Italy is situated on the southern border of Europe and her peninsula, with surrounding islands, reaches almost to the coast of Africa. Because of the geographical position, Italy has direct contact with the main ethnic and cultural areas of the Old World (neo-Latin, Germanic and Slav-Balkan) as well as, through the North African countries, with the world of Arab-Islamic civilization.
Consequently, while remaining firmly entrenched in the world of western or European civilization, which was the direct heir of the Greco-Roman culture that developed and flourished on this very peninsula for over a millennium, Italy seems to stretch out towards the opposite shore of the Mediterranean, basically dividing its western and eastern basins. Thus Italy can be considered a logical link between Europe and the peoples of Africa and Asia, bordering as they do on the same sea and sharing centuries of historical events and cultural influences.
Still today, Italy, with her renewed productivity and a policy of peaceful co-existence with all countries, provides a source of stability and moderation within the political context of this part of the Old World.
Consequently, while remaining firmly entrenched in the world of western or European civilization, which was the direct heir of the Greco-Roman culture that developed and flourished on this very peninsula for over a millennium, Italy seems to stretch out towards the opposite shore of the Mediterranean, basically dividing its western and eastern basins. Thus Italy can be considered a logical link between Europe and the peoples of Africa and Asia, bordering as they do on the same sea and sharing centuries of historical events and cultural influences.
Still today, Italy, with her renewed productivity and a policy of peaceful co-existence with all countries, provides a source of stability and moderation within the political context of this part of the Old World.
Italy's territory covers 301,318 sq km which is approximately 34% of Europe's landmass. Italy's territorial extent is considerably smaller than that of France, Spain and Sweden, while only being slightly less than that of Finland, Norway and Poland.
Its northern border corresponds with the Alpine watershed and its territory is divided into 20 different regions: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Marche, Molise, Piedmont, Apulia, Sardinia, Aosta Valley, Tuscany, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Sicily, and Veneto.
The structure of the Italian territory differs considerably. Besides the continental section (Alps and Po-Venetian Plain), there is a long and indented peninsula that is almost completely occupied by the Apennine chain, the two large islands (Sicily and Sardinia) marking the borders of the Tyrrhenian Sea and many other minor island groups (Tuscan Archipelago, Lipari Islands, etc.). This produces long distances between the country 's extremities. In fact, along the Trieste parallel this is of some 540 km, while along that of Otranto, to the western coast of Sardinia, it is some 845 km. Finally, the greatest latitudinal distance is measured along the meridian of the Pelagian Islands for some 1,290 km.
It should also be noted that the geographical form of Italy favors the maritime. Indeed, the most inland zones of the peninsula are little more than 100 km from the sea, and on the two largest islands the distance is rarely greater than 50 km. Even for continental Italy the zone furthest from the sea (the Spluga Pass in the Lombard Alps) is only just 230 km away. Finally, the Italy's land borders around 7,500 km of coasts, over half of which belong just to the islands. In particular, Sicily has a perimeter of 1,115 km, Sardinia 1336 km and the minor islands 1,734 km.
Its northern border corresponds with the Alpine watershed and its territory is divided into 20 different regions: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Marche, Molise, Piedmont, Apulia, Sardinia, Aosta Valley, Tuscany, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Sicily, and Veneto.
The structure of the Italian territory differs considerably. Besides the continental section (Alps and Po-Venetian Plain), there is a long and indented peninsula that is almost completely occupied by the Apennine chain, the two large islands (Sicily and Sardinia) marking the borders of the Tyrrhenian Sea and many other minor island groups (Tuscan Archipelago, Lipari Islands, etc.). This produces long distances between the country 's extremities. In fact, along the Trieste parallel this is of some 540 km, while along that of Otranto, to the western coast of Sardinia, it is some 845 km. Finally, the greatest latitudinal distance is measured along the meridian of the Pelagian Islands for some 1,290 km.
It should also be noted that the geographical form of Italy favors the maritime. Indeed, the most inland zones of the peninsula are little more than 100 km from the sea, and on the two largest islands the distance is rarely greater than 50 km. Even for continental Italy the zone furthest from the sea (the Spluga Pass in the Lombard Alps) is only just 230 km away. Finally, the Italy's land borders around 7,500 km of coasts, over half of which belong just to the islands. In particular, Sicily has a perimeter of 1,115 km, Sardinia 1336 km and the minor islands 1,734 km.