9781422278024

The Geography of Italy Location: southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia Area: almost twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona total: 116,347 square miles (301,340 sq. km); land: 113,568 square miles (294,140 sq. km) including Sardinia and Sicily. water: 2,779 square miles (7,200 sq. km) Borders: Austria 156 miles (404 km), France 183 miles (476 km), Holy See (Vatican City) 1.3 miles (3.4 km), San Marino 14 miles (37 km), Slovenia 84 miles (218 km), Switzerland 269 miles (698 km) Climate: predominantly Mediterranean; alpine in far north; hot, dry in south Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands Elevation extremes: lowest point: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 feet (0 m)

highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 15,577 feet (4,748 m) including landslide, mudsfows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding Source: www.cia.gov 2017

Natural Hazards: regional risks