Italy is located in southern Europe and comprises the long, boot-shaped Italian Peninsula, the land between the peninsula and the Alps, and a number of islands including Sicily and Sardinia. Its total area is 301 230 km², of which 294 020 km² is land and 7 210 km² is water. 
Including islands, Italy has a coastline of 7 600 km on the Adriatic, Ionian, Tyrrhenian (740 km), France (488 km), Austria (430 km), Slovenia (232 km)and Switzerland. San Marino (39 km) and the Vatican City (3.2 km), both entirely surrounded by Italy, account for the remainder. 
Italy is a mountainous country, with the Alps as the northern boundary and the Apennine Mountains forming the backbone of the peninsula, but in between the two lies a large plain in the valley of the Po, the largest river in Italy, which flows 652 km (405 miles) eastward from the Cottian Alps to the Adriatic.
In the north of the country are a number of subalpine lakes, the largest of which is Garda (370 km², 143 sq mi).
Several islands form part of Italy. The largest are Sicily (25 708 km², 9,926 square miles) and Sardinia (24 090 km², 9,301 sq mi).
There are also a few active volcanoes in Italy: Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe; Vulcano; Stromboli; and Vesuvius, the only active volcano on the mainland of Europe.
Natural resources.
Mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, dwindling natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal, arable land.
Including islands, Italy has a coastline of 7 600 km on the Adriatic, Ionian, Tyrrhenian (740 km), France (488 km), Austria (430 km), Slovenia (232 km)and Switzerland. San Marino (39 km) and the Vatican City (3.2 km), both entirely surrounded by Italy, account for the remainder. Italy is a mountainous country, with the Alps as the northern boundary and the Apennine Mountains forming the backbone of the peninsula, but in between the two lies a large plain in the valley of the Po, the largest river in Italy, which flows 652 km (405 miles) eastward from the Cottian Alps to the Adriatic.In the north of the country are a number of subalpine lakes, the largest of which is Garda (370 km², 143 sq mi).
Several islands form part of Italy. The largest are Sicily (25 708 km², 9,926 square miles) and Sardinia (24 090 km², 9,301 sq mi).
There are also a few active volcanoes in Italy: Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe; Vulcano; Stromboli; and Vesuvius, the only active volcano on the mainland of Europe.Natural resources.
Mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, dwindling natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal, arable land.
Land use.
* Arable land: 31%
* Permanent crops: 10%
* Permanent pastures: 15%
* Forests and woodland: 23%
* Other: 21% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land.
27 100 km² (1993 est.)
* Arable land: 31%
* Permanent crops: 10%
* Permanent pastures: 15%
* Forests and woodland: 23%
* Other: 21% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land.
27 100 km² (1993 est.)
Natural hazards.
Regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice.
Regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice.
Environment—current issues.
Air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulphur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities.
Environment—international agreements.
Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography—note.
Strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe.
Air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulphur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities.
Environment—international agreements.
Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography—note.
Strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe.
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