Italy is located in southern Europe on the Apennine Peninsula. Its distinct shape, resembling a kicking boot, makes it easy to recognize it on maps or even from space.
The Adriatic Sea borders the peninsula in the east, the Sea of Sicily in the south, the Ionian Sea in the southeast, the Ligurian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea in the west, all those seas are parts of the Mediterranean Sea.
Italy has international borders with Austria, France, the Holy See (Vatican City), San Marino, Slovenia, and Switzerland. It also shares maritime borders with Albania, Algeria, Croatia, Greece, Libya, Malta, Montenegro, Spain, and Tunisia.
Italy has a population of more than 60.4 million people (in 2019), the capital and largest city is Rome. Other major cities are Florence, Milan, Naples, and Venice. Spoken language is (only) Italian.
The country is known for its food, wine, ice cream, art, antique architecture, gardens, opera, fast expensive cars, fashion, film, football, the Mafia, and “Dolce Vita”, a life of exuberant pleasure and luxury.