Culture through Cooking
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Geography and Climate
Due to its central position in the Mediterranean Sea, Italy has a typical Mediterranean climate. In the northernmost regions, the country experiences Alpine climate. Italy is bordered to the north by Austria, France, Slovenia, and Switzerland. In southern Italy, the climate is hot and dry.
Located in Southern Europe, Italy is a peninsular country that extends into the central Mediterranean Sea. In addition to the country’s mainland, Italy also includes the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Between the mainland and the islands, Italy has 20 different geographical regions.
People and Society
As of July 2014, the population of Italy is approximately 61,680,122 people. Italy's capital, Rome, is the most populated city. There are over 3 million people living in Rome alone. Milan and Naples are the second and third most populated cities, both with over 2 million inhabitants. Italy’s population is 80% Christian; the people are predominantly Roman-Catholic. This is because of the influence and power of the Catholic Church in Vatican City.
Economy
Italy’s economy is based upon the prosperity of services, industry, and agriculture. The exportation of goods and services is essential to economic growth, which relies on the manufacturing of high-quality consumer goods.
Industry is the driving force of the economy in the north. Italy’s major industries are tourism and food processing. Beef, dairy products, and fish are all important products of the food processing industry.
Agriculture is found exclusively in the southern regions. Southern Italy is a major producer of fruits, wine grapes, vegetables, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grains, and olives.
Tourism
Tourism is a major industry in Italy that helps support the economy. Below are the paramount tourist attractions of the country.
Be sure to visit!
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The Pisa Tower; famously known as The Leaning Tower of Pisa
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The city of Milan; Italy’s iconic center for fashion, where high-end designers sell their clothes in elite stores
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Rome’s Colosseum
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The Canals of Venice
