Enriched with foods and culture, Italy is a very interesting country. With its rich history and complex government, Italy is an interesting place to visit. There are many historical elements to Italy also, such as the many Roman monuments still standing today. Overall, Italy is a country that has a little something for everyone.

Italy has had a very interesting history. The Etruscan tribe first appeared in Italy around 800 B.C. Ancient Rome soon broke free from Etruscan rule in 510 B.C. At that time, Rome was the wealthiest area in Italy, and was also considered to be very civilized. Hundreds of years later, in 1914, World War I broke out. Italy supported the Allies and declared war on Austria-Hungary. The Italians were on the winning side of the war but thousands of men were killed and the Italians were very angry with the government. Then, in the 1930's, Adolf Hitler invaded Poland and that led to World War II. Italy joined forces with Germany until British and American troops invaded Italy. Parliament voted then dictator Benito Mussolini out of office and declared war on Germany. Some of the things that Italians did made the world what it is today.

Italians have done many things that have influenced the entire world . An Italian monk named Guido d' Arezzo created the method of writing down music. Also, Italians created the violin, cello, and piano. Roman law, architecture, and language still influence the world today.

Lots of different languages are spoken in Italy, mostly because of all the people's different backgrounds, and because Italy is surrounded by several different foreign countries. The main Italian language is made up mostly of Latin, but in some areas of Italy, only local dialects of the language are spoken. These dialects are only spoken, not written. On Italy's borders is where most of the foreign languages are spoken, and foreign languages are one of the many things taught in Italian schools.

Education is key for all Italian children. For school, children ages six through fourteen attend school. After those eight years of schooling, the students either take a test to see what kind of secondary school that they should attend or they can choose not to continue school. There are three types of secondary school. Liceo (lee-CHAY-oh) offers courses focusing in on languages, arts, or sciences. The second type is a technical institute, which offers vocational courses. The third is magistrale (mah-gee-STRAH-lay) which prepares students for a teaching career. At the end of five years of secondary school, the students take a nationwide exam to receive admission to an Italian university. Over 1.2 million students go to a university and only three percent of Italians that are ages fifteen and older cannot read. And, that is an important skill to have mastered due to the many signs on Italy's highways which lead through it's interesting land formation.

Italy's geography is unique and unlike any other place in the world. The Alps covers the northern region of Italy. Down the center of Italy lies the Apennine Mountain range. Italy also has lots of large rivers, some of which are the Po River, the Arno River, and the Tiber River. Italy also has one large plain, the Po Valley. There is not much variation in temperature throughout the year. The average year round temperatures are 54 degrees Fahrenheit to 88 degrees Fahrenheit. The southern, more coastal area of Italy is warm, dry, and sunny. Sometimes hot winds called the sirocco blow from Africa into southern Italy, covering the southern region with a layer of reddish sand from the Sahara Desert. The government also owns much of the land in Italy.

Italy's government is a complex system. There is the parliament, which consists of a chamber of deputies and senate. Representatives of both houses each serve five years. Only Parliament is allowed to vote in the president. Then, the president serves a seven-year term and also serves as the head of state and commander of the armed services. The president has the duty of appointing the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister selects the members of the cabinet. Italy is also split up into small political units called regions. The country is divided into 20 different regions. Each region can make it's own laws but the government has full power over all regions. But, the small country of Vatican City, which is surrounded by Italy, is governed by the pope.

In Italy, there are many varieties of religions practiced.. Ninety-five percent of the Italian population is Catholic. Most of the hospitals, schools and charities are run by a church. There are also Protestant and Jewish faiths practiced. Also, the number of Italian Muslims is growing due to more and more immigration from Africa. Many of the religious holidays are celebrated by all of Italy in one of it's many festivals.

Italy is famous for it's lively festivals and holidays. Most Italian festivals have religious significance. Most of the festivals also honor food. Holy Week in Italy is considered the most important festival. Christmas also is considered to have the most religious significance. Some festivals have a focus on history or culture. In July, the Venetians celebrate the ending of the plague of 1576. Castel San Pietro has a Fair of MuttonChops, and Torre Annunziata has a Festival of Spaghetti. Most festivals are celebrated of the Italians leisure time.

Italians have leisure time to do many of the activities and hobbies that they love. August is the vacation month in Italy. Most shops close so that the owners can go on vacation. In every village or town, there is also a piazza, where people meet. Ninety percent of all Italian households have at least one television. Italians also enjoy playing sports such as soccer, their favorite sport. Other sports that Italians enjoy playing are cycling, skiing, car racing, tennis, golf, volleyball, fencing, horse racing, hunting, hiking, and fishing. Also, the American sport of basketball has caught on in Italy. Most of the players are Americans that are under a contract to play for Italy. But I hear that most of the American players just sign with Italy because of the excellent cuisine.

Food is one of the things that makes Italy one of the most well known countries in the world. Each region of Italy has it's own specialties. For example, Bologna, Italy is famous for it's tortellini, or stuffed pasta. Parma, Italy is known for its ham. Also, Naples, Italy is considered to be the birthplace of pizza. Most Italians eat light breakfasts, and their main meal is at lunch or in the evening. Desserts are only eaten on Sundays and on special occasions. Some examples of Italian desserts are pastries such as cannoli, cakes such as zuppa inglese, marzipan (colored almond paste), and gelato (ice cream). Wine is always served with dinner. One famous Italian wine is Chianti (kee-AHN-tee), which is a red wine from Tuscany.

Italy has rich history, good education programs, and an appealing geography. It has done things that influence the entire world and still manages to keep the style and grace of the Romans. Italy would be an excellent place to live and is a great country for everyone to visit. Who wouldn't want to spend some time in Italy?

Works Cited

Embassy of Italy in the United States. Simona House. Webmaster, 2002. The Embassy of Italy in Washington D.C.
www.italyemb.org

Hausam, Josephine Sander. Countries of the World: Italy. Malaysia: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2000.

Tolhurst, Marilyn. People and Places, Italy. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Templar Publishing Ltd. 1988.