Per capita gross domestic product (PPP) in early XXI in. amounted to 20 thousand euros per year. The total GDP exceeded 1 trillion euros.
The set of industries of specialization on a global and European scale is much smaller than that of, France or. However, most of them are technically modern, efficient and highly profitable.
The shares of economic sectors and the set of key sectors of the economy indicate that Italy has undergone industrialization and may well be classified as a post-industrial type of country. Thus, the share of the tertiary sector in GDP exceeds 60%. But it also has its own characteristics: a high degree of dependence of the economy on imported energy and raw materials, sharp territorial contrasts in the development of the economy and the level of incomes of the population (the rich North and the poor South), the lag in the development of science-intensive and high-tech industries.
Italy's agriculture is typical of the Mediterranean in terms of composition, but lags behind many EU countries in terms of productivity. 80% of agricultural products are produced by crop production. A third of the agricultural land is occupied by arable land, and half of the arable land is occupied by grain crops. Since the time of Ancient Rome, the "triad" forms the basis; wheat, grapes, olives. The reference area for traditional Mediterranean crop production is the Italian "heel" of Apulia.
The "granary" of Italy is the Padana lowland. Wheat fields located in the fertile floodplain of the river. By, give rich harvests of grain. In the south - in Puglia and Sicily - they are lower, but durum wheat varieties are grown here, which are used to make the famous spaghetti - the Italian national dish.
Viticulture has a long history. Vineyards are one of the main elements of the Italian rural landscape. More than 250 varieties of grapes are grown here. The collection exceeds 10 million tons per year. In terms of wine production, Italy is among the top three world producers, along with and.
Olive groves are also an integral element of the country's landscape, especially in the south. In terms of olive harvest, Italy ranks second in the world after Spain (3 million tons per year). Almost the same number of citrus fruits are grown. Plantings of oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, lemons are concentrated mainly in two southern regions - in Calabria and Sicily. Nuts, almonds, hazelnuts are also grown here, bergamot and tobacco are harvested. Extensive plantations of flowers.
Among the important branches of Italian crop production are rice and vegetable growing. Rice is cultivated in the floodplain. According to, it is used to prepare the national dish of risotto, and is also exported to the EU countries. Vegetable growing is very diverse: tomatoes, lettuces, onions, artichokes, asparagus are grown in small private gardens in open ground or greenhouses, which is typical for a Mediterranean country.
Animal husbandry occupies a subordinate position due to the limited fodder base, but, like crop production, it has ancient roots. The main deterrent to development today is fierce competition in the conditions of the pan-European market from more profitable manufacturers, of which there are now quite a few in the European Union. The main sheep-breeding region - about. Sardinia. Meat and dairy cattle breeding is developed in the Alpine Northern Italy. Poultry farms are located around major cities.
A powerful modern industry has been created in Italy. Basic industries have special features. 70% of energy consumption is provided by oil and gas, although there are almost no deposits in the country. Most thermal power plants run on fuel oil. In terms of oil imports in foreign Europe, Italy is second only to Germany. The total capacity of oil refineries is the largest in foreign Europe - 100 million tons per year. A significant part of oil products is exported to the EU countries. Most large plant with a capacity of 16 million tons per year is located in Sarroch on about. Sardinia. Hydroelectric power plants built in serve not only the north and northeast of the country, but also neighbors: electricity is sold in and.
The acute shortage of own traditional energy resources stimulated the search for new ones. Back in 1905, in the central part of the country, in Larderello, the world's first hydrothermal power plants were built on underground hot springs. Italy was the first in Europe to start building nuclear power plants, but after the Chernobyl accident in 1987, all of them were closed to the public, and new projects were frozen. Currently, the government's energy policy is aimed at reducing the economy's dependence on oil. The gasification of the economy is being successfully implemented. Already every fourth car in Italy runs on gas.
Metallurgy stands out among the basic industries. Ferrous metallurgy is an important branch of Italy's specialization in the pan-European market. Like oil refining, it lives mainly on imported raw materials and fuel, which, however, did not prevent it from becoming one of the most powerful in foreign Europe. This was facilitated by the creation in the early 1950s. a single pan-European steel market, in which Italy has taken advantage of the relatively cheaper labor force.
Potentially, Italian metallurgical plants are capable of smelting over 20 million tons of steel and producing millions of tons of rolled products. Italy produces high quality thin cold rolled steel and pipes. At the same time, scrap metal is actively used, which is specially bought not only in Italy itself, but also in many EU countries. However, due to the difficult situation on the world and European markets, metallurgical enterprises do not operate at full capacity. Import dependence explains the coastal location of enterprises. The largest and most modern full-cycle metallurgical plant is located in the south of the country in the city of Taranto. There are also full cycle plants in Genoa and Bagnoli near Naples.
Non-ferrous metallurgy has traditionally been based on local ores: Sardinia, Sicily and the Apennine Peninsula are rich in deposits of lead, zinc, mercury, and bauxite. Today, most enterprises in the industry have mixed, domestic and imported raw materials. Zinc smelting is located around large power plants in Porto Marghere, Monteponi, Crotone. Lead smelters are located mainly on about. Sardinia. The powerful aluminum industry has now reoriented itself mainly to the import of bauxite, in particular from the Balkan countries, and primarily serves the automotive industry. The most powerful aluminum plant for the production of primary aluminum is located in Bolzano in the Alps. Factories producing secondary aluminum are scattered throughout the country, the largest is located in Paderno Dugnano near Milan. Tuscany has one of the oldest mercury deposits in Europe. Several decades ago, Italy and Spain were the largest suppliers of mercury to the world market. Now this very dirty production in both countries has been closed, in particular for environmental reasons, and the world championship in the production of mercury has passed to.
Among the industries of the basic sector in Italy, the extraction of marble and the production of cement stand out. Italian marbles gained worldwide fame many centuries ago.
The key industry in Italy is transport engineering. It provides a quarter of the country's industrial output and almost half of its exports. By general production Italy ranks 4th in Europe after Germany, France and Spain; 1.5 million cars and another 200,000 trucks and buses are produced annually here.
Motorization of Italy began with the production of motorcycles and scooters in Pontedera. Half a century ago, most Italians did not have money for cars, but many could afford to travel around the country on motorcycles. Motor scooters were especially popular among young people, and motorcycles with a trailer for transporting goods were especially popular among merchants. Passion for fast driving has become the main motive for the creation of magnificent racing cars that have received worldwide fame. The brands "Ferrari" and "Maserati" are known today to any teenager. But main company countries is the auto giant concern FIAT (Fabrica Italiana Automobili Torino). It was founded by Giovanni Agnelli, one of the most influential oligarchs and politicians in Italian history. The “state within a state” he created, with its capital in Turin, became a symbol of the Italian “oligarchic-mafia” monopolized capitalism. In the post-war period, powerful automobile factories, in addition to Turin, were built near Milan, near Naples and in Termini Imerese in Sicily. FIAT subjugated the Alfa Romeo and Lancha companies. In addition to the production of Fiat cars, the “empire” of Angeli, who died in 2003, includes construction companies, shopping malls, an extensive hotel chain, she owns one of the most popular newspapers in the country, La Stampa.
Italy is the birthplace of the caterpillar tractor, which was invented for the conditions of rugged terrain. The main manufacturer of agricultural machinery is the Lombardini company.
A significant part, one of the oldest branches of the Italian economy, is now also owned by FIAT. The largest shipyards are located in Monfalcone (on the border with), in Trieste (military ships) and in Porto Marghera near Venice. On the Ligurian coast, the old shipyards in Genoa, Livorno and La Spezia continue to operate, in the south of the country - in Palermo (small fishing vessels and sports yachts).
Italy is known in the world for its electrical engineering. It is one of the five world leaders in the production of refrigerators and washing machines (Indesit brand). Office equipment is a specialization of the well-known company Olivetti. The capital of Olivetti is Ivrea in the north of the country.
The chemical industry, like the automotive industry, is heavily monopolized. Two companies dominate here - Montedison and the state association ENI. They produce a wide range of plastics, chemical fibers, varnishes and paints. The pharmaceutical industry has been developing dynamically in recent decades. The oldest area of chemical enterprises is Milan and its environs. Petrochemical production is located mainly along the coast. In the north it is Ravenna, in the south it is Gela in Sicily and Cagliari in Sardinia. Rubber products are manufactured by Pirelli.
The textile industry, as in most other countries of foreign Europe, is a legacy of the period of early industrialization. Traditionally, Italy was famous for velvet and silk. Campania specializes in the cultivation of silkworms and the production of silk fabrics. The historical center of the woolen industry is the city of Prato in Tuscany. Today, Italy produces cotton, wool, silk, linen, as well as a variety of artificial and mixed fabrics.
Italy is the leader in the production of knitwear in Europe. There are especially many knitting factories in the region of Emilia-Romagna. It occupies one of the first places in the world in the export of clothing. Italy, like France, is a recognized trendsetter. One of the best catwalks in the world is in Turin.
Italy is the world's largest footwear exporter. Every third pair of leather shoes sold in the world is Italian. There are more than 7.5 thousand small shoe enterprises in the country. There are especially many of them in the central regions of Tuscany and the Marche. Not far from Padova are the enterprises of the Hudson company, one of the world trendsetters in footwear fashion.
Italy has special branches of specialization. One of these is ancient glass production. The factories in Murano near Venice, built during the Renaissance, still blow art glass, known in the world as "Venetian". Several hundred glass factories scattered throughout the country produce extra-strong glass for automobiles and glass for optical instruments. Florence is one of the oldest jewelry centers in the world. Italian jewelry is very diverse, moderately priced and popular with tourists. Another specialization of Italy, well known in Russia, is the production of sanitary equipment.
Despite the fact that Italy is a country of relatively late industrialization, signs of post-industrial development are already clearly manifested here. More than half of the workers are employed in the tertiary sector.
Tourism is one of the main branches of Italy's specialization. About 40 million people visit it annually, mainly from Germany, France, the USA,. In terms of the number of hotels (more than 30 thousand) and hotel beds (about 2 million), it occupies one of the first places in the world. Tourism is very diverse - from beach to mountain. But, of course, the main attraction factor is the colossal cultural heritage of the country. There are 34 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy. The most visited tourist places are Rome, Venice and Florence. On the territory of Italy there is a microstate - Republic, living off tourism.
Due to the peculiarities of the geographical location and configuration of the country, transport has always played an exceptional role both in organizing the internal space and in relations with the outside world. key view transport - automobile. It provides 90% of passenger traffic and 80% of cargo traffic. The country's main thoroughfare is the "Freeway of the Sun", running from the border with France to the south through Turin, Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples to Reggio di Calabria. There is a particularly dense network of roads in the north of the country.
To develop the tourism infrastructure, a modern high-speed railway was built in parallel with the Sun Highway.
Maritime transport primarily serves . A third of Italian ships are oil tankers. There are more than 140 ports in the country, the largest in the north are Genoa with a cargo turnover of 50 million tons, Trieste (35 million tons), in the south - Naples, the main coastal port of the country.
The most striking feature of the general territorial structure of Italy's economy is its dualism, those. contrast between the "developed North" and the "backward South". two fifths industrial production concentrated in the Northwest in the Turin-Milan-Genoa triangle. This is primarily due to the proximity of the common European space. The North-East of the country is somewhat less developed. Its main center is the "city on the water" Venice.
The central part of Italy is not so saturated with production and infrastructure, but here is the capital of Italy - Rome. Southern Italy lags far behind Northern and Central in key indicators economic development(a quarter of GDP, the average income of the population is almost two times lower than in the North). The main city is Naples, the capital of Campania (more than 2 million people). The most backward regions of Italy are Sicily and Sardinia.
The main export is the products of the engineering industry: cars, mopeds, tractors, bicycles. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lancia, Moserati, Ducati, Fiat, Alfa Romeo are far from complete list car companies in Italy.The second in terms of production is the textile industry. It exports knitwear, fabrics and yarn from silk, wool, cotton, flax, hemp and chemical fibers to the world market. Italy ranks second in footwear production (after the US) and first in the world in footwear exports.
huge role in state economy has the food industry. The south of Italy is famous for its flour milling industry. The country occupies a leading world position in the production and export of flour and the famous Italian pasta. About a hundred sugar factories are scattered along Padanskaya. In addition, the canning industry is well developed. Italy exports canned fruits and vegetables, meat and fish. Dairy farming flourishes in the northern part of the country. Almost the entire dairy industry is concentrated here. A huge number of different varieties of Italian cheese are widely known around the world. Italy also provides a third of all olive oil produced in the world. A separate place in the country's exports is occupied by wines, which is more than 1,700 tons per year and a fifth of the world market.
Speaking of Italy's exports, one cannot fail to mention the furniture industry. Lovers of high-quality, expensive, exclusive interior items appreciate the furniture fittings produced under the trademarks of this country. The same is absolutely true in relation to mattresses, here Italian manufacturers have no equal.
The bowels of this country are rich in deposits of marble, granite, clay, gypsum, asbestos, limestone, etc., which contributes to the production and export of building materials. The manufacture of faience products is widespread, the roots of these traditions stretch back to ancient times. And, of course, it should be noted that another pride of Italy is the jewelry industry. Venice, Rome, Florence have long been famous throughout the world for their jewelry.
Geography of export
The main partners in Italy's foreign trade are, of course, the countries of the European Union. First of all, these are Germany (13.3%), France (11.8%), Spain (5.4%), Great Britain (4.7%). Close trade ties also link the country's economy with Switzerland (5.4%) and the US (5.9%).Italy is one of the most developed countries in the world with a well-diversified industrial-agrarian economy. Italian companies supply the world market with products from machine-building, chemical, food, petrochemical, metallurgical and light industries. Many Italian brands have achieved popularity all over the world, and the "Made in Italy" tag has become a symbol of quality and reliability.
Italy made an impressive breakthrough in the economy after the Second World War, going from a dilapidated agrarian country to one of the most developed industrial states in the world. Currently, Italy is in 8th place in the world in terms of GDP, 10th in terms of purchasing power parity, GDP per capita is $28.3 thousand per year.
However, the Italian economy is experiencing some difficulties, and the industrial north remains more developed and wealthy than the agrarian south. In addition, the country is in dire need of effective solutions in the field of waste management: the littering of Italian cities, caused by a relatively small territory and a large population, has already become a pan-European problem.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the Italian economy was faced with the problem of the withdrawal of the largest companies of production facilities in East Asia, where the wages of workers are much cheaper. This led to an increase in unemployment. Increasing competition from Chinese companies has forced many Italian manufacturers to focus on goods from the elite segment.
The Italian economy suffers from high taxes, large public debt, problems in the labor market and insufficient efficiency of public administration.
The tourism sector is the most stable. The cities of the Italian coast annually receive millions of tourists - this is one of the most popular destinations in the world. The southern agrarian regions, located far from the sea, lag behind in development, and the industrial north, despite all the problems, remains the most prosperous part of the country.
Branches of the Italian economy
Gross domestic product The Italian economy is distributed as follows:
- service sector enterprises, tourism - 71%
- industrial giants - 27%;
- agricultural sector - 2%.
The least developed area is the mining industry. There are few minerals in Italy, 90% of mineral resources and energy carriers the country is forced to import from abroad. Italy is in fourth place in terms of electricity consumption in the European Union, while it is very dependent on imports of this resource. Approximately 50 billion kWh is imported into the country annually, which corresponds to 16% of total consumption. After the closure of nuclear power plants in 1986, Italy's dependence on foreign electricity suppliers increased.
Agriculture
Agriculture and cattle breeding are traditional areas for Italy, dating back to ancient times. The Greeks, who landed in the Apennines several millennia ago, called Italy "the land of calves." Despite the relative poverty of local soils and the predominance of mountainous terrain, 1.4 million people in Italy are employed in agriculture. The main agricultural production units are family farms with land plots of about 7 hectares.
Rice, beans, corn, soybeans, sugar beets, and potatoes are grown in northern Italy. There are many meat and dairy farms here. The southern regions grow wheat, vegetables, fruits on an industrial scale, make olive oil and wine. In the foothills of the Apennines, goats and sheep are grown, in the north - cows and pigs.
In general, crop production occupies 60% of the total share of the agricultural product, the rest falls on animal husbandry. Italian fisheries contribute to country's GDP a very modest contribution within the statistical error.
Manufacturing industry
The Italian economy is based on small and medium-sized businesses, small family firms, opened many years ago, inherited and developed over generations. Thus, the most famous Italian companies were created, which constituted the industrial glory of this country.
The machine-building industry is notable for its special development: Italian companies are consistently included in the ranking of the world's best manufacturers of passenger cars and trucks, agricultural machinery. Italian furniture, textiles, building materials are traditionally in high demand around the world.
Italy's large industry is concentrated in the northern regions. Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto are industrial giants that employ tens of thousands of Italians. State importance has one of the world's largest automobile concerns FIAT, the main production capacity which are located in the capital of the Piedmont region - Turin.
The location of the main industrial enterprises in the north of the country is not accidental: the proximity of other European countries facilitates the exchange of goods, in addition, the largest Italian hydroelectric power plants are located in the foothills of the Alps.
Italian large-scale industry is represented by:
- Automotive industry. Manufacture of cars and heavy trucks, spare parts, motorcycles, etc. The key corporation in this industry is the Fiat Group, which brings together companies such as Fiat, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Lancia, Pagani and Iveco (the world's largest truck manufacturer). Ducati, Piaggio and Cagiva make high quality motorcycles.
- Shipbuilding. The Italian corporation Fincantieri is one of the world's key manufacturers of civil and commercial ships. Isotta Fraschini Motori manufactures marine engines, while the CRDA concern manufactures military vessels.
- Chemical production. The main company in this area is Pirelli, the world's largest tire manufacturer.
- metallurgy. Tenaris and Riva make steel.
- pharmaceutical industry. Italian medicines produced by Menarini or Artsana are known all over the world.
- Energy. Companies such as Enel and Sorgenia are widely known in this area.
- The production of weapons. Helicopters are manufactured by Agusta Westland, defense systems by MBDA, tanks and artillery mounts by OTO Melara, light weapons, pistols and machine guns by Beretta.
- Electronics. Indesit and Candy companies supply household electrical appliances to the market, competing on equal terms with Japanese and Korean appliances.
- Oil refining. ENI is widely known in this segment.
- It is impossible not to mention the Italian food producers: Ferrero, Parmalat, Autogrill, Barilla. In addition to the largest food concerns, there are a great many small firms that produce products of the highest quality: cheese, wine, olive oil, chocolate, milk, canned food, etc.
- Italy is the world's largest manufacturer of branded clothing, shoes and accessories, a trendsetter. Brands such as Gucci, D&G, Armani, Versace, Safilo or Paciotti are well known all over the world.
- The Italian industry is suffering from increased competition from Asian economies. This is especially noticeable in the areas of electronics, clothing and footwear. The situation is exacerbated by bureaucracy and high taxes.
- Tourism industry, service sector, finance
- About 4.5 million enterprises are registered in Italy, of which 99.9% belong to the categories of small and medium-sized businesses. In 95% of firms, the number of employees does not exceed 10 people. Most of these enterprises operate in the service sector: trade, tourism, Information support, real estate, etc.
- Small and medium business- the basis of the Italian economy, the most important source of jobs: over 80% of Italians work in small firms. The service sector brings the economy 72.4% VAT.
- The service employs approximately 67% of working Italians. Unlike other sectors of the economy, the number of enterprises in the service sector is growing every year.
- Tourism and trade account for 2.08 million Italian companies. The banking sector at the beginning of the 21st century is actively implementing the latest technology, which led to the optimization of the work of banks and, as a result, to the reduction of jobs in this segment. Italian banks often have businesses in other areas of activity: construction, insurance, publishing. In recent years, there has been a steady trend in Italy towards the merger of banking and insurance structures.
Import and export
In general, there is parity between Italian imports and exports, with a slight dominance of imports. The country mainly imports energy carriers, minerals and fertilizers.
The authorities of the state initiated reforms aimed at overcoming the backlog in scientific field, but so far Italy has to import technology, as this industry in the country is developing slowly.
An important point: 70% of Italian imports are processed in the country and become part of the export.
Italian exports are based on cars, textiles, tires, electronics, weapons, food. Made in Italy products are widely popular all over the world, but their sales and reputation are harmed by a huge amount of Chinese counterfeiting.
Germany is Italy's key trading partner, France is in second place, followed by the United States, Eastern European countries, and Great Britain. The share of exports to China is gradually increasing.
Integration of the Italian economy into the world
Large Italian companies are tightly integrated into the European and world economy and, in fact, are transnational corporations. The Italian economy is closely connected with the EU economy: 48% of Italian exports go to the EU countries, companies from the Apennine Peninsula, in turn, buy almost all types of goods in Europe.
Italy is a member of the European Economic Community, the European Coal and Steel Community and Euroatom.
External relations in economic sphere play a key role for Italy. Without imported raw materials, energy carriers, fertilizers and semi-finished products, the economy will quickly decline. In addition, the country needs new markets for GDP growth. finished products. This is especially true for Agriculture.
Output
The economic potential of Italy remains very high, despite a number of existing problems. Technological production, the widespread introduction of modern scientific achievements, highest quality products and the investment attractiveness of the country partially neutralize the dependence of the Italian economy on imported resources.
Italy entered the path of capitalist development later than Great Britain and France - at the end of the 19th century, after political unification ended in 1870. However, the economic development of the country, hindered by the strong remnants of feudalism, the poverty of the peasantry, and the weakness of the fuel and raw material base, proceeded slowly.
On the eve of the First World War, Italy remained a backward agrarian country. Only Northern Italy was distinguished by a higher level of economic development: a developed industry developed here, and agriculture was more intensive.
Despite the economic weakness, the Italian bourgeoisie took an active part in the struggle for the redivision of the world. The arms race policy gave impetus to the development of heavy industry. New industries - automotive, aviation, electrical engineering, chemical (in particular, the production of rayon) - have received great development. The Second World War caused great damage to the Italian economy. Nevertheless, in the post-war period, Italian industry developed at a fairly high pace. The growth of industrial production in more due to the influx of foreign capital.
Italy, in its economic position, occupies an intermediate position between the most economically developed capitalist countries, led by the USA and the FRG, and countries with an average level of development of the productive forces. In terms of its share in the capitalist industrial production of the world (5% in 1985), it is in fifth place after the USA, Japan, the FRG and France. But in terms of national income per inhabitant, Italy is inferior not only to these countries, but also to many others, surpassing only Greece, Spain and Ireland in Western Europe.
As in other highly developed countries, in Italy industry is the leading sector of the economy, although it employs a smaller part of the economically active population than in the rapidly and disproportionately growing service sector. The value of industrial output is four times the value of agricultural output, in which 5.5 times less capital is annually invested than in industry. Industrial products dramatically dominate Italian exports.
A significant part of the national wealth of Italy is in the hands of monopolies, 11 of them are among the largest concerns in the world. They dominate the chemical and electrical industries (Montedison), the automotive industry (FIAT), and the rubber industry (Pirelli).
At the same time, there are a great many medium, small and tiny firms in the country, mainly in the light and food industries, as well as in the production of household electrical equipment, equipment for processing synthetic materials, and in some sub-sectors of machine tool building. Since the 1970s, there has been a noticeable trend towards the reduction of large and the increase in the role of small and medium-sized firms and enterprises.
The Italian state actively and in various forms interferes in the country's economy: its specialized bodies participate in joint-stock companies as holders of a controlling stake, industrial enterprises in accordance with various government programs. The state became the largest entrepreneur in the country. Its positions are especially strong in power engineering, metallurgy, and shipbuilding. He owns many light industry enterprises. The largest banks were also nationalized. The pace of development of the public sector surpasses the development of the Italian economy as a whole. In modern conditions, state intervention in the economy is not limited to helping individual monopoly associations develop the least profitable or those requiring especially large investments. The main goal of state intervention is to ensure the continuity of the reproduction process, to preserve and strengthen the capitalist system in the country.
A new important feature of the development of state-monopoly capitalism in Italy was the nationwide long-term programming of the economy, reflecting the increased degree of concentration and centralization of production and capital, the strengthening of monopolization and the nationalization of the economy. Some sectors (transport, communications, public Works etc.) are financed mainly on the basis of economic programs. Italy's largest and most permanent program since 1950 is aimed at developing the economy of the South.
The Italian government encourages the inflow of foreign capital, which plays an important role in the country's economy. Most of the investments are directed to mechanical engineering, chemistry and energy, a significant share is invested in the service sector. The capital from the USA, France, Germany, Great Britain, Switzerland, Liechtenstein prevails.
Many aspects of the economic life of Italy are determined by its participation in the EEC. The specialization of production formed within the EEC forced the Italian economy to adapt to new market conditions and accelerated its structural transformation. In the common market system, Italy acts as an importing country of industrial products (mainly machinery and equipment) and secondary foodstuffs (fruits, vegetables, wine), and at the same time as an importing country of basic foodstuffs and main types of mineral and agricultural raw materials for its industry.
As in other countries, in Italy the economy develops spontaneously and unevenly. The “economic miracle” of the 1960s, when Italy was second only to Japan in terms of industrial development, turned out to be short-lived. It was followed by a recession and then the most severe energy and general economic crisis of 1973-1975. In 1982, the country's economy again entered a period of crisis: the gross national product was declining (-1.2% in 1983), inflation was increasing, the volume of foreign trade and the level of personal consumption of the population were decreasing, unemployment was growing, and the cost of living. In 1983, industrial capacity utilization was the lowest for the entire post-war period - 71%.
Since the crisis of the 70s, a new phenomenon has spread in Italy - the so-called hidden economy: in many industries, bypassing collective agreements, tax laws, etc. companies that are not registered anywhere. they employ the unemployed, women interested in part-time work or home work, students and retirees who need additional income. The age-old problem of the disproportionate development of individual parts of the country, the contrast between the level of economic and social development of Northern and Southern Italy, retains all its acuteness.
Industry, its branch and territorial organization
The general condition, pace and nature of the development of the Italian economy are determined by its most important area - industry, which accounts for about 2/5 of those employed in the economy and the same share of national income. Italy stands out for its extremely low share of mining and high share of manufacturing in the number of employees, fixed capital, and especially in the total value of industrial output. This is explained by the absence of any significant reserves of the most important minerals in the country.
The Italian manufacturing industry works mainly on imported raw materials. Heavy industry dominates, in which the main role belongs to mechanical engineering. The electric power industry, metallurgy, chemistry and petrochemistry also developed significantly.
As a result of the radical restructuring of the energy base that has taken place in recent decades, the leading role in it has shifted from hydropower and imported coal to oil, which provides more than 60% of all energy consumed. It is followed by natural gas (15.5%), coal and lignites (8.5%), hydropower (7.6%) and nuclear power (0.3%). At the same time, Italy is forced to import almost all of the oil it consumes, 80% of solid fuels and 44% of natural gas.
The most powerful oil refining industry in Western Europe has grown on the oil imported by sea. Italy is one of the largest exporters of petroleum products in Western Europe. The energy crisis forced us to look for ways to save energy resources in general and oil in particular. In the 80s, the total capacity of the Italian oil refining industry decreased from 206 million tons. crude oil per year in 1980 to 150 million tons. in 1983, several factories were closed.
The electric power industry plays a vital role in the country's economy. The total installed capacity of power plants is 49.4 million kW, of which 64.4% are thermal power plants, 32% are hydroelectric and storage power plants, 2.6% are nuclear and 1% are geothermal. Annually, the country produces 180-190 billion kWh of electricity. Most of the electricity is received at thermal power plants, operating mainly on fuel oil, the first place was given to hydroelectric power stations, since water resources are almost completely exhausted. In recent years, in Italy, they prefer to build pumped storage stations. Italy was a pioneer in the construction of a pumped storage power plant (1908). Almost simultaneously, the world's first geothermal power plants appeared (1905). In the 60s, Italy was one of the first to start building large nuclear power plants. There are 4 nuclear power plants in the country with a total capacity of 1.4 million kW.
The dependence on imported fuel and raw materials is very significant in the iron and steel industry. In 1986, 10.3 million tons were smelted in the country. pig iron and about 22 million tons. become. Italy ranks 5th in steel production. Are accommodated metallurgical plants either near ports, or gravitate towards sales markets - large centers of mechanical engineering. It is in the port centers that the country's four largest full-cycle plants are located, owned by the Finsider state association (Genoa-Cornigliano, Piombino, Naples-Bagnoli and Taranto. Most of the steelmaking and steel-rolling plants are concentrated in the old industrial cities of the North-West. In the foothills of the Alps and The Alpine valleys are home to electrometallurgical enterprises.Italian ferrous metallurgy enters the world market mainly with thin cold-rolled steel and steel pipes.Italy occupies the 4th place in the world in the production of pipes.In recent years, the Italian ferrous metallurgy has experienced significant difficulties in its development due to the fact that the “Common Market”, under pressure from the United States, decided to limit steelmaking in the “ten” countries.
In the production of non-ferrous and light metals, those industries stand out that are better supplied with local ore reserves - the smelting of aluminum, lead, zinc and mercury. During the crisis years, aluminum smelting dropped from 274,000 tons in 1986 to 194,000 tons in 1988. Most of the aluminum smelters are located in the Northeast, which is rich in electricity.
The lead-zinc industry processes imported polymetallic ores and local ones. Energy-intensive zinc smelting is located near large power plants (in the cities of Porto Marghere, Monteponi, Porto Vesme, Crotone). Lead smelters are grouped mainly in Sardinia, close to deposits of polymetallic ores.
In recent years, Italy has lost the world championship in mercury production to Spain. This ancient production was rebuilt in accordance with environmental requirements and today it produces about 2 thousand tons. in year.
Using the rich deposits of dolomites, Italy has become one of the first places in the world in the production of magnesium. In 1986, 85 thousand tons of magnesium ores were mined and 7.8 thousand tons were smelted. magnesium.
The leading branch of Italian industry is mechanical engineering. It employs 2.2 million people, it provides 1/4 of all manufacturing products and 2/5 of Italian exports. Italy is one of the largest suppliers of cars to the world market. It ranks 5th in terms of production. Mechanical engineering is distinguished by a high concentration of production and capital and is in the hands of a few large associations that produce complex and varied products. Export engineering is the most developed (production of automobiles, electric locomotives, wagons, shipbuilding). Most automotive production monopolized by the FIAT concern - the most powerful private firm in Italy and one of the largest monopolies in the world. The concern's factories are scattered throughout the country and produce small and micro-capacity cars, trucks, buses, various engines, aircraft, ships, locomotives, tractors, subway equipment, power plants, airports.
FIAT left little space in the automotive industry to other companies - Ferrari, Maserati, Lancia, the state company Alfa Romeo. Almost all factories are located in the industrial centers of the North. Several factories produce motorcycles and scooters. One of the first places in the world is Italy in the production of bicycles and mopeds.
In the mists of time, the origins of Italian shipbuilding are lost. The development of this traditional industry is due to historical reasons and geographical conditions. Orders for tankers have dropped sharply in recent years, and more container ships, mixed-type vessels, specialized vessels for underwater drilling and underwater research are needed.
About 85% of all shipbuilding capacities belong to the Fincantieri state group. The largest shipyards in the country are located in Monfalcone on the Adriatic Sea, as well as in Trieste, Venice, Ancona. The oldest area of Italian shipbuilding is the Ligurian coast (Genoa, Livorno, La Spezia). In the South, the main shipbuilding centers are Naples, Taranto, Messina, Palermo, Castellammare di Stabia.
In the Italian engineering industry during the crisis, the electrical and electronic industries continue to develop successfully (Italy ranks 30th in the world in the production of refrigerators and washing machines), the production of office equipment, instrumentation, the production of ball bearings, typewriters and other non-metal-intensive products that require significant costs labor. More than 10% of all electronic equipment is produced in Italy Western Europe. Milan dominates this production. The Italian machine tool industry is developing and becoming more complex. It produces not only traditional machine tools, but also CNC machines and equipment, industrial robots. In recent years, there has been large complex enterprises producing all types of modern weapons, half of which is sold to different countries, and part is intended to strengthen the military potential of NATO. In agricultural engineering, Italy specializes in the production of caterpillar tractors. Despite the decline in production in the 80s, Italy remained the world's first tractor exporter. The main area of this production is Emilia-Romagna. The international specialization of Italy is also made up of machines for the textile, footwear, food, printing, plastics and rubber industries. With all the wide distribution of machine-building enterprises throughout the country, the main area of concentration of this industry as a whole is the industrial North.
The leading branch of Italian industry is the chemical industry, which reached a high level of development after the war, petrochemistry was especially developed. However, the economic crises affected here as well. Since the 1970s, not a single plant has been built, many enterprises have reduced their production capacities. The difficult situation of the chemical industry was exacerbated by the political and competition between the state and private capital in this vital industry for the country. Both local raw materials (pyrites, sulfur, natural gas) and imported (oil, coal, phosphorites) are used. Factories are located mainly in the north of the country. In the composition of chemical products, in addition to acids and mineral fertilizers, synthetic materials (plastics, synthetic fibers) occupy a prominent place, although their production is gradually declining. Plants of the oil refining and petrochemical industries are located in port cities (Naples, Livorno, Genoa, Bari, etc.), where oil is delivered from the countries of the Middle East. Italian chemistry is dominated by one of the largest chemical concerns in the world, Montedison, which accounts for 1/4 of the total chemical production in Italy and 1/3 of those employed in the industry. Against the European background, paintwork and pharmaceutical industry. One of the traditional industries has also been preserved in Italy - the production of natural essences and essential oils from flowers and fruits. The main products of the rubber industry, closely connected with the chemical industry and located mainly in Milan, Turin, Vigevano, Tivoli (near Rome), are automobile tires.
One of the oldest industries in Italy is the textile industry. In terms of the number of employees (493,000 in 1986), it is second only to mechanical engineering. The Italian textile industry produces fabrics and yarns from cotton, wool, silk, hemp, linen, jute and chemical fibers, as well as a variety of knitwear. The industry is highly dependent on the import of raw materials and on the possibility of exporting its products, which is 1/10 of the country's total exports. Cotton factories are scattered throughout the country, but there are especially many of them in the North with its abundance of water. The wool industry has long been concentrated in Piedmont, Venice and Tuscany. Silk production, traditional for Italy, is located in the areas of silkworm breeding - near Como, Treviso, Campania. Italy is the second supplier of clothing after Hong Kong and the first supplier of shoes in the world. Every third pair of leather shoes sold on the world market is Italian. 12% of world clothing exports come from Italy. Italy, along with France, is considered a trendsetter in clothing and footwear.
The food industry is the third industry in terms of production value after mechanical engineering and chemistry, and in terms of the number of employees after mechanical engineering and the textile industry. It is represented mainly by small enterprises and is dispersed throughout the country. Under pressure " common market“its traditional structure is changing, the concentration of production is increasing. The nature and global specialization of the Italian food industry is determined by traditional production pasta, various tomato and fruit preserves, cheese, olive oil (1/3 of world production), grape wines (1-2nd place in the world), sugar (8-13% of European production). Even the food industry, which is widespread almost everywhere, obeys the general Italian pattern: its main centers are located in the North. In the south, Naples and its surroundings stand out. The tobacco industry is monopolized by the state. It is characterized by the remoteness of production (tobacco factories in Rome, Milan, Turin, Bologna, Venice) from the raw material base (tobacco-growing regions of the South).
In the post-war decades, in the towns around Milan, Turin, in the city of Cascina in Tuscany, the production of fashionable furniture (mainly “antique”) developed on imported raw materials, mainly for export.
Italy has the richest resources for the production of building materials. The powerful cement industry in Italy provides more than 20% of Western European production. The largest cement plants are located at the foot of the Alps, on the Padana Plain, around Naples, in Taranto. The glass industry in Italy is not a museum industry. More than 500 glass factories in Northern and Central Italy produce extra strong glass for cars, laboratory glassware, glass for optical instruments, crystal, sheet glass. The manufacture of artistic and technical faience products is widespread. Venice is famous today for its artistic glass, which is blown on the island of Murano. Italy is one of the first places in the world in terms of the scale of the jewelry industry and in terms of quality. jewelry. This industry has developed from ancient handicrafts and retains the high traditions of the Renaissance.
Italy (Italian Republic) occupies the 9th place in the world in terms of its economic development, behind the USA, China, Japan, Germany, France, Great Britain, Brazil and Russia. Italy's GDP in 2013 was just under $2.1 trillion (at market rates). Italy is a highly developed industrial-agrarian country: a predominantly industrial and highly developed north and a poor, agrarian south. GDP per capita is slightly less than 30 thousand dollars per year (according to purchasing power parity).
The area of the territory of Italy is about 300 thousand km 2. By mid-2014, the population of Italy exceeded 61.7 million people. At the moment, the country is in 4th place in terms of population among EU countries and in 24th place among countries around the world. The population density is 200 people. per km 2 - fifth place in the EU. The highest density is in Northern Italy, where almost half of the country's total population lives. The most densely populated regions of Italy are the plains of Campania, Lombardy and Liguria, where there are more than 300 people per 1 km 2. The valley of the Po River is especially crowded. The mountainous regions are much less populated. Here the population density is 35 people. per 1 km 2, in the economically underdeveloped areas of Sardinia and Basilicata, the population density is 60 people. per 1 km 2.
Leading industries in Italy: mechanical engineering, metallurgy, chemical and petrochemical, light and food industries. Italy is among the largest manufacturers and exporters of cars, bicycles and mopeds, tractors, washing machines and refrigerators, cash registers, electronic products, industrial equipment, steel pipes, plastics and chemical fibers, car tires, as well as ready-made clothing and leather shoes, macaroni, cheese, olive oil, wine, fruit and tomato preserves. Here developed large production cement, natural essences and essential oils from flowers and fruits, art glassware and faience, jewelry. In addition, pyrites, mercury ores, natural gas, potassium salt, dolomites, and asbestos are mined.
However, Italy is poor in minerals. There are only deposits of brown coal, sulfur pyrite, bauxite, zinc and lead. On the other hand, the country has excellent climatic conditions for the development of agriculture and tourism (many cultural heritage in the form of architectural monuments, famous theaters, sea and ski resorts have been preserved here).
The absence in Italy of any economically significant minerals, a weak industrial base, backwardness from the advanced countries of Western Europe and North America, the slow accumulation of capital and the general unfavorable position of the national economy in the world economy largely determined the features of Italy's development. The main feature of the development of the Italian economy was that, starting from the middle of the XIX century. there is a clear historical trend towards strengthening the role of the state and state property in the national economy of the country.
Italy has perhaps the largest public sector of all developed countries. Until recently, up to 50% of the economy and 70% of the country's banking system were under state control. Italy has one of the highest rates of public sector GDP production and the share of state-owned enterprises in the total number of companies among developed countries. The result of this expansion of the public sector has been a gigantic budget deficit and a very significant level of public debt, an extremely inefficient, bloated, corrupt public sector, high inflation and unemployment.
The former model of the economy, in which the state played a leading role, successfully existed in Italy until the early 1990s. state system They even began to call Italy “stable instability”, since there were too frequent changes in the composition of the government, there were constant scandals and revelations related to the activities of the mafia and corruption in the state apparatus, but the general course of the government did not change. Italy has earned itself a reputation as the most regulated country in Western Europe, which has almost 150,000 different laws, and red tape and red tape have brought the creation of a new company to two or three years.
Finally, during one of the operations to expose corruption among senior government officials, called "Clean Hands", such egregious facts of the criminal activities of the state apparatus were uncovered that the country's public opinion rebelled against the previous system. As a result, the political and economic course of the government in the early 1990s. has undergone significant changes. It should also be recognized that internal changes in the political system (frequent changes in government, trials against corrupt leaders of political parties, the withdrawal of a number of parties from the political scene) were not the only factors in changing the economic course of the country.
In addition to the evidence that the corrupt and overgrown state in Italy had long since outlived itself, changes became necessary in connection with changes in the global and European economy.
The main problems facing the country's economy are, firstly, the choice of a path for further development, and secondly, the need to overcome differences in the regional development of the national economy. Italy carried out until the end of the 1990s. neoconservative course in their economic transformations. The United States and Great Britain served as a model for this course. Nevertheless, an increasing number of Italian politicians, taking into account the wishes of their voters, are in favor of a socially oriented market economy, the example of which is Germany and France. Italy, in terms of its historical features of development, is closer to continental European countries, which raises concerns about the further results of neoconservative reforms.
In addition, in Italy, to a greater extent than in other countries, disproportions in regional development are felt. In just three regions of Italy - Lombardy, Piedmont and Venice - most of the country's GDP is created - 40%. At the same time, Lombardy alone accounts for 30% of the country's exports. In the richest province of the country, Trentino-Alto Adige, state investments alone account for about $10 million per inhabitant. And finally, Italian unemployment is largely associated with the traditional sedentary (immobility) of Italians, their attachment to the family.
At first glance, it seems that Italy in its economic development is significantly behind France, Germany and Great Britain. However, this is not the case. Italy has made very significant progress in development. Over the past few years, the country has coped with inflation, unemployment began to decline, new enterprises were created, employment among the youth grew, investment grew. Italy has been particularly successful in creating jobs for young people, significantly reducing unemployment among the most active part of the country's population.
Italy has made great strides in the field of social cohesion. Wage, as well as the number of jobs created, is growing, the former "black" labor market is gradually being eliminated. There is a gradual transformation of illegal types of work into official employment. To date, about 30% of the total number of jobs in the economy exists in the illegal labor market, and 30% is provided by the so-called gray market, which provides semi-formal employment. The presence of a large number of illegal and semi-legal forms of employment in the Italian economy is explained by the strict regulation of the labor market, in connection with which entrepreneurs prefer "gray" employment.
The Italian model of the ratio of small, medium and large businesses is unique. In the 1950s-1970s. economic growth led to the popularity of mass production and the dominant role of large companies. Primary home region large companies became the north-west of the country, especially many such enterprises are located in the "industrial triangle" Turin - Milan - Genoa. Industrial crisis in the 1970s led to the loss of large companies of their former positions in the Italian economy. Period 1970-1990s became a time of accelerated development of small and medium-sized enterprises. The development of small and medium-sized businesses helped offset negative consequences crisis of mass production for the entire Italian economy.
Now, on the basis of small and medium-sized businesses, the so-called third Italy has emerged - a region covering the center and east of the country. A significant number of small companies producing textiles, clothing, footwear, furniture, and ceramics are concentrated here. There are also highly efficient modern production facilities in such areas as mechanics and engineering. Urbanized areas of concentration of small and medium-sized enterprises create entire zones, clusters of light industry and mechanical engineering. Small and medium enterprises are currently driving economic growth in the center and northeast of Italy, while the traditionally industrial north and the agrarian south are in a state of economic decline. Heads regional development Italy is currently the region of Venice, where there is the highest concentration of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Thus, the Italian model of economic development is characterized primarily by the energy of small and medium-sized businesses in the country. Italian SMEs are extremely efficient. About 70% of employment in the country is provided by companies with less than 50 employees, 30% of all employed in the economy - individual entrepreneurs developing a family business. With the help of relatively small companies, young people are actively involved in work. Italian laws, as we have pointed out above, are especially favorable to initiatives to create small, especially youth, firms. If the registration of a large company can take years, then small firms are created in the shortest possible time.
Italian small and medium-sized enterprises have a grandiose export potential and are sensitive to changes in the situation on the world commodity market. Exports of Italian small and medium-sized firms are about twice as high as those of similar firms in France. Simultaneously with the activation of small and medium-sized businesses, large Italian companies are gradually losing their significance for the national economy, especially losing by the fact that they do not create new jobs.
In Catholic Italy, a special, specific business philosophy has developed, which, in our opinion, is an order of magnitude superior to the culture of entrepreneurship in France. If in France private enterprise is almost despised by society, then in Italy the founders of private firms are respected people. The activities of successful entrepreneurs are set as an example and serve as a lesson for the younger generation. For example, Leonardo del Vechio once started with the production of plastics in his own kitchen. Today it is one of the largest eyewear manufacturers in the world.
The successful development of small and medium-sized businesses in Italy contributed to the fact that the country managed to safely survive the crisis of the state, the crisis of large companies, and the crisis of mass production. The revival of the economy in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the strengthening of the process of European integration, the introduction of the euro served as a powerful incentive for the further development of small and medium-sized businesses in Italy. On the basis of a high concentration of small companies specializing in one business segment, clusters arise - specialized production zones. So, hundreds of companies - manufacturers of stockings and tights, including such well-known ones as Nerino Grassi (products of which are known in Russia under the brand name golden lady) territorially concentrated in the zone of Castel Goffredo and Castiglione delle Stiviere.
Thinking on our own
What features of the Italian model of economic development could be successfully used in modern Russian conditions?
Not everyone, however, is so successful in the Italian model of development. Problems such as maintaining the geopolitical unity of the country by bridging the economic gap between the north, center and south, the presence of powerful organized crime and corruption, and outdated transport and telecommunications infrastructure are still relevant. All the previous prime ministers of Italy tried to solve these problems in their own way, and yet the new cabinets of ministers inherit problems that were not solved by their predecessors. So, one of the country's former prime ministers, the odious and ambitious TV magnate and billionaire Silvio Berlusconi, who at one time was the initiator of economic reforms that were quite radical for Italy, never managed to fulfill all his program promises and was also convicted of abuse of power and corruption. .
New conditions for world economic development, globalization of the world economic system, deepening European integration and the introduction of the euro give Italy a new chance, expanding the scope entrepreneurial activity for its many highly efficient and competitive SMEs. The positions of Italy in the EU, unlike the UK, are distinguished by constancy and perseverance on the path of building and developing a political and economic union. However, the most difficult task for Italy will remain the normalization of the situation in public finance, in particular the adjustment to the Maastricht criteria of the level of public debt, which in 2013 exceeded 130% of GDP.
One of the main features of the Italian economy, we recall, is the regional unevenness of economic development, which gives rise to opposition between the industrially developed regions of the north and the center of the country and the agrarian and relatively underdeveloped south. Such a contradiction is especially dangerous due to the fact that European Italy with a rich culture and traditions of entrepreneurship opposes Mediterranean Italy with its clannishness and merging with the business and state apparatus of organized crime - the famous Sicilian and Neapolitan mafia.
The structure of GDP production in the Italian economy:
- agriculture: 2% of GDP;
- industry: 24.4% of GDP;
- service sector: 73.5% of GDP.
From this structure one can see the not very high efficiency of Italian agriculture, which also has a large number of small and medium-sized firms, so it employs a much larger amount of labor than in other leading countries.
Agriculture in Italy has been predominantly developed in the south, where wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, barley, traditional Mediterranean vegetables and fruits are cultivated. Italy mainly specializes in crop production. For Italian agriculture, the common European agricultural policy has negative consequences, since the country's inefficient national agricultural production cannot compete on an equal footing with other European producers.
In industry, the manufacturing industries are of the greatest importance. Italy specializes in the production of:
- engineering products and transport equipment, including:
- - textile machinery (Italy ranks third in the world after Germany and Switzerland in its production);
- - agricultural machines;
- - road construction equipment (fourth place in the world);
- - cars (Fiat, Iveco,ferrari, Lamborghini);
- - railway rolling stock (second place in the world after France);
- electronics and electrical engineering, 40% of which is exported (office equipment of the company Olivetti and other manufacturers, household appliances);
- products of the aerospace industry (in particular, aircraft and aircraft equipment of the company alenia, helicopters and light aircraft companies Agusta );
- chemical products, including pharmaceuticals (Italy is the fifth largest drug manufacturer in the world, Italian drugs are distinguished on the world market by their low price);
- products of the steel industry (second place in the EU and sixth place in the world in metal rolling, Italy accounts for 40% of metal production in the EU);
- light industry products: garments, textiles, shoes, furniture (the second largest furniture manufacturer in the world);
- construction goods (building materials).
Italy specializes in products of a medium degree of science intensity, since it is characterized by a certain technological lag behind the world leaders. The country has a smaller share of R&D spending in GDP than Germany, France or the UK, in addition, Italy is experiencing a shortage of scientific personnel. Thus, the main task of Italy in the field of scientific and technological progress is to reduce its technological gap from other leading countries, increase the knowledge intensity and competitiveness of products. Such plans can be implemented by boosting the total national spending on R&D, intensifying scientific and technical exchange with other countries, acquiring licenses for the production of science-intensive products from firms in the USA, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, Switzerland, and attracting foreign investment.
Of particular interest is the experience of the conversion of the Italian military industry. As a result of the improvement of the political situation in Europe in the early 1990s. military production in Italy was cut by a third. An example of a successful conversion is the experience of a company alenia, which, under the slogan "Amusement rides instead of rockets", produces the most modern entertainment complexes based on highly complex military technologies and electronics, competing with the famous Disneyland with its products.
Italy's energy sector remains extremely vulnerable to action external factors, since 80% of Italy's energy consumption depends on imports. Approximately 2/3 of the Italian energy industry depends on oil imports, 15% on coal, and 13% on gas. At the same time, all nuclear power plants in Italy were closed in the 1980s.
Italy's service sector is dominated by tourism and banking. The most important source of income for the country in this area is tourism. More than 50 million tourists visit Italy every year (almost as many as people live permanently in Italy itself). Places of pilgrimage for tourists are the cities of Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, numerous castles, monasteries, sea and ski resorts. The so-called shopping tourism is also developing, attracting wholesalers of Italian small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as individual consumers of Italian clothing and footwear. Banking is no less important. Italy is the birthplace of banks, in 67% of its settlements there are banking institutions.
Italy exports products of mechanical engineering and metalworking industry, clothing, textile and footwear products, chemical products, foodstuffs, Construction Materials, office equipment, ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The range of imports, perhaps, with the exception of energy carriers, completely coincides with exports.
Italy's main foreign trade partners are the EU countries, mainly Germany, France and the United Kingdom, as well as Switzerland and the United States.
Italy's foreign trade occupies a place corresponding to the country's ranking in the world economy. In 2014, Italy ranked 8th in the list of the world's leading exporters of goods ($529 billion, 2.8% of world exports of goods), and was 11th in terms of imports of goods ($472 billion, 2.5% of world import of goods). In the export of services, Italy ranked 14th in 2014 (114 billion dollars, 2.3% of world exports of services), and in terms of imports of services it was 13th (112 billion dollars, 2.4% of world imports of services) .
It is worth noting that Italian exporters also suffered certain losses from the sanctions imposed against Russia in 2014 and the subsequent Russian counter-sanctions. According to the National Confederation of Italian Farmers, in 2014 the country lost 1.25 billion euros in exports to Russia, while the export of Italian goods to Russia fell by 11.6% compared to 2013.
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