EUROPE TO-DAY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 45, 21 January 1938, Page 2

EUROPE TO-DAY

ITALIAN ITEMS. Italy is ta kingdom in South Europe and is largely a peninsula with the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, together with Elba and about 70 small islands. Its neighbours are Switzerland and Austria with Yugoslavia and France, .and its shores are washed by the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas. The area to-day is nearly 120.000 square miles, say, 25,000 more than Great Britain, an increase since the Treaty of Versailles of 9000. The population is now about 43,000.000. There is always a considerable English and American population. The peninsula is traversed throughout its length by the Appennines. The Alps form the northern boundary. Mont Blanc (the highest peak of the Alps) is in the French Pennine Alps, but within Italian borders. The chief rivers are the Po, Adige, Tiber and Arno. The growing of grapes, olives, chestnuts and rice are among the most important occupations of the people. Italian wines have long been celebrated. The cultivation of the silk worm is a very considerable industry. Marble and sulphur are among the chief mineral products. The principal exports are rayon fibres and waste, cotton, lemons, citrons, yarns, cheeses, almonds, fresh fruit and wines. There are over 14,000 miles of railways. The post offices number_ 1T,300, and there are over 41,000 miles of telegraph. The merchant navy comprises over 1000 vessels besides 1400 sailing ships and 217 motor vessels. Rome is the capital. On the Tiber, it has a population of over 1.165.000. Other famous Italian towns are Naples, Genoa, Bologna, Turin, Palermo, Florence and Venice. —(G.)