FIND OUT MORE. Christianity 288 • Farming 66 • Fishing 67 • Painting 320–321
People and Places^253
GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM,
BILBAO, SPAIN 3
The sleek lines of Bilbao’s
Guggenheim Museum house
a collection of modern art.
The museum opened in
1977, adding to the
cultural life of
Spain’s most
important port.1 FARMING IN SWITZERLAND
The lush, green pastures on Switzerland’s mountains are used for
grazing cattle. The milk the cows produce is used to make Emmental
cheese, and chocolate, two of the country’s best-selling exports.
Gleaming
titanium tiles
on a strong
steel frameCurved walls
make the
building look
like a sculptureWHAT IS THE WORLD’S SMALLEST
INDEPENDENT STATE?
Vatican City, situated in the heart of Italy’s capital,
Rome, is a state in its own right, yet it’s no larger
than the size of a city park. This tiny state is the
headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and the
home of the Pope, who is also head of state. The
Vatican City has its own flag, national anthem,
stamps, and radio station – even
though its population numbers
under 1,000.WHY DOES THE SMALL ISLAND OF MALTA
HAVE AN IMPORTANT SEAPORT?
Malta has an important port because the island lies
on major trade shipping routes between Europe,
Africa, and Asia. In the past, Malta’s strategic position
has led to invasions by Roman, Arab, French, Turkish,
Spanish, and British forces, who have all wanted
to control the island. Independent since 1964,
Malta’s main income comes from its port facilities and
tourist industry.
WHY IS SWITZERLAND ONE OF
THE WORLD’S WEALTHIEST COUNTRIES?
Switzerland’s is one of the world’s richest countries
thanks to a successful financial industry. The country
has neutral status and has enjoyed peace and political
stability for nearly 200 years, partly due to its refusal
to take part in wars since 1815. This fact, combined
with low taxes, and strict secrecy laws, has made
Switzerland a major banking centre.
PORTUGAL
Capital city: Lisbon
Area: 92,391 sq km
(35,672 sq miles)
Population: 10.6 million
Official language: Portuguese
SPAIN
Capital city: Madrid
Area: 504,782 sq km
(194,896 sq miles)
Population: 45.5 million
Official languages: Spanish,
Galician, Basque, Catalan
ANDORRA
Capital city: Andorra la
Vella
Area: 468 sq km
(181 sq miles)
Population: 83,800
Official language: Catalan
FRANCE
Capital city: Paris
Area: 547,030 sq km
(211,209 sq miles)
Population: 62.3 million
Official language: French
MONACO
Capital city: Monaco
Area: 1.95 sq km
(0.75 sq miles)
Population: 32,700
Official language: French
SWITZERLAND
Capital city: Bern
Area: 41,290 sq km
(15,942 sq miles)
Population: 7.6 million
Official languages: French,
German, Italian
ITALY
Capital city: Rome
Area: 301,230 sq km
(116,305 sq miles)
Population: 59.8 million
Official language: Italian
VATICAN CITY
Capital city: Vatican City
Area: 0.44 sq km
(0.17 sq miles)
Population: 826
Official languages: Italian, Latin
SAN MARINO
Capital city: San Marino
Area: 61 sq km
(23.6 sq miles)
Population: 31,000
Official language: Italian
MALTA
Capital city: Valletta
Area: 316 sq km
(122 sq miles)
Population: 412,000
Official languages: Maltese and
EnglishWESTERN EUROPE1 VATICAN CITY, ROME
St Peter’s Square lies in front of the Basilica in the middle of the
Vatican. On important feast days, it fills with Roman Catholic pilgrims
and tourists who gather to hear the word of the Pope.