Surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea, Italy is shaped like a boot about to kick a stone – the island of Sicily. The Alps, including the jagged, limestone Dolomites, form the border in the north. Running the length of the boot down to the toe are the thickly-wooded Apennines. Both Sicily and Sardinia are rugged, hilly islands.
Italy also has three active volcanoes: Vesuvius, Stromboli and Etna. In AD 79, Vesuvius erupted, burying the town of Pompeii. The remains of a great Roman civilization have since been uncovered.
Northern Italy is more prosperous than the south, Sicily and Sardinia. There are major industrial cities such as Milan and Turin, vineyards, and fields of wheat, maize and tomatoes.
The Vatican City, which lies within the city of Rome, is the smallest independent state in the world. It is home to the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church.
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