Italy, a long boot-shaped country in southern Europe, has an area of 301,340 square kilometers or about 116,350 square miles. Approximately 40% of the country is mountainous and with many extinct and active volcanos extending the length of the country. Attractive stones from one region of Italy quickly became widely known and sought after by stone collectors. The waterworn limestone known as Palombino is typically removed from cuts in the mountain sides for road and reservoirs along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Palombino type stones occur in Liguria, Tuscany, Campania, and in Sicily; however, those found in Liguria are the best viewing stones. The Ligurian Palombino stones make beautiful scenic Japanese type suiseki.