What animals live in Italy. Flora and fauna of Italy

- a sea and mountainous country located in the south of Europe from the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea, occupies the Apennine Peninsula, the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, etc. In the northwest, Italy borders on France, in the north - on Switzerland and Austria, and in the northeast - with Slovenia. It is washed in the east by the Adriatic Sea, in the west by the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas, in the south by the Ionian and Mediterranean Seas. Within Italy are the tiny states of San Marino and the Vatican.

The country is named after the ethnonym of the Italic tribe.

Official name: Italian Republic

Capital: Rome

The area of the land: 301 thousand sq. km

Total population: 60 million people

Administrative division: Italy is divided into 20 regions comprising 94 provinces. Regions: Abruzzi, Basilica, Vale d'Aosta, Veneto, Calabria, Campania, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Marche, Molise, Puglia, Piedmont, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Friuli Venice Giulia, Emilia Romagna.

Form of government: Republic.

Head of State: President elected for a term of 7 years.

Composition of the population: 94% are Italians. They also distinguish the corresponding sub-ethnic groups (Sicilians, Sardinians, Tuscans, Calabrians, Ligurians, etc.)

The Friuls (Furlans) who live in northern Italy in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, the Romansh (Romanches) and Ladins living in the North also live. Italy living in several valleys of the Dolomites around the Sella massif (Trentino-Alto Adige region). Of the foreigners live: Germans, French, Slovenes, Greeks, Albanians, but their number is insignificant.

Official language: Italian, but each region has its own dialects. German officially recognized as equal with Italian in Bolzano and South Tyrol, Slovenian has a regional status in Gorizia and Trieste, French in the Aosta Valley. Fruli language in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region.

Religion: 96% are Catholics, 4% are atheists.

Internet domain: .it

Mains voltage: ~230 V, 50 Hz

Telephone code countries: +39

Country barcode: 80-83

Climate

Italy is located in a zone of subtropical Mediterranean climate, and the influence of the sea is enhanced by the Alps, which are a barrier to northern and western winds.

In the Alpine (northernmost) zone, the climate is continental, manifested altitudinal zonality. At the foot of the Alps average temperature July is 20-22 °C. In Bardonecchia (western part) mean annual temperature is 7.4 °C, and the average annual rainfall is 660 mm. The eastern part is less warm with more moisture, in Cortina d'Ampezzo these figures are 6.6 ° C and 1055 mm.

In Valle d'Aosta (western part of the zone), permanent snow cover starts at 3110 m, and in the Julian Alps snow drops to 2545 m. (Aosta, Susa). In the eastern part of the Alps, gusts of dry and cold boron winds can reach 200 km/h. In summer, rains fall in high-altitude regions, and in autumn and spring they move to the edges of the climatic zone.

Snow falls only in winter, the amount (from 3 to 10 m) depends on the year and proximity to the coast. The foothills receive more heavy snowfalls than the mountainous regions. In mountainous areas, frosts up to 15-20 °C are not uncommon. The lakes located in the region soften the local climate, the average January temperature in Milan is 1 °C, and in Salo, on Lake Garda - 4 °C. On the territory of the Italian Alps there are several hundred glaciers, such as Miage (in the Mont Blanc massif, the largest in Italy) and Calderone (on Mount Corno Grande, the southernmost in Europe).

On the Padana Plain, the climate is transitional from subtropical to temperate - hot summers and harsh winters, softening when moving towards the eastern coast. In Turin, the average winter temperature is 0.3 °C, summer - 23 °C. Rain falls mainly during the off-season, increasing with altitude. Little snow falls on the high plains. The temperature on the Adriatic coast rises from north to south, partly due to an increase in latitude, partly due to a change in the prevailing winds from east to south. The average annual temperature in Venice is 13.6°C, in Ancona 16°C and in Bari 17°C. Precipitation is scarce - 750 mm in Venice, 650 mm in Ancona and 600 mm in Bari.

In the Apennines, the severity of winter is determined by altitude, precipitation in the form of snow and rain is moderate (except in some places). Cyclones in the middle of winter cause frequent weather changes, and snow can fall in the southern regions. Average annual temperatures and precipitation are 12.1 °C and 890 mm in Urbino (in the east) and 12.5 °C and 1000 mm in Potenza (Basilicata region). On the eastern slopes of the Apennines and in the interior of the peninsula, 600-800 mm of precipitation falls annually, in the interior of Sicily and Sardinia - less than 500 mm per year.

Along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Ligurian Riviera, temperatures and precipitation are influenced by the sea, full exposure to the midday sun, prevailing southwesterly winds, and the proximity of the Apennine ridge, which does not allow northerly winds to pass through. In San Remo (western part of the riviera), 680 mm of precipitation falls per year, in La Spezia (southeastern part of the riviera) it is more rainy - 1150 mm. On the Adriatic coast, it is generally colder (by 1-2 ° C) and drier than on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Mountainous Calabria and Sicily are surrounded mediterranean sea and therefore the temperatures on them are higher than in the mountains of the northern part of the peninsula. In the interior, rain is rare in winter, falling more in the western and northern regions of Sicily. In Reggio di Calabria, the average annual temperature and precipitation are 18.2 °C and 595 mm, in Palermo - 18 °C and 970 mm, respectively.

From the side North Africa a hot and very humid sirocco wind often blows, heating the air to 40-45 ° C and reaching the south of Sardinia. The climate of Sardinia is also influenced by the cold mistral blowing over its northwestern coast. In Sassari (northwest of the island), the average annual temperature and precipitation are 17 °C and 580 mm, while in Orosei (east coast of the island), these figures are 17.5 °C and 540 mm.

Geography

The Italian Republic (Italy) is a state in the south of Europe, in the center of the Mediterranean. It borders with France in the northwest (border length - 488 km), with Switzerland (border length - 740 km) and Austria (border length - 430 km) in the north and with Slovenia in the northeast (border length - 232 km). It also has internal borders with the Vatican (the length of the border is 3.2 km) and San Marino (the length of the border is 39 km). It is one of the states of the Schengen agreement.

From the east, the Apennine Peninsula is washed by the Adriatic Sea with the Gulf of Venice in its northern part. The Strait of Otranto between Apulia and Albania connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea. Between Puglia and Calabria, the Gulf of Taranto penetrates deeply into the land. The very narrow Strait of Messina separates Calabria from Sicily, and the Sicilian (or Tunisian) Strait, 135 km wide, separates Sicily from North Africa. The Tyrrhenian Sea is a triangular basin framed by Sardinia, Corsica, the Tuscan archipelago, the Apennine Peninsula and Sicily. To the north of Corsica is the Ligurian Sea with the Gulf of Genoa.

Flora and fauna

Vegetable world

Even more diverse than the soil, the vegetation of Italy. On the territory that makes up 1/30 of Europe, more than half of all European species are concentrated. About 1/10 of the entire flora are endemic species, at the same time, many exotic plants, brought from other continents during the Age of Discovery, took root in Italy.

The Alps and the Padan Plain belong to the Central European forest zone, while the Apennine Peninsula and the islands already lie in the subtropical Mediterranean. In the mountains, altitudinal zonality is clearly manifested.

Everywhere, with the exception of the highlands, cultural landscapes predominate. Once upon a time, forests covered almost the entire Padana Plain and the Apennine Peninsula, but gradually, starting from the era ancient rome, they were rapaciously exterminated for fuel and construction and now occupy only 21% of the territory, mainly in the mountains and on the hills, while the plains are practically treeless. Italy would be even more treeless were it not for the regular (albeit far from sufficient) planting of forests that has been going on for more than 200 years.

Densely populated and almost entirely cultivated, the Padan Plain is practically devoid of wild vegetation. Poplars, willows, white locust grow along the roads, along the banks of canals and rivers in the Po floodplain. Among the monotonous fields come across oak, less often - birch and pine groves.

A strip of evergreen trees and shrubs stretches along the coastal lowlands of the Apennine Peninsula and islands. Along the river valleys, they penetrate the mountains up to a height of 500-600 m above sea level. Holm and cork oaks, mastic trees, pines, cypresses, palm trees, cacti, agaves coexist here. The place of cut down and burnt forests was occupied by thickets of maquis, consisting of strawberry and carob trees, tree-like juniper, gorse, oleander, wild olive, laurel. Dryer places are characterized by another type of thickets - garriga, consisting of fragrant evergreen shrubs and perennial xerophytic grasses. However, cultivated species predominate in the coastal strip, primarily subtropical ones: citrus fruits, olives, almonds, pomegranates, figs, cork oak groves planted by man.

In the Apennines, approximately at an altitude of 500-800 m above sea level, evergreen subtropical vegetation is replaced by deciduous broad-leaved forests, more precisely, their small islands left after centuries of deforestation. In the Alps, they represent the lower vegetation belt. Oak forests with an admixture of chestnut, hornbeam, ash, beech interspersed with gardens, vineyards, arable land, planting potatoes.

Above begins the belt of mixed coniferous-beech forests (in the Alps at an altitude of 900 m, in the Apennines - 2000 m). Above them is a belt. coniferous forests, consisting of various European species of pine, spruce, larch, fir. Above the coniferous forests stretch subalpine tall grass meadows, which are especially famous for the Alps. Then they give way to alpine meadows, and finally to the very peaks or glaciers there are slopes covered with mosses and lichens. Saxifrage and primrose bloom in places at the very edge of the snowfields.

Animal world

Due to the destruction of forests, an increase in population density and the area of cultivated land in Italy, few wild animals have survived. Only in remote areas of the Alps and the Apennines, mainly in reserves, are bears, wolves, chamois, roe deer found, on the island of Sardinia - mouflon, fallow deer, wild forest cat. Wild boars are widespread. There are many foxes in the Alps.

Much better preserved small predators and rodents (weasels, martens, marmots, squirrels), as well as hares. Hedgehogs and bats are ubiquitous. The world of reptiles and birds is rich. Italy abounds with lizards, snakes, turtles. The bird fauna includes about 400 species. In the mountains there are goshawks, vultures, golden eagles, in the highlands of the Alps - capercaillie, hazel grouse, ptarmigan, swift. On the plains, along the shores of lakes, there are many geese and ducks. From marine fish important commercial value have mullet, cod, sardines, tuna, flounder, and from the river - carp, trout, eel.

Attractions

Pyramid of Cestius

Banks and currency

The monetary unit of Italy is the euro. Euro is equal to 100 cents. There are banknotes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, as well as coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents.

Open from Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 13.30 and from 15.00 to 16.15-16.30 (or one hour in the afternoon), Saturday and Sunday - day off. In Lombardy, many banks close at 13.00.

In cities, many restaurants, hotels, shops and department stores accept Visa, American Express, Mastercard, Diner's Club and Carte Blanche. Establishments that accept cards usually post ads in the "Carta - si" window. Most gas stations require payment in cash • In rural areas, card payments are difficult.

Useful information for tourists

In Italy, there is a state monopoly on the sale of tobacco products - you can buy them at kiosks with special emblem. It is forbidden to smoke in public transport, in taxis, in most theaters and cinemas, as well as in some shops.

Too frivolous clothes such as shorts and T-shirts are not welcome in Rome. In this form, they may not be allowed to enter not only museums and cathedrals, but also shops. Shorts are not allowed in the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica, very short skirts among women. Shoulders should not be open.

Florence is famous for leather goods and gold, Venice - for carnival masks and products from the famous Venetian glass made on the island of Murano. Bring from Italy an Italian straw hat, a T-shirt from one of the many Italian football clubs and a bottle of the world-famous Chianti wine.

When using Italian transport, remember:

1. You need to buy a ticket in advance at tobacco shops or bars. It must be validated at the bus stop or in the cabin, after which it will be valid for 75 minutes. For all types of transport - tickets of a single sample.

2. All stops are on demand.

The nature and environment described below refer to mountains, valleys, seas, climate, hydrography, lakes, vegetation and fauna on a peninsula of 301.338 sq. km. In order to encourage tourists to develop different niches of tourism in Italy related to nature and the environment.

mountain ranges

Italy is divided into three parts: the Alps, the Apennines, the Sardinian-Corsican Massif. Italy itself is subdivided into: continental (north of the imaginary line between the Magra and Rubicon rivers); peninsular (south of this line); insular (islands and archipelagos). The Alpine-Apennine mountain system extends from the northern arc of Italy to Sicily; The Sardinian-Corsican Massif touches the island of Sardinia on the Italian side. The plateaus of Gargano and Le Murge (in Apulia), along with the plateau of Iblea (in Sicily), morphologically belong to the tip of the African coast.

The mountain backbone is the undivided realm and the apotheosis of summer and winter tourism, which over time has become a model for the development of the industry. Among the centers in the Alps, one can single out: Coz d "Ul, Sestriere, Ayas - Champollu, Breuil Cervinia, Alagna - Valsesia, Aprica, Bormio, Livigno, Moena, Alta - Badia, Corvara, Val - Zoldana, Ortler area, Cortinud" Ampezzo , Selwoodi-Cadore, Civetta, Tarvisio; along the Apennines - Abetone, Apuan Alps, Roccaraso, Terminillo, Gran Sasso, Matese, Pollino, Aspromonte, Sila, Etna, Gennargentu. The highest point in Europe - Mont Blanc (4.810 m) - characterizes the sunlit slope of the Italian Alps, facing the sea. On the Italian slope of the Alpine mountain system there are almost a thousand glaciers of various sizes. The largest of them - the Gran Paradiso and Mont Blanc groups - are concentrated in the Valle d "Aosta region. The glaciers of Monte Rosa, the Ortles, Adamello and Marmolada massifs are also impressive. At a distance of more than 1000 km to the south, Mount Etna acts as a "counterweight" to them (3.323 m) in Sicily... The Apennines and the sea stretch between the two peaks.

Just as it is impossible to imagine Italy without seas, lakes and rivers, so it is impossible to imagine it without snow-capped mountains (www.enit.it), hills, forests, islands. It is equivalent to imagine the universe without stars. However, the Italian mountains, along with any other geographical and social component of the peninsula, constitute a universe, but in this case a botanical and geological universe that preserves the last remnants of true Mediterranean vegetation. These mountains are a mixture of granite and slate, limestone and dolomite, marble and lava rocks.

There are many sites on the World Wide Web dedicated to mountains, including Italian ones: www.gae.it (Association of Local Guides and Tour Guides), www.planetmountain.com, www.altaquota.it, and for extreme sports - www. pareti.it.

Mountain landscapes in Italy are both steep and gentle. At the disposal of tourists are well-equipped ski slopes and hiking trails, sports equipment, and equipped with last word fitness clubs, rock climbing and hang gliding grounds. In addition, in the structures of agriturismo (www.agriturismo.com.) you will be offered local wines and gastronomy, you will be able to get acquainted with culture, folklore, traditions, history. You will be accommodated near the centers mountain recreation not far from cities rich in sights and events: Aosta, Turin, Genoa, Milan, Bergamo, Venice, Florence, Aquila, Rome, Naples, Catania.

Holidays in the Alps and the Apennines are a complete holiday in all seasons, especially in winter (www.cai.svt.it) and summer (www.corpoforestale.it). Summer, in the Italian mountains, no longer means only climber's boots, traditional mountain breeches, rock climbing, Mountain bikes, trekking (hiking along mountain trails with a guide), canoeing, rafting (rafting and kayaking down mountain rivers), excursions, long walks (www.boscaglia.it.), evening feasts with "polenta" (cornmeal porridge ), grappa (grape vodka) and dancing (www.localionline.it).

Mountains, like beaches and pine groves, have become today a kind of gym where you can get in shape, enjoy clean air and good food. Where to get rid of stress, lose weight, regain fresh and clean skin? Yes, everywhere: from Cortina d "Ampezzo for those who like to combine relaxation, giving it a little secular character, to the National Park of Abruzzo and Gran Sasso for those who love the Apennine landscape. The mountains have also become a kind of ramp for classical music concerts on high altitude (Valle d "Aosta, Trentino).

The protection and breeding of rare species of animals is carried out in the National Reserves del Gran Paradiso, d "Abruzzi, dello Stelvio, del Circeo and in natural areas protected by the law on protection environment(www.pegaso.bio.uniromal.it/gsap/).

The fauna of the seas, lakes, and fast mountain rivers(www.lineablu.it).

In the catalogs of BUYERS who offer Russian tourists holidays in Italy, there are no offers for recreation and sports activities related to bird watching and long excursions on horseback to remote areas (www.cavalloonline.it). As for the pets that tourists want to take with them on vacation - cats, dogs - you can use the sites that list beaches, campsites and hotels where they are accepted (www.petz.it, www.viaggiarecolcane.it).

The Moscow office of ENIT is ready to assist Russian BUYERS in the search for an Italian partner for "certain interests" related to recreation in the types of "nature" and "green tourism".

Handbook of practical and technical information on the reception of tourists in Italy for travel agencies
Italian National Tourist Board (E.N.I.T.)
Moscow, 2002

A country that is located in two belts: in the north - within the forest zones temperate zone, and in the south in the subtropical zone. The sea and climate have a great influence on the formation of nature and fauna in these places.

So let's start with the flora of Italy

At an altitude of 800 m in the Alps, you can find mainly broad-leaved forests: oaks with chestnuts, ash, maple. If you rise to a height of over 800 m and up to 1800 m, you will see coniferous and beech forests, various shrubs and meadows are located even higher. On the islands of Sardinia and Sicily in the Apennines, at an altitude of up to 500-600 m, groves of evergreen cork and holm oaks, Aleppo pines, pinnies, as well as shrub pharmacies growing on brown volcanic and dark-colored soils grow.

The Padana Plain is now mostly cultivated vegetation, and earlier it was filled with oak forests, shrubs and meadows. At 2000 m, mountain broad-leaved forests of spruce, beech, pine and fir predominate. Subalpine meadows are located on the uppermost parts of the mountains.

Surprisingly, before almost all of Italy was covered with forests, and now their main concentration is in the Alps. In some places, there is a small reminder of large forests, in the form of shrubs and thickets, which are called maquis or machia. And in particular, there are gariges - Mediterranean heaths.

In the Apennines, the vegetation is very similar to the countries of Central Europe; here you can find oaks, cypresses, walnut, spruce and pine. And on the coast of the Apennines and the nearest islands, subtropical trees grow - almonds, figs, citrus fruits, pomegranates, olives, cork trees.

The fauna in Italy is also quite diverse.

Most of the animals live in the mountains. In the Central Apennines you can find brown bear, wolf, fox and boar. In the Apennines and the Alps, you can meet a wild cat, chamois, pine and stone martens, and a ferret. Hares and squirrels are often found. The fact is that when preparing for the exam in biology, tutors often give examples from the forest and marine fauna Italy, because of its enormous diversity.

Deer live in hunting reserves. And stone goats live in the Gran Paradiso National Park. On the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, fallow deer, mouflon, wild boar, wild forest cat are found.

The world of birds is very rich - about 400 species. In the mountains you can see a falcon, an eagle, a vulture, a goshawk, a golden eagle, a vulture. There are many ducks and geese on the plains. And in the highlands of the Alps, hazel grouse, capercaillie, white partridge, swift, buzzard soar.

The world of reptiles is also quite diverse: all kinds of lizards of different colors, snakes and turtles are often found. You can also meet a scorpion, though only in the south of the country.

The area of the land: Total population: Composition of the population: Official language: Religion: Internet domain: Mains voltage: Phone country code: Country barcode:

Climate

Italy is located in a zone of subtropical Mediterranean climate, and the influence of the sea is enhanced by the Alps, which are a barrier to northern and western winds.

In the Alpine (northernmost) zone, the climate has a continental character, altitudinal zonality is manifested. At the foot of the Alps, the average July temperature is 20-22°C. In Bardonecchia (western part), the average annual temperature is 7.4 °C and the average annual rainfall is 660 mm. The eastern part is less warm with more moisture, in Cortina d'Ampezzo these figures are 6.6 ° C and 1055 mm. In Valle d'Aosta (western part of the zone), permanent snow cover starts at 3110 m, and in the Julian Alps snow drops to 2545 m. (Aosta, Susa). In the eastern part of the Alps, gusts of dry and cold boron winds can reach 200 km/h. In summer, rains fall in high-altitude regions, and in autumn and spring they move to the edges of the climatic zone. Snow falls only in winter, the amount (from 3 to 10 m) depends on the year and proximity to the coast. The foothills receive more heavy snowfalls than the mountainous regions. In mountainous areas, frosts down to? 15-20 ° C are not uncommon. The lakes located in the region soften the local climate, the average January temperature in Milan is 1 °C, and in Salo, on Lake Garda - 4 °C. On the territory of the Italian Alps there are several hundred glaciers, such as Miage (in the Mont Blanc massif, the largest in Italy) and Calderone (on Mount Corno Grande, the southernmost in Europe).

On the Padana Plain, the climate is transitional from subtropical to temperate - hot summers and harsh winters, softening when moving towards the eastern coast. In Turin, the average winter temperature is 0.3 ° C, summer - 23 ° C. Rain falls mainly during the off-season, increasing with altitude. Little snow falls on the high plains. The temperature on the Adriatic coast rises from north to south, partly due to an increase in latitude, partly due to a change in the prevailing winds from east to south. The average annual temperature in Venice is 13.6°C, in Ancona 16°C and in Bari 17°C. Precipitation is scarce - 750 mm in Venice, 650 mm in Ancona and 600 mm in Bari.

Along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Ligurian Riviera, temperatures and precipitation are influenced by the sea, full exposure to the midday sun, prevailing southwesterly winds, and the proximity of the Apennine ridge, which does not allow northerly winds to pass through. In Sanremo (western part of the riviera), 680 mm of precipitation falls per year, in La Spezia (southeastern part of the riviera) it is more rainy - 1150 mm. On the Adriatic coast, it is generally colder (by 1-2 ° C) and drier than on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Mountainous Calabria and Sicily are surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea and therefore the temperatures are higher than in the mountains of the northern part of the peninsula. In the interior, rain is rare in winter, falling more in the western and northern regions of Sicily. In Reggio di Calabria, the average annual temperature and precipitation are 18.2 ° C and 595 mm, in Palermo - 18 ° C and 970 mm, respectively. A hot and very humid sirocco wind often blows from North Africa, heating the air to 40-45 ° C and reaching the south of Sardinia. The climate of Sardinia is also influenced by the cold mistral blowing over its northwestern coast. In Sassari (northwest of the island), the average annual temperature and precipitation are 17 °C and 580 mm, while in Orosei (east coast of the island), these figures are 17.5 °C and 540 mm.

Geography

Italy is a predominantly mountainous country that occupies the Apennine Peninsula (on which the Apennine mountains are located (the highest point is Mount Corno Grande, 2914 m), the Padan plain, the southern slopes of the Alps (with the highest point in Western Europe, Mount Mont Blanc, 4808 m), the islands of Sicily , Sardinia and a number of small islands (most of the small islands are divided into archipelagos, for example the Tuscan archipelago, which includes the island of Elba, to which Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled). Active volcanoes - (Vesuvius, Etna); earthquakes are frequent. The longest river in Italy, Po, its length is 682 km The largest lake is Garda.
From the east, the Apennine Peninsula is washed by the Adriatic Sea with the Gulf of Venice in its northern part. The Strait of Otranto between Apulia and Albania connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea. Between Puglia and Calabria, the Gulf of Taranto penetrates deeply into the land. The very narrow Strait of Messina separates Calabria from Sicily, and the Sicilian (or Tunisian) Strait, 135 km wide, separates Sicily from North Africa. The Tyrrhenian Sea is a triangular basin framed by Sardinia, Corsica, the Tuscan archipelago, the Apennine Peninsula and Sicily. To the north of Corsica is the Ligurian Sea with the Gulf of Genoa.

Flora and fauna

Vegetable world. Even more diverse than the soil, the vegetation of Italy. On the territory that makes up 1/30 of Europe, more than half of all European species are concentrated. About 1/10 of the entire flora are endemic species, at the same time, many exotic plants, brought from other continents during the Age of Discovery, took root in Italy.

Everywhere, with the exception of the highlands, cultural landscapes predominate. Once upon a time, forests covered almost the entire Padana Plain and the Apennine Peninsula, but gradually, starting from the era of Ancient Rome, they were rapaciously exterminated for fuel and construction and now occupy only 21% of the territory, mainly in the mountains and on the hills, while the plains are practically treeless . Italy would be even more treeless were it not for the regular (albeit far from sufficient) planting of forests that has been going on for more than 200 years.

Above begins the belt of mixed coniferous-beech forests (in the Alps at an altitude of 900 m, in the Apennines - 2000 m). Above them is a belt of coniferous forests, consisting of various European species of pine, spruce, larch, and fir. Above the coniferous forests stretch subalpine tall grass meadows, which are especially famous for the Alps. Then they give way to alpine meadows, and finally to the very peaks or glaciers there are slopes covered with mosses and lichens. Saxifrage and primrose bloom in places at the very edge of the snowfields.

Animal world. Due to the destruction of forests, an increase in population density and the area of cultivated land in Italy, few wild animals have survived. Only in remote areas of the Alps and the Apennines, mainly in reserves, are bears, wolves, chamois, roe deer found, on the island of Sardinia - mouflon, fallow deer, wild forest cat. Wild boars are widespread. There are many foxes in the Alps.

Small predators and rodents (weasels, martens, marmots, squirrels), as well as hares, are much better preserved. Hedgehogs and bats are ubiquitous. The world of reptiles and birds is rich. Italy abounds with lizards, snakes, turtles. The bird fauna includes about 400 species. In the mountains there are goshawks, vultures, golden eagles, in the highlands of the Alps - capercaillie, hazel grouse, ptarmigan, swift. On the plains, along the shores of lakes, there are many geese and ducks. From marine fish, mullet, cod, sardines, tuna, flounder are of great commercial importance, and from river fish - carp, trout, eel.

Attractions

The most famous sights: the Roman and Imperial Forum, the baths of Caracalla (217 AD); Palatine Hill, Forum of Trajan, Capitoline Hill, Colosseum, Arch of Constantine, Piazza Venezia, Castel Sant'Angelo and St. Peter's Cathedral, the world-famous Pantheon - an ancient temple built in 27 BC; the Colosseum, built in 80 AD; the catacombs where the first Christians took refuge from persecution; the fort of Castel Sant'Angelo, originally built as the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian and rebuilt as a fortification in the Middle Ages; basilica of st. John Lateran (4th century, rebuilt in the 17th - XVIII centuries); basilica of st. Paul (4th century); basilica of st. Petrav-chains (5th century), inside which is a marble sculpture of Moses by Michelangelo; Piazza Navona with three fountains: one by Gianlorenzo Bernini, tourists usually throw coins into the Baroque Trevi Fountain; Fountain "Naiads" on the Republic Square and the fountain "Triton" on the Piazza Barberini; Church of Trinita dei Monti (XV century).

The most important Vatican museums: St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums are located on the territory of the Vatican. St. Peter's Cathedral - the largest and most important Christian temple, built on the burial site of St. Peter. The cathedral keeps many masterpieces: Pieta - one of the first works of Michelangelo, a canopy installed over the papal throne by Bernini, a bronze statue of St. Peter, the tombs of popes. The Vatican Museums occupy part of the palaces. In total, there are over a dozen museums and galleries in the Vatican: the Pinacateca art gallery, a collection of Greek and Roman sculpture, the Etruscan Museum, galleries of Candelabra, Tapestries and Maps, Raphael's Stations, the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo. Borghese Gallery Villa Borghese, one of the largest and most beautiful parks in Rome, on the territory of which the Borghese Gallery is located. In the halls of the 17th century palace, there are collections of sculpture and painting from the collection of Cardinal Sapion-Borghese: magnificent marble sculptures by Bernini, the famous "Paulina Bonaparte as Venus" by Canova, paintings by famous masters Raphael, Pinturicchio, Fra Bartolomeo, Cranach, Durer, Caravaggio, Correggio , G. Bellini, Veronese, Titian, Rubens.

Capitoline Museums: Located on Capitoline Hill. In the Palace of the Conservatives there is a collection of ancient art: sculpture and an art gallery, which presents antique murals and paintings by Renaissance masters. In the New Palace there is an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, "The Dying Gaul", a gallery of busts of Roman emperors, a mosaic from Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli.

On the picturesque hills not far from the capital lies a whole recreation area for the Roman nobility and emperors. In Castelgandolfo, right on the site of the legendary city of Alba Longa - the birthplace of Remus and Romulus, is the villa of the Pope. Nearby lie the unique crater lakes Alba and Nemi.

In Tivoli (30 km from Rome) the grandiose ruins of Hadrian's Villa (118 AD), called the "Villa of Five Hundred Fountains", attract attention. Villa d "Este (1550) is a grandiose object of garden and park art. The nearby Villa Gregoriana with a magnificent waterfall (about 160 m high), grottoes and a park is also attractive.

Lido di Ostia (28 km from Rome) - a former busy seaport of the Roman Empire with an amphitheater, temples, paved bridges and luxurious baths, not far from which a later city arose with a modern recreation area - sandy beaches, small hotels, a beautiful promenade and many bars and restaurants.

Milan is one of the oldest cities in the country. The mixture of Austrian, French and Italian cultures contributed to the emergence of completely unique works of art and architecture here. The heart of Milan is the huge Piazza Duomo with the equestrian statue of King Vittorio Emanuel II, the Northern Palace with the Arc de Triomphe and the openwork Gothic Milan Cathedral (1386-1813). On the highest spire of the cathedral rises the famous statue of the Madonna made of gilded bronze, more than 4 m high. To the right of the cathedral is the building of the Royal Palace, which until 1138 served as the city hall, and then the Visconti ducal palace. The palace was badly damaged by bombing in 1943, but restored, and now houses the State Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of the Duomo Cathedral.

Not far from the cathedral, opposite the Vittorio Emanuele gallery in the form of a cross, is the famous La Scala opera house. The glory of Milan is also made up of the church of Sant'Ambrogio (IX-XV centuries), the church of St. Mauricio of the Maggiore monastery, one of the most luxurious castles in Italy - Castello Sforzesco (XVI century), the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie (XV century ., in the refectory - painting "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci), the church of San Lorenzo Maggiore with the chapel of San Aculino, the early Christian church of St. Lorenzo with mosaics of the 4th century, the Romanesque church of Santa Eustorgio with the pearl of the Renaissance - the Portnari chapel and etc.

By right, Milan is also proud of the unique works of art that are stored in its museums, such as the Brera Gallery ("Pinacote di Brera"), which is famous for its paintings, the Castello Museum - a collection of ancient sculpture, frescoes and majolica, the Ambrosiana Art Gallery (" Pinacoteca Ambrosiana") - wide range painting works. The National Museum of Science and Technology houses the scientific projects of Leonardo da Vinci and interesting contemporary collections on the history of railways, aeronautics and navigation. The Archaeological Museum has a chic collection of Etruscan, Greek and Romanesque art. Museum Poldi Pezzoli - antique ceramics, one of the best collections of weapons and armor in the world. The Gallery of Modern Art ("d'Arte Moderna") is an excellent exhibition of works by contemporary artists.In the vicinity of Milan, there is the Minitalia amusement park, many beautiful lakes and the modern Formula 1 racing circuit in Monza.

In Verona, thousands of tourists are attracted by Piazza Bra (1st century) - the ancient Roman arena, which is the second largest after the Colosseum, the Church of San Zeno (5th century), Juliet's house and grave, Erbe i Signoria Square, Stone Bridge and Old Lock.

Florence is not inferior to Rome in the richness and grandeur of its monuments. Among the most famous monuments the city includes the Palazzo Vecchio ("Old Palace", 1299-1314), Signoria Square, the building of the Uffizi Gallery, the Bargello Palace, Palazzo Pitti - the most grandiose palace in Florence, the Church of San Lorenzo and the Medici Chapel with the tombs of the dukes, the cathedral and the monastery of San Marco, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Novella, the church of Or San Michele and the observation deck in Piazzale Michelangelo. Definitely worth a visit gothic cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore (1296-1461), the bell tower of Giotto (XIV century) and the tower of the Signoria, the baptistery of San Giovanni ("Gate of Paradise") with gilded bronze gates, the famous Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge" ) and the Cathedral of Santa Croce (XIII-XIV centuries) with the "Pantheon of Florence" - the graves of Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo, Rossini, Dante and others. And this is only a small part of the city's attractions!

Florence has a huge number of museums and parks. The Uffizi Gallery is not only one of the oldest museums in Italy (1560), but also the most complete and significant collection of Italian painting in the world. The Museum of San Marco is located in the building of an ancient Dominican monastery (XIV century) and is famous for the frescoes and paintings of the great Dominicans Fra Beato Angelico (1395-1455) and Fra Bartolomeo, as well as the cells of Savonarola. Also of interest are the Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts, the Pitti Gallery in the Royal Apartments, the Palatine Gallery, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Silver Museum, the Carriage Museum, the National Bargello Museum, the Archaeological Museum in the Crocetta Palace with an extensive collection of ancient art, as well as the Medici Museum in the Medici-Ricardi Palace (XV century).

Venice is built on 122 islands connected by 400 bridges. This is a real city-monument, where absolutely any building can claim the title of historical. Most of the Venetian canal streets are so narrow that you can easily rest your hands against the walls of opposite houses, while the buildings themselves reach a height of 7 floors. There are practically no banks near the canals - majestic houses "grow" right out of the water. One of the main attractions of the city is the Grand Canal, which runs through the entire city and is about 4 km long. with a width of up to 70 m. The Grand Canal leads to the central square of Venice - St. Mark's Square, where the Cathedral of St. Mark of the XI century is also located, and the famous palace (and prison) of the Doge (the so-called rulers of Venice).

A colossal number of ancient monuments are scattered throughout the city - the famous "Golden Bridge" ("Rialto"), "Bridge of Sighs" and "Bridge of Money Changers", the building of the Old and New Procurations, the Venir de Leoni Palace, the library, the Clock Tower, the Campanile Bell Tower with an observation deck, numerous palaces of the Venetian nobility, the grandiose Arsenal complex, the Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Salute, the Frari Basilica, the 15th-century Ca d'Oro ("Golden House") and Merceria shopping street. Many palaces are now located museums, including such famous collections as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (the largest collection of modern art in Italy), the Museum of Venice, the Naval Museum (model ships and modern weapons), Academy Gallery, Correr City Museum (historical and art collections), School of the Brotherhood of St. Rocco (painting by Tintoretto), etc.

Venice is also famous as the birthplace of the famous "Murano glass", on the island of Murano there is a museum, workshops and exhibitions of Venetian glass, as well as the church of St. Mary and Donato (XII century). The resort island of Lido has good sandy beaches and is also known for its "Municipal Casino" - the only luxury casino in the world that can only be reached by water.

Padua, founded around the 6th century. BC e., the birthplace of one of the oldest European universities and a major scientific and cultural center of the Middle Ages, is now considered one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. From Valle Square, narrow medieval streets paved with uneven paving stones scatter in different directions. In the city center, opposite Piazza del Santo, there is a house in which, in the middle of the 15th century. lived Donatello. The beautiful church of St. Antonio (basilica del Santo) is one of the main attractions of the city.

Every year in June, when the day of St. Antonio, revered by all Italians, is celebrated, pilgrims from all over the world come to Padua to see the embalmed fragments of the saint's body, with which the altar has been "decorated" since 1232, and which still supposedly have miraculous properties. Palazzo del Bo with typical medieval architecture, which housed the University of Padua at the end of the 16th century, serves the cause of education to this day. Along the perimeter, it is decorated with marble medallions with images of all the famous graduates and teachers of this "university" for its almost 800-year history. Many historical buildings in the city itself, allows it to compete even with Florence and Milan.

Pisa is famous for its carefully trimmed bright green grass carpet Prato de Miracoli ("Field of Miracles"), on which rises the Baptistery, the Campanile "leaning tower" and the Camposanto cemetery. This place was sacred even in the times of the Etruscans, and in the Roman era, the Palladium stood here. In 1063, in honor of the victory of the Pisan fleet in the harbor of Palermo, a cathedral was erected on the foundations of the Palladium to commemorate the victory of the "Maritime Republic". And literally immediately, the new building began to tilt, turning into the most popular tower in Italy, attempts to "save" which continue to this day. Now Pisa Cathedral Square is considered unparalleled in the world.

Naples - the city is located at the foot of the volcano Vesuvius. Even in the times of the Roman Empire, the area was known as a place of rest for the nobility, who built baths and stadiums, villas and theaters here. By the 19th century the nearby coast has become a traditional resort for the aristocracy and bohemia, including Russian. Clear sea, mountain air, many thermal springs and rich culture attract many tourists to Naples, but the city itself is considered the most overpopulated and one of the most urbanized in Europe. To natural wonders This area can be attributed to the grottoes of di-Pertosa, which are about 35 million years old.

National parks reserves of Italy. There are four of them and they were created to preserve some species of animals. The oldest of them - national park Gran Paradiso (72,000 ha), the only place where mountain goats and chamois live, as well as marmots, stoats, foxes and eagles. Italy's largest park, Stelvio National Park (135,000 ha), is nestled among mountains and forests near Switzerland, where deer, chamois, roe deer, ground squirrels and pheasants are found in abundance. national reserve in Abruzzi (30,000 ha) is located in one of the highest regions of the Apennines, where you can meet the last Abruzzo brown bears in Italy.

Banks and currency

Open from Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 13.30 and from 15.00 to 16.15-16.30 (or one hour in the afternoon), Saturday and Sunday - day off. In Lombardy, many banks close at 13.00.

Currency can be exchanged at currency exchange offices, banks and post offices. At airports, as a rule, the exchange rate is less favorable, but the exchange points there work around the clock. Lots of exchange machines that accept US dollars. Credit cards and traveler's checks are widely used. In cities, many restaurants, hotels, shops and department stores accept Visa, American Express, Mastercard, Diner's Club and Carte Blanche. Establishments that accept cards usually post ads in the "Carta - si" window. Most gas stations require payment in cash • In rural areas, card payments are difficult.

The monetary unit of Italy is the euro.

Euro is equal to 100 cents. There are banknotes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, as well as coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents.

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The flora and fauna of this country is diverse and represented by a large number of species. Active human activity has led here to the fact that in many regions of the country exclusively cultural landscapes prevail. The only exceptions are highland areas where the natural flora has been preserved. characteristic feature Italy is a well-defined zonality. More than half of all plant species in Europe grow here, and 10% are endemic species.

The formation of the flora and fauna of the country was also influenced by such factors as the predominance of mountainous terrain, temperate and subtropical climate, and a long coastline.

Flora of Italy

In Italy, three areas with different types of vegetation can be distinguished: the Po Valley, the Alps and the Mediterranean - Apennine region.

Three zones can also be distinguished in the Alps Zone. In the lowest zone there are broad-leaved forests represented by cork oaks, European olive, cypress, laurel cherry, chestnut, ash and maple. Further, there are already beech forests, which smoothly turn into coniferous ones. Here you can see larches and spruces in in large numbers. Even higher, the trees end, and they are replaced by shrubs (juniper, hard alder and rhododendrons), meadows with grass, wild flowers (primrose and clove families), sedge with grassy willow. Even higher, lichens and mosses grow on snow-capped peaks.

In the region of the Padan Plain, there used to be oak forests and shrubs, but now only cultivated plants (wheat, corn, rice, sugar beets and potatoes) can be found here. In places where there is enough moisture, poplar grows, and in more arid areas - Sedge. Heather grows on the plains and pine forests, and along the coast - water lilies and pondweed.

On the Apennine Peninsula, Sardinia and Sicily, in low-mountain areas, there are evergreen holm and cork oaks, pines, olives, oleanders, carob trees, Aleppo pines and mastic trees. Above grow oaks, beeches and chestnuts, spruces, firs and pines, white ash, oriental plane tree and white poplar.

In southern Italy, you can find Italian alder, and in Sicily, Sicilian fir and papyrus. The natural forest of the Apennines has now been replaced by maquis shrubs. Various steppe plants grow on the plains.

Animal world of Italy

Deforestation and land cultivation have resulted in animal world Italy is not very diverse. Wild animals can be found here mainly in the mountains. So, marmots, wild cats, stone and forest martens, ermines and ferrets live in the Alps. As for large mammals, here you can also see the Alpine ibex (protected by law), chamois, roe deer, lynx, fox and wolf. In Abruzzo, you can meet a brown bear, and in Sardinia - fallow deer, mouflon and wild boar. Squirrels, hares and large horseshoe bats also live in Italy.

In the country you can see 400 species of feathered representatives of the animal world, including mountain partridge, vulture, swift, black grouse, golden eagle and capercaillie. Wild geese and ducks live along the shores of the lakes. Among the reptiles, vipers, some species of lizards and turtles can be distinguished, and among amphibians - the alpine salamander and the alpine newt. AT fresh waters sturgeons, eels and brown trout live, and in the seas - ordinary red mullet, crucian carp, white sharks and sword sharks. Tuna, mackerel, sardines and flounder are caught here on an industrial scale. Invertebrates such as sponges and red corals are also found.

Many species of wild animals and birds are completely exterminated or disappeared due to environmental pollution and human intervention in the ecosystem. Wild animals can only be found in the reserves of Italy, of which there are quite a lot. Also, at the moment, National parks and reserves have been created here. total area of all national parks of the country is 200 thousand hectares. Many rare species listed in the Red Book. The government is trying to do everything possible so that the environment does not damage the flora and fauna of the country.