Italy

Official Name: Italian Republic

Population: 60.2 million

Capital City: Rome

Time Difference: Italy is +2 GMT, so it is 6 hours ahead of the East coast and 9 hours ahead of the West coast. The entire country of Italy is in one time zone.

Official Sport: Soccer

Official Food: Pasta

Official Tree: Elm

Official Animal: Italian Wolf

Geography: Easily recognized as the “boot” shaped country, Italy is a peninsula that shares borders with four other countries: France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. Roughly the same size as Arizona, Italy contains a largely mountainous terrain from the Alps, some areas of plains, and of course, coastal lowlands along the Mediterranean Sea. Temperatures will vary from cooler in the north to hot and dry in the south, but overall Italy has a pleasant and comfortable climate to live in. Summer and early fall in all three cities of Florence, Perugia, and Rome will be hot and humid and many Italians retreat to the coast during the especially hot month of August. However, the high altitude of Perugia will make for cool evenings. Winter and spring will be rainy but reasonably cold in whichever location you choose to study.

Holidays: Many holidays like Christmas and Easter that are celebrated in the US are also celebrated in Italy. However, a strong Catholic influence creates holidays that are unique to Italy. April 15 is a public holiday for remembrance of the end of World War II in Italy. Studying or interning during the summer will allow you to experience Republic Day on June 2, which celebrates the birth of the Italian Republic. Many Italians take holiday for the entire month of August in honor of Ferragosto on August 15. Ferragosto is a feast day celebrating the assumption of the Virgin Mary.

Famous People: Galileo Galilei (astronomy pioneer and physicist), Leonardo da Vinci (artist and scientist), Sophia Loren (actress), Francis Ford Coppola (award winning director), and Giorgio Armani (fashion designer).

Great Movies: Ladri di Biciclette; The garden of the Finzi Contini; La Dolce Vita; Matrimonio all'Italiana; Mediterraneo; Le Fate Ignoranti.