PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
Italy is a boot-shaped peninsula which juts out into the Mediterranean between Jugoslavia and Greece to the east and France and Spain to the west. Maximum distance North-South Kms 1350 c.a. -  Maximum distance East-West kms 350 c.a. Total area 301.262 square kms c.a. Total lenght of Coastine 7.456 kms. The country is divided into 20 regions.

POPULATION:
Approx 60.000.000 inhabitants

RELIGION:
Roman Catholic is the most followed, but all other religions are equally respected.

LANGUAGE:
Italian is spoken throughout the country although with different dialects, expressions and accents in the various regions.

TIME:
Greenwich mean time. Day light saving system is adopted from April to October.

MONEY:
The official monetary unit is the Euro

CLIMATE:
Mild, mediterranean. Temperatures vary from North to South - the hottest period is in August with 28/32 degrees the coldest in February 02/10 degrees.

OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS:
All shops and offices are closed: Satyrday (except in the resorts where shops can be open also on Sunday). Jan 01, Easter Sunday and Monday - Apr 25, May 01, Aug 15, Nov 01, Dec 08, Dec 25, Dec 26.

WORKING HOURS:

Offices 08.30/09.00 - 19.30/20.00 with one or two hours lunch-break. Shops same as above in the cities. The resorts have longer lunch-breaks.