Location

Rome is in the Lazio region of central Italy on the Tiber river. The original settlement developed on hills which faced onto a ford beside the Tiber island, the only natural ford on the river. The historic centre of Rome was build on seven hills: the Aventine Hill, the Caelian Hill, the Capitoline Hill, the Esquiline Hill, the Palatine Hill, the Quirinal Hill, and the Viminal Hill. The city is also crossed by another river the Aniene with joins the Tiber north of the historic centre.

Although the city centre is about 24 kilometres (14.9 mi) inland from the Tyrrhenian Sea, the city territory extends to the shore, where the south-western district of Ostia is located. The altitude of the central part of Rome ranges from 13 m (43 ft) above sea level (at the base of the Pantheon) to 139 m (456 ft) above sea level (the peak of Monte Mario).^[15] The Commune of Rome covers an overall area of about 1,285 km² (496 sq mi), including many green areas.

Topography

Historically, the urban limits of Rome were considered to be the area within the city walls. Originally, these consisted of the Servian Wall which was built twelve years after the Gaulish sack of the city in 390 BC. This contained most of the Esquiline and Caelian hills, as well as the whole of the other five. Rome outgrew the Servian Wall, but no more walls were constructed until almost 700 years later, when in 270 AD Emperor Aurelian began building the Aurelian Walls. These were almost 19 kilometres (12 mi) long, and were still the walls the troops of the Kingdom of Italy had to breach to enter the city in 1870. Modern Romans frequently consider the city's urban area to be delimited by its ring-road, the Grande Raccordo Anulare, which circles the city centre at a distance of about 10km.

The Commune of Rome, however, covers considerably more territory and extends to the sea at Ostia, the largest town in Italy that is not a commune in its own right. The Commune covers an area roughly three times the total area within the Raccordo and is comparable in area to the entire provinces of Milan and Naples, and to an area six times the size of the territory of these cities. It also includes considerable areas of abandoned marsh land which is neither suitable for agriculture nor for urban development.

Consequently the density of the Commune is not that high, the communal territory being divided between highly-urbanised areas and areas designated as parks, nature reserves, and for agricultural use. The Province of Rome is the largest by area in Italy. At 5.352 km², its dimensions are comparable to the region of Liguria, and more than three times the size of the greater metropolitan area of London.

Climate

Rome enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate which is characteristic of the Mediterranean coasts of Italy. It is at its most comfortable from April through June, and from mid-September to October; in particular, the Roman ottobrate (which can be roughly translated as the "beautiful October days") are famously known as sunny and warm days. By August, the temperature during the heat of the day often exceeds 32 °C (90 °F). Traditionally, many businesses closed during August, and Romans abandoned the city for holiday resorts. In more recent years, however, in response to growing tourism and changing work habits, the city is increasingly staying open for the whole summer. The average high temperature in December is about 13 °C (57 °F), but subzero lows are not uncommon.

Weather averages for Rome
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average high°C(°F)	12 (54)	13 (55)	16 (61)	19 (66)	23 (73)	27 (81)	31 (88)	31 (88)	27 (81)	22 (72)	17 (63)	13 (55)
Average low°C (°F)	2 (36)	3 (37)	4 (39)	7 (45)	11 (52)	14 (57)	17 (63)	17 (63)	14 (57)	10 (50)	6 (43)	3 (37)
Precipitation mm(inches)	83 (3.27)	76 (2.99)	68 (2.68)	68 (2.68)	48 (1.89)	40 (1.57)	22 (0.87)	35 (1.38)	76 (2.99)	106 (4.17)	119 (4.69)	91 (3.58)

source: www.wikipedia.org 

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