo is one of the province of Piedmont. In Cuneo there is a small airport.

Food
The most typical dishes in Piedmont are Bagna Cauda, Brasato al Barolo, Tabarin, Agnolotti and Lumache alla Barbera.

Friuli borders Venezia Giulia (with which it forms the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia), the Italian region of Veneto to the west, the republic of Austria to the north and the republic of Slovenia to the east. It is situated between the Alps to the north and the Adriatic Sea to the south. The principals chains of mountains are: the Alps Carniche, the Alps Giulie, the Alps Tolmezzine, Prealps Carniche and Prealps Giulie. In the South there are also sub alpine hills and Carsic highlands. The most important rivers are: the Isonzo, the Tagliamento and the Livenza. There are also some lake: the lake of Cavazzo, the lake of Doberdo and the lake of Tramonti.

The main town is Trieste; other important towns are Udine, Gorizia, Pordenone (that are provinces), and also Latisana, Lignano Sabbiadoro (for tourism) and Monfalcone; Venzone is famous for the terrible earthquake in 1976.

Agriculture isn�t largely developed, but cattle breeding is developing. The industry is developed above all in Pordenone and in Trieste. The sector of service is developing too.

The typical products are the raw ham San Daniele, some famous wines, which are Aquilea, Tocai of Lison, Tocai of Pinot, Merlot, Latisana, Refosco, Verduzzo, Isonzo, Grave of the Friuli, Colli Orientali of Friuli, Merlot of Pramaggiore, Cabernet of Pramaggiore, and grappa.

The typical dishes are the gubana, similar to Hungarian goulash, stewed pork and blood (called mulis), the broth at Grado (prepared with all local fish), lasagne with poppy and beans , the bisna (polenta, beans and cabbage), cialzons (ravioli with herbs), brovada (white turnips) with cotechino.

In Friuli there are many languages and dialects, because it is in a particular position, that favours the presence of so many different dialects.

Eleonora

Tuscany is one of the twenty regions of Italy and it is in the centre. It borders Emilia Romagna to the North, Liguria to the North-West, Tirrhenian Sea to the West. Umbria and Marche to the east, Lazio to the South-east. Tuscany is very montanious and hilly, but there are some plains, for example the Valley of the Arno river. In the North.-east there are: the Alpi Apuane and Mount Pisano, mount Pratesi and Mount Pistoiese. The principal rivers are: the Arno and the Ombrone. The capital city is Florence; most importants towns are: Arezzo, Grosseto, Livorno, Lucca, Massa Carrara, Pistoia, Prato, Siena and Pisa, it is famous for the tower of Pisa. Finally there is Elba, that is an island of the Tuscan archipelago . In Tuscany there are a lot of typical products. The tipical dishes are. Bistecca alla fiorentina , la ribollita, la scottiglia. The typical products are: olive oil, brunella di Montalcino e chianti.

Sardinia is the second greatest island of the Mediterranean Sea.
It is surrounded by: the Tyrrhenian Sea to the East, the Sardinia Sea to the West, the Channel of Sardinia to the South and the mouths of Bonifacioto the North.
Mountains: The mountains are: Gennargentu, with Punta Lamarmora, Limbara and Punta Palai.
There is a peninsula that is Sinis.
Rivers: The longest river is the Tirso. Other rivers are: Temo, Rio Palmas and Rio Mannu.
Lakes: The most important lake, and the only natural one, is Baraz lake. There are also a lot of artificial lakes.
Towns: Sardinia is divided into four provinces that are Cagliari, the chief town, Nuoro, Oristano and Sassari.
Economy: Sardinia is the richest Italian region in minerals that, with agriculture, were the main resources in the past but now the most important activity is tourism.
Gastronomy: First typical dish is �porcheddu arrustu�, roasted pig and very famous is �bread carasau�.
Sardinia offers also a great production of�pecorino cheese�.
Traditions: Sardinian traditional music is very old and the typical musical instruments are the launeddas that accompain typical dances.

Campania is a region of Southern Italy, bordering Latio to the north-west, Abruzzo and Molise to the north, Appulia to the north-east, Basilicata to the east, and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west.

Main town: Naples.

Provinces:

Campania is divided into five provinces:
Avellino	Benevento	Caserta	Naples	Salerno

There is a volcano east of Naples. It is the only volcano in the European continent to have erupted within the last hundred years, although it is not currently erupting. The other two volcanos in Italy (Etna and Stromboli) are located on islands.

Mount Vesuvius

Rivers:
The pricipals rivers of Campania are the Volturno, the Garigliano, the Calore and the Sele. These rivers flow to the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Economy:
Tourism is the economic resource of this region, Capri, Ischia and Positano,are considered unique and beautiful. A holiday area is Paestum, Pompei and Ercolano, where we can visit the ruins, the Temple of Neptune and other suggestive places.

Industry and products:
Industry is well developed, especially in the areas of Naples and Salerno. There are many factories for the transformation of agricultural products, in particular tomatoes, pasta, factories, and cheese.

Calabria is a region in southern Italy. It borders Basilicata to the north, the Messina strait to the south-west, the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west and the Ionian Sea to the east . It is located at the tip of the �boot� between the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west and the Ionian Sea and Gulf of Taranto to the east. Calabria has a hilly area: there are the plains of Scalea, Sant�Eufemia and Sibari. It has also some extensive mountainous areas: there is The Pollino Mountains, the vast upland of Sila and the Aspromonte Chain. There are many rivers: Croti, Neto, Trionto, Tacina, Amato and Mucone. There are also some lakes: Ampollino, Arvo, Cecita and Angitola.The climate is typically Mediterranean.
The main town of Calabria is Catanzaro. The most important towns are Crotone, Reggio Calabria Vibo Valentia and Cosenza.
The economy is represented by tourism.
The insufficient industrial development and the absence of big cities on the great part of the territory have allowed to preserve for a ong time an uncontaminated sea, andCalabria is still considered a naturalistic paradise.
The traditions of the people of Calabria testify a great past.
Many traditions are linked to religion (Christmas, Easter, patronal feasts etc.) , and in each event there are always some rituals and performances of great popular appeal. At Easter in many towns sacred representations involving the entire country are performed , for example Easter Tirinese Nocera, in the province of Catanzaro.
Ttypical products in Calabria are meat, vegetables and fish.
There is a tradition of preserving vegetables and meats in olive oil and along the coast fish especially swordfish, sardines and cod.
Other typical products are Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Olives, Hot chilli, Liquorice and Nuts.

The island of Sicily is the biggest island of Italy.
It�s a surrounded to the Tirreno sea and Ionic sea. The volcano Etna situated close to Catania, it the highest active volcano in Europe.
Oranges, lemons, olives, olive oil, almonds and wine are among its other agricultural products. Sicily is divided into nine provinces: Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Catania, Enna, Palermo, Siracusa, Ragusa end Trapani.
The most important rivers are the Semite river and the Alcantara river.
The most important mounts are the Peloritani and Grande Monte.
The most developed industry is the chemica onel. There is also Mafia in Sicily. The typical food in Sicily is the Canoli Siciliani. Sicily is a very beautiful island.