Italy republic in southern Europe, bordered on the north by Switzerland and Austria; on the east by Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea; on the south by the Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea; on the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Ligurian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea; and on the north-west by France. It comprises, in addition to the Italian mainland, the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, in the Mediterranean Sea; Elba in the Tyrrhenian Sea; and many lesser islands. Enclaves within mainland Italy are the independent countries of San Marino and Vatican City; the latter is a papal state mostly enclosed by Rome, the capital of Italy. The area of Italy is 301,323 sq km.

Population 
	57,268,578
	(1995 estimate)
Population Density
	190 people/sq km
	(491 people/sq mi)
	(1995 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
	70% Urban
	30% Rural
Largest Cities 
	Rome2,687,881
	Milan1,334,171
	Naples1,061,583
	Turin945,551
	Palermo694,749
	(1993 estimates)
Ethnic Groups
	94% Italian
	6% Other
	including Sardinians and Rhaetians
Languages
Official Language
	Italian
Other Languages
	Sardinian, German, Ladin, French, Greek, Albanian, Cata'lan dialect
Religions
	80% Roman Catholicism
	20% Other
	including Judaism, Islam, and other groups