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Italy The Republic of Italy is divided into twenty regions and is a varied peninsula, both in terms of climate and culture. From the Alps , to the historically lined streets of Rome , Italy has much to offer in charm and opportunity. It is little wonder that Italy was ranked by the World Tourism Organization (2005) as the fifth most popular tourist destination in the world. Geography: Italy is located in the Italian Peninsula within Southern Europe . Their territory also includes Sicily and Sardinia which are the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea . Italy shares its Alpine boundaries with France , Switzerland , Austria and Slovenia . Like Spain , Italy has its share of exclaves, which are regions of the country's territory surrounded by foreign land. San Marino and the Vatican City are exclaves within the Italian Peninsula , but farther a field is the Campione d'Italia in Switzerland . Italy itself is a long region of land shaped like a boot. It is surrounded on one side by the Tyrrhenian Sea (to the West of the country) and by the Adriatic Sea on the other (to the East). There are several active volcanoes in Italy . Etna is the largest of all active volcanoes in Europe . Vulcano, Stromboli and Vesuvius are the only other active volcanoes in mainland Europe and are all located within Italy . The climate of Italy can be highly varied: whereas inland northern areas of Italy have a Continental climate, the coastal areas and peninsula south of Florence have a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot, dry summers. Higher altitudes have cold, wet and frequently snowy weather. The East to the North-East can experience blizzards during Winter, and there is a chance of snow during the period of early December and early March in cities such as Turin , Milan and Bologna . Government: The Republic of Italy has a bicameral parliament which consists of a Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati) and a Senate (Senato della Repubblica), a separate judiciary branch and an executive branch composed of a Council of Ministers (Consiglio dei Ministri) which is headed by the Prime Minister himself (Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri). The President of the Italian Republic is elected for seven years by parliament and regional delegates. The Council of Ministers must retain the support of both houses (The Chamber and the Senate) in order to operate. The houses of parliament are popularly and directly elected through a very complex electoral system. All Italian citizens older than 18 can vote, however to vote for the Senate you must be 25 and older. The electoral system for the Senate is based on regional representation. Foreign Relations: Italy is one of the founding members of the European Union (EU). They were admitted to the UN in 1955, and are dedicated members of NATO, OECD (the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ), OSCE (the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ), GATT/WTO (the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade/World Trade Organization) and the Council of Europe. Transport: Italy 's rail network is operated by Ferrovie dello Stato. Ferrovie dello Stato also owns Treno Alta Velocitá SpA which is operated by the RFI. Treno Alta Velocitá SpA is an organization responsible for the planning and construction of high speed lines along Italy 's most important transportation routes. These lines are often referred to as TAV lines and are bringing Italy 's rail network in line with European Rail Standards. Soon it is hoped that these lines will connect with other country's high speed lines for a more convenient and efficient way to travel. There are approximately 133 airports within Italy , two of which are the Leonardo Da Vinci International and the Malpensa International. The largest port in Italy , out of 27 major ones, is Genoa , which is also the second largest in the Mediterranean Sea . Did You Know?
© Written by E.J.Clarke.
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