This presentation is relevant to a European Project which is carried out by two classes of High School Italian Students

1. CLASS 3 RIM
I.T.C. «VITTORIO VENETO – G. SALVEMINI»
LATINA
ITALY
OUR FIRST STEPS IN
SHAPING AND SHARING
EUROPE
COMENIUS PROJECT
2012/2014

2. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO LEARN ABOUT
OUR PARTNERS:
BULGARIA
ESTONIA
GERMANY
GREECE
HUNGARY
LATVIA
ROMANIA

3. BULGARIA
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Unitary Parliamentary Republic (President: Rosen Plevneliev – Prime Minister: Boyko
Borisov)
LOCATION: Eastern Balkan Peninsula – Eastern Europe (bordered to the North by Romania, to the West by Serbia and
Macedonia, to the South by Greece and Turkey and overlooking the Black Sea on the East)
DEMOGRAPHY: Population 7.36 million
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Bulgarian
FLAG: Three equal horizontal stripes (white, green and red)
OFFICIAL CURRENCIES: Lev and Euro
CLIMATE: Continental, with hot summers and very cold winters; the coastal area of the Black Sea has a mild climate
CAPITAL: Sofia
OTHER IMPORTANT CITIES: Plodviv, Varna, Burgas, Ruse, Stara Zagora, Pleven, Sliven, Dobric
RELIGIONS: 83.7 % Christians (82.6% of these belong to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church), 12.2% Muslims, 4% others
ECONOMY: Industrial Market Economy, accelerating privatisation, pursuing structural reforms
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES: Production and exportation of electricity; Textile processing; Tourism
NATURAL RESOURCES: Coal, natural gas and oil, iron, zinc, copper and lead
POINTS OF STRENGTH: Arts, tourism and the environment (vast parks located throughout the country)
FAMOUS FOOD: White beans, cabbage, soups (Shkembe Chorba), plates of pork or lamb, yoghurt, Shopska Salata
CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS: Vassilevolen, Sylvestroudn, St. Yor dan’s Day, Antonovden, Atanasoven, Nestinarski
dances, Anastasiyovden, Kukeri carnivals
PRESENCE IN EUROPE: since 2007

4. ESTONIA
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary representative democratic Republic, divided into 15
counties (President: Toomas Hendrik llves; Prime Minister: Andrus Ansip)
LOCATION: Baltic Region of Northern Europe (bordered to the North by the Gulf of Finland, to the
West by the Baltic Sea, to the South by Latvia and to the East by Lake Peipus and Russia)
DEMOGRAPHY: Population 1.3 million
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Estonian
FLAG: Three equal horizontal stripes (blue, black and white)
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Euro
CLIMATE: Humid temperate
CAPITAL: Tallinn
OTHER IMPORTANT CITIES: Johvi, Tartu, Narva, Parnu, Kohtla, Jarve
RELIGIONS: 14,8% Evangelical Lutheranism, Judaism, Eastern Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, Roman
Catholic
ECONOMY: Free Market Economy, accelerating privatisation, supporting external interventions
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES: Telecomminications, textiles, chemicals, food and fishing, timber,
shipbuilding, electronics, banking
NATURAL RESOURCES: Uranium ore, oil shale, wood, limestone, phosphorite, granite, pitchblende
POINTS OF STRENGTH: Arts, tourism, lakes and forests, windpower and mining
FAMOUS FOOD: Black bread, pork, potatoes, diary products, jams and fish
CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS: Estonian Song Festival, Estonian Men’s and Women’s Dance Festivals,
Voru Folk and Viljandi Folk Music Festival
PRESENCE IN EUROPE: since 1 May 2004

5. GERMANY
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Representative Democratic Republic
(President: Joachim Gauk; Prime Minister, chancellor: Angela Merkel)
LOCATION: West Central Europe
DEMOGRAPHY: Population 81.8 million
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: German
FLAG: Three equal horizontal stripes (black, red and yellow)
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Euro
CLIMATE: Mainly Temperate seasonal climate, humid moderated by the North Atlantic Drift in the North
and Continental in the East
CAPITAL: Berlin
OTHER IMPORTANT CITIES: Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart , Munich
RELIGIONS: Christian (Protestants 76%), Muslim (7.5%), Baha’i and others (1%), Catholic, Orthodox,
Independent
ECONOMY: Social Market Economy
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES: Agriculture (1%), Industry (28%), Services (71%)
NATURAL RESOURCES: Iron ores, coal, potash, timber, lignite, uranium, copper, natural gas, salt, nickel,
arable land and water
POINTS OF STRENGTH: Science and technologies, Music, Arts, Philosophy and Literature, Cinema,
Cuisine and Sports
FAMOUS FOODS: Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cherry Cake), wine and beer, organic food
CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS: Oktoberfest, religious celebrations like Christmas and Easter, polterabend,
wedding celebrations
PRESENCE IN EUROPE: since 1951 (Treaty of Paris)

6. GREECE
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Unitary Parliamentary Republic (President: Karolos Papoulias; Prime Minister:
Antonis Samaras)
LOCATION: South Eastern Europe
DEMOGRAPHY: Population 10.8 million
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Greek
FLAG: Blue and white horizontal lines and a cross in the top left hand corner
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Euro
CLIMATE: primarily Mediterranean featuring mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers
CAPITAL: Athens
OTHER IMPORTANT CITIES: Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklion, Larissa, Volos, Rhodes
RELIGIONS: Orthodox Christian (81%), Muslim (1.2%), Judaism, Roman Catholic
ECONOMY: Mixed Economy
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES: Agriculture (3%), Industry (12%), Services (85%)
NATURAL RESOURCES: Bauxite, asbestos, nickel, magnesite and marble; little black coal, chronium, copper,
uranium and magnesium; small petroleum deposits, under the Aegean Sea; woods and olive trees on a
soil of red earth variety
POINTS OF STRENGTH: Science and Philosophy, Maritime Industry, Telecommunications, Transport and
Tourism
FAMOUS FOODS: moussaka, stifado, Greek salad, spanakopita, souvlaki, skordalia, lentil soup, retsina,
pasteli, meze, tzatziki, feta cheese, dolmades, pulses, olives and olive oil, galaktoboureko, ouzo, metaxa
CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS: Independence Day and Feast of the Annunciation, Thraki Ethnic Festival, Ochi
Day, Religious celebrations such as Easter and New Year’s Day, Carnival, Kalamata International Dance
Festival, International Folklore Festival
PRESENCE IN EUROPE: since 1981 (officially since 1993)

7. HUNGARY
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary Republic (President: Jànos Ader; Prime Minister: Viktor Orbàn)
LOCATION: Central Continental Europe (bordered to the North by Slovakia, to the East by Ukraine and
Romania, to the South by Serbia and to the West by Austria and Slovenia)
DEMOGRAPHY: Population 9.9 million
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Hungarian
FLAG: Three equal horizontal stripes (red – strength, white - loyalty and green - hope)
OFFICIAL CURRENCIES: Euro and Forint
CLIMATE: Continental; Southern region Mediterranean
CAPITAL: Budapest
OTHER IMPORTANT CITIES: Debrecen, Szeged, Miskolc, Pécs
RELIGIONS: Roman Catholic (54,5%), Protestantism (19,5%), Greek Catholic (2,6%), Orthodox (1%)
ECONOMY: from centrally planned to Market Economy
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES: agriculture (vegetables, cereals, fruits, grapes, tobacco, flax, hemp, red peppers)
and livestock; merchanical, chemical and pharmaceutical industries; services
NATURAL RESOURCES: bauxite, coal (including lignite), petroleum, natural gas, manganese, uranium, and
iron ore
POINTS OF STRENGTH: Luxury vehicle production, thermal water, renewable energy systems, tourism,
informations technology, music, arts and literature
FAMOUS FOODS: Goulash, Paprika, Gundel pancake, Dobos cake, Perec, Kifli, Pàlinka, Tokaji
CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS: Ugròs, Karikàzò, Csàrdàs, Verbunkos, Legényes (folk dances)
PRESENCE IN EUROPE: since 1 May 2004

8. LATVIA
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Unitary Parliamentary Republic (President: Andris Berzins; Prime Minister: Voldis
Dombrovskis)
LOCATION: North-Eastern Europe (bordered to the North by Estonia, to the East by Russia, to the Southeast
by Belorus and southern Lithuania and it is washed on the West by the Baltic Sea)
DEMOGRAPHY: Population 2.2 million
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Latvian (Latgalian is a dialect)
FLAG: Two horizontal bands in dark red of equal size, separated in the middle by a thinner white stripe
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Lats
CLIMATE: Cool Temperate moderately influenced by the Baltic Sea
CAPITAL: Riga
OTHER IMPORTANT CITIES: Daugavpils, Liepàja, Jelgava, Jurmala, Ventspils, Rezekne, Valmiera, Jekabpils
RELIGIONS: Lutheran (20%), Catholic (22%), Russian Orthodox (15%), polytheistic pagan religions
ECONOMY: introducing Mixed Economy system
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES: agriculture, mechanical industry, energy, machinery, chemicals, transport and
tourism
NATURAL RESOURCES: limestone, gypsum clay, dolomite, peat, sand, gravel, amber and fish
POINTS OF STRENGTH: Metal products, wood products, machinery and tools, light electrical equipment and
fittings, textiles, technological instruments, construction materials and processed foods
FAMOUS FOODS: Fish, potatoes, wheat, barley, cabbage, onions, eggs and pork, jànu siers (cheese), pickled
mushrooms, sorrel soup and rupjmaize
CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS: Jani, Ligo, Classic music
PRESENCE IN EUROPE: since 1 May 2004

9. ROMANIA
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Unitary Semi-presidential Republic (President: Traian Basescu; Prime Minister:
Victor Ponta)
LOCATION: South Eastern Europe – Danubian Europe (bordered to the North-east and East by Ucraine and
the Republic of Moldava, , to the West by Hungary and Serbia and to the South by Bulgaria)
DEMOGRAPHY: Population 22 million
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Romanian
FLAG: Tricolor consisting of three equal vertical bands of blue, yellow and red
OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Euro
CLIMATE: Continental with hot summers and cold winters
CAPITAL: Bucharest
OTHER IMPORTANT CITIES: Cluj-Napoca, Timinsoara, Iasi, Constanta, Craiova, Galati, Brasov, Ploiesti
RELIGIONS: Roman Orthodox (86%), Catholic (4.7%), Protestant (5.2%) and Muslim
ECONOMY: developing upper-middle income Market Economy
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES: Agriculture (19%), fishing; Industry and construction (28%); Services (51%)
NATURAL RESOURCES: petroleum, timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, mercury, barite,
copper, pumice, magnesite, clay, feldspar, limestone, perlite, borate, emery
POINTS OF STRENGTH: Hydropower, Tourism, Arts
FAMOUS FOODS: Ciorba, Cozonac, Smantana, Sarmale, Tocanita, Mamaliga, Pastrav, Crap, Clatite,
Papanasi, Prajituri
CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS: St. Nicholas, Plugul, the feast of the goat, Boboteaza, Caloianul, Dragaica,
Paparuda
PRESENCE IN EUROPE: since 1 January 2007

10. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU SOON!
Angelica
Ana Maria
Francesca B.
Arnold
Erika
Giorgia
Ylenia
Alessia
Miriam
Fabiana
Olga
Alex
Giulia
Sara
Federica
Cristina
Alessandra
Roxana
Francesca S.
Ioana
Gaia

11. BYE!!!!
We love you!!!!