Area: total: 301,230 sq km note: includes Sardinia and Sicily water: 7,210 sq km land: 294,020 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries: total: 1,932.2 km border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km
Coastline: 7,600 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point:
Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a secondary peak of
Mont Blanc)
Natural resources: mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal, arable land
Land use: arable land: 28% permanent crops: 9% other: 63% (1998 est.)