Economy overview: Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly equal (also per capita) GDP levels to France and England. Economically, the developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and the less developed agricultural south, where the unemployment rate is 20%, differ sharply from each other. The bulk of raw materials and more than 75% of energy resources are imported. Since 1992, Italy has adopted a budget that meets the requirements of the European Monetary Union (EMU); wage containment agreements reached by government, worker and employer representatives helped bring inflation in Italy in line with EMU requirements. However, Italy’s economy lags behind those of its EU partners and Italy still has a lot to do to stimulate employment. See cheeroutdoor.com to know more about Italy Business. GDP: at purchasing power parity – $1.273 trillion (2000 est.). Real GDP growth rate: 2.7% (2000 est.). GDP per capita: Purchasing power parity – $22,100 (2000 est.). The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 2.5%; industry: 30.4%; service sector: 67.1% (200 est.). Proportion of the population below the poverty line: no data available. Percentage distribution of household income or consumption: per 10% of the poorest families: 3.5%; by the top 10% of families: 21.8% (1995). Inflation rate at consumer prices: 2.5% (2000). Labor force: 23.4 million people Employment structure: services -61.9%, industry -32.6%, agriculture -5.5% (1999). Unemployment rate: 10.4% (2000 est.). Budget: revenues: $488 billion; expenditures: $501 billion, including capital expenditures – NA (2000 est.). Spheres of economy: tourism, mechanical engineering, production of iron and steel, chemicals, food industry, production of textiles, vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics. Growth in industrial production: 1.9% (2000). Electricity generation: 247.679 billion kWh (1999) Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 79.09%; hydropower: 18.08%; nuclear fuel: 0%; others: 2.83% (1999). Electricity consumption: 272.35 billion kWh (1999) Electricity export: 530 million kWh (1999). Electricity import: 42.539 billion kWh (1999) Agricultural products: fruits, vegetables; grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, cereals, olives, beef, dairy products, fish. Export: $241.1 billion (free on board, 2000) Exports: engineering machinery, textiles and clothing, manufacturing equipment, vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco products; mineral raw materials and non-ferrous metals. Export partners: EU 56.8% (Germany 16.4%, France 12.9%, UK 7.1%, Spain 6.3%, Netherlands 2.9%), US 9.5% (1999). Import: $231.4 billion (free on board, 2000). Imports: engineering machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, energy carriers, minerals and non-ferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, drinks and tobacco products. Import partners: EU 61% (Germany 19.3%, France 12.6%, Netherlands 6.3%, Spain 4.4%), US 5.0% (1999). External debt: no data. Donor of economic aid: official development support – $1.3 billion (1997). Currency: Italian lira; Euro; note: on January 1, 1999, the EU introduced a common currency, which is now used in some treaty countries; the fixed exchange rate is 1,936.27 Italian liras per euro; The euro will completely replace the local currency in 2002. Currency code: ITL; EUR. Exchange rate: EUR/USD – 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); ITL/USD – 1,688.7 (January 1999), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996). Fiscal year: calendar year.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 25 million (1999). Mobile cell phones: 20.5 million (1999) Telephone system: modern, highly developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex and data services; internal: high bandwidth cables and microwave radio relay trunking; external: satellite earth stations – 3 Intelsat (with a total of five antennas – 3 over the Atlantic Ocean and 2 over the Indian), 1 In-marsat (Atlantic Ocean region) and Eutel-sat (no data on the number); 21 submarine cables. Broadcast stations: AM around 100, FM around 4600, shortwave 9 (1998). Radio receivers: 50.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 358 (and 4,728 repeaters) (1995). Televisions: 30.3 million (1997) Internet country code: it Internet providers: 93 (Italy and Vatican) (2000). Number of users: 11.6 million (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: total length: 19,394 km; with standard gauge: 18,071 km (1.435 m gauge); Italian Railways (FS) uses 16,014 km of all standard gauge tracks (11,322 km electrified); narrow gauge: 112 km (1,000 m gauge) (112 km electrified); 1,211 km (0.950 m gauge) (153 km electrified) (1998). Roads: total length: 654,676 km; paved: 654,676 km (including 6,957 km of motorways); unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.). Waterways: 2,400 km, suitable for various types of commercial traffic, however, of limited importance. Pipelines: for crude oil -1,703 km; for oil products – 2,148 km; for natural gas – 19,400 km. Ports and harbours: Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Venice, Gela, Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Milazzo, Naples, Porto Torres (Sardinia), Porto Foxy, Savona, Salerno, Taranto, Trieste. Merchant navy: total: 445 ships (of 1,000 tons or more) with a total displacement of 8,005,136 gross register tons / 10,556,244 long tons of gross tonnage; ships of various types: bulk carriers – 44, cargo ships – 41, chemical tankers – 77, ore and oil carriers – 4, container ships – 24, liquefied gas tankers – 38, multifunctional heavy cargo ships – 1, passenger ships – 11, oil tankers – 85, refrigerator ships -1; ferries for transporting loaded vehicles – 64, coastal passenger ships – 26, specialized tankers – 14, cargo ships for transporting vehicles – 15 (2000 est.). Airports: 135 (2000 est.). Airports with paved runways: total: 97; over 3,047 m: 5; from 2438 to 3047 m: 32; from 1524 to 2437 m:17; from 914 to 1523 m:31; less than 914 m: 12 (2000 est.). Airports with unpaved runways: total: 38; from 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2; from 914 to 1523 m:18; less than 914 m: 18 (2000 est.). Helipads: 4 (2000 est.).
Armed forces
Branches of the Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri. Enlistment age: 18 years old. Total military manpower: male 15 to 49 years old: 14,248,674 (2001 est.). Eligible for military service: males aged 15 to 49: 12,244,166 (2001 est.). Number of persons reaching military age each year: male: 304,369 (2001 est.). Military spending in dollar terms: $20.7 billion (2000) Military spending as part of GDP: 1.7% (2000).
International Issues
International Issues International Disputes: Croatia and Italy have made progress in resolving disagreements that have existed since World War II over land ownership and the rights of ethnic minorities. Illicit drugs: an important entry and consumption point for Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market.
