An artistic blend of history and industry

Italy has something to offer in just about every conceivable field, but its greatest strength is its industrious people.

From Milan to Rome, pasta to pizza, and Gucci to Prada, Italy is a country famous for many things, most notably its historic cities, delectable cuisine and sumptuous fashion labels. It is not by accident that the English poet Samuel Johnson once said: "A man who has not been to Italy is always conscious of an inferiority, from his not having seen what a man is supposed to see."

Located on the Italian peninsula in Southern Europe, and on two of the largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia, Italy is an awe- inspiring country that is home to just under 60 million people.

Italy shares its northern Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent state of San Marino is enclaved within it, while Campione d' Italia is an Italian enclave in Switzerland. Italy has the world's seventh highest GDP and the 17th highest Human Development Index Rating.

Italy is a founding member of what is now the European Union and also the Central European Initiative. It was home to many cultures, such as the Romans and Etruscans, and was later the birthplace of the Renaissance. The capital, Rome, is the centre of the Catholic Church.

Lake country

Italy is a long peninsula, famously shaped like a boot. It is surrounded on the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, and on the east by the Adriatic Sea. The Apennine Mountains form the peninsula backbone, and the Alps form its northern boundary. There are several active volcanoes in Italy; Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe, while Vesuvius is the only active volcano on mainland Europe.

There are many grand rivers and lakes in Italy. The largest of its Northern lakes is Garda. The Po, its principal river, flows from the Alps to Italy's western border, and crosses the Padan plain to the Adriatic Sea.

Italy has a diverse climate which, depending on the location, is sometimes very far from the stereotypical Mediterranean climate.

Most inland Northern areas, such as Turin and Milan, share a continental climate, often classified as humid subtropical. Coastal areas of Liguria and most of the Peninsula south of Florence generally fit the Mediterranean stereotype. Coastal areas of the peninsula can be very different from the interior higher ground and valleys, particularly during the winter months when the higher altitudes tend to be cold and snowy. Coastal regions enjoy mild winters and dry summers.

Romantic allure

The country is divided into 20 regions. Five of them enjoy a special autonomous status that enables them to enact legislation on some of their specific local matters. Some of Italy's largest cities are Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin, Florence, Bologna and Palerno.

Rome, the country's capital, is over 2,700 years old and steeped in history. The city, which is one of the most visited in the world, is home to numerous ancient monuments. The most impressive and important sites to be seen are Vatican City, The Colosseum; and the ruins of the Circus Maximus.

Apart from the many museums, there are many art galleries displaying world famous paintings and sculptures from artists such as Raphael, Bottecelli, Pinturicchio and Belini. Vatican City is also located here; home to the Pope, it is the smallest independent state in the world. A major tourist attraction is the Sistine Chapel, which was painted by Michaelangelo in 1508.

Venice, the City of Water, is known as one of the world's most romantic cities. It was founded more than 1,500 years ago on an archipelago of 117 islands and is famous for its canals. It has more than 400 bridges and numerous ancient pavements. The famous Venetian boat, the gondola, is the preferred mode of transport for tourists and is used during weddings and other special ceremonies. Most Venetians today travel by waterbuses.

Milan is one of Italy's largest cities, with a population of around 1.3 million. Located on the plains of Lombardy, it is one of the world's capitals of fashion and design. It is also one of the major artistic centres; chief landmarks include the Duomo, the second largest church in Italy, and the world's third largest. Milan is one of the major finance and business centres in the world. The city is the seat of the Italian stock exchange. It is well known as the seat of motorcar company Alfa Romeo and also for its silk production.

Florence is the capital of Tuscany and one of the most important Renaissance architectural towns in Italy. The city is famous for its art and architecture; one of the best-known sites is the domed cathedral of the city, Santa Maria Del Fiore. Tourism is its most significant industry within the centre.

Italy has a strong and prosperous economy; according to GDP calculations, it was ranked as the seventh largest in the world, behind the US, Japan, Germany, China, United Kingdom and France. According to the WTO, in 2006, Italy was the world's sixth largest exporter. This economy remains divided into a developed industrial north dominated by private companies, and a less developed, agricultural south.

Prosperous economy

Italy began to industrialise late in comparison to other European countries, and until Second World War was largely an agricultural country. After the war, however, industry was developed rapidly.

By the 1990s, industry contributed about 35 per cent of the annual GDP, and agriculture less than four per cent. Italy's economy has gradually been diversifying, shifting from food and textiles to engineering, steel and other metal products.

Italy has large foreign trade, facilitated by its sizable commercial shipping fleet.

According to the publication Italy in Figures, in 2006 there were exports worth over 320 million euros. Its major exports are motor vehicles (Fiat, Aprilia), chemicals, petrochemicals, electrical goods, aerospace and defence technology and firearms.

Export oriented

Its more famous exports are in the fields of fashion (Armani, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada), and luxury vehicles (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani). Its principal farm products are fruits, sugar, beets, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, soybeans, grains, olives and olive oil and livestock (cattle, sheep and goats). Italy's tourism industry is a driving force for the economy. It creates a turnover of $84 million (about Dh308.5 million), around 6.5 per cent of the GDP, and it employs about 2.7 million people.

According to the World Tourism Organisation, Italy is the fifth most visited country in the world. The Italian Government's Statistical Agency reports that 57.2 million tourists a year enter Italy; this represents 4.4 per cent of the total travel market.