Ion Leonard, age 16, of Nampa, Ida., for his question:

DOES ITALY HAVE A LARGE LAKE?

Italy's Lake Garda is the largest lake in the country. It is about 32 miles long and about 10 miles wide. It is located in the northern provinces of Verona, Brescia and Trento.

Dumping water into Lake Garda is the Sarca River. It is drained by the Mincio River, which in turn discharges water into the Po River.

Fishing in Lake Garda is excellent. There are a number of commercial fisheries located there.

Although parts of Lake Garda are subject to sudden storms, the western and southern shores are sheltered and have a mild climate. In these areas grow lemons, mulberries, olives and figs. There are also many private villas in this region.

On a peninsula called Sirmione at the southern end of the lake are ruins of a great Roman villa and a castle of the Scaligers, a scholarly Italian family of the 16th Century.