Territory

Italy is a peninsula in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Within the political limits of the state the independent territories of the Republic of San Marino and the Vatican City are included. As part of the Country we find numerous groups of islands: the Tuscany archipelago with seven inhabited islands, among which the island of Elba; Ponza, Ischia, Capri and Procida in Campania; the Aeolian, the Egadi, the Pelagie, Ustica and Pantelleria in Sicily; the archipelago of Maddalena, Tavolara, Molara, Asinara, S. Antioco and St Peter in Sardinia; Tremiti in Apulia. The territory is prevailingly mountainous (38.7%) and hilly (39.7%), only 21.6% is level. The coasts extend for 7,420 km. The country is subdivided in 20 regions. Five of them (Valle d'Aosta, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Sicily and Sardinia) have, from the administrative point of view, a special statute. The Regions, subdivided in their turn in 103 provinces and 8102 town halls, rule locally on delegated matters.

North-West
North-western Italy is characterized by three geologic situations: the alpine arc, the plain and the Mediterranean coasts. It is the zone economically more developed of the Country. Milan, Genoa and Turin form the so-called "industrial triangle", while the plain is an agricultural zone. The cities are rich of art, history and architectonic variety: from the medieval castles of Valle d'Aosta to the churches in Romanesque and gothic style of Lombardy, from the famous baroque school of Turin to the modern architecture of Genoa.

Nord-East
North eastern Italy is an excellent tourist destination. The snowy summits of the Dolomites are the magical background of many cities between Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto, scattered of medieval castles and skiing resorts. The plain cities, Verona, Vicenza and Padoa, are rich of monuments and museums, while the countryside welcomes the magnificent Palladian villas. Towards the sea, like a spell, on the islands of the lagoon Venice arises, where the bizantine domes and the Muslims minarets create the particular architectonic style called Gothic Venetian. Farther East, Friuli Venezia-Giulia encloses the beauties of mountains, of the adriatic beaches and of the ancient cities of art, it is the northerner region of Italy.

Centre
The beaches and the night life of Emilia Romagna and Versilia, the bays of the Conero peninsula in Marche, the art and the culture of the historical cities, the Tuscany hills with its villages and the Apennines landscapes attract every year beyond 50 million visitors. Here, with the Etrurian installations, was born the civilization of our Country and such masters as Giotto and Cimabue. Florence, cradle of the literary thought and of the culture, is one of the most fascinating artistic capital of the world. Umbria, with its medieval pearls, has a charming and matchless fascination. Lazio, with Rome as a capital, offers the inheritance of a millenarian history with a simple walk among its narrow lanes.

South
Southern Italy, earth of conquests and encounters among cultures, is a territory rich of traces of ancient civilizations and spectacular landscapes. The fertile Campania, that occupies heights and sinkings created by ancient volcanos, hosts the larger city of Southern Italy: Naples. Founded by the Greeks and enriched by the Romans on the well known gulf, dominated by the Vesuvio and encircled by the islands of Capri, Ischia and Procida, Naples offers charming panoramas and evocative artistic evidences. We find the intact rests of a completely Roman city in Pompei and Ercolano. Sardinia, with its Caribbean beaches, is witness of the mysterious prehistoric culture that has built the nuraghe, structures shaped as cone log that acted as fortresses. Apulia, under the Greek infuence for a long time, thanks to its position, is a region marked more by the external infuences instead of the Italian peninsula's. Charming coasts, fertile plains and plateaus extend until the Salento peninsula, with rare examples of Romanesque, Normans and Baroque architecture. Basilicata and Calabria maintain almost an incontaminate nature. Sicily, cross-roads of the Mediterranean, has inherited a cultural heritage so rich of mixtures to make it a wholly particular region. The traces of the past are visible everywhere, to frame the Arabic ornaments, the liveliest baroque and the spectacular coastline.

• Italian Government: http://www.governo.it/Istituzioni/index.html
  In the web site of the Italian Government it is possible to find the map of Italy with the link to the institutional sites of the Regions, Provinces and Town Councils chief town of Province.

Vatican City
http://www.vatican.va/vatican_city_state/index_it.htm
The Vatican City, recognized by the Lateran Treaty in 1929 as independent state, is under the sovereignty of the Pontiff. It is situated in the city of Rome, of which occupies less than half km squared. Belongs to it the St Peter's Basilica with the public square placed before, open to the public and subject to the Italian authorities. We should admire such treasures as the Sistine Chapel, the Rooms and the Loggias decorated by Raffaello.

Republic of San Marino
http://www.sanmarinosite.com/
The Republic of San Marino is one of the most ancient republics of the world. It is a small independent state and is located on the tosco-emilian Apennine. The population is Italian, as well as the official language. The inhabitants do not enjoy fiscal privileges. The tourism is the main activity, which, together with the proceeds coming from the philatelic activities and the customs formalities on tobaccos and playing-cards, contributes to its economic wealth.