Capital
Rome
Population
57,715,625 (July 2002 est.)
Area
301,230 sq km
includes Sardinia and Sicily – slightly larger than Arizona
Type of Government
Republic
Money
Euro (EUR); Italian lira (ITL)
Climate
predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Primary Language
Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d’Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)
