Italy is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe.Italy covers an area of 301,338 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate; due to its shape, it is often referred to in Italy as lo Stivale. With 61 million inhabitants, it is the 4th most populous EU member state. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares open land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, San Marino and Vatican City.