Regions of Italy

Surrounded by four seas, the Tyrrhenian, Adriatic, Ionian and Ligurian that form the Mediterranean Sea, the country of Italy borders five European countries and is geographically divided into 20 regions.

Situated along hundreds of miles of coastline, mountains also feature prominently in Italy's topography. The country is home to three active volcanoes - Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands, Vesuvius near Naples and Etna on Sicily and its diverse climate varies from north to south and from lowland to mountaintop.

Close to 58 million people call the Italian Republic (full name) home and most speak Italian, and numerous dialects, German, French and Slovene. Eighty-five per cent of people are Roman Catholic and five per cent are Jewish and Protestant.

Major industries include tourism, textiles, food processing and clothing. Major trading partners are European countries including France, Germany and Spain and the United States.

The regions of Italy are: Valle d'Aosta; Lombardia; Trentino Alto Adige; Friuli Venezia Giulia; Veneto; Emilia Romagna; Marche; Abruzzo; Molise; Puglia; Calabria; Sicilia; Basilicata; Campania; Latium; Umbria; Sardegna; Toscana; Liguria; Piemonte.