Italy of smog is becoming an increasingly rarer phenomenon and levels of sulphur dioxide are decreasing.[ -Found between 3 peninsulas in the Southern Europe that stretches out in to the Mediterranean Sea Many watercourses and coastal stretches have also been contaminated by industrial and agricultural activity, while due to -shaped like a ball with a length of 1,126.51 km. rising water levels Venice has been regularly flooded throughout recent years. Waste from industrial activity is not always disposed -Surrounded by the Adriatic Sea, Ionian Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea and of by legal means and has led to permanent health effects on the Mediterranean inhabitants of affected areas, as in the case of the Seveso disaster. The country has also operated several nuclear reactors between 1963 and 1990 but, after the Chernobyl disaster and a -in the North the peninsula is divided by the Alps from the rest of referendum on the issue the nuclear program was terminated, a Europe decision that was overturned by the government in 2008. A deal was signed with France in 2009 for the construction of up to four -it has many mountain ranges but is not separated like in Greece new nuclear plants. Deforestation, illegal building developments and poor land management policies have led to significant erosion - The Apennines Mountains strethches from the North and as far all over Italy's mountainous regions, leading to major ecological as the Southern part of Itaky disasters like the 1963 Vajont Dam flood, the 1998 Sarno and 2009 Messina mudslides. Italy (pronounced /ëëtĽli/ ( listen); Italian: Italia [iëtaëlja]), officially the Italian Republic (Italian: Repubblica italiana), is a Weather country located in south-central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia along the Alps. To the January is generally cold, with the freezing tramontana wind south it consists of the entirety of the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, sweeping down from the north. January 29, 30 and 31 are known Sardinia Ͷ the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea Ͷ as the "giornate della merla" (days of the blackbird) and are and many other smaller islands. The independent states of San supposed to be the coldest of the year. Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within Italy, whilst A winter vacation has some advantages, however: once the Campione d'Italia is an Italian exclave in Switzerland. The territory Christmas holidays are over (after January 6), the sights are 2 of Italy covers some 301,338 km (116,347 sq mi) and is almost deserted and you will find a warm welcome everywhere. influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. With 60.4 million In hotels, low season prices apply. inhabitants, it is the sixth most populous country in Europe, and the twenty-third most populous in the world. Italians say that February is "corto e maledetto" - short and accursed. It can be almost as cold as January, although winter is Italy's capital, Rome, was for centuries the political centre of traditionally held to be at an end if the weather is good on the Western civilisation as the capital of the Roman Empire. After its Feast of Candlemas (February 2). decline, Italy would endure numerous invasions by foreign Again, tourists are few and far between and cheap flights and peoples, from Germanic tribes such as the Lombards and hotel rooms abound. Ostrogoths, to the Byzantines and later, the Normans, among others. Centuries later, Italy would become the birthplace of the M M Renaissance, an immensely fruitful intellectual movement that arch weather is notoriously capricious: Italians say " arzo è would prove to be integral in shaping the subsequent course of pazzarello" - March is crazy. It is still chilly, and often windy and European thought. rainy too. The days are getting longer, however, and March 21 officially marks the start of spring. During the last weekend of the month, the clocks go forward, giving more daylight for Geography sightseeing. There begin to be more tourists, particularly if Easter falls early. Environment In April, travelers begin to flock to Italy. Italians say "Natale con i After its quick industrial growth, Italy took a long time to confront tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi": Christmas with the family, Easter with its environmental problems. After several improvements, it now whoever you want. Many nationals take a city break at Easter, ranks 84th in the world for ecological sustainability. National adding to the crowds of tourists from overseas. High season rates parks cover about five percent of the country. In the last decade, are charged at hotels everywhere. Italy has became one of the world's largest producers of The weather is a little warmer. renewable energy, ranking as the world͛s fifth largest solar energy producer in 2009and the sixth largest producer of wind power in May is the month of roses, in Italy, with weather that is warm but 2008. not too hot for sightseeing. The major sights are crowded - not only with visitors from abroad but also with Italian schoolchildren, However, air pollution remains a severe problem, especially in the as schools often organize trips at this time of year. industrialised north, reaching the tenth highest level worldwide of industrial carbon dioxide emissions in the 1990s. Italy is the Early June is like May, but later in the month the temperature can twelfth largest carbon dioxide producer. Extensive traffic and rise steeply, particularly in the south. June 21 is the longest day of congestion in the largest metropolitan areas continue to cause the year. severe environmental and health issues, even if smog levels have decreased dramatically since the 1970s and 80s, and the presence Seaside resorts begin to fill up after the schools close in the also in Sicily, Puglia and some off-shore exploration off the middle of the month. Adriatic coast. International joint ventures have multiplied in recent years with new gas pipelines being constructed under the July and August are too hot for comfortable sightseeing. Although it is no longer true that everything shuts down in August, the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Italy is the third largest gas market cities are best avoided at this time. in Western Europe with gas accounting for 33 per cent of total energy consumption in 2002. The Italian gas sector has September is a good time of year to visit Italy. Temperatures are experienced significant restructuring following government beginning to drop and the weather is usually dry. Summer resorts are less crowded after the schools open in the middle of the approval of a liberalisation programme, which made room for month. new alliances with Portuguese and Spanish gas firms. The gas Autumn officially begins on September 23. sector is dominated by ENI, a near monopoly that in the past has October is the best month of all for visiting Rome: the sunny days led to high energy prices, but increased competition in recent are known locally as the "ottobrate romane". In northern Italy and years has led to a fall in average prices for electricity. at higher altitudes, however, temperatures may already be quite low, particularly at night. The evenings are closing in and during the last weekend of the month the clocks go back. Other resources: coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land November is not generally considered to be a good month for visiting Italy. The days are short and it is often rainy, although rarely very cold. In addition, some hotels and restaurants may Definition: This entry lists a country's mineral, petroleum, close in order to carry out renovation work or allow the owners to hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance. take a holiday. If you do opt for a November vacation, don't miss tasting the new wine ("vino novello") and chestnuts that abound at this time of year. Rivers found in Italy In December, the cold weather returns: you can forget about sitting outside on the piazza sipping a cappuccino. The days are at 1) Po their shortest. With the holiday season, prices begin to rise and hotels to fill up: Po is one of the largest rivers in Italy and it flows through some of book early to avoid disappointment. the most vital cities across Italy such as Turin, Ferrara and If you decide to come to Italy over Christmas and the New Year, Piacenza. This river measures 405 miles in length and 1,650 feet at try visiting some of the less famous sights: you'll see something its width and is definitely small when compared to the Nile river different and avoid the worst of the crowds. or the Yangtze. Around 141 tributaries feed this vast river along with a catchment basin of around 27,000 sq miles that leads to the plains of Val Padana. Natural Resources 2) Adige Oil Adige is considered to be the second largest river of Italy after the Po river and the source of this river is located in Alpine area close Like many of its west European neighbours, Italy has few natural to the Italian border along Austria and Switzerland. One of the oil supplies of its own and is forced to import most of its energy main highlights of this river is the artificial Alpine Lake Reschen needs. The country is highly dependent on imports of oil: in 2002, through which it flows that is situated at the Reschen Pass just over the Inn valley. This lake has a church tower known for the it consumed an estimated 1.87 million barrels per day but village site, which got completely flooded in 1953.