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Shaped like a boot, complete with heel and
toe, italy juts out far into the Mediterranean Sea
from southern europe. between the country’s
east and west coasts rise the apennine
Mountains, which divide italy into two along
its length. Northern italy is green and fertile,
stretching from the snowcapped alps to the
middle of the country. it includes farmlands
in the great flat valley of the po River, and large
industrial towns, such as turin and Milan. Factories
in the north produce cars, textiles, clothes, and
electrical goods. these products have helped
make italy one of the most prosperous countries in
europe. Southern italy, by contrast, is dry and rocky.
there is less farming and industry, and the people
are poorer. Sicily and Sardinia, the two largest
islands of the Mediterranean, are also part of italy.
Rome, the capital, lies at the center of the nation.
it is the home of italy’s democratic government
and also the Vatican, the headquarters of the
Roman Catholic Church.CaRS
the italian auto industry
produces some of europe’s
finest cars. Manufacturers
such as alfa Romeo, Ferrari,
and lamborghini have always
had a reputation for speed
and stylish design.RoMe
a walk through Rome is like a walk
through history. Since the city was
first built more than 2,500 years
ago, each new generation has added
something. today, modern city life
goes on around ancient Roman
arenas, 15th-century churches, and
17th-century palaces. like many of
italy’s historic towns, Rome attracts
thousands of tourists every year.agRiCultuRe
italian farmers grow almost
enough to feed italy’s population of
61.8 million. they also export fresh
and processed food. italy is famous
for its olives and olive oil, tomatoes,
wine, pasta, cheese, fruit, and meat
products, such as salami and ham.
italy also grows large quantities of
grain, particularly wheat, as well
as rice, potatoes, and sunflowers,
which are used to make cooking
oil. almost one-third of italians
live in rural areas.VeNiCe
Venice is one of the world’s oldest cultural and
tourist cities. From the late medieval period, it
became europe’s greatest seaport, serving as the
continent’s commercial and cultural link to asia.
like many other italian towns, Venice boasts
magnificent buildings from the past. its ornate
marbled and frescoed palaces, towers, and domes
attract thousands of tourists every year. the city
was built on about 120 small islands, in a lagoon
that remains permanently flooded. a causeway
more than 2.5 miles (4 km) long connects Venice
with mainland italy. Cars are not allowed in the
old city, and people travel by boat on more than
170 canals. the traditional boat, called a gondola
(above), is still a common form of transportation.italy is in southern europe and
forms part of the northern coast
of the Mediterranean Sea. it shares
borders with France, Switzerland,
austria, and Slovenia.ita ly
Many Italian farmhouses are old and
picturesque; the machinery is usually modern.Ferrari makes one of the
leading Grand Prix
racecars.paSta
there are
at least 200
shapes of pasta,
including ravioli,
spaghetti, and
macaroni. pasta is a
type of dough made from durum wheat flour,
which is rich in gluten, a kind of protein.
Served with a tasty sauce, it is
italy’s favorite dish. Marco
polo is said to have brought
the recipe for pasta from
China to italy.US_290_Italy_1.indd 290 21/01/16 5:01 pm