Geography/Topography Flashcards
Where is Italy located and within what latitudes?
Between the 35th and 47th parallels north. (Located in the central part of Europe it is considered one of the Southern European countries.)
What shape is Italy as a landmass identified with and how long is it’s coastline?
Italy is shaped like a boot (stivale) and juts into the Mediterranean Ocean with an impressive 4,598 miles/7,400 km of coastline. It includes the islands of Sardegna and Sicilia plus a multitude of archipelagos.
Which countries does Italy border?
Switzerland and Austria to the north, France to the northwest and Slovenia to the northeast.
Which two small independent enclaves exist within Italy?
The Vatican City State and the Republic of San Marino.
What does Italy boast thanks to its rich culture and artistic heritage?
It has the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and it is one of the most visited countries in the world.
How much of Italy is covered in mountains and hills? What is the average altitude?
The majority of Italy is covered by mountains and hills, which together account for 77% of the total surface (23% Plains, 35% Mountains, 42% Hills). The average altitude is 1,080ft/330m above sea level.
Mountains cover more than one-third of the total Italian territory and are largely part of which two main ranges?
The Alps and the Apennines.
Where are the Alps located?
To the north where they form an arc running for more than 600mile/1,000km along the entire Italian norther border, attaching Italy to the European continent.
What is the average altitude of the Alps?
4,600ft/1,400m
What three contiguous groups are the Alps generally divided into?
The Western Alps, the Central Alps and the Eastern Alps.
The Italian Alps include some of the highest peaks of the entire European Alpine chain. Which peaks are these?
Monte Bianco (the highest in Europe), Monte Rosa and Monte Cervino. All are higher than 13,000ft/4,000m above sea level.
What is the Alps’ fundamental role in northern Italy’s climate?
They block the cold winds arriving from Northern Europe and the humid air currents coming from the western Atlantic Ocean.
What are the Prealps?
A contiguous lower altitude range that forms a link between the Alps and the plains of northern Italy.
Where are the Apennines located?
The Apennines run along an arc that begins close to the French Border and forms the backbone of the entire peninsula of Italy, covering its length for about 900miles/1,500km from Liguria to Sicilia.
What is the average elevation of the Apennines?
The Apennines are considerably lower in altitude than the Alps with an average elevation of 1,600ft/500m above sea level. However, many peaks are above 6,500ft/2,000m in altitude.
What is the highest peak in the Apennine mountain range?
The Massif of Gran Sasso in Abruzzo is the highest peak, reaching 9,500ft/2,900m above sea level.
What three contiguous groups are the Apennines generally divided into?
Northern Apennines, Central Apennines, and Southern Apennines.
There are a few active volcanos in the south. Which are they?
Etna in Sicilia (the largest active volcano in Europe), Vesuvio in Campania, and the volcanic islands of Stromboli and Vulcano (both to the north of Sicilia).
Where are most of Italy’s winegrowing districts located?
Hillsides. Hills cover the largest part of Italy (42%) and are found across the entire territory. Most of Italy’s hills flank both sides of the Apennines in the central and southern part of the peninsula. Though a large band of hills is also found in Italy’s north, running (mostly) parallel to the Alps and the Prealps.
The hills of Italy can be broadly divided into three main categories base on their origin. What are they?
1) Sedimentary hills: Formed by the uplift of ancient sea bed. Examples are the hills of Langhe, Monferrato and Chianti.
2) Morainic hills: Formed by Alpine glacial deposits and containing a high gravel and sand content. They are found parallel to the Prealps and Alps. Examples are the hills around Lake Garda (Bardolino) and in Franciacorta.
3) Volcanic hills: The remains of ancient, extinct volcanos; usually possessing a conical shape. Examples of volcanic hills are found in Veneto, Toscana, Lazio, Campania and Sicilia.
Plains account for the smallest proportion (23%) of the Italian landscape. What is Italy’s largest plain?
The flat and fertile Padana Plain (or Po Valley) represents more than two-thirds of this percentage. This alluvial plain divides the Alps from the Apennines and extends in an east-west direction for about 400miles/650km from the Western Alps to the Adriatic Sea. It is crossed by Italy’s largest river, the Po.
What is Italy’s largest river?
The Po
Which regions are located within the Padana Plain (Po Valley)?
It includes parts of Piemonte, Lombardia, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, and Friuli Venezia Giulia.
What is Pianura Veneto-Friulana (Venetian-Friulian Plain) and where is it located?
A distinct plain located in the easternmost part of the Padana Plain (Po Valley) between Veneto and Friuli.
What is Tavoliere delle Puglie and where is it located?
The Tavoliere delle Puglie is the second largest plain and is located in Puglia.
Aside from the Padana Plain (Po Valley) and Tavoliere delle Puglie, where are the remaining portion of flatland found?
The remaining portion of flatland comprises small plains mainly found along the coastline and near river deltas.
Only a small proportion of Italy’s vineyards are planted in the flat plains. Where are the majority of these found?
Emilia-Romagna
Veneto
Friuli Venezia Giulia
Puglia
