1. Italy is a Republic, founded by the union of Independent states, therefore it presents a variety of cultural and popular elements in language, cooking and folklore. There are twenty regions, Every region has a statute that serves as a regional constitution, as prescribed by the Constitution of Italy. The capital of Italy is Rome and it is situated in the region named Lazio, in the middle of the State.

2. The climate of Italy can be quite different from the stereotypical Mediterranean climate. Most of the northern regions of Italy have a humid continental climate, with harsh winters and hot summers. Mediterranean climate During the winter months the higher areas tend to be cold, and often snowy. The coastal areas of Liguria and most of the peninsula south of Florence generally fit the Mediterranean stereotype conditions: mild summer and winters, limited rains.LiguriaFlorence The south coastal regions have mild winters and warm and generally dry summers, and they can be quite hot in the summer.

3. Italy is a Republic. The Parliament of Italy is perfectly bicameral: the two houses, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic have the same powers.Parliament of ItalybicameralChamber of DeputiesSenate of the Republic The Prime Minister is Italy's head of government. The Prime Minister and the cabinet are appointed by the President of the Republic, but must pass a vote in Parliament to become in office. The prime minister is not authorized to request the dissolution of Parliament or dismiss ministers (which are exclusive prerogatives of the President of the Republic)Prime Ministerhead of governmentcabinet Locally the State is divided in 20 regions and 110 Provinces.

4. The population is around 60 million people and it is mainly concentrated on the coasts. It is characterized by an high old age rate and a low birthrate. The life expectancy is 84 years. Most Italians are Catholic, only 20% of them are atheist. Immigration is a recent phenomenon: Italy is the fourth destination country in Europe for the immigrants,

5. Florence is situated on the river Arno, in the Italian region of Tuscany. It's known as “the cradle of the Renaissance” and it's mother of important artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raffaello. Also the father of the Italian language, Dante Alighieri was born in this place. Florence is also famous for the industry of fashion and many fashion designers like Gucci, Roberto Cavalli and Salvatore Ferragamo were born in this wonderful city

6. Rome is the capital of Italy and is situated in the region named Lazio. It’s the most populous and the largest city in the state and it’s one of the major European capitals. It’s called the Eternal City and Urbe. It was founded in 723 before Christ. During its three thousand years of history, it was the first great metropolis of the world, the heart of one of the most important ancient civilizations. The monuments of Rome consist in hundreds of buildings, fountains, squares, gardens and There are many archaeological sites, natural parks museums and shopping centres, too.

7. Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy,second-largest Italy regionLombardy While Rome is Italy's political capital, Milan is the country's economic and financial heart. This city is also regarded as one of the fashion capitals of the world, along with New York City, Paris, and London.fashion capitalsNew York City ParisLondon The most important example of Gothic architecture in Italy, the Milan Cathedral, is the fourth largest cathedral in the world. Gothic architecture Milan Cathedral

8. The Romans colonized large territories all over the ancient world creating a vast empire whose capital was Rome. At the beginning the Latins settled on the river Tiber in small villages. Founding the city of Rome in the 8th century B.C. From this moment on, the Roman Empire expanded all over the ancient world. After centuries of dominion the empire fell when the barbarian invasion started. In 476th century A.D. The Roman Empire was destroyed.

9. The Vatican City, whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, has an area of approximately 44 hectares and a population of just over 800 people. It was established in 1929 by the Lateran Treaty. It is not part of Italy, but it is an independent, soreign state. St. Peter's BasilicaApostolic PalaceSistine Chapel St. Peter's BasilicaApostolic PalaceSistine Chapel It is in this territory that St. Peter's Basilica, the Apostolic Palace, the Sistine Chapel, and museums were built, along with various other buildings.St. Peter's BasilicaApostolic PalaceSistine Chapel