Left - Map of Italy showing the different dialects that are spoken throughout the country. (Picture linked to URL)
Physical Characteristics
Above - Buildings with amazing architecture can be found throughout all of Italy, built around the many rivers that flow through the country. (Image linked to URL)
Italian Culture and Its Biodiversity
Italy is known for their mouth-watering food and their great tasting wine. Lots of crops tend to grow very well in Italy, which is then taken directly to the kitchens, “staples like wheat, rice and corn as well as grapes, potatoes, soybeans, olives and sugar beets” (Demetri). All of the beef, pork and dairy products are grown and produced within the country. Seafood is also brought in from many of Italy's coastlines. With biodiversity like this within the food category, it’s understandable that the favorite foods in different regions of Italy include pizza, pasta, polenta, and risotto. As much as Italians have a love for food, they also have rich culture in the very landscapes that contain such biodiversity. From the many waterways that Venice is built around, to the Italian Alps. Italy has a very diverse landscape that has much change in its different regions. The land has become part of the Italian culture, and shall remain that way.
One of the main reasons early settlers decided to set up shop in Italy was because of the way crops grew throughout the land. A wonderful variety of grapes could grow very well in Italy. This environment allowed Italy to become “a gigantic nursery and a commercial hub fortuitously positioned at the heart of the Mediterranean for what would become western civilization’s first “globally” traded product” (Italian). Time went on and Italy became known as the, “land of wine” (Italian), and this became another huge part of Italian culture. Wine will always be a main characteristic of Italy when it comes to peoples' minds, but many food brought out the Italian culture also.
The landscapes in Italy are to die for, they range from ocean cliffs and the beautiful streets of Venice, to grand mountains and crystal clear ocean waters. The diverse life that exists in the many environments of Italy is wonderful. The Italian Alps are just a fragment of the entire Alps mountain range which spans about 1,200 kilometers, which is around 750 miles. Italians have even set aside a certain day to celebrate. The celebrations range from dining, walking, and skiing. They are not the same as American traditional celebrations, but rather as events. Many people see the Alps as, “one giant playground” (Alps). The landscapes of Italy are so diverse and sedimentary to the people that they have built their cities around them. They want to keep the true nature of Italy in tact as long as they can.
The Italian culture and the biodiversity of its land can be intertwined with each other. Due to the biodiversity, the culture is what it is and what it has been for hundreds of years. The country has relied on their crops to sustain a proper way of living. The Italian culture is very rich and seems to be doing great. Food is such a huge part of the culture that it even compares to the greats of Italy's past, “It belongs to our history and culture as much as Raffaello and Leonardo da Vinci do” (Paolo). Without the biodiversity the country has, I believe Italy would have a completely different culture.
One of the main reasons early settlers decided to set up shop in Italy was because of the way crops grew throughout the land. A wonderful variety of grapes could grow very well in Italy. This environment allowed Italy to become “a gigantic nursery and a commercial hub fortuitously positioned at the heart of the Mediterranean for what would become western civilization’s first “globally” traded product” (Italian). Time went on and Italy became known as the, “land of wine” (Italian), and this became another huge part of Italian culture. Wine will always be a main characteristic of Italy when it comes to peoples' minds, but many food brought out the Italian culture also.
The landscapes in Italy are to die for, they range from ocean cliffs and the beautiful streets of Venice, to grand mountains and crystal clear ocean waters. The diverse life that exists in the many environments of Italy is wonderful. The Italian Alps are just a fragment of the entire Alps mountain range which spans about 1,200 kilometers, which is around 750 miles. Italians have even set aside a certain day to celebrate. The celebrations range from dining, walking, and skiing. They are not the same as American traditional celebrations, but rather as events. Many people see the Alps as, “one giant playground” (Alps). The landscapes of Italy are so diverse and sedimentary to the people that they have built their cities around them. They want to keep the true nature of Italy in tact as long as they can.
The Italian culture and the biodiversity of its land can be intertwined with each other. Due to the biodiversity, the culture is what it is and what it has been for hundreds of years. The country has relied on their crops to sustain a proper way of living. The Italian culture is very rich and seems to be doing great. Food is such a huge part of the culture that it even compares to the greats of Italy's past, “It belongs to our history and culture as much as Raffaello and Leonardo da Vinci do” (Paolo). Without the biodiversity the country has, I believe Italy would have a completely different culture.
Works Cited
"Italian Wine Facts & Terms." Italian Wine Facts & Terms. Wine Enthusiast Magazine, 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2014.
Paolo and Lucia (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.discoveritalianfood.com/italian-food-culture.html.
Demetri, J. (n.d.). Life in Italy, Retrieved from http://www.lifeinitaly.com/culture/italy.asp.
"Alps of Italy" Italian Alps. N.p., 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2014.
"Italian Wine Facts & Terms." Italian Wine Facts & Terms. Wine Enthusiast Magazine, 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2014.
Paolo and Lucia (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.discoveritalianfood.com/italian-food-culture.html.
Demetri, J. (n.d.). Life in Italy, Retrieved from http://www.lifeinitaly.com/culture/italy.asp.
"Alps of Italy" Italian Alps. N.p., 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2014.