Editing Italian Peninsula (section)

== History ==

Different peoples occupied the Italian Peninsula before the expansion of Rome. The Roman Republic developed in central Italy and gradually brought the peninsula under its control. Rome later became the centre of the [[Roman Empire]], whose roads and administrative systems connected the peninsula with territories across the Mediterranean.<ref name="italy-history"/>

Political unity ended after the decline of the Western Roman Empire. Kingdoms controlled large territorial areas during the following centuries. Independent republics governed important cities, while the Papal States occupied much of central Italy. The geography of the peninsula contributed to this political division because the Apennines separated regional centres and made overland communication difficult.

The political unification of most of the peninsula resulted in the creation of the [[Kingdom of Italy]] on 17 March 1861. Rome was incorporated into the kingdom in 1870 and became its capital. The monarchy was replaced by the Italian Republic following the institutional referendum held on 2 and 3 June 1946.<ref name="southern-europe-history"/>