Italy - A General Overview for Travelers

Physical Geography

Landforms

It has a number of Islands, the largest being Sicily and Sardinia. Italy has a coastline and border on the Adriatic, Ionian, and Tyrrhenian Seas. The Apennine Mountains form the backbone of the peninsula and the Alps form its northern boundary. The highest point in Italy is on Mount Blanc which is a 15,782 feet. The Po River is Italy’s largest and is 402 miles. It has 5 major lakes that are the Garda, Como, Maggiore, Bolsena, and Trasimeno. There are fourteen volcanoes and three of which are active Etna, Vesuvius, and Stromboli.

Climates

The climate is highly diverse and could be quite different than the normal Mediterranean climate. The inland northern climates Humid-Subtropical and in the coastal areas the climate is usually Mediterranean. Between the North and South there is a considerable difference in climate. For example in Milan during the winter it could be snowing at 28 degrees Fahrenheit, meanwhile in Rome it would not be snowing and it would be 46 degrees Fahrenheit, and in Palermo it would be 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Basically when the latitudes decreased the climate gets warmer.

The West coast of italy is usually moist and wet rather than the East coast. The East coast is occasionally affected by cold bora winds. The coldest month is January and the temperature is usually 30-32 degrees Fahrenheit. On the eastern hillside of the Appenines, people can be affected by the blizzards that occur. Summer climates are usually similar between the North and the South. In July, the temperatures are usually between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Typically during the summer, alot of thunderstorms occur during the night. In the south, the provinces have experienced high temperatures up to 114 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ecosystems

Italy has many 3 main ecosystems. The ecosystems are Chaparral, Mixed Forest, and Woodland and Shrubs. Chaparral is near the south of the peninsula. It is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California. It is shaped by a Mediterranean climate, mild and wet winters, and hot dry summers. The mixed forest is in the center of Italy. It contains coniferous and deciduous forests. A coniferous forest is a terrestrial biome found in temperate regions of the world with warm summers and cool winters and sufficient rainfall to sustain a forest. Deciduous forests are dominated by trees that lose their leaves each year. They are found in areas where warm moist summers alternate with mild winters. The woodlands and shrubs are found throughout. They have a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support shrubs and plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transitions to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of primary or secondary succession.

Natural Resources

Although Italy imports more than 80 percent of the energy resources and raw materials needed for its manufacturing needs, it does have its own natural resources, including deposits of pumice, feldspar, and marble. Italy also has some natural gas reserves, located in the Po Valley and in the Adriatic. U.S. Department of State says Italy's economic strength is in the processing and the manufacturing of goods, primarily in small/medium-sized family-owned firms.

Human Environment Interactions

Even though Cosenza is in a mountainous part of Italy, a lot of crops are grown near Cosenza. So agriculture is one way in which people from Cosenza interact with their environment. Italy is also surrounded by the sea and has many coastal areas so they eat lots of seafood. They have volcanoes nearby that help process the soil and make it rich, so it is good for growing food, but also dangerous possibly.

Human Geography

Political Boundary

Italy is surrounded by many boundaries. To the north, Italy borders with Switzerland and Austria. To the west it shares a border with France.To the east Slovenia. To the south it borders the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Ionian Sea. Also in the east Italy shares a border with the Adriatic Sea