Neighboring countries include Austria, France, Holy See, San Marino, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Italy has a strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as proximity to Western Europe across the Adriatic Sea.

Italy shares direct land borders with four countries: France to the northwest, Switzerland and Austria to the north, and Slovenia to the northeast. Additionally, two of the world's smallest sovereign nations are entirely "enclaved" within Italy's borders: San Marino, located on the slopes of Mount Titano, and Vatican City, which is situated completely within the city of Rome. Beyond land borders, Italy is geographically very close to several maritime neighbors. To the south, the island nation of Malta is just 50 miles from Sicily across the Malta Channel. Across the Adriatic Sea to the east lie Croatia, Montenegro, and Albania. On a clear day, the coast of Albania is visible from the heel of Italy’s "boot." To the west, the French island of Corsica is situated just north of the Italian island of Sardinia. This central Mediterranean position makes Italy a crossroads of European and North African cultures, with the coast of Tunisia being only about 90 miles from the southernmost Italian islands.