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Italy is a long, narrow peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean sea west of Greece. Italy has poor mineral resources and very few useful harbors, however it is wealthy in both fertile land and precipitation. Three - quarters of the peninsula is covered in foothills and mountains. The Alps, a mountain range to the north of Italy, cut off the peninsulas only land connection, which results in trading in ancient Italy nearly impossible. Italy is divided into two regions. The Mediterranean land and the north drained by the Po River. Italy’s climate is somewhat compared to the climate in North Carolina. Sudden storms and rain confront the peninsula in the winter. Although up north may be cold in the winter, south of the Apennines is tempered by the warm Mediterranean sea and sunshine. Summer droughts may become a problem and dry up the fields. Italy usually has two to four months without rain. The snow melting from the Alps keep the Po Valley with sufficient amount of water throughout the summer. Agriculture played a main role in Italy because of its climate and temperature. Copper and lead were mined near the mountainous regions and the source for Italian iron found offshore. Animals raised in Italy mainly consisted of sh