Italian Peninsula

The Italian Peninsula (Italian: penisola italica or penisola italiana) is located within the Italian geographical region; it extends from the southern Alps in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south which comprises much of the country of Italy and the enclaved microstates of San Marino and Vatican City. The peninsula is also known as the Italic Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula, Italian Boot, or Mainland Italy.

Satellite view of the peninsula in March 2003

Overview

It is nicknamed lo Stivale ("the Boot"), because the shape of the peninsula resembles a high-heeled boot. Three smaller peninsulas contribute to this characteristic shape, namely Calabria ("the Toe"), Salento ("the Heel") and Gargano ("the Spur"). The backbone of the Italian Peninsula consists of the Apennine Mountains, from which it takes one of its names. The Peninsula comprises much of Italy and also includes the enclaved microstates of San Marino and Vatican City.

Physical geography

 

Minimum extent (excluding Northern Italy) of the Italian peninsula in dark green and maximum extent (including Northern Italy) in light green

Geographically, the minimum extent of the Italian Peninsula consists of the land south of a line extending from the Magra to the Rubicon rivers, north of the Tuscan–Emilian Apennines. It excludes the Po Valley and the southern slopes of the Alps. The Italian Peninsula has the only active volcano on continental Europe, Mount Vesuvius.

Political geography

In general discourse, "Italy" and the "Italian Peninsula" are often used as synonymous terms. However, northern Italy may be excluded from the Italian Peninsula. From a political point of view, the Italian Peninsula in the strict sense (therefore excluding insular Italy and northern Italy) is divided into various states listed in the following table:

Country	Population	Peninsular area			Description
		km^2	sq mi	Share
Italy	26,140,000	131,275	50,686	99.9531%	Virtually the entire peninsula
San Marino	31,887	61.2	23.6	0.0466%	A central-eastern enclave of peninsular Italy
Vatican City	829	0.49	0.19	0.0003%	An enclave of Rome, Italy

See also

•  Italy portal
•  Vatican City portal

• Apennine Mountains
• Italy
• Italy (geographical region)
• List of peninsulas
• San Marino
• Southern Europe
• Vatican City