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Country Fact File : Italy
Whale & Dolphin Research in the Ligurian Sea, Italy
Italy is a republic in southern Europe, on the northern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Although most of Italy is the boot shaped land at the southern tip of Europe it also includes the islands of Sardinia and Sicily in the Mediterranean. Due to its location most of the country enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate.
Italy was the heart of the ancient Roman Empire but after the Roman Empire collapsed in the 5th century ad, Italy’s political unity was lost. Rome however, under the Roman Catholic Church, remained the spiritual centre of western Europe. In the late Middle Ages northern Italian cities such as Florence, Venice, and Milan became prosperous. In these cities the rebirth of classical culture known as the Renaissance began in the 14th century.
Italian nationalism emerged as a powerful force in the 19th century, and a united Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed in 1861. In 1946, after World War II, the monarchy was abolished and the Italian Republic was established.
| Location | Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia |
| Area | 301,230 sq km |
| Border Countries | Austria, France, Holy See (Vatican City), San Marino, Slovenia, Switzerland |
| Climate | predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south |
| Terrain | mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands |
| Highest Point | Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc) |
| Natural Hazards | regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice |
| Environmental Issues | air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities |
| Population | 58,147,733 |
| Ethnic Groups | Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third regularly attend services), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community) |
| Languages | Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area) |
| Type of Government | Republic |
| Capital | Rome |
| Currency | euro (EUR) |
Did you know?
The name "Italy" comes from Greek "italos", which means calf.
The world's largest Christian
edifice is the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome.
Europe's only three active volcanoes, the Etna, the Stromboli and the Vesuvius, are
all in the South of Italy.
Two of Europe's smallest countries, San Marino and the Vatican, are enclaved within Italy.
Italy now has one of the lowest birth-rate and fertility rate in the world.
01727 250250
Duration and Costs
| Placements are available for one to 12 weeks, with prices ranging from €787 to €895 per week dependent on the season. On occasion last minute spaces may be available for a discounted price. |
| Group Size |
|---|
| Maximum group size: 11 volunteers, plus four staff and one skipper. |
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