Italy - geography

Italy's more than 300,000 km2 consists of a northern mainland
part with the Alps and the Posletten, which make up approximately 33%
of the area, the Italian peninsula with the Apennines, which makes up
approximately 50%, and the islands of Sicily, Sardinia and several
smaller archipelagos that make up the rest. 35% of the country consists of
mountains and only 23% is lowland.
Natural conditions
Italy is located in a tectonic turbulent area, where the folds of the Alps
and the Apennines still cause earthquakes and in the southern part eruptions
from the active volcanoes Vesuvius, Mount Etna and Stromboli. Landslides
with many destructions occur frequently. The country shares a number of the
highest alpine peaks with neighboring countries: Monte Viso (3841 m) and Monte
Bianco (Mont Blanc, 4807 m) with France, Monte Cervino (Matterhorn,
4478 m), Monte Rosa (4634 m) and Monte Bernina (4049 m) with Switzerland and in
the lower Eastern Alps the northernmost point of the country, Vetta d'Italia
(2911 m), with Austria.
The large mountain ranges delimit the country's few river plains, of which
the Posletten with Po (652 km) is the largest. The second largest is the
alpine slope towards the Adriatic Sea with the rivers Adige (410 km),
Brenta, Piave, Isonzo, etc. Only the alpine rivers have stable water flow all
year round and are used for river and canal transport and energy supply. The
other catchment areas have relatively short drains from the Apennines with
the Tiber (405 km) and Arno (241 km) as the longest rivers. The
great rivers fill in their lower course successively with deposits; eg lies Poslower
run ten meters above the surrounding terrain at the far end of the delta. The
height difference increases when the terrain settles as a result of pumping
water or natural gas. In connection with intensive gravel excavation in and
straightening of the river beds, this gives the runoff speed and entails a
constant risk of flooding in situations of thawing and high tides, as happened
in 1966 at the Arno in Florence and also in Venice. The
water level at high tide in Venice's lagoon has risen approximately half a meter
through the 1900-t.
Climate
The Alps are the only region where the alpine climate occurs. The Po, Veneto
and Romagnas plains and most of the Apennines have temperate climates just like
the other coastal and hilly areas. The coasts of southern Italy, Sicily and
Sardinia have subtropical climates. In the Apennines, precipitation falls
predominantly as winter rain, and the streams dry out during the summer.
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Raw materials
In the geologically young mountains, only a few mineral deposits are
exploited, e.g. lead-zinc in Sardinia and the Alps. Potassium is exploited in
Sicily. Important are marble quarrying at Carrara and the extraction of oil and
natural gas on the Posletten and along the Adriatic coast; however, these energy
sources cover only a small part of the country's consumption. In addition, sea
salt is evaporated in Sicily. Many small iron, manganese, mercury, antimony,
arsenic, copper and gold mines were closed in the 1970's, along with the
previously significant sulfur mines in Sicily.
Nature parks
Several massifs, in the northwest Gran Paradiso, in the center Stelvio and
in the east The Bellunian Dolomites, are difficult to access and laid
out as national parks to protect plant and animal life, which includes
alpine ibex, chamois, marmots, eagles and a vulnerable mountain flora. National
parks have also been established in the Apennines, e.g. in the Abruzzo, to
preserve populations of chamois, bear, wolf, wild boar as well as owls and birds
of prey.
Vegetation
The original vegetation in the lowlands, especially in the southern part of
the country, has been evergreen forest of kermeseg, aleppofyr and
pine. These areas are now cultivated or by grazing transformed into scrub (see maki and garrigue). Locally,
cork oak and dwarf palm are found, and introduced species of eg eucalyptus,
agave and fig cactus characterize the vegetation in many places.
On the lower mountain slopes, deciduous forest grows, me and
chestnut. Central European forest types such as beech forest follow the
mountains all the way to southern Italy. Above the tree line is a rich alpine
flora of perennial herbs and dwarf shrubs. Italy has at least 6000 species of
vascular plants, the highest number in any European country; the share of
endemic species in the flora increases from north to south.
Agriculture
The ancient culture of mountain farmers with summer farming (transhumance)
has almost disappeared from both the Alps and the Apennines. The previously
balanced self-sufficiency agriculture with dairy cows, poultry and sheep as well
as fodder crops, vegetables and fruit has been replaced by modern forestry and
tourism, which like the new industries can in some places retain a certain
population. Otherwise, the mountain areas are depopulated, but settlement in the
valleys has in turn through the 1980's and 1990's attracted specialized
agriculture and industry both in the Alps and in the northern and central
Apennines. Agriculture in these valleys is mainly concentrated on fruit and
viticulture and in the Apennines also on olives as well as annual market crops,
such as sunflower, soybean, maize and tobacco.
Three quarters of the plains and thus of the best agricultural land are
located in northern Italy, in the northern and southern parts of the Apennines
and in the hill country Antiappennines in Tuscany. Here the calcareous and
clayey brown soil and climate are better suited for agriculture than in the rest
of Italy, where tree felling and intensive utilization since ancient times have
depleted the soil and resulted in increased erosion; Fertile soil is washed out
by streams into the vast swamps of the lowlands and along the coasts.
As protection against malaria, landslides and assaults, the settlements in
central Italy are traditionally gathered on the ridges as fortified city
republics and country villas as well as small, scattered farms,
so-called mezzadria. In the southernmost part of Italy there are large
villages inhabited by farm workers from the characteristic grain farms, the Latifundians. Following
the subdivision of numerous latifunds after World War II and the reorganization
of the mezzadria farms, which were finally abolished in 1992, there has been a
large exodus from the agricultural areas. The remaining uses are increasingly
specialized and aggregated, but frequently with the plots lying scattered, so
that rational co-operation is impossible.
The lowlands and coastal plains are by land reclamation works, drainage and
irrigation in the 1900's. have become the country's most productive agricultural
areas, predominantly cultivated by medium-sized, highly specialized farms. The
Po, Veneto and Romagnas plains and the southern plains of Puglia (Apulia),
Sicily and Sardinia have been regulated and plowed since Etruscan, Greek and
Roman antiquity. These areas are the traditional producers of cereals, sugar
beets and feed in addition to cattle, pigs, vegetables and sunflower seeds as
well as at the sources of the upper Poslette also rice. Citrus fruits are grown
almost exclusively in southern Italy.
Urban development, infrastructure and the environment
The plains of intensive agriculture are also the country's most
industrialized, economically most developed and densely populated areas, and
also the most polluted. This is especially true of the "Industrial Triangle",
the area between Milan, Turin and Genoa.
Urbanization in Italy dates back to antiquity, but was developed in the
Middle Ages to serve the most productive agricultural areas, ie. The Posletten
and the central Italian hill country as well as the Naples area and
Puglia. Urban culture and the associated clothing production soon became one of
the country's characteristics. Energy, environmental and economic crises since
the 1970's have led to the spread of settlement and business to medium-sized
cities. Since the 1990's, cities in northeastern and central Italy in particular
have grown. The foothills of the mountains and the steep coasts of central and
northern Italy are also being transformed into a densely meshed urbanized
network, connected by motorways (motorways). With approximately 6500 km,
Italy has one of Europe's largest motorway systems. Urban sprawl since 1960 has
led to a rapidly increasing energy consumption in connection with the 3/4 of
all pendelrejser going by car. The transport sector contributes 2/3 of
air pollution in the country. In 1994, Italy launched an expansion of the
railway network, including for high-speed trains with speeds up to 300 km/
h. These lines will increase the railways' share of passenger transport by
connecting the big cities and reducing the travel time from, for example, Milan
to Naples from seven to four hours.
Since an industrial dioxin poisoning of the Milan suburb of Seveso in
1976 and other toxic accidents, the legislation has been tightened. A newly
established Ministry of the Environment stopped the country's nuclear power
plants after the 1986 accident in Chernobyl, Ukraine; since 1990, nuclear power
has been completely phased out.
The rivers Po, Adige, Arno and the Tiber transport more than 100,000 tonnes
of nitrogen and 15,000 tonnes of phosphorus into the oceans each year. Lake
Garda is the only larger lake with clean water. Healthy bathing water on a
quarter of the coasts contributed to a decline in tourism in the
1990's. Increasing environmental awareness and efforts characterize the country's
environmental policy, which aims to meet EU standards.
Italy - geography (population)
According to AllCityPopulation.com,
the population is ethnically very homogeneous. In the north there are small
groups of German, French and Slovenian speakers, in the south of Albanian and
Greek speakers.
Italy has had negative natural population growth since 1994, ie. greater
mortality than frequency of births. Each Italian woman gives birth to only
approximately 1.3 children; however, the number is rising slightly. As a result of
this relationship and an increased life expectancy, the proportion of older
people (over 59 years) is 25%; a world record that Italy shares with Japan. Due
to immigration, the population is still increasing, but a forecast predicts a
drop to 52 million. residents until 2050.

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Migration
Italy is a destination for labor immigration and has approximately 2 1/2 million. registered
immigrants in addition to an estimated several hundred thousand illegal
immigrants. The largest groups are Albanians, Moroccans and Romanians. During
the wars and crises in the Balkans since 1990, many refugees have come across
the Adriatic to Italy, and perhaps even more have come from the south. Attitudes
towards them have traditionally been more tolerant than in many other European
countries, but many have been sent home. The illegal immigrants function as
low-paid labor in agriculture, services and small-scale industry, but many
travel on to more northern end destinations. In 2002, the EU took the initiative
to draw up common rules for the area, which at EU level may include 2-3
million. people.
Emigration from Italy, especially southern Italy, gained momentum in the
late 1800's. due to population growth and poor employment and living
conditions. The emigration culminated just after the turn of the century, when
more than 600,000 emigrated each year, approximately half to European countries. In
the late 1950's and early 1960's, there was a renewed emigration, mainly to
European countries and predominantly from southern Italy. In the 1900's. Until
the mid-1970's, Italy also experienced major internal migrations, migrations,
from the unemployment-plagued South to the prosperous Northern Italy. But as
economic prosperity waned in the late 1970's, some southern Italians returned,
both from northern Italy and from the rest of Europe.
Italy - geography (industrial development of the regions)
Administratively, Italy is divided into 20 regions, each characterized by the
forms of production that have developed over time. Three factors in particular
are closely linked. The first is the country's long history, its culture and
traditions, which are reflected in an informal, family-based economy and many
small businesses. The second is the way in which the unification of the country
into a nation-state was carried out. This is the basis of the so-called Italian
dualism, ie. the historical conflict between the country north and south of the
Lazio region with the exception of Rome. The third factor is the shift of
Europe's economic center to the north and west, which has given modern
industrial societies a "western" slant that differs from that which is
characteristic of southern European countries.
Regions |
name |
regional capital |
population in mio. (2014) |
area (km2) |
Abruzzo |
L'Aquila |
1.33 |
10,795 |
Aosta Valley |
Aosta |
0.13 |
3263 |
Basilicata |
Potency |
0.6 |
9992 |
Calabria |
Catanzaro |
1.9 |
15,080 |
Campania |
Naples |
5.8 |
13,595 |
Emilia-Romagna |
Bologna |
4.4 |
22.122 |
Friuli-Venezia Giulia |
Trieste |
1.2 |
7844 |
Lazio |
Rome |
5.8 |
17,207 |
Liguria |
Genoa |
1.6 |
5421 |
Lombardy |
Milan |
10.0 |
23,861 th most common |
March |
Ancona |
1.5 |
9694 |
Molise |
Campobasso |
0.3 |
4438 |
Piedmont |
Turin |
4.4 |
25,399 |
Puglia |
Bari |
4.1 |
19,363 |
Sardinia |
Cagliari |
1.6 |
24,090 |
Sicily |
Palermo |
5.1 |
25,707 |
Tuscany |
Florence |
3.7 |
22,993 |
Trentino-Alto Adige |
Bolzano |
1.0 |
13,607 |
Umbria |
Perugia |
0.9 |
8456 |
Veneto |
Venice |
4.9 |
18,338 |
The northeastern regions, ie. Lombardy north of Milan, Trentino-Alto
Adige, Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia have enjoyed lively economic growth
thanks to the good export opportunities to Central and Western Europe. The
business community is characterized by small manufacturing companies that source
cheap labor from the Balkans and Eastern Europe and are often subcontractors to
large European companies. The rest of Lombardy, i.e. Piedmont and Liguria, on
the other hand, are suffering from a downturn in the industry as a result of
large companies investing in increased flexibility and automation.
The regions in the center-north, ie. Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Umbria,
have adapted to the new phase of industrialization and have revived the
tradition of industrial districts, where the many small and medium-sized
enterprises are supported in their marketing, both domestically and for export,
by efficient administration and good infrastructure. Many educational
institutions have also been given new life.
A third area of industrialization is the Adriatic coast, which
stretches from Emilia-Romagna through the Marche and the Abruzzo to Puglia, and
is located between industrialized northern Italy and backward southern
Italy. These regions have caught up with industrialization by imitating
developments in the north and by largely resorting to a family-based, informal
economy that is competitive due to lower costs.
The further south you go in Italy, the more the labor market changes to
undeclared work and outright criminal economy. The Lazio region is also part of
this development, although it is to some extent influenced by its function as
the hinterland of the capital Rome. Parts of Molise and Campania, Basilicata,
Calabria and Sardinia are economically marginalized after the failed attempts of
the 1970's to establish industrial poles, and after the abandonment of the
development policy of southern Italy, la Cassa per il Mezzogiorno,
immediately after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The general expansion of
the public sector together with the EU's regional policy schemes have, however,
helped the economy in these areas.
Sicily is in a special situation. Although the island, like the other regions
in the south, is marginalized, it is more aware of its affiliation with the
Mediterranean and opposes the EU's dream of "Western" industrialization. Sicily
is increasingly linking its survival, also in economic terms, to the need for
development and welfare among the peoples of the entire Mediterranean.
The large differences between the regions are clearly reflected in their
contribution to the country's GDP. Production per per capita in central and
northern Italy is about twice as large as in the south. The unemployment rate
has fallen in recent years from approximately 12% in 1998 to approximately 9% at the
beginning of 2002. However, the development covers large regional
differences. In 2002, less than 4% of the labor force was thus unemployed in
prosperous northern Italy, while unemployment was just under 19% in poorer
southern Italy.
Italy - language
In Italy, in addition to Italian, approximately 15 other languages, spread over
approximately 5% of the population. The largest minority is Sardinian, spoken by 1.5
million, predominantly in Sardinia. In Alto Adige (South Tyrol), 62% of the
population has German as their main language. In the Valle
d'Aosta, Franco-Provencal is spoken. In addition, there are
Rhaeto-Romance, Albanian, Slovenian, Croatian, Greek and Catalan minorities. The
Italian Constitution provides for the protection of linguistic
minorities; however, it is practiced differently. See also Italian.
Italy - religion
With the Lateran Treaty of 1929, Pope Pius 11 recognized the state of Italy,
which in turn recognized a Vatican City with as much territory as was necessary
to ensure the sovereignty of the papacy under international
law. Mussolini's government made Catholicism the state religion and gave the
Catholic Church decisive influence on e.g. school, family and morality
legislation. The Lateran Agreements were incorporated into the Italian
Constitution in 1947, and in the 1950's and 1960's the church had a major
influence on Italian politics and community life.
The modernization of Italian society, which began around 1968, led to a
number of laws that were contrary to the teachings of the church, including by
easing the rules for information on contraception (1971) and by opening up the
possibility of divorce (1970) and abortion (1978). In referendums in 1974 and
1981, respectively. 59.1% and 67.8% of voters to uphold the divorce and abortion
laws.
Religion |
88.6% |
consider themselves Catholics |
53.5% |
believe in Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Catholic Church |
30.5% |
believe in Jesus Christ, but only in part in the teachings of the
Church |
2.2% |
are believers but not Catholics |
6.4% |
believe in God or a higher being but do not belong to a particular
religion |
2.8% |
do not believe in God or a higher being |
2.7% |
is searching |
1.8% |
have never considered it, do not care, do not know |
97.7% |
will have their children baptized |
92.0% |
prefer to get married in the church rather than at the town hall |
31.1% |
goes to church at least once a week |
11.7% |
goes to church two to three times a month |
6.8% |
goes to church approximately monthly |
51.4% |
goes less often or never to church |
Source: Vincenzo Cesareo, Roberto Cipriani, Franco
Garelli, Clemente Lanzetti & Giancarlo Rovatti: La religiosità in
Italia (1995). |
In 1984, a change of concordat separated state and church. Religious
education is still given in public schools, but is no longer
compulsory. Students should now not be exempted, but enrolled by their parents,
in the case of high school students, by themselves. 80% sign up, while the
church aisle is much lower. Religious education is provided by teachers trained
by one of the church's higher education institutions, appointed by the
ecclesiastical authorities and paid by the state. Since 1984, church weddings
have only had civil law effect if the ritual includes the forms required by the
state. In 1990, state support for smaller parishes to ensure a minimum wage for
the clergy lapsed. Gifts to the church are deductible, and taxpayers can also
choose whether 0.8% of their personal tax should go to the Catholic Church,
There is a great difference in how the religiosity of the Italians is
expressed in different parts of the country and in different population groups,
but Catholicism, together with the language, is among the most important
elements of the national community. The Church, the Catholic religion and the
Catholic culture are present throughout Italy. The church is universal, but the
pope is, no matter where in the world he comes from, the bishop of Rome and
the primate of Italy. After the 2nd Vatican Council, the leadership is in
the Vaticanhas become increasingly internationalized, while the leadership of
the Italian Church has been placed in the hands of a newly established episcopal
conference. The church is the institution that most Italians (17.1%) trust, and
almost every third Italian leaves home at least once a week to listen to one of
its representatives, who is present in a number of 1 per. 1000 residents, if
you only count the priests, and 1 per. 280, if one includes monks, nuns and
deacons.
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