Italy The Land Of Dreams....!

Italy the land of Dreams

officially the Italian Republic (Italian: Repubblica Italiana), is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia.

 

Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent states of San Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within the Italian Peninsula, and Campione d'Italia is an Italian exclave in Switzerland.

The land known as Italy today has been the cradle of European cultures and peoples, such as the Etruscans and the Romans.

 

Italy's capital, Rome, was for centuries the center of Western civilization. Later it became the birthplace of the Renaissance and also played a major role in the development of modern science and astronomy, particularly heliocentrism, as well as the University, and opera.

Today, the cultural significance of Italy is reflected in the fact that it has the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (44) in the world, and that it is rich in art, culture and literature from many periods.

The country has boasted many people of excellence in all the arts and sciences, polymaths, artists and geniuses, such as Dante, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Enrico Fermi.

Italy has a global influence in politics, culture, science, education, fashion, art, archaeology, religion, cuisine, business, healthcare, sport, architecture, design, cinema, finance and music.

Many regard Milan, Italy's centre of finance and industry, as the world's fashion capital, according to the 2009 Global Language Monitor

Italy also receives the fifth highest number of tourists every year, and Rome is the EU's third most visited city, and is commonly regarded as one of the most beautiful ancient cities in the world.

Venice is also considered the most beautiful city in the world, according to the New York Times, which describe the city as "undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man". The country also has 2009's sixth best international reputation.

 

Contemporary Italy is a democratic republic and a developed country with the eighth-highest quality of life index rating in the world.