Geography
Rome. Venice. Naples. People have heard of all these places, but have they ever had a chance to look at them? Look at the marvelous land features they offer? Italy is such an exquisite country, a place everyone should visit, or at least get a feel for! Full of overflowing life, Italy is a country with more features than countable.
This country's capital, Rome, is a well known capital. Rome’s absolute location is 42N and 13E, as well as Italy’s absolute location is 7E x 9E x 37N x 47N. Two other major cities located in Italy are Venice, which is located in Northern Italy, and Naples, which is located in Mid-Western Italy. Italy is located in the North and East Hemisphere.
Many countries border Italy, such as France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. It borders not one, not two, but four seas! Italy borders the Mediterainnian Sea, the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Adriatic Sea, and the Ligurian Sea. Italy's area in square miles is 116m x 320m. That is not big for a country, but Italy is full of fascinating features!
Italy has eight land regions: The Alpine Slope, Po Valley, Adriatic Plain, Apennines, Apulia and Southeastern Plains, Western Uplands and Plains, Sicily, and Sardania.
The Alpine Slope is the northernmost part of Italy. It has gaping mountains such as the Italian Alps, and cavernous valleys. The Italian Alps are a huge part of Italy, along with their highest peak reaching 15,777’, also known as Mont Blanc. At the bottom of the mountains, many luscious trees lay awaiting. High mountains have many rocks and glaciers, along with great places to take a ski vacation at. Hydroelectric plants run throughout the mountains, providing electricity for Italy.
Po Valley is the richest and most agricultural region. It is also the most populated region. Po Valley expands from the Italian Alps all the way to the Apennines. Waterways created from melted snow lead to the main river, Po, which is the center of the valley. Po River then drains to the Adriatic Sea.
The Adriatic Plain is the smallest region. It is north of the Adriatic Sea. It is not well populated, and consists mainly of limestone plateaus, which is not good for farming.
The Apennines is one of the largest regions. This region stretches all across Italy, and its mountains blanket the middle of Italy. The mountains are steep with eroding rocks from waterfalls or rain. On the lower level of the mountains, there are forests, vegetation, and beaches. The Arno and the Tiber rivers flow throughout the Apennines, at a great length of 252 miles for the Tiber. The forests are the largest in the country. The apennines offer low natural resources, yet a beautiful place to vacation.
The Apulia and Southeastern Plains are made of plateaus that end as cliffs hanging off the Mediteranian Sea. This region is the heart of olive oil in Italy. Fishing is one of the most important things to the Apulia and Southeastern Plains. Bari and Taranto are the main chief industrial cities.
The Western Uplands and Plains stretch from the Tyrrhenian Sea all the way to Salerano. This region is only second to Po Valley when it comes to agriculture. It has rich hill country in Tuscany and Umbria, which are coated up north. The Western Uplands and Plains are known for grains and livestock such as apricots, cherries, vegetables, and lemons.
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is separated by the Strait of Messina from the mainlands. Mountains and plains run all throughout the country, including Mount Ena, which is an active volcano. Mount Ena takes up a lot of landscape up north in this region. Severe erosion has unsettled the agriculture, and has made traveling hard during the wet season. Wheat farming and shepherding sheep are important for the interior of Sicily. Sicily is also the largest fishing region in Italy, as fishing is part of their food source.
Finally, the last region of Italy is Sardinia. Most of Sardinia is an island west of the Mediterranean Sea, consisting of high mountains and plateaus. Most of the good farmland is near the low coastal plains, and grapes are grown. Sardinia also provides cereal and artichokes.
The climate in Central and Southern Italy consists of hot summers and mild winters. The average temperature in summer is 86F, while the average temperature in winter is 41F. There is mild precipitation in Italy, as the average amount of rainfall is thirty-two inches, which falls mainly in winter.
In Northern Italy, the climate is about the same. In summers, it is hot, as the average is 80F. In winter, it is a bit colder than southern Italy, as the high is only 41F. All year round, rain will fall.
As said in the beginning, Italy is full of life and precious features. Someone can take just a moment to see what Italy is really full of. Italy is best described in one of Anna Akhmatova’s quotes,”Italy is a dream that keeps returning for the rest of your life.”