Hello, fellow Whyvillians! Ardua here, citizen of Whyville and writer for the Times. Just today I was thinking, "Wouldn't it be great to find out more about lots of countries?" I thought this would be really educational, especially since many Whyville members are from different countries. If this article gets good feedback, I am planning to start a series of Country In the Spotlight.

For this week's country, I chose Italy. I, myself, am mostly Italian, although I live in the United States. But before I start, here is a little information about Italians that I have found to be true. They like their carbohydrates! Probably also one of my favorite foods is pasta. Italians are big family people, they enjoy family reunions and being close to loved ones. It is also pretty well-known that Italians are extraordinary cooks of seven-course meals, delicious desserts, appetizers, entrees, salads, you name it.

Now you are probably excited to learn about the actual country. Italy is the country shaped like a boot. It is located in Southern Europe, surrounded by the Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, Adriatic, and Mediterranean Seas, and is just below Eastern Switzerland and Western Austria. To the southwest off the tip of the "boot" is the island of Sicily. Sicily is part of Italy.

The total area of Italy is 116,000 square miles, and has an approximate population of more than 50 million people! The capital city, Rome, is also one of the largest cities in Italy. Among the other largest cities are Milan, Naples, Turin, and Genoa. How about landmarks? The highest mountain peak is Monte Rosa which has a highest point of more than 15,000 feet.

What is the climate like in Italy, you might wonder. Italy in the summer is hot and dry, without much humidity. Winters there are mild and rainy, although there is less rainfall and higher temperatures in Southern Italy.

The national flag of Italy is simple, three vertical stripes, one of green, one of white, and the last is red. Yes, Italians also have a national anthem. In Italian it is called Fratelli d'Italia. Translated into English, this means Brethren of Italy. The Italians' government is a Republic, and their unit of currency is Lira. Most Italians are Roman Catholic. In early days, most Italians spoke Latin, but now typically only Catholic priests speak Latin, and, of course, the majority of the Italian population speaks Italian.

Among the chief crops in Italy are Wheat, corn, rice, other grains, grapes, olives, citrus and other fruits, and vegetables. They mostly manufacture textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, automobiles, electrical equipment, and machinery.

I hope you have enjoyed learning about the country of Italy. It is really very interesting and informative to learn about a country other than your own. If anyone reading this article currently lives in Italy, feel free to post a comment if you would like to add something that I might have missed.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and please, Y-Mail me and let me know which country you would like me to write about next time!