9781422283653

FAST FACTS ROME STATUS Capital of Italy and of the region of Lazio AREA 496.3 square miles (1,285 square kilometers) POPULATION 2,627,000 (2012) GOVERNING BODY Council (Commune di Roma) led by a mayor CLIMATE Temperatures average 68 to 86°F (20 to 30°C) in summer and 50°F (I0°C) in winter TIME ZONE Greenwich Mean Time plus 1 hour (2 hours in summer) CURRENCY Euro OFFICIAL LANGUAGE Italian

The Palazzo Senatorio is in the Piazza del Campidoglio. It houses the offices of the mayor of Rome. ⌂

Capital city Rome became the capital of Italy in 1870. The population of Rome at that time was only 200,000, but 30 years later it had more than doubled. It has continued to grow ever since as more and more people have moved to Rome from the surrounding areas. Pilgrims and visitors Rome has been a magnet for pilgrims and tourists for centuries. More than 13 million visitors traveled to Rome during the year 2014. The city has many attractions—the ruined remains of Ancient Rome, beautiful Renaissance palaces and fine museums and galleries. People also come to visit the Vatican, the center of the Roman Catholic Church.

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ROME