Insular Italy facts for kids
 |
|
| Regional statistics | |
|---|---|
| Composition |  Sardinia Sicily |
| Area - Total |
49,801 km2 (19,228 sq mi) |
| Population - Total |
6,746,464 (2015 est.) |
| GDP | €117.7 billion (2008) |
Insular Italy (which means "Island Italy" in Italian) is a special way Italy is divided for statistics and elections. It's one of five main regions used by Italy's National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT).
This region includes Italy's two biggest islands: Sicily and Sardinia. It also has many smaller islands and groups of islands (called archipelagos) that are close to them.
Contents
Geography of Insular Italy
Insular Italy is made up of two large islands and many smaller ones. These islands are found in the Mediterranean Sea.
Sicily: Italy's Largest Island
Sicily is the biggest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It covers an area of about 25,832 square kilometers (9,974 square miles).
To the east, Sicily is separated from mainland Italy by the Strait of Messina. This narrow water passage is about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) wide at its narrowest point.
Sicily is home to Mount Etna, Europe's largest active volcano. It stands tall at about 3,357 meters (11,014 feet) high. The longest river on the island is the Salso river, which flows for 144 kilometers (89 miles).
Sardinia: The Second Largest Island
Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Its area is about 24,100 square kilometers (9,300 square miles).
To the east of Sardinia is the Tyrrhenian Sea, which separates it from mainland Italy. To the north, the Strait of Bonifacio separates Sardinia from the French island of Corsica.
The highest point in Sardinia is Punta La Marmora. This peak reaches an altitude of 1,834 meters (6,017 feet). The longest river on the island is the Tirso river, which is 151 kilometers (94 miles) long.
Regions and Cities
Insular Italy includes 2 of the 20 regions in Italy. These regions are further divided into 14 provinces and 767 smaller areas called comuni (which are like towns or municipalities).
Key Statistics for Regions
Here's a quick look at the two regions in Insular Italy:
| Region | Capital City | Population (2016) |
Area (km²) |
People per km² | Provinces | Comuni |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sardinia | Cagliari | 1,658,138 | 24,100.02 | 68.8 | 5 | 377 |
| Sicily | Palermo | 5,074,261 | 25,832.39 | 196.4 | 9 | 390 |
| Total | 6,732,399 | 49,932.41 | 134.8 | 14 | 767 | |
Population per km² tells you how many people live on average in each square kilometer of land.
Largest Cities in Insular Italy
Many people live in the cities of Insular Italy. Here are the comuni (cities or towns) that have more than 100,000 people:
| City | Population | Province | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palermo | 674,435 | Palermo | Sicily |
| Catania | 314,555 | Catania | Sicily |
| Messina | 238,439 | Messina | Sicily |
| Cagliari | 154,460 | Cagliari | Sardinia |
| Sassari | 127,525 | Sassari | Sardinia |
| Siracusa | 122,291 | Siracusa | Sicily |
Related Regions of Italy
Insular Italy is one of five main statistical regions in Italy. The others are:
You can also learn about:
See also
In Spanish: Italia insular para niños
