Natalya Glukhova

You have never seen such nature in Italy before

21/03 2017

Good afternoon, friends!
Let me tell you today how wonderful the nature of Italy can be. Of course, I recommend everyone to see it with their own eyes. So far, a virtual tour of the most beautiful, unusual places countries.

From this article you will learn:

Such a different and unique Italy

Italy... There is the Colosseum, ancient cities, ancient ruins, . Of course, pizza, the most delicious spaghetti, and don’t forget about wine and gelatto! We’ll talk about these Italian wonders separately, but today let’s talk about nature.
The wild is no less attractive than all the man-made wonders of this country. Here we will meet mountains, sea, plains and caves. Some will say that the entire Mediterranean looks about the same. I will try to prove that this is not so.

Italy is a country of seas. Since ancient times, its advantageous geographical location has made the country rich and influential. It is washed by the Adriatic, Mediterranean, Ionian, Tyrrhenian, and Ligurian seas.

Each of the seas creates areas of a unique microclimate: temperature changes, soil, plants and animals, and its own landscape.
Let's not forget about the mountains: the Alps and the Apennines. Taming rivers and planting fields is still a real task. But the sea and mountains require that a person adapt to their mood.

Mountains of Italy

Mountain ranges are the border of Italy, separating it from other European countries. There are really a lot of mountains; they make up two thirds of the entire territory of the country. The rest of the area is hilly. In the South-West the Alps and Apennines are connected.
This is a paradise for skiers and climbers. The Dolomites are some of the most convenient for winter species sports When riding, carry a camera with you - the views are marvelous.

Volcanoes are of great interest. Many of them are still active. Stromboli, Etna and even the infamous Vesuvius. Others have long gone out. This territory has a turbulent seismological situation. Frequent earthquakes, tremors. Volcanoes are always a threat, even if they have been “dormant” for years.

Rivers and lakes

Here are the Po and Adige rivers in the north of the country. The Tiber and Arno flow through the entire Apennine Peninsula.

The largest and most beautiful lakes are Garda, Como, Bracchiano. By the way, many of them are of volcanic origin. These are the real wonders of nature. The water in them is healing, has unique properties. Famous volcanic lakes filled the basins of cooled volcanoes. Spa resorts have been built around healing lakes.

Caves

Very beautiful caves attract tourists and researchers. There are craters, volcanic faults, grottoes and failures. Italy boasts underground caves over 800 meters deep.
The famous Blue Grotto is located on the island of Capri. Entrance from the sea. If there is a storm at sea, you cannot enter. The rest of the time it is best to approach by boat. The grotto has been known since ancient times; ancient sculptures have been found in it.

The water inside seems magically blue. These are the characteristics of the rock, this is how light falls and reflects from the walls. This place has been chosen by tourists since 1830. Then the German writer August Kopisch visited him along with his friend Ernst Fries. Kopish dedicated a whole book to the grotto, since then it has become the main emblem of the island.

Flat terrain

The most extensive is the Padan Plain. I advise you to take a ride on it. There are farm lands here, orchards, famous vineyards. This is the birthplace of many Italian wines. You will see these wonderful fields while driving.

Lots of sun, close to the Po River - ideal conditions for agriculture. The soil here is rich in everything essential minerals. And the views...see for yourself!

Top 12 most beautiful places in Italy

I have compiled a small list of picturesque corners of Italy. Of course there are many more! I hope my article will help you decide to go on a trip as soon as possible. It's beautiful here all year round, and the area completely changes its appearance depending on the season.

1. Cinque Terre

National Park and a source of pride for all Italians. There are beautiful rocky shores and secluded beaches. True, not sandy, but stone. Taken under the care of UNESCO.

2. Chianti Valley

Located in one of the most beautiful regions - Tuscany. The nature here is truly enchanting, a lot of greenery against the blue sky. Of course, we know the Chianti Valley for its wines and olive oil.

But it’s better to visit Tuscany once than to read about it. In summer there is a riot of colors, in autumn there is the charm of golden leaves. Winter in Tuscany is mild, without sudden temperature changes. In spring, everything blooms, young grapes delight with delicate greenery.

3. Vesuvius

At the foot of the famous volcano there is a national park. Besides the volcano itself, there is a lot of interesting things here. This is a natural monument that can wake up at any moment - change the landscape, the landscape again.

The Vesuvius Valley is lined with orchards. Great harvest, by the way. Those who wish can try to conquer the volcano by climbing it.

4. Aosta Valley

In winter, ski and snowboard enthusiasts gather here. The valley is located at the foot of the mountains. In summer, this is a place where Italians themselves come to relax. It's very beautiful here, calm, a lot of open space under the most romantic Italian sky.

5. Lake Garda

The most large lake Italy. There are ancient castles and historical monuments around. By itself, the lake can enchant you with its landscape for a long time. Italians try to preserve natural objects as best as possible. You will notice how respect they treat nature here.

6. Lake Como

The lake is protected from the north by the Alps. This view is worthy of many photographs. Blue water, and behind it - white mountain peaks. The air is very clean, and the place is considered an elite place to live.

7. Lake Braies

Formed from melted glacial water. She comes down from Dolomites, has a unique emerald color. Surroundings of the lake - coniferous forests. Everything is just like in the picture, and no Photoshop is needed - your own color palette is deep and soft. This is a place for leisurely walks, and you definitely need to breathe deeply. You can climb to a hill - from there you can see the lake at a glance.

8. Faraglioni Rocks

Located on the island of Capri. This is a huge limestone reef. Over thousands of years, the landscape has changed, and the reef has turned into rocks. One of them has a hole through which you can sail on a boat. You can also go diving near Faraglioni.

9. Tuscan Archipelago National Park

If you ask where the most beautiful nature, then I will answer you - in Tuscany. This is a unique corner of Mediterranean flora and fauna. The archipelago consists of 8 large islands, and several more small ones.

10. Rocks of Tre Cime di Lavaredo

The Tre Cime di Lavaredo rocks are the most famous place Dolomites. There are three natural “cubes” 500 meters high. If you are interested in photography, you are welcome. The rock landscapes are simply enchanting.

In the Alps and southern Pre-Alps there is a classic distribution of flora along natural levels, or belts. Along the lakes of Upper Italy and in the great valleys mountain rivers the vegetation becomes distinctly Mediterranean: holm oaks, olive trees, cypresses, laurel, oleander, rosemary and, of course, wild grapes grow well here. Even, as Goethe told us, lemons bloom in especially well-protected places. At the middle levels of the mountains grows the noble chestnut, whose fruits once - in times of great disaster - served as a substitute for flour, and the leaves were used as bedding for livestock. Up to an altitude of approximately 1000 m, oaks and beeches grow well, and between them there are also coniferous trees, primarily white fir and European spruce, larch, cedar pine and European cedar. At high altitudes you can find alpine meadows and rock-talus vegetation, adapted to extreme climatic conditions. In contrast to the Alps, where European cedars mark the forest boundary, at the high levels of the Apennines beeches are most common, growing on a predominantly limestone subsoil. To the south of Abruzzo it is so dry that beeches can be found starting at an altitude of 800 m. Only a few unpretentious varieties of oak grow well there, but there are many dense shrubs. On two mountain “islands” - in the Sila and Polino mountain ranges in Calabria - even higher than the beech trees grow large tracts of black pine, which may have grown here during the Ice Age.

Pine forest in the north of the Apennine Peninsula

Very little forest remains on the Italian islands - they are characterized by cork oak, cultivated mainly in Sardinia and northern Sicily.

Sunset over the Padan plain

In the Padan Plain, only here and there remains of the original vegetation have been preserved. The most characteristic plant in this region, where all types of grain and even rice are grown today, is the silver poplar, which was previously bred for the production of pulp. In the damp and swampy lowlands, eucalyptus plantations that were established in the 1930s and 1940s immediately attract attention. in order to drain vast areas and thereby localize malaria, which was widespread in Italy in the past. On flat sections of the coast, for example near Ravenna, in the northern part of the Adriatic coast, vast tracts of pine - Italian pine - have been preserved to this day. Today, some advocate for different uses of the land, but activists stubbornly oppose deforestation. Coastal spreading pines serve not only as good shelter from the sun - their wood is also highly valued in the furniture industry.

Blooming almond trees

Today, secondary vegetation, which is commonly called “poppies,” has spread over vast areas of Italy. (macchie). It's about about extremely tenacious, most often low, wild shrubs and grasses with thick leaves, and sometimes with thorns and a deep root system. Most known species- these are mastic and laurel bushes, thyme, peppermint and gorse. The poorer the area, the lower the thickets, which in some places reach only to the knee, and in some places they have “degraded” to wasteland.

The vegetation of Italy, of course, also includes more attractive representatives of the flora - such as almond trees, hazel, lemon and orange trees (there are whole plantations of them here), fig and pistachio trees, as well as olives (unforgettable olive groves). Cultivated plants include grapes, cereals, rice and corn, the fields of which can be found in the lowlands of Upper Italy, as well as vegetable and flower crops, growing wherever the quality of the soil and climatic conditions. Some time ago, even date palms began to be grown in Italy. Cedar, pine, silver poplar and eucalyptus - most important source wood.

Fauna

Wild animals are found only occasionally in Italy, they have been almost completely exterminated or have retreated to more protected areas. In any case, only in remote mountain regions - and only if you are lucky - can you still see eagles, alpine goats, fallow deer and marmots. In warm, rocky places lower down, the usual inhabitants are lizards and snakes, living quite freely due to the sharp decrease in the number of their natural enemies.

Butterfly

The elongated Apennine Peninsula is the main route for migratory birds that return from Northern and Central Europe to winter in Africa. It is depressing that songbird hunting is still carried out on a large scale in Northern Italy. In some areas of Italy, the presence of a myriad of mosquitoes is more than noticeable. In Northern and Central Italy you can see many varieties of butterflies, and in the evenings, especially summer and warm ones, you can hear the singing of cicadas. In remote warm areas you should be careful poisonous spiders and scorpions. Due to pollution and over-fishing, the number of fish in coastal waters decreased greatly. And yet - mollusks, sea snails, sea ​​urchins, lobsters, crayfish, squid, sea ​​eels, mackerel, sole, flounder, bream and barbel are quite common inhabitants of the sea. Dolphins and whales, which used to be often seen in the Tyrrhenian Sea, are now almost never found here, but they have become more numerous in the Ligurian Sea. Fresh lakes and rivers are habitats for eels, trout, perch and tench.

Nature conservation

About 30,400 sq. km of Italian territory are protected areas. Along with national parks, there are other nature protection zones, such as regional parks (Parco regionale), natural parks (Parco naturale), protected reserves (Riserva naturale), as well as swamp areas (Zone umide). Despite all these environmental institutions, Italy, like other industrialized developed countries Europe - faces major environmental problems. How much industrialization has thrown nature out of balance is shown, for example, by the threatening position of Venice or Ravenna. In northern Italy, gas pollution caused by heavy traffic and high density of industrial plants leads to such serious environmental problems, such as smog, dust and ozone pollution. However, much is being done in the country to protect environment: in Milan, where until recently there was no treatment plant, four similar facilities are being built. In many Italian cities, traffic in the center is prohibited.

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"KAZAN (VOLGA) FEDERAL UNIVERSITY"

Institute of Ecology and Geography

Direction Geography

ABSTRACT ON THE TOPIC:

"Italy"

Completed by: Islamov Damir

Group: 02 - 306

Kazan- 2013

Plan

Introduction

1. Geographical location

1.1 The area of ​​Italy is 301 thousand square meters. km.

1.2 Natural resources

2. General characteristics natural conditions and natural resources

2.1 Relief and main geological structures

2.2 Patterns of mineral resource distribution

2.3 Climate and climate resources

2.4 Inland waters And water resources

2.5 Types, properties, geography of soils

2.6 Vegetation

2.7 Animal world

3. Ambient natural environment and her security

4. Population

5. Farm structure

5.1 Industry

5.2 Agriculture

5.3 Transport

6. Economic and geographical differences

7. External economic relations

Literature

Introduction

Italy is one of the oldest countries in the world and at the same time it is a relatively young state that appeared on political map only a little over a hundred years ago after the final unification in 1871 of the separate duchies and kingdoms that previously existed on its territory. Nowadays it is a large capitalist state, part of the “Big Seven Western countries”.

The face of the country has changed a lot over the last century. The glory of modern Italy is created not only by the beautiful Mediterranean landscapes, snow-white peaks of the Alps, orange groves of Sicily, vineyards of Tuscany and Lazio, not only by the gold deposits of countless monuments of centuries-old Italian culture, but also by cars produced in the country, chemical products, fashion clothes and shoes, popular films all over the world.

1. Geographical location

1.1 The area of ​​Italy is 301 thousand square meters. km.

Italy - typical Mediterranean sea ​​country, located in the central part Southern Europe. Its territory includes the Padana Lowland, the slopes of the Alpine mountain arc facing it, the Apennine Peninsula, the large islands of Sicily and Sardinia and numerous small islands (Aegadian, Lipari, Pontine, Tuscan archipelago etc.). In the north, on the mainland, Italy borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Yugoslavia. In the south it (through the Strait of Tunis) neighbors Africa. The Apennine Peninsula juts deep into the Mediterranean Sea. The coasts of Italy are washed by the seas: in the west - the Ligurian and Turrenian, in the south the Ionian, in the east the Adriatic. italy geographical natural economy

Italy's position in the center of the Mediterranean basin, at the crossroads of trade routes between West and East, has always played an important role in the life of the country. In the 20th century special meaning Italy acquires the position on the way from the countries of the Middle East with their rich oil fields to the industrial regions of Foreign Europe, whose industry consumes Middle Eastern oil.

With the rapid development of air transport, especially after World War II, the country found itself at the crossroads of the world's most important air routes connecting the countries of Europe, America, Asia and Africa.

Italy's geographical position is extremely important from a strategic point of view. NATO considers Italy the basis of its entire military system in Southern Europe and throughout

Mediterranean Sea. The country is home to several dozen US and NATO military bases and training grounds. Italy is an active participant in this military bloc.

Italy is located in the south of Europe. Its territory can be divided into parts: mainland (about 1/2 of the area), peninsular (Apennine Peninsula) and island (islands of Sicily, Sardinia and a number of small ones).

Sea borders are 4 times longer than land borders. Even the most inland areas of the country are no more than 200 - 300 kilometers from the coast.

Economic-geographical location in the center

The Mediterranean basin has long been conducive to the development of ties with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa, as well as with other countries of Southern Europe. And now it contributes to the economic development of Italy. Land borders with France, Switzerland and Austria, and partly with former Yugoslavia pass through the Alps. Northern Italy is in a better position than South position, since it has the ability to carry out external economic relations via both land and sea roads. Transcontinental airline lines pass through Italy.

In my own way state structure Since 1946, Italy has been a bourgeois parliamentary republic headed by a president.

Administratively, Italy is divided into 20 historical regions (see map 2). The capital of Italy is the city of Rome.

1.2 Natural resources

Italy is located within the temperate forest zone (in the north) and in subtropical zone(in the south). The sea has a great influence on the formation of the natural characteristics of Italy, especially its climate. Even the deepest regions of the country are located no more than 200-220 km away. from sea ​​coast. The nature of Italy and the diversity of its landscapes are also influenced by the significant elongation of its territory from northwest to southeast and the predominance of hilly mountainous terrain.

One of the most characteristic features of the country’s nature is the widespread development of volcanic and seismic processes, as well as modern land movements, due to the fact that Italy is located in the zone of young Alpine folding.

Italy's northern, very winding land border runs along the ridges of the Alps for almost its entire length. However, it constitutes only 20% of Italian borders. Italy is predominantly a maritime country. Out of 9.3 thousand km. 4/5 of its borders are sea.

The coastline of Italy is relatively little dissected; there are few convenient bays. Almost all major ports are constructed artificially. Only in Southern Italy there are ports in natural bays and bays (Naples, Salerno, Taranto, Cagliari).

2. General characteristics of natural conditions and natural resources

2.1 Relief and main geological structures

Almost 4/5 of Italy's surface is occupied by mountains and hills, and less than 1/4 of its area is occupied by the Padan plain and narrow coastal lowlands.

On the mainland, Italy is separated from the rest of the continent by the Alps, the highest mountain system in Europe. The giant arc of the Alps, curved to the northwest, stretches from west to east for 1200 km. The highest, western part of them is the ancient Hercynian massif, composed of crystalline rocks. It is here that the highest peaks of the Alps are located: Mont Blanc (4807 m), Monte Rosa (4634 m), Cervina (4478 m). The tops of these mountains are covered with powerful glaciers. To the south, the Alps drop to 1000 m above sea level (Alpes-Maritimes). To the east, the chain of mountains fan out, and their height drops to 2000 m (Carnic Alps).

Along with crystalline rocks, limestones are widespread in the central and especially the Eastern Alps.

The mountain ranges of the Alps are cut by numerous valleys and passes, accessible throughout the year or closed only at short time in winter. Roads and railways pass through the passes, and in some places the mountains are riddled with tunnels.

The natural resources of the Alps have been extensively used by man for a long time. It is enough to recall at least the large reserves of energy contained in Alpine rivers, the numerous climatic and ski resorts, about the extraction of building materials. People have long settled in the picturesque Alpine valleys with their fertile climate, and now there are many cities there (Aosta, Sondrio, Bolzano, etc.)

In the southwest, the Alps turn into the Apennine Mountains, which, bordering the Ligurian Gulf, stretch further across the entire Apennine Peninsula. The Apennines are one of the youngest mountains on earth. In their length (1500 km) they exceed the Alps, but are much inferior to them in height. Their highest point, Mount Corno, reaches only 2914 m above sea level. The peaks of the Apennines do not reach the snow line and are devoid of eternal snow; only on the eastern slopes of Monte Corno, the only glacier in the Apennines descends to a height of 2690 m.

The Apennines are very diverse in their geological structure and topography. The mountains in Tuscany, the central Apennines, Campania and Brasilicata are composed of conglomerates, sandstones and limestones, as well as shales and marbles. To the south in Calabria they are composed of ancient, volcanic and metamorphic rocks. The same rocks are also characteristic of the mountains of Sicily and Sardinia.

Due to the wide distribution of limestone in Italy, in many areas - in the Eastern Alps, Northern and Central Apennines, on the Murge and Gargano plateaus, in Sicily, Sardinia, all forms of surface and closed karst are found: sinkholes, wells, carr fields, cave grottoes. The Alps have one of the most deep caves world - Antrio del Corchia (805 m). In total there are about 70 in Italy large caves and several hundred grottoes. The Blue Grotto on the shores of the island of Capri is famous all over the world. Since ancient times, caves and grottoes have served in Italy as places of settlements, temples, and burials. Nowadays they attract the attention of many tourists. Some caves, due to constant air humidity, the presence mineral springs, vapors, mud have medicinal value. At the same time, karst phenomena cause great harm to the economy, drying out and impoverishing the soil, interfering with the construction of buildings and roads.

A characteristic feature of the geological structure of Italy is the wide distribution of volcanic rocks, which are especially common in Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Sicily and Sardinia.

The only extensive lowland in Italy is the Padana Plain, which occupies most of the Po River basin. The remaining lowlands, small in area, stretch along the coasts. The Padan Plain gradually decreases from west to east. In its hilly western part there are orchards and vineyards, and in the lower reaches of the river. Po - livestock, grain and beet growing areas. The Padana Plain is not only the main breadbasket of Italy, but also the most industrially developed region of the country.

Italy is one of the few European countries where earthquakes often occur. Often they are catastrophic in nature. In the 20th century Over 150 earthquakes have been registered in the country. The greatest zone seismic activity occupies Central and Southern Italy. Latest strong earthquake happened in November 1980. It covered a vast territory - 26 thousand square meters. km (from the city of Naples to the city of Potenza).

Italy is the only country on the continent where there are volcanoes of different types and in different stages of development. There are both extinct volcanoes (Euganean Hills, Alban Mountains) and active ones (Etna, Vesuvius, Stromboli).

2.2 Patterns of mineral resource distribution

Italy has a variety of mineral resources, but their deposits are mostly small, scattered throughout the territory, and are often located in an inconvenient location for development.

There are small deposits in Italy iron ore. It has been mined for 2,700 years, and is now preserved only in Aosta and on the island of Elba.

Italy is much richer in deposits of polymetallic ores, in which lead and zinc are combined with an admixture of silver and other metals. These deposits are mainly associated with crystalline and metamorphic rocks of Sardinia and limestones of the Eastern Alps. Italy ranks one of the first places in the world in reserves of mercury ore - cinnabar, located in Tuscany. Bauxite deposits are being developed in the karst depressions of Apulia, however, they are now almost exhausted. There are manganese deposits in Liguria and Central Italy.

Italy's energy resources satisfy only 15% of its energy needs. In Sardinia, Tuscany, Umbria, Calabria there are deposits of brown and low-quality coal. Limited oil reserves on the island of Sicily, the Padanian plain and on east coast Central Italy provides less than 2% of Italy's oil needs. The natural gas deposits of the Padan Plain and its underwater continuation - the continental shelf of the Adriatic Sea - are very important for the country's economy, as well as natural gas discovered in the Northern, Central and Southern Apennines and Sicily.

Deposits of sulfur, potassium and rock salt, asphalt, bitumen.

The mineral resources of Italy are rich building materials- marble, granite, travertine, etc. In Carrara (Tuscany) the famous white Carrara marble is mined, which was used by the ancient Romans to create many sculptures and decoration of buildings. Nowadays, it is not only used in the country, but also exported.

2.3 Climate and climate resources

The elongation of the territory of Italy from north to south causes large climatic differences between individual regions - from moderate warm climate Padan plain to pronounced subtropical in Sicily.

Actually, only the climate of peninsular and island Italy can be called Mediterranean. The climate of the Padana Plain, with the same hot summers as on the Apennine Peninsula, but with cold and foggy winters, can be considered transitional from subtropical to temperate. Here the influence of the warm Ligurian Sea is prevented by the Maritime Alps and the Apennines, while at the same time colder air from

Adriatic. The average temperature in January on the Padan Plain is about 0°, and in July - +23-24°. In autumn, cyclones actively form here. In winter there is always snow, and there are often frosts down to 10°. Of the 600 - 1000 mm of annual precipitation, half occurs in spring and summer. Heavy, even catastrophic downpours are not uncommon in Northern Italy. Summer rains are often accompanied by thunderstorms and hail.

The climate of the Alps varies with altitude from warm temperate to cold. In the mountains, snow lasts for several months, but on the mountain tops it never melts.

The slopes of the Carnic Alps receive the most precipitation - 3000 mm. In the remaining Alpine regions, an average of 1000 mm falls annually.

The Mediterranean climate is clearly expressed in the south of the Apennine Peninsula and on the islands. Summer here is dry and hot ( average temperature July - +26°), winters are mild and warm (average January temperature is +8-10°). In the northern and central parts of the Apennine Peninsula, the average temperatures are different - +24° in July and +1.4-4° in January. Snow falls very rarely on the Apennine Peninsula. From March to October, the sirocco blows in southern Italy - a dry and hot wind from Africa, bringing temperatures up to +30-35° and reddish dust.

The Mediterranean precipitation regime (maximum in winter, minimum in summer) is characteristic of the entire peninsular and island Italy.

Puglia has the driest place in Italy, with only 197 mm of precipitation per year.

In the upper part of the Apennine Mountains the climate is cold, and in the closed intermountain valleys it is sharply continental.

The coastal regions of Italy, especially the Ligurian Riviera, the coast of the Ionian Sea, the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, are characterized by a particularly mild climate. Here the difference between the average temperatures of the coldest month (January) and the hottest (July) is approximately 15°. Therefore, along the coasts of Italy, especially on the Ligurian Riviera, famous climatic resorts stretch in a chain.

2.4 Inland waters and water resources

In the relatively small, narrow and mountainous territory of Italy there is no space for the development of long and deep rivers. Italian rivers are mostly short, they are rather mountain streams flowing directly into the sea or forming relatively small river systems. Only in northern Italy there is a developed network of rivers that are fed by glacial meltwater and heavy rainfall all year round. The axis of the northern Italian river network is the largest and deep river Italy - 670 km long with a width from 100 to 800 or more meters. The area of ​​its basin occupies about 1/4 of the country's territory. Starting in the west, in the Alps, the Po flows east across the entire Padana Plain and flows into the Adriatic Sea. In some places, in the lower reaches, the Po bed lies higher than the surrounding plain. This required the construction of numerous dams to protect against floods, which are not uncommon here. The river, with its tributaries and canals, forms a large shipping system.

The left tributaries of the Po flow from the Alps, and the right tributaries from the Apennines. The left tributaries are fed mainly by melted glacial waters in summer. The Apennine tributaries of the Po are small, rapid mountain rivers that are fullest in the spring, when the snow melts and there is heavy rain, and in the rainy autumn.

The remaining rivers of mainland Italy, not included in the Po system, are fullest in June, as a result of melting winter snow and summer rainfall.

The most large river The Apennine Peninsula is the Tiber, the length of which reaches 405 km and the width of only 150 m. From Rome to the mouth of the Tiber, the Tiber is navigable.

Through a system of lakes, tributaries and canals, the Tiber is connected to another significant river of the peninsula - the Arno. Both the Tiber and especially the Arno are notorious for their destructive floods. For example, the flood in Florence in 1966 caused huge losses to the economy and cultural monuments.

The large rivers of the Apennine Peninsula are of the Mediterranean type, i.e. They are full of water in autumn and winter and become shallow in summer. Numerous small rivers dry up completely in summer, and in autumn and winter they turn into turbulent streams.

Italian rivers have long been used by humans to produce electricity and supply water. settlements and industrial enterprises, as well as in small sizes - for shipping. More than 60% of Italy's total hydropower reserves are concentrated in the Alps. Almost all of these resources are already used by existing hydroelectric power plants.

Most of Italy's lakes are located in the foothills and mountainous regions of the Alps and on the Adriatic coast. These are extensive, with an area of ​​up to 370 square meters. km, reservoirs of glacial origin with depths of more than 400 m. Lake basins have a mild and healthy climate. The shores of the Alpine lakes are famous for their world-class resorts.

The lakes near the Adriatic coast are former lagoons blocked by sand spits. They are shallow and the water in them is salty.

The lakes of central Italy - Bolsena, Vico, Albano, Nemi, Bracciano - were formed as a result of the filling of the craters of some extinct volcanoes with water.

2.5 Types, properties, geography of soils

The soil cover of Italy is very diverse. In the north, in the Alps, mountain-meadow and mountain-forest soils are common. The southern foothills of the Alps and most of the Padan plain are covered with brown forest soils. In the mid-altitude zone of the Alps they are infertile. In coastal areas near the Adriatic Sea, marshy soils are found.

In the coastal zone of the Apennine Peninsula and the island of Sicily, brown subtropical soils are common, very favorable for the cultivation of grapes and other southern crops. On the low plateaus of the Apennine foothills and on the island of Sardinia, humus-carbonate and mountain-forest brown soils predominate. In the lowlands, hills and low mountains of the coasts of the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas, red Mediterranean soils were formed on limestone, especially suitable for growing fruit trees and grapes. There are soils formed on volcanic rocks. By river valleys Alluvial soils are common.

The soil conditions of Italy are quite favorable to agriculture, although not equally everywhere. The most fertile soils are on the plains and in low hilly areas.

2.6 Vegetation

The vegetation of Italy is even more diverse. However, the dense population, centuries-old human activity led to the fact that everywhere in the country, with the exception of the highlands, cultural landscapes predominate. Forests occupy only 20% of the territory, mainly in the mountains and hills, while the plains are practically treeless.

The rather monotonous landscape of the densely populated and almost entirely cultivated Padan Plain is enlivened here and there by oak, and less often by birch or pine groves. Alleys of poplars, willows, and white acacias border the roads and banks of canals and rivers.

A wide strip of evergreen trees and shrubs stretch along the coastal lowlands of the Apennine Peninsula and islands. Among the wild species that stand out here are evergreen holm and cork oaks, pine and alpine pines, mastic trees, palm trees, cacti, and agaves. However, cultivated species predominate here, primarily subtropical ones - citrus fruits, olives, almonds, pomegranates, figs, cork oak groves planted by humans.

In the mountains of Italy, altitudinal zonation is clearly visible.

Since the Alps and Apennines are located in different natural areas, the belt of subtropical vegetation is characteristic only of the foothills of the Apennines. At an altitude of 500-800 m above sea level in the Apennines, subtropical vegetation gives way to deciduous forests. In the Alps, they represent the lower plant belt. These are predominantly oak forests, with an admixture of chestnut, hornbeam, ash, and beech. Cultivated plants in this belt include fruit trees, vineyards, and crops of rye, oats, and potatoes. Higher up begins the belt of mixed coniferous-beech forests. Their lower limit in the Alps is 900 m, and in the Apennines - 2000 m. In spring and autumn, herds graze among beech groves, and in summer they are driven even higher.

At an altitude of about 1500m in the Alps and 2000m in the Southern Apennines and Sicily, the highest forest belt begins - coniferous forests, consisting of various types pine trees, European species spruce, fir.

Higher coniferous forests Subalpine tall grass meadows begin.

They take turns alpine meadows. The Alps are especially famous for their rich and lush mountain meadows. Mountain meadows are used as summer pastures. Above the mountain meadows to the very peaks or glaciers, the slopes are covered with mosses and lichens. In the Apennines, more often than in the Alps, bare slopes are found - the result of deforestation, erosion and landslides.

2.7 Animal world

Due to the destruction of forests, increasing population density and the area of ​​cultivated land in Italy, few wild animals remain. Only in remote areas of the Alps and Apennines, mainly in nature reserves, are there bears, wolves, chamois, roe deer, and on the island of Sardinia - mouflon, fallow deer, and wild forest cat. Wild boars are widespread. There are many foxes in the Alps. Much better preserved small predators and rodents (weasels, martens, marmots, squirrels), as well as hares. Hedgehogs are ubiquitous and bats. The world of reptiles and birds is rich. Italy abounds in lizards, snakes, and turtles. The bird fauna numbers about 400 species. In the mountains there are goshawks, vultures, and golden eagles, and in the highlands of the Alps - wood grouse, hazel grouse, ptarmigan, and swifts. On the plains, along the shores of lakes, there are many geese and ducks. Of marine fish, mullet, cod, sardines, tuna, and flounder are of great commercial importance, and of river fish, carp, trout, and eel are of great commercial importance.

3. Natural environment and its protection

To protect flora and fauna in Italy, four national parks have been created: Gran Paradiso, Stelvio, Circeo, Abruzzio. These are just small islands wildlife with a total area of ​​about 2 thousand square meters. km. Gran Paradiso and Stelvio were created in the Alps to protect high-altitude flora and fauna. Abruzzio was formed for the same purposes in the highest part of the Apennines. Circeo was created on the coast to protect not only forests, but also peculiar coastal forms - grottoes, cliffs, etc. Protective areas are being created to protect soils from erosion. However, all these measures are far from sufficient to preserve Italian nature from rapid and steady changes by human activity.

The lack of proper organization of nature conservation leads to further destruction of forests, irrational use of land for construction, and reduction of areas national parks, destruction of forest fauna. As a result of people leaving mountain villages on abandoned lands, mostly located on steep slopes, soil erosion and the danger of landslides and floods are increasing.

Very noticeable contamination of internal and sea ​​waters. Many rivers have already become dangerous to use for water supply to cities. Industrial waste numerous coastal enterprises pollute the Mediterranean Sea, causing damage to coastal fauna and flora. Yes, reset waste water into a lagoon near the city of Cagliari on the island of Sardinia endangers flamingos and others rare birds stopping here during seasonal migrations. The unbridled growth of seaside tourist centers has led to the fact that about half of the Italian coasts can now be considered destroyed or, in any case, lost for the rational development of tourism.

The habitat in large industrial cities is in a dangerous state. Italian cities stand on one of last places in the world of landscaping. Industrial development and road transport led to air pollution, which in the centers of the chemical industry exceeds all permissible standards.

In general, in Italy, environmental protection problems are becoming more acute every year, and not enough resources are allocated to solve them. cash. The situation is complicated by the uncontrolled activities of private entrepreneurs.

4. Population

Italy ranks second in Europe (after Germany) in terms of population. Italy is constantly characterized by mass emigration. Tens of thousands of people leave it every year. This is due to the difficult living conditions of the peasantry, unemployment and low wages of workers. The standard of living of Italian workers is one of the lowest in the developed capitalist countries of Europe. Previously, Italy was characterized by emigration overseas. In the post-war period, temporary and seasonal emigration to the countries of the Common Market increased, especially to Germany and France. The balance of external migration in Italy is negative.

Italy is one of the most densely populated countries in Europe. The distribution of the population is influenced by the intensive urbanization process. The bulk of the urban population is concentrated in Northern Italy. Most cities in Italy arose in the ancient and Middle Ages. They are world famous as unique historical museums with architectural monuments antiquities and works of art. Among them, Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Genoa, and Bologna stand out.

The national composition of the population is homogeneous - 98% of it is Italian. By religion, Italians are Catholics. Although the church in Italy is separated from the state, it actively intervenes in political life country and has a great influence on wide circles of the population. In the western part of Rome, one block is occupied by the Vatican State - a theocratic monarchy. Its head, the Pope, is at the same time the head of the entire Catholic Church.

The class composition of the population is characterized by a large specific gravity urban and rural proletariat, poor peasants, artisans and handicraftsmen. The dominant position is occupied by a small industrial, commercial and agricultural bourgeoisie.

According to the political system, Italy is a parliamentary republic headed by a president.

The population of Italy is 57.5 million people (June 1989). About 98% of the population of Italy are Italians, a little over 2% are representatives of other nations. The national minorities of Italy are fairly compact groups that have lived for many centuries in certain territory. In the north of the country in the border areas live Romansh (mainly Friuls) - 350 thousand people, French - about 70 thousand people, Slovenes and Croats - about 50 thousand people; in southern Italy and on the island of Sicily - Albanians (about 80 thousand people); in the south of the country - Greeks (30 thousand people); on the island of Sardinia - Catalans (10 thousand people); Jews (about 50 thousand people) and others (see table 1).

The official language is Italian. It belongs to the Romance group of Indo-European languages. The entire diversity of Italian dialects is usually classified into three large groups: dialects of Northern, Central and Southern Italy.

The vast majority of the believing population of Italy are Catholics. The Church has a huge influence on many aspects of Italian life. A significant role in this is played by the fact that the papal state of the Vatican is located in the very heart of the Italian capital.

The population is very unevenly distributed throughout the country, its average density is 189 people per square meter. km. The most densely populated areas of Italy are the plains of Campania, Lombardy and Liguria, where per square meter. m has over 300 inhabitants. This is explained favorable conditions for the development of intensive agriculture, various industries, port activities and tourism. The province of Naples in Campania is particularly crowded, where per 1 sq. km. concentrated 2531 people. Mountainous areas are much less populated. Here the population density drops to 35 people per 1 sq. km, in arid and economically underdeveloped areas

Sardinia and Basilicata population density is 60 people per 1 sq. km. Over the past century, Italy's population has doubled, despite wars, epidemics and emigration. Although natural annual growth is decreasing (from 12.2% in 1911 to 1.6 in 1985), the overall population continues to grow. The natural greatest increase is observed in the southern backward regions. Throughout the twentieth century. The birth rate decreased almost threefold: from 33% in 1911 to 11% in 1985. The decrease in the birth rate was accompanied by intensive “aging” of the population, which in turn contributed to a further decline in the birth rate. If in 1911 people over 65 years of age made up 6.5% of the total population, then in 1985 - already 13.4%. At the same time, the percentage of children under 15 years of age decreased from 39.9 to 22.3. There are 1.4 million more women in Italy than men.

Modern demographic processes in Italy give rise to serious social problems, for example, the need to expand the health care and pension systems due to the increasing proportion of elderly people.

The number of economically active persons is decreasing. Over the past decades, the employment structure of the population has changed dramatically as a result of the transition labor force from agriculture to industry and the service sector, increasing migration of rural residents to cities. Currently, 12.8% of the economically active population is employed in agriculture, 36.4% in industry, and 50.8% in the service sector.

The population of Italy is highly mobile within the country. It is striking that migration flows are directed from economically underdeveloped regions of the South to the industrial North. The concentration of population in Rome and its environs is increasing, which is associated with the metropolitan role of this city.

From 1869 to 1979, more than 20 million people left the country. Largest number emigrants left the southern regions, from Sicily, as well as from Central Italy and headed overseas - to Argentina, Brazil, and the USA.

Now approximately 90 thousand people leave Italy per year. In recent decades, Italian emigrants have been heading mainly not overseas, as before, but to Western European countries, mainly Switzerland and Germany.

Those emigrating overseas are most attracted to the USA, Canada, and Australia. Due to the crisis that hit the economies of many socialist countries in the 70s, the emigration of Italians decreased sharply. Since 1973, immigration to Italy has exceeded emigration from the country. Italy itself began to increasingly attract the labor of foreign workers. The majority (60%) of the country's population are urban residents. About 20% of Italians live in towns and villages and the same number live in farmsteads.

More than 12% of the population of the entire country is concentrated in 4 largest cities, each of which has more than 1 million inhabitants - Rome (2.9 million), Milan (1.7 million), Naples (1.2 million) and Turin (1.1 million). More than half of all major cities are in Northern Italy. Italy, especially the North and Center, is characterized by a dense network of small towns (10-30 thousand inhabitants).

In recent decades, Italy, especially in the North, has undergone an intensive process of urbanization. The number of cities with a population exceeding 100 thousand people is growing in the country. Every year new urban agglomerations emerge and expand. Almost the entire space from Turin to Milan is currently an almost continuous urbanized area.

5. Farm structure

The natural conditions of Italy allow the cultivation of all crops temperate climate, but they are especially favorable for subtropical fruit plants and grapes. In Northern Italy there is the Padana Lowland with fertile alluvial soils, convenient for agriculture. The most big river Italy - Po, widely used for irrigation. The climate here is mild, transitional - from temperate to subtropical. In Southern Italy, the terrain is mountainous, with narrow strips of lowlands stretching only along the coasts. Rocky, humus-poor soils predominate. Typical Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers and warm winters

favorable for citrus fruits, olive, almond trees and other garden crops, as well as grapes.

The agrarian system of Italy is characterized by three main types of farms: capitalist, landowners, and farms of land-poor and landless peasants. Capitalist farms, which provide the bulk of marketable products, are common in Northern Italy. They are distinguished by more advanced methods of agricultural technology, a high level of mechanization and the use of hired labor. The predominant form of land lease is monetary. For Southern Italy, a combination of large landownership (latifundia) and small peasant land use is typical, with natural forms of rent predominant.

Agriculture in Italy is diversified, like in France, but is inferior in intensity and level of development. Crop production is of utmost importance. It takes first place in the world in grape harvesting, second in Europe (after Spain) in olive and citrus fruit harvesting. Vineyards cover the slopes of the foothills and hills, both in the north and throughout the Apennine Peninsula. The coast of Sicily is distinguished by the cultivation of orange and lemon trees. Early vegetables ripen in the south in winter time, so Italy supplies them to the European market before its competitors. The main grain crops are wheat, corn and rice, industrial crops are sugar beets and hemp.

Livestock farming is relatively poorly developed. Cattle are raised on capitalist farms in Northern Italy. In the food-poor mountainous regions of the Apennines, Sicily and Sardinia, peasants raise sheep, goats and mules. In coastal areas, they rely on seafood products.

Before the Second World War, Italy was noticeably behind other major capitalist countries in terms of growth rates and levels of industrial production. The reasons for this lag were the weakness of the raw material base and the narrowness of the domestic market. From the mid-50s to the 60s there was a rise in industrial production. An agrarian-industrial country has become an industrial-agrarian one. Active government intervention in the economy played a big role in this. After the war the state became the owner railways, communications, most metallurgical plants and many other enterprises. It provides various benefits and loans to private industrial companies. Italian monopolies are strengthening their positions through mergers and establishing links with multinational companies. The capital of the USA, Germany and Switzerland takes a particularly large part in Italian industry. Based on the latest technical achievements, large enterprises in the mechanical engineering and chemical industries and a number of other industries have been updated, and new modern factories have been built. However, along with large modern factories, Italy is characterized by the presence of many small, weakly mechanized enterprises.

The lag of agriculture in Italy is much greater than in other capitalist countries. This is explained by the fact that the system of land ownership and land use in Italy retained stronger vestiges of feudal relations; There is still a significant share of agricultural production in small, fragmented farms of peasants with backward agricultural technology.

A characteristic feature of the location of the farm is the sharp territorial disproportion between Northern and Southern Italy. Even before the political unification of the country in the 70s. XIX century in Northern Italy there were rich trading republics with diverse connections, with large centers of handicraft and factory production. Now Northern Italy is not inferior in level economic development largest countries Europe, while Southern Italy is close to less developed countries such as Greece and Portugal. The regional policy pursued by the state is not able to eliminate this disproportion. The location of production is increasingly influenced by environmental factor, especially in the North.

Italy is an economically developed state. In terms of its share in world production (3.6% in 1985), it is second only to the USA, Japan, Germany, France and Great Britain. Italy is an industrial-agrarian country. Industrial products make up the majority of Italian exports.

5.1 Industry

Italy is poorly supplied with the main types of minerals: coal, oil, iron ore. More significant reserves of natural gas, bauxite, and polymetallic ores. There are very rich deposits of mercury, sulfur, and marble. Among other European countries, Italy also stands out for its water and geothermal energy resources. Italy's industry is heavily dependent on imports of raw materials and fuel.

The country's energy sector is based on imported oil, coke and coal, its own natural gas and water resources. Italy is ahead of other countries in terms of oil refinery capacity Western Europe. Although thermal power plants occupy the first place in the production of electricity, the share of hydroelectric power plants built on Alpine rivers is also relatively large. Geothermal power plants operate in Central Italy. The first nuclear power plants were built. Due to the development of electricity-intensive industries, electricity generation has increased significantly.

Great value mechanical engineering is involved in production and export: production of cars, scooters (Italy is the birthplace of the scooter), bicycles, ships. Household electrical equipment and typewriters are very famous. 3/4 of the machine-building plants are located in Northern Italy.

Due to the growth of mechanical engineering, the smelting of ferrous and non-ferrous metals has increased. Ferrous metallurgy is based on the import of scrap and pig iron, coke, iron ore, and alloying metals. The characteristics of the raw material base affect the structure and location of enterprises in this industry. Steel production far exceeds iron production. The largest plants are located in the ports of Taranto, Genoa, and Naples. Processing metallurgy enterprises were built at large machine-building plants (in Milan, Turin).

Electrometallurgy - the smelting of steel and aluminum - arose near Alpine hydroelectric power stations.

The chemical industry is based on imported oil and phosphorites, natural gas, sulfur and other local raw materials. At a high pace Petrochemistry is developing, especially the production of plastics and synthetic fibers based on oil cracking has increased. Most of the chemical plants are located in Northern Italy, but new petrochemical plants have also been built in the ports of Southern Italy.

The Italian textile industry produces mainly cotton fabrics and synthetic fiber fabrics. This industry is concentrated mainly in Milan and its suburbs. Economic crises and the production declines of the mid-70s and early 80s had a particularly strong impact in Italy on the shipbuilding, automotive, and textile industries.

Industry is the leading sector of the Italian economy. It provides about 2/5 of national income and accounts for more than 2/5 of all employment.

Italy is very insufficiently and unevenly provided with raw materials and energy resources. Among the country's mineral resources, natural gas, pyrites, polymetallic ores, potassium salts, cinnabar (mercury ore), asbestos and some others stand out in terms of their industrial or export importance. The Italian manufacturing industry is based primarily on imported raw materials.

In Italian industry, heavy industry predominates, with mechanical engineering playing a leading role. For recent years Metallurgy, electric power, chemical and petrochemical industries have also developed significantly. Basically, the country has developed industries that require skilled labor, relatively few raw materials and fuel, and produce mostly mass products. Italy's oil refining industry is the most powerful in Europe. It provides not only domestic demand, but also the largest export of petroleum products among all European countries. Oil is delivered to Italy by Mediterranean Sea mainly from the Middle East and North Africa. The largest oil refinery was built on the island of Sicily, in the city of Milazzo. Since Italian refineries use mainly imported oil brought in by sea, most of them are located near seaports, especially in the South. In the North, with its extensive pipeline system, oil refineries are close to the consumer - to large industrial centers. The use of local and imported natural gas is of great importance for the entire Italian economy. Rich natural gas deposits have been developed in the Po River valley, in the south of the Apennine Peninsula, on the island of Sicily and on the continental shelf in the Ravenna-Rimini area. The demand for natural gas is growing every year; the country imports it from North Africa, the Netherlands and Russia.

Electric power, one of the most technologically advanced industries, plays a very important role in Italy's energy economy. Italy's hydropower resources are almost completely used. In the past, hydroelectric power plants formed the basis of the Italian electricity industry, but in recent years 70% of electricity production comes from thermal power plants. Most of the hydro resources are concentrated in the Alps, where the largest hydroelectric power stations were also built: Grosio, Santa Massenza.

Back in 1905, the world's first geothermal power plants appeared in Larderello (Central Italy), but this type of energy is still underutilized.

Share nuclear power plants in electricity production is still small. The insufficiency of the fuel and raw material base explains the very significant dependence of most sectors of Italian industry on foreign economic relations. In particular, this applies to a large extent to ferrous metallurgy: coking coal is entirely imported from abroad, mainly from the United States, more than 90% of consumed iron ore, 75% of scrap metal, 2/3 of manganese ore are imported.

Metallurgy gravitates mainly either to ports through which raw materials and fuel for the industry are imported, or to large centers mechanical engineering, i.e. to sales markets. The largest and technically the Findser association. The core of the industry consists of four large metallurgical plants - in Genoa, Naples, Piombino, Taranto. The main products that go to the world market are thin cold-rolled sheet steel.

In the production of non-ferrous and light metals, the aluminum industry, smelting of lead, zinc and mercury are most developed, i.e. those industries that are best supplied with local raw materials.

The lead-zinc industry processes imported polymetallic ores and local ones coming from deposits on the island of Sardinia and in the Alps. Zinc smelting, as a more energy-intensive production, gravitates towards large thermal power plants or large hydroelectric power plants. Lead smelters are located near the Sardinian polymetallic ore deposits.

In recent years, for environmental reasons, Italy has hardly used its rich cinnabar deposits, and has lost the world championship in mercury production to Spain.

Italy occupies one of the first places in the world in the production of magnesium. Magnesium production. Magnesium production is entirely concentrated in a single magnesium electrolysis plant in Bolzano.

The leading branch of Italian industry - mechanical engineering - produces 1/4 of all manufacturing products and ranks first in terms of the number of employees (about 2 million people). It is able to provide almost all the country's basic needs for cars.

Among the branches of mechanical engineering, the automotive industry stands out especially. Italy is one of the largest suppliers of cars to the world market. The main products of the industry are passenger cars. The leading position in the industry is occupied by the FIAT concern - the most powerful private company in Italy and one of the largest companies in the world. The concern's factories scattered throughout the country produce not only passenger cars, but also trucks, buses, and engines. various types, electric locomotives, trams, trolleybuses, tractors, etc. Most FIAT enterprises are located in Turin and its surroundings. FIAT automobile factories also appeared in the south of Italy - near Naples and Palermo.

The factories of other, less significant automobile companies - FERRARI, MASERATI, LANCIA - are located in the north - in Milan, Turin, Bolzano, Modena, and also near Naples.

Italy is the birthplace of the motor scooter. Italian scooters and motorcycles are in great demand among the local population and are known in many countries around the world.

Geographical conditions and historical reasons explain the traditional nature of shipbuilding in Italy. About 90% of the country's shipbuilding capacity belongs to the Italcantieri company. On the Adriatic Sea, the most important shipbuilding centers are Monfalcone, Trieste, Venice and Ancona, on the Ligurian Sea - Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, in the south shipbuilding is developed in Naples, Taranto, Messina, Palermo.

Italy has achieved considerable success in the electrical industry, especially in its new branch - manufacturing electronic technology. The most powerful electrical production center is Milan. In recent years, the construction of electrical enterprises has moved south, to the areas of Naples and Bari.

Agricultural engineering is developing, especially tractor manufacturing.

Italy is also known on the world market as a manufacturer of machinery and equipment for plastics processing and the rubber industry. Italy's international specialization is also the production of equipment for the textile, footwear, food and printing industries.

In general, machine-building enterprises are concentrated in the industrial North.

The Italian chemical industry operates mainly on imported raw materials (mainly oil, natural gas, phosphorites, sulfur, cellulose), but also partially uses own reserves chemical raw materials, primarily natural gas, pyrites, potassium salts and sulfur.

The face of the industry is determined by enterprises organic chemistry: large petrochemical plants and individual plants operating on petroleum products and natural gas. The country's most important centers of the petrochemical industry are concentrated in the North: Milan, Mantua, Ravenna, Ferrara. The main petrochemical center in Central Italy is the city of Terni. Several large plants have been built in Southern Italy: in the cities of Priolo, Gela, Naples, Cagliari, Porto Torres.

Petrochemical products are very diverse. The production of plastics is growing especially rapidly, becoming one of the main areas of Italian specialization in international division labor, as well as the production of chemical fibers.

Italy stands out in Europe in terms of development of the paint and pharmaceutical industries.

Fertilizer production is developing at the intersection of inorganic and organic chemistry.

One of the oldest, traditional industries has also been preserved in Italy - the production of natural essences and essential oils from flowers and fruits.

Closely related to chemical industry rubber production using imported natural and domestic synthetic rubber as raw materials.

In second place after mechanical engineering in terms of the number of employees is textile industry, one of the oldest industries in Italy. It produces fabrics and yarn from cotton, wool, silk, hemp, flax, jute and chemical fibers, as well as a variety of knitwear. Cotton mills are widely located in the North - in Lombardy and Piedmont, which is facilitated by the abundance of water and cheap electricity from Alpine hydroelectric power stations. The main wool industry areas are located in Tuscany, Piedmont and Venice. Silk industry enterprises are concentrated in the cities of Como and Treviso.

Italy ranks second in the world after the USA in shoe production, and in first place in its exports.

The food industry plays an important role in the Italian economy.

The flour milling industry is very important for the country. In the South, the region of Naples especially stands out, where not only flour is produced, but also the famous Italian pasta, the production of which Italy ranks first in the world.

There are about a hundred sugar factories scattered across the expanses of the Padan Plain, processing local sugar beets.

Canning production is highly developed in the country. Mainly canning fruits and vegetables, as well as meat and fish.

Italy has long been famous for its cheese. Almost the entire dairy industry is concentrated in northern Italy, where dairy farming is most developed.

Italy produces 1/3 of all olive oil produced in the world.

The furniture industry is developing rapidly in Italy. According to established tradition, Italy produces the largest quantities of “antique” furniture.

The rich deposits of limestone, marble, granites, clays, gypsum, asbestos, etc. available in Italy contribute to the development of the building materials industry.

The manufacture of earthenware products is widespread, the traditions of which go back to ancient times.

Italy is one of the first places in the world for the development of the jewelry industry. Florence, Rome, and Venice have long been famous for their jewelry.

5. 2 Agriculture

Agriculture in Italy contributes 10% of the country's gross national income. It employs 14% of the economically active population. In recent decades, many peasants have left their farms and moved into the sphere of industrial production and services.

In terms of agricultural productivity and, especially, livestock productivity, Italy is far behind many European countries.

Agriculture has reached high level productivity only in the North, especially on the Padan Plain, where the level of mechanization is high and fertilizers are used to a large extent.

The main branch of Italian agriculture is crop production. Over half of all arable land is occupied by grain crops, including 30% by wheat. On the most fertile lands, wheat is sometimes alternated with corn, the largest yields of which are produced in the northern regions. Rye and oats are grown on the alpine slopes and valleys.

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The nature and environment described below concern the mountains, valleys, seas, climate, hydrography, lakes, vegetation and fauna of the peninsula with an area of ​​301,338 sq. km. With the aim of encouraging tourists to explore different niches of tourism in Italy related to nature and the environment.

Mountain ranges

Italy is divided into three parts: the Alps, the Apennines, and the Sardinian-Corsican Massif. Italy itself is divided into: continental (north of the imaginary line between the Magra and Rubicon rivers); peninsular (south of this line); insular (islands and archipelagos). The Alpine-Apennine mountain system extends from the northern arc of Italy to Sicily; The Sardinian-Corsican Massif affects the island of Sardinia on the Italian side. The plateaus of Gargano and Le Murge (in Apulia) along with the plateau of Iblea (in Sicily) morphologically belong to the tip of the African coast.

The mountain backbone is the undivided kingdom and apotheosis of summer and winter tourism, which over time has become a model for the development of the industry. Among the centers in the Alps one can highlight: Soz-d'Oul, Sestriere, Ayas - Champaul, Breuil Cervinia, Alagna - Valsesia, Aprica, Bormio, Livigno, Moena, Alta - Badia, Corvara, Val Zoldana, Ortler area, Cortinud "Ampezzo , Selvudi-Cadore, Civetta, Tarvisio; along the Apennines - Abetone, Apuan Alps, Roccaraso, Terminillo, Gran Sasso, Matese, Pollino, Aspromonte, Silu, Etna, Gennargenta. The highest point in Europe - Mont Blanc (4,810 m) - characterizes the sunlit slope Italian Alps, facing the sea. On the Italian slope of the Alpine mountain system there are almost a thousand glaciers of various sizes. The largest of them - the Gran Paradiso and Mont Blanc groups - are concentrated in the Valle d'Aosta region. The glaciers of Mount Monte Rosa, the Ortles, Adamello and Marmolada massifs are also impressive. At a distance of over 1000 km to the south, they are “counterbalanced” by the volcano Etna (3.323 m) in Sicily. Between the two peaks stretch the Apennines and the sea.

Just as it is impossible to imagine Italy without seas, lakes and rivers, so it is impossible to imagine it without snow-capped mountains (www.enit.it), hills, forests, islands. It is equivalent to imagining a universe without stars. However, the Italian mountains, along with any other geographical and social component of the peninsula, represent a universe, but in this case a botanical and geological universe, preserving the last remnants of true Mediterranean vegetation. These mountains are a mixture of granite and slate, limestone and dolomite, marble and lava rocks.

There are many sites on the World Wide Web dedicated to mountains, including Italian ones: www.gae.it (Association of Local Guides and Tour Guides), www.planetmountain.com, www.altaquota.it, and for extreme species sports - www.pareti.it.

Mountain landscapes in Italy are both steep and gentle. Tourists have at their disposal well-equipped ski slopes and hiking routes, sports equipment, and equipped last word equipment, fitness clubs, climbing and hang gliding areas. In addition, in agritourism structures (www.agriturismo.com.) you will be offered local wines and gastronomy, you will be able to get acquainted with culture, folklore, traditions, and history. You will be accommodated near mountain recreation centers near cities rich in attractions and events: Aosta, Turin, Genoa, Milan, Bergamo, Venice, Florence, Aquila, Rome, Naples, Catania.

Holidays in the Alps and Apennines are a complete holiday in all seasons, especially in winter (www.cai.svt.it) and summer (www.corpoforestale.it). Summer, in the Italian mountains, no longer means only mountaineer boots, traditional mountain breeches, rock climbing, mountain biking, trekking (hiking along mountain trails with a guide), canoeing, rafting (descent down mountain rivers on rafts and kayaks), excursions, long walks (www.boscaglia.it.), evening feasts with polenta (porridge made from corn flour), grappa (grape vodka) and dancing (www.localionline.it).

Mountains, like beaches and pine groves, have today become a kind of gymnasium where you can get in shape while enjoying clean air and good food. Where to get rid of stress, reset overweight to regain fresh and clear skin? Yes, everywhere: from Cortina d'Ampezzo for those who like to combine relaxation, giving it a slightly secular character, to the Abruzzo National Park and Gran Sasso for those who love the Apennine landscape. The mountains have also become a kind of ramp for concerts classical music at high altitude (Valle d'Aosta, Trentino).

The protection and breeding of rare species of animals is carried out in National reserves del Gran Paradiso, d'Abruzzi, dello Stelvio, del Circeo and in natural areas protected by environmental law (www.pegaso.bio.uniromal.it/gsap/).

The fauna of seas, lakes, and fast mountain rivers is quite rich (www.lineablu.it).

In the BUYERS' catalogs that offer Russian tourists holidays in Italy, there are no proposals for recreation and sports activities related to bird watching and long excursions on horseback in inaccessible areas (www.cavalloonline.it). As for the pets that tourists want to take with them on vacation - cats, dogs - you can use websites that list beaches, campsites and hotels that accept them (www.petz.it, www.viaggiarecolcane.it).

The Moscow representative office of ENIT is ready to assist Russian BUYERS in finding an Italian partner for “specific interests” related to recreation such as “nature” and “green tourism”.

Handbook of practical and technical information on receiving tourists in Italy for travel agencies
Italian National Tourist Office (E.N.I.T.)
Moscow, 2002

The flora and fauna of this country is diverse and represented a large number species. Active human activity here has led to the fact that in many regions of the country exclusively cultural landscapes predominate. The only exceptions are high mountain areas where natural flora has been preserved. Characteristic feature Italy has a clearly defined zonation. More than half of all plant species existing in Europe grow here, and 10% are endemic species.

The formation of the country's flora and fauna was also influenced by such factors as the predominance of mountainous terrain, temperate and subtropical climate, long coastline.

Flora of Italy

In Italy, three regions with different types of vegetation can be distinguished: the Po Valley, the Alps and the Mediterranean-Apennine region.

The Alpine Zone can also be divided into three zones. In the lowest zone there are broadleaf forests, represented by cork oaks, European olive, cypress, cherry laurel, chestnut, ash and maple. Further on there are beech forests, which gradually turn into coniferous ones. Here you can see larches and common spruce V large quantities. Even higher up, the trees end and are replaced by shrubs (juniper, hard alder and rhododendrons), grass meadows, wild flowers (Primrose and Carnation families), sedge with grassy willow. Even higher, lichens and mosses grow on the snow-capped peaks.

In the area of ​​the Padan Plain there used to be oak forests and shrubs, but now only cultivated plants (wheat, corn, rice, sugar beets and potatoes) can be found here. In places where there is enough moisture, poplar grows, and in drier areas - sedge. Heather grows on the plains and pine forests, and along the shore there are water lilies and pondweed.

On the Apennine Peninsula, Sardinia and Sicily, in low mountain areas, evergreen holm and cork oaks, pine trees, olives, oleanders, carob trees, Aleppo pines and mastic trees are found. Above are oaks, beeches and chestnuts, spruce, fir and pine, white ash, oriental sycamore and white poplar.

In the south of Italy you can find Italian alder, and in Sicily you can find Sicilian fir and papyrus. The natural forest of the Apennines has now been replaced by maquis bush. Various steppe plants grow on the plains.

Fauna of Italy

Deforestation and land cultivation have led to the fact that the fauna of Italy is not very diverse. Wild animals can be found here mainly in the mountains. So, marmots live in the Alps, wild cats, stone and pine martens, stoats and ferrets. Regarding large mammals, then here you can see the Alpine mountain goat(protected by law), chamois, roe deer, lynx, fox and wolf. In Abruzzo you can find brown bear, and in Sardinia - fallow deer, mouflon and wild boar. Italy is also home to squirrels, hares and great horseshoe bats.

In the country you can see 400 species of feathered representatives of the animal world, including mountain partridge, vulture, swift, black grouse, golden eagle and capercaillie. Wild geese and ducks live along the shores of the lakes. Among reptiles one can distinguish vipers, some species of lizards and turtles, and among amphibians - the alpine salamander and the alpine newt. IN fresh waters Sturgeon, eels and brown trout live, and the seas are inhabited by red mullet, sea crucian carp, white sharks and sword sharks. Tuna, mackerel, sardines and flounder are caught here on an industrial scale. Invertebrate species such as sponges and red corals are also found.

Many species of wild animals and birds have been completely exterminated or disappeared due to environmental pollution and human intervention in the ecosystem. Wild animals can only be found in nature reserves in Italy, of which there are quite a lot. Also, National Parks and Nature Reserves have now been created here. Total area of all national parks in the country is 200 thousand hectares. Many rare species are listed in the Red Book. The government is trying to do everything possible to ensure that the environment does not cause damage to the flora and fauna of the country.