Cultural Traditions in Italy CONTINENTAL com Adrianna Morganelli Crabtree Publishing Company www crabtreebooks com
Welcome to Italy Italy is a country located in southern Europe It borders France Switzerland Austria and Slovenia Today more than 60 million people live in the 20 regions that make up the country of Italy The official language is Italian but each region has its own dialect Language is just one part of Italy’s unique culture The work of many important Italian scholars artists and scientists have also helped shape the culture of this country 4 Did You Know Many Italians refer to their country as lo Stivale which means the Boot because of the country’s shape
Religion is a big part of Italy’s culture Most Italians practice Roman Catholicism Because of this many of the country’s celebrations festivals and customs are based on Roman Catholic beliefs There are small groups of Italians that practice other religions such as Islam and Hinduism These people celebrate important events based on their religions These Muslims in Milan Italy are celebrating the last day of Ramadan Ramadan is a month-long Islamic holiday that consists of prayer and fasting 5
