Italy is divided into 20 regions which  are sub-divided into 107 provinces.  Italy's population of 58.98 million lives in 7,904 cities/communities.  There are over 1,000 rivers i.e. bodies of water, and most of the Italian peninsula is surrounded by oceans.  Italy encompasses an area of 116,630 square miles (302,069 km 2). Italy's capital is Rome, in the province of Lazio. Between 2013 and 2020, Italy's population declined by over 1.5 million, predominantly due to significant reduction in the birth rate.

Each region has its particular personality, and its people cherish  their traditions and quite divers cultures.  We all know how good Italian food is, however, it should be noted that there is no general Italian food as the culinary diversity of each region can be quite significant.  Eventually I will add a food section to this web and discuss some of the many specialties of these culinary traditions, which vary not only by region but also by season.