1. Tuloso-Midway High School

2. Italy is located in southern Europe. It sticks out into the Mediterranean Sea and resembles a boot.

3. It takes about eight hours to fly from New York to Italy. If you leave New York at 9:00 at night you arrive in Italy at about 11:00 the next morning. That is because of the different time zones you fly through.

4. Rome is the capital of Italy and its largest city. In 2010, about 2.75 million people lived in Rome.

5. Italy is the 5 th most visited country in the world. Popular areas include The Alps in northern Italy, The Apennine Mountains in the center of Italy, running north to south and dividing the east and west coasts, and many of its cities. The Alps Apennine Mountains

6. Italy is about 116,000 square miles in size, about the size of Arizona. The United States is about 3.79 million square miles. The United States is about 33 times LARGER than Italy. As of 2013, about 60 million people lived in Italy.

7. Italy's climate differs depending on location within the country. The climate in northern areas is Highland. Most of Italy has a Mediterranean climate which has wet winters and hot, dry summers. In the summer, extremely hot temperatures can be found in the areas south of Rome. Pasitano Beach The Alps

8. Italy's largest cities are Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin, and Palermo. Florence, Genoa, and Bologna are other important cities. Rome, Italy Venice, Italy

9. There is a famous saying, "All roads lead to Rome." Rome is known as "the eternal city." It is filled with some of the world's most famous buildings like the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain. If you throw a coin over your left shoulder while you have your back to the fountain, it is supposed to bring you good luck and a quick return to Rome. Trevi Fountain Colosseum

10. Sistene chapel http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/sistin e-chapel-ceiling.htmlhttp://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/sistin e-chapel-ceiling.html

11. Vatican City is the only nation in the world that can lock its own gates at night. It has its own phone company, radio, T.V. stations, money, and stamps. It even has its own army, the historic Swiss Guard.

12. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is an Italian landmark. The tower's tilt began during construction, caused by an inadequate foundation on ground too soft on one side to properly support the structure's weight. The tilt increased in the decades before the structure was completed, and gradually increased until the structure was stabilized.

13. Milan is in northern Italy. About 1,300,000 people live in Milan. Milan is home to some of the world's most famous fashion designers. Milan is a modern city. In Milan you can find La Scala Opera House and see The Last Supper painted by Leonardo Da Vinci. You can also find Milan's Galleria, which is a street of stores and restaurants covered by a glass roof. Galleria La Scala Opera House The Last Supper

14. Naples is the most important seaport in Italy. It is the center of Italy's exporting business. About 1,000,000 people live in Naples. Mount Vesuvius (a volcano) is located near Naples. Naples, Italy Mt. Vesuvius

15. Florence is located in the Tuscany region in the center of Italy. It is known for its famous museums, architecture, and artwork. Florence is one of the world's most visited cities because of the paintings and statues on exhibit there. Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci are two of the famous artists whose work is on display. Florence, Italy David by Michelangelo Mona Lisa by da Vinci

16. Venice is in northeastern Italy. It is known as "the city of canals.". Today most Venetians travel by motor boats to get from place to place. Visitors can still use a gondola to see the city. GondolaGrand Canal, Venice Italy

17. Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. About 5 million people live on the island of Sicily. The volcano Mount Etna is located on Sicily. Agriculture is the main industry on Sicily. Farmers grow oranges and olives on some lower mountain slopes. Wheat is its most important crop.

18. Much of the land in Italy is used for farming. Olive trees are grow in the south. Olive oil is a very important ingredient in Italian cooking. The figs in Italy are also wonderful! Italy is famous for grapes used to make wine. Italian cheeses like parmesan and mozzarella are also popular all around the world. Other important crops are wheat, citrus fruits, and tomatoes.

19. The national sport of Italy is soccer.

20. Italian is a Romance language descended from Vulgar Latin, the dialect spoken by the people living during the last years of the Roman Empire. Italian has more Latin words than any other Romance languages, and its grammatical system remains similar to Latin. Latin is still the official language of the Vatican City in Rome.

21. Approximately 85% of Italians are Roman Catholics, with Protestants, Jews, and a growing Muslim community making up the minority.