Natural resources
Mercury, potash, marble, sulfur, dwindling natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, coal, arable land.
Countries Italy Borders on: France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia.
Land use
Arable land: 31%
Permanent crops: 8%
Permanent pastures: 25%
Forests and woodland: 15%
Other: 21% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land
2,100 square kilometres (810 sq mi) (1993 est.)
Natural hazards
Regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding and land subsidence in Venice.
Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nmi (44.4 km; 27.6 mi)
Continental shelf: 200-metre depth (660 ft) or to the depth of exploitation
Territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)
Environmental issues
Air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulphur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities.
Strategy
Strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe.
Rate and comment
