Italy republic in southern Europe, bordered on the north by Switzerland and Austria; on the east by Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea; on the south by the Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea; on the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Ligurian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea; and on the north-west by France. It comprises, in addition to the Italian mainland, the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, in the Mediterranean Sea; Elba in the Tyrrhenian Sea; and many lesser islands. Enclaves within mainland Italy are the independent countries of San Marino and Vatican City; the latter is a papal state mostly enclosed by Rome, the capital of Italy. The area of Italy is 301,323 sq km.

Population 
        57,268,578
        (1995 estimate)
Population Density
        190 people/sq km
        (491 people/sq mi)
        (1995 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
        70% Urban
        30% Rural
Largest Cities 
        Rome2,687,881
        Milan1,334,171
        Naples1,061,583
        Turin945,551
        Palermo694,749
        (1993 estimates)
Ethnic Groups
        94% Italian
        6% Other
        including Sardinians and Rhaetians
Languages
Official Language
        Italian
Other Languages
        Sardinian, German, Ladin, French, Greek, Albanian, Cata'lan dialect
Religions
        80% Roman Catholicism
        20% Other
        including Judaism, Islam, and other groups