π Countries of the world π° Europe
Italy
π In short
Italy is a country in southern Europe shaped like a boot on the map! It reaches out into the Mediterranean Sea and has the snowy Alps in the north, warm beaches and volcanoes. Its capital is Rome, the Eternal City.
π€© Did you know?
- Italy's capital is Rome.
- The University of Bologna is one of the oldest in Europe, founded in the eleventh or twelfth century.
- The currency has been the euro since 2002.
- Italy has two famous volcanoes, Vesuvius and Etna.
ποΈ Fact file
- Capital
- Rome
- Official language
- Italian
- Official name
- Italian Republic
- Currency
- Basic unit: the euro. The Italian lira stopped being used in 2002
- Area
- 301,268 kmΒ²
- Population
- 2002 estimate: 57,092,000
π Find out more
π Ancient Rome
Two thousand years ago Rome was the capital of the great Roman Empire. The Colosseum is still there, a huge stone amphitheater that could hold tens of thousands of people.
π A city on the water
Venice was built on many small islands, and its streets are canals where people get around in long boats called gondolas.
π‘ Great artists
Famous artists lived in Italy, like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, and its museums are full of wonderful paintings and statues.
π― Pizza and pasta
Pizza, many kinds of pasta and Italian ice cream, βgelatoβ, all came from Italy. Italy grows lots of olives and tomatoes.
𧩠Test yourself
1 What shape does Italy look like on the map?
2 How do people get around the streets of Venice?
3 Which picture shows βItalyβ?
π Discover more
π· Picture sources: Wikimedia Commons
- Megan Mallen Β· CC BY 2.0
