geography and nature
Italy is a very easy country to recognize on a map because of the way it is shaped like a boot. In fact, with the Italian island of Sicily just off the coast at the bottom tip of Italy, some people say it looks like Italy is a boot that is kicking Sicily! Italy is mostly surrounded by the water of the Mediterranean, while some of the countries has the nice, warm weather you would expect on the coast, other parts have mountains and can be pretty cold. If you’re going there for a beach day, be careful where you go!
population
Italy has about 63 million people who live there, which makes it 23rd highest in all the world. This population is spread out all over the country, instead of being just in the cities alone.
capital city & important cities
The capital city of Italy is Rome, which is one of the oldest and most important cities in all of history! If you visit Rome nowadays, you will see that it still runs like a normal, modern city, but a lot of the famous sites are still there to see. At one point in history, the Roman empire stretched over about half of the known world, and this sense of pride and history is important to the people who live there. Other major cities in Italy include Milan, Naples, Florence, and Venice, and all of these are very big spots for tourists!
flag
The Italian flag is very easy to spot, and because of how much Italians love their country, you can find their flag all over the world. The Italian flag has a white stripe down the middle, and it has a green stripe on one side and a red stripe on the other.
food
Italian food is probably the most popular style of “foreign food” all over the world, and this is mostly because Italian food is so important to the Italians! Italians have given us things like pasta, lasagna, and (best of all!) pizza. Not only do Italians enjoy their food, but they also take a lot of pride in making food that is some of the most delicious in the world.
music-dance
Throughout the ages, Italy has produced some of the greatest music in the world. From the old days of classical music and folk music to the famous Italian opera singers, Italy is known for their high taste in music. Just like with their food, Italians take pride in their music, and they have a very rich tradition that is still going on today!
currency
Just like most other countries in Europe, Italy uses the euro for their money. The euro is the strongest currency in the whole world!
language
The official language of Italy is Italian. Well, what else would it be! Of course, there are also some other languages that are spoken in small pockets of the country. In fact, the Italian government recognizes twelve official minor languages!
Online Italian lessons for kids: dinolingo.com
