Oil industry of Italy. Mechanical engineering - made in Italy

Italy has achieved considerable success in its traditional electrical industry, especially in its new branch - the production of electronic equipment.

The production of electrical equipment for household consumption is growing rapidly. In particular, in the production of refrigerators and washing machines, Italy has moved into first place among the capitalist countries of Europe and third in the world. The most powerful electrical production in the country is the province of Milan, together with the provinces of Varese and Como. IN last years the construction of electrical enterprises moved to the South, to the areas of the cities of Naples and.

Italy is one of the first places in the world in the production of writing and calculating machines and other office equipment. This production is concentrated mainly in the hands of the Olivet company, whose factories are located in the Piedmontese city.

The largest industrial centers of Lombardy and Piedmont are almost entirely concentrated in the production of machine tools and ball bearings. Italian industry produces turning, milling, grinding machines, and press-forging equipment.

Diverse and complex products (cameras, various optical instruments) are produced by numerous, mostly small-sized instrument-making enterprises, concentrated in the largest industrial cities - Turin, Milan, Genoa, Florence, Rome, Bologna.

Agriculture is developing. The predominance of agricultural land located on the slopes of hills and mountains explains the production of crawler tractors. This is a feature of Italian agricultural engineering, its international specialization. It is most developed in the most important agricultural region of the country - Emilia-Romagna, in the cities of Reggio Emilia, Piacenza, Suzzara.

Italy is also known on the world market as a manufacturer of machinery and equipment for plastics processing and the rubber industry. Italy's international specialization is also the production of equipment for the textile, footwear, food and printing industries.

Among the traditional sectors of the Italian textile industry, wool and cotton stand out in terms of the number of employees and the cost of products. Cotton mills are widely located throughout the country, especially in the North - in Lombardy and Piedmont, which is facilitated by the abundance of water and cheap electricity from Alpine hydroelectric power stations. The main areas of the wool industry are located in Tuscany (city), Piedmont (Biella) and Venice (Schio, etc.).

Silk production originated in the country in the 12th century. and is still characterized by high quality and variety of products. Silk industry enterprises are concentrated in the areas of cities and Treviso, that is, in the main breeding areas of silkworms. There is a silk industry in the South - in Campania.

Every year, less and less fabrics are produced from natural fibers and the production of artificial and synthetic fabrics and yarns is increasing. The emergence of artificial and synthetic fiber caused an acute and long-lasting crisis in the entire Italian textile industry, associated with the restructuring of its structure, raw material base, and technology.

Italy produces 28% of the shoes produced in capitalist countries (320 million). In terms of shoe production, Italy ranks second in the world after, and in terms of its exports, it ranks first; it accounts for 37% of capitalist exports of these products. Most shoe factories are located in Lombardy, Veneto and near Naples.

large reserves of chemical raw materials, primarily natural gas, pyrites, potassium salts, sulfur, etc.

In second place after mechanical engineering in terms of the number of employees is the textile industry, one of the oldest industries in Italy. It produces fabrics and yarn from cotton, wool, silk, hemp, flax, and jute. and chemical fibers, as well as a variety of knitwear.

Among the traditional sectors of the Italian textile industry, wool and cotton stand out in terms of the number of employees and the cost of products. Cotton mills are widely located throughout the country, especially in the North - in Lombardy and Piedmont, which is facilitated by the abundance of water and cheap electricity from Alpine hydroelectric power stations. The main areas of the wool industry are located in Tuscany (Prato), Piedmont (Biella) and Venice (Schio, etc.).

Silk production originated in the country in the 12th century. and is still characterized by high quality and variety of products. Silk industry enterprises are concentrated in the areas of the cities of Como and Treviso, i.e. in the main breeding areas of silkworms. There is a silk industry in the South - in Campania.

Every year, less and less fabrics are produced from natural fibers and the production of artificial and synthetic fabrics and yarns is increasing. The emergence of artificial and synthetic fibers caused an acute and long-term crisis in the entire Italian textile industry, associated with the restructuring of its structure, raw material base, and technology.

News and society

Industry in Italy is the leading sector of the state's economy. This area accounts for more than 28% of the total local GDP. Moreover, almost half of all working residents are employed here.

If we talk about the sectoral structure of Italian industry, then 76% of it is manufacturing.

Mechanical engineering

The engineering industry in Italy is considered one of the most important and most dynamic sectors of the country's economy.

More recently, its main centers were Turin, Milan and Genoa. Currently, this area has spread to other regions of the state. Now significant engineering facilities are located in Florence, Venice, Bologna and Trieste. The key direction of this industry has become the automotive industry. Every year the state produces about two million cars, as well as a huge number of mopeds, motorcycles and bicycles.

The Fiat concern plays a leading role here. Its headquarters is located in Turin, and production facilities are located in almost all regions of the country. The Lombard cities of Naples and Turin have established aviation production, while Italy's shipbuilding industry is concentrated in Genoa, Livorno, La Spezia and Trieste.

Power generation

The state produces about 190 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.

Almost 65% of this amount comes from thermal power plants located in the largest cities. They operate using both their own and imported raw materials. Slightly less than one third of the electricity is generated by hydroelectric power stations built on Alpine rivers. The entire remaining share falls on objects from the field of alternative energy. Interesting feature industry is that not a single nuclear power plant operates in the state, which was the result of a national referendum held in 1987.

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Oil industry

The country is quite poor in mineral resources, including black gold.

Here it is mined in small quantities (a total of about 1.5 million tons per year) in Lombardy, Sicily and on the Adriatic Sea shelf. The specialization of such an industry in Italy as oil refining using imported raw materials does not prevent it from being ahead of other Western European countries in volume. Most of the factories that operate in the sector are concentrated in port areas.

This is where raw materials come from the Middle East, Russia and some North African countries. However, thanks to the developed network of oil pipelines, such enterprises operate successfully in other regions.

Metallurgy

The metallurgical industry of Italy does not have its own sources of raw materials.

Similar to the industries mentioned above, the sector is import-oriented, so its key enterprises are concentrated in the area of ​​large ports.

Processing plants ferrous metallurgy They work mainly in large industrial cities, where scrap metal accumulates in significant volumes. The country annually smelts about 250 thousand tons of aluminum and approximately 25 million tons of steel. Plants that are located near sources of electricity - Alpine hydroelectric power stations - are oriented towards them.

Light industry

Far from being the largest, but extremely important sector of the state’s economy is light industry Italy.

It is represented, as a rule, by small companies scattered throughout the territory. The country has become one of the world leaders in the production of woolen fabrics, second only to China in this indicator. On high level development is the textile industry, the main production facilities of which are concentrated in the northern regions - Piedmont and Lombardy. The northwestern regions of the state, in particular Tuscany, Marche and Veneto, are centers of the shoe, leather and clothing industries.

One of the few areas characterized by constant growth is food industry, operating both on imported and on its own raw materials. The volume of production here increases annually by an average of 3%. The specialization of Italian industry in this direction is largely related to the production olive oil.

The country accounts for about one third of its production worldwide.

Chemical industry

Initially, the production of chemical products in Italy originated in Lombardy.

This may explain the fact that this is where most of the factories and enterprises specializing in this area of ​​activity are now located.

The industry operates mainly on imported oil, phosphorites, cellulose, sulfur and other raw materials. In the area of ​​the city of Trieste, petrochemical enterprises are concentrated in the northeast, and companies engaged in the production of mineral fertilizers are concentrated in the south. The international specialization of the Italian chemical industry is mainly related to the production of polymers and synthetic fibers. The production of traditional inorganic substances - pesticides, nitric and sulfuric acid, chlorine, as well as caustic soda - is at a fairly high level of development.

Sales of the industry's products are focused primarily on meeting the needs of its own industry.

At the same time, part of it is exported to the USA and the countries of the so-called common market.

Conclusion

This article about Italian industry briefly describes only its main sectors.

In many other areas of activity, starting with post-war years the state also made a significant breakthrough.

Industry of Italy and its specialization

Among them, noteworthy are the electrical and furniture industries, the production of luxury goods, weapons, and the bio-industry.

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on this topic: Prices in Italy

students

FMK, 3rd year, DML-2 O.

V. Kozlova

Verified by E.M. Gil

1.The economic position of Italy ……………… ………. ……. ….. .3

2. Pricing and national price regulation………. ….7

3. Crisis and overcoming inflation……………………. ……… .8

4. Price levels in Italy……………………. ……………….. ….. 9

LIST OF SOURCES USED.

Economic situation in Italy

The Italian Republic is a country in southern Europe, in the center of the Mediterranean Sea. Italy borders four countries: France to the northwest, Switzerland and Austria to the north, and Slovenia to the northeast. It also has internal borders with the Vatican and San Marino. It covers the Apennine Peninsula, Balkan Peninsula(smaller part), the Padan plain, the southern slopes of the Alps, Sicily, Sardinia and several small islands.

The total area is 301.23 thousand square meters. km.

Population of Italy. The current population is 61.4 million. Among them, the male population is 49%, and women - 51%. Italy is extremely unevenly populated, with the majority of the population living in the north of the country. Since the northern part is more developed, internal migration from the south is directly channeled here. Ravne Liguria, Campania and Lombardy are the most populated, especially Naples with over 2,500 people per square kilometer.

Thus, the number of inhabitants of cities in Italy is equal to the density indicators of the city of Kyiv, although they are much worse in this area.

More than 90% of the population is Catholic. The rest of the population adheres to the following religions: Judaism, Baptism, Islam and others.

Economy. Especially the industrial, highly developed north and the poor, agricultural south.

The gross national product per capita is $28,300 per year. Main industries: mechanical engineering, metallurgy, chemical and petrochemical, light and aromatic industries.

Italy is one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers in the world market of automobiles, bicycles and mopeds, tractors, construction equipment and electronic products, refrigerators, industrial equipment, steel pipes, plastics and chemical fibers, rubber, as well as clothing and footwear, cheese, olive oil, wine, fruit and tomato cans.

Large production of cement, natural essences and essential oils from flowers and fruits, glass and earthenware art, jewelry. Extraction of pyrite, mercury, natural gas, potassium salt, dolomite, asbestos. Because of small area and the high population density in modern Italy, the problem of waste disposal is acute.

Agriculture. The predominance of vegetation in agriculture.

The main products are wheat, corn, rice (1st place for harvest in Europe: more than 1 million tons per year), sugar beets.

industry

Italy is one of the world's largest producers of citrus fruits (more than 3.3 million tons per year), tomatoes (more than 5.5 million tons), grapes (about 10 million tons per year, more than 90% processed into wine), olives Floristics. The bird is developed.

– arable land – 31%

– permanent plantations – 10%

– permanent pastures – 15%

– forests and forests – 23%

Tourism. The wonderful climate and nature of Italy, magnificent historical sites and monuments, developed tourism infrastructure, the highest level of services and facilities - all this attracts tourists from all over the world to holiday in Italy.

Holidays in Italy offer tourists various ways have fun and pass the time. Whether you want to actively relax, play sports and explore, or you want to relax and sunbathe on the beach, Italian destinations have all the conditions for this.

Beautiful city beaches, water sports and seaside entertainment complexes, the most beautiful Italian cities, masters ancient history, lifestyle and cultural traditions of the country - a holiday in Italy gives you an unlimited choice of leisure activities.

The geography of Italy is unique in its own sense: tourism is a successful beach, and in winter athletes can go to the mountains and have a lot of time on one of the many ski resorts Italy, which leave lasting impressions the same as on the beaches of Italy.

Industry. Italy has natural resources.

Most of the territory is not capable of agriculture; the state is an importer of food.

Minor amounts of iron, coal and oil. In recent years, proven reserves of natural gas, especially in the Po and Adriatic Sea, have been increasing and represent the most important mineral resources in the country.

Most of the raw materials needed for manufacturing and over 80% of the country's imported energy.

Energy. The energy sector is heavily dependent on imports from abroad: in 2006, the country imported more than 86% of its total energy consumption (99.7% of consumption solid fuel, 92.5% oil, 91.2% natural gas and 16% power).

Due to importing approximately 16% of the electricity consumed from France, Italy is the world's largest importer of electricity.

Due to their dependence on expensive fossil fuels and imports, Italians pay around 45% more for electricity than the EU average.

There are currently no operational nuclear installations in Italy. In 1987, after the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Italians voted against the development of nuclear energy in the country in a popular referendum, and in 1990

Italy's last nuclear reactor was closed.

The Berlusconi government (2008), called a "disaster", decided to close nuclear power plants in Italy, but on March 11, 2011, an accident occurred at the Japanese nuclear power plant "Fakushima-1opiate" that will force public opinion abandon nuclear energy.

Italy is the first to hold a referendum following the accident at Japan's Fakushima 1 nuclear power plant.

Italy ranks sixth in the world in wind power (2010) with a total installed capacity of 57,870 MW, China (41,800 MW), USA (40,200 MW), Germany (27,214 MW), Spain (20,676 MW) and India (13 064 MW).

Transport. Road transport plays an important role in the internal transportation of goods and passengers, and on the other hand, by rail.

At the electrification stage railways The country ranks one of the first in the world. A dense network of modern highways and railways connects the cities of northern Italy.

GDP - 2,013 trillion US dollars (2012).

GDP - 1,135,937 million dollars. USA (services sector - 65.8%, industry - 31.6%, Agriculture — 2,6%).

GDP per capita is $19,710.

The growth of the national product is 1.3% per year.

Inflation is 1.7% per year.

The working population is 23,193,000 people (61% in services, 32% in industry, 7% in agriculture).

The unemployment rate is about 11.5%.

Government revenue: $530,000 million.

Government spending - $522 million. USA.

Main activities: tourism, mechanical engineering, metallurgy and chemical industry, light industry and food industry.

The agricultural complex is dominated by: grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products, fish.

Production growth is 1.9% per year.

Electricity production is 243.027 million tons.

kWh (fossil fuel - 80.22%, hydroelectric power plants - 17.3%, others 2.48%, while Italy has no nuclear power plants).

Electricity consumption is 266,705 million kW.

Electricity export - 900 million kW.

Import of electricity - 41,590 million kW.

Exports - $242.6 billion (engineering products and equipment, textiles and clothing, cars, chemicals, food, drinks, tobacco, minerals, non-ferrous metals).

Main partners: 56% EU (Germany 16.50%, France 12.70%, UK 7.20%, Spain 5.80%, Netherlands% 2.90), USA 8.50%

Import - 206,900,000.

(technical products, chemicals, transport equipment, electricity, minerals and non-ferrous metals, textiles and clothing, food, beverages and tobacco).

Main partners: 61% EU (Germany 18.80%, France 13.12%, UK 6.47%, Netherlands 6.20%, Belgium-Luxembourg 4.70%), USA 5.10%.

The trade balance is $35,700 million.

External debt is $45,000 million.

Only in some capitalist countries can there be such large differences in levels economic development, which exist between the North and South of Italy.

In the north, the triangle consists of the cities of Milan, Turin and Genoa, the region with the most developed industry.

Milan is the second most populous city in Italy. In terms of development of industrial, commercial and financial functions, this place ranks first, which is why it is often called the business capital of the country.

Milan is surrounded by satellite cities, many of which serve as their production facilities. Milan is also famous for the La Scala opera house.

The face of Turin is determined by the car factories of the Ukaz concern,

They are associated with other companies specializing in the production of tires, ball bearings and electrical cables. Large industry in the north serves Genoa (900,000 inhabitants) - largest port countries. There are many industrial companies in the city and its suburbs, which stretch along the sea.

The coast of Genoa is also very important.

In December 2012, Italy's public debt amounted to 1,906 billion Euros. As a percentage of GDP in 2010, the national debt was estimated at 126.5%.

In 2012, the number of Italian companies going bankrupt increased.

The number of voluntarily liquidated companies increased in normal financial position.

VAT in the country is 21%.

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The dominant sector of Italian industry is automobile manufacturing.

Industry of Italy

In terms of scale and level of development, the automotive industry stands out especially (in 1985, 193,741 people were employed in it). Italy is one of the leading exporters of cars on the world market. In terms of production scale (1.6 million cars and 179,000 trucks and buses were produced in 1986), Italy ranks fifth in the world.

Recently, other large automobile companies Lancia and Alfa Romeo joined the FIAT concern.

FIAT's activities are diverse: it owns several companies in the field of industrial construction, motor transport, shipping, it owns the Turin newspaper "Stampa" and the Milanese "Corriere della Sera", hotels, a chain of department stores, etc. The center of all this is Turin, where the oldest and most important automobile factories of the concern, numerous auxiliary and by-products. FIAT specialists are involved in the creation of automobile factories in many countries around the world, including Russia.

Almost all automobile factories are located in the North. Only Alfa Romeo built a plant in Pomigliano d'Darco, near Naples. The automotive industry was the first to face the blows of the crisis and in the 80s already needed state aid. FIAT and Alfa Romeo suspended thousands of workers.

The country also occupies a leading position in the world in the production of bicycles and mopeds.

The origins of Italian shipbuilding begin in past centuries. About 85% of the country's shipbuilding capacity belongs to the Fincantieri state group.

The largest Italian shipyards are located in Monfalcone (Adriatic), as well as in Trieste, Porto Marghera, Ancona on the Ligurian coast, in Naples, Taranto and some other cities.

The most powerful hub of the electrical industry in the country is Milan with its surrounding provinces, in the south - the regions of the city. Naples and Vari. Italy ranks third in the world in the production of refrigerators (3.3 ml.

in 1986) and washing machines (3.9 million units in 1986).

More than 10% of all radio-electronic equipment in the world is produced in Italy. Milan is the leader in this sector.

The production of machine tools is constantly developing. Italy produces traditional turning, grinding, milling machines, as well as with numerically controlled machines and industrial robots. Italian industrial robots operate in many countries, including at ZIL, AZLK factories, etc.

Writing and calculating machines from the small Piedmontese town of Ivrea, where the Olivetti company is located, are sold all over the world (443,000 typewriters in 1986).

In the global economy, Italy specializes in machines for the printing, textile, food, footwear, plastics and rubber industries.

The automotive industry is located mainly in the industrial North.

In the 60-70s, before the start of the energy crisis, chemistry, and especially petrochemistry, was developing dynamically.

However, since the late 70s, not a single new plant has been built, many concerns have reduced their production capacity, and several large plants have been closed. The country's specialization in chemical industry determine the production of plastics and chemical fibers. Among the others European countries The paint and pharmaceutical industries of Italy stand out.

The chemical industry is concentrated mainly in the North, especially in Lombardy, but also in Emilia - Romagna, Venice, Tuscany, Campania.

Metallurgy is very developed in Italy, but in this area there is a very significant dependence on the import of oil and raw materials. In 1986, the country produced a total of 11.6 ml. tons of cast iron and 24 ml. tons of steel. Factories are located either near seaports (where importing raw materials from other countries is cheaper and easier), or near sales markets - large automotive manufacturing centers.

The Italian ferrous metallurgy enters the foreign market mainly with steel pipes and thin cold-rolled steel. Great importance is given in Italy to the supply of steel pipes to Russia.

One of the oldest traditional industries in the country is textile, producing yarn and fabrics from wool, flax, cotton, hemp, silk and chemical fibers, as well as a variety of knitwear.

Italy is the second largest exporter of clothing after Hong Kong and the first exporter of footwear in the world.

The food industry consistently ranks third in terms of production volume and number of employees after mechanical engineering and the textile industry. It developed on the basis of numerous small semi-handicraft enterprises directly related to agriculture.

The main emphasis of the Italian food industry is on the traditional production of pasta, cheese, various types of canned vegetables, olive oil (1/3 of world production), grape wines (leading places in the world) and sugar. The main centers of this industry are located in the northern part of the country, and Naples is the leader in the southern part.

Industrial history of Italy

The basis of any economy is industry. Throughout the history of the formation of Italian industry, structural changes occurred. It accounts for about 2.5 times national income.

Resources are unevenly distributed across Italy. In Italian industry most of heavy industry predominates, in particular mechanical engineering. The metallurgy, chemical industry, and electric power industries are quite seriously developed. Sales volumes in the industrial sector for Lately decreased by 1.6%.

Main types of industry in Italy

• mechanical engineering,
• textile industry,
• chemical industry,
• food industry,
• metallurgy,
• electrical industry,
• shipbuilding

Let's look at them in more detail.

Mechanical engineering.

The leading branch of the Italian industry is mechanical engineering, which provides the country's entire consumer market in cars. Agricultural engineering and tractor manufacturing are quite well developed. Italy is famous not only for the production of cars, but also for components.

Mechanical engineering is a diversified industry. Mechanical engineering includes:

• automotive industry,
• production of machine tools,
• production of computer equipment,
• machine tool building,
• equipment for enterprises,
• production of electrical equipment

Note 1

The main products of the industry are passenger cars. The leading role among manufacturers is the powerful concern FIAT. The remaining companies are Ferrari, Maserati and Lancia. Italy is the origin of motor scooters, which are used all over the world.

Textile industry.

The second largest production volume in Italy is the textile industry. The country produces wool, flax, fabric, and knitwear. Factories are mainly located in the North of the country.

Chemical industry.

The chemical industry works with imported raw materials, but quite often also uses imported raw materials. The main petrochemical plants operate in the north of the country. They mainly produce plastics and chemical fibers. The production of fertilizers is developing, the production of essences and essential oils has been preserved. Italy produces rubber and synthetic rubber. About 1/4 of the chemical industry is controlled by Montadison.

Food industry.

To main industries Food Industry include wine products, flour and pasta. Italy is famous for about 5,000 varieties of wine, a third of which is exported. The main wine production is represented in the south of the country. The Italian state is actively investing in the wine industry. Plantations for the production of red wine are expanding.

Metallurgy.

Insufficient fuel supply makes Italy dependent on others foreign economic relations. For example, coal is imported entirely from the USA. Metallurgy is mainly tied to ports through which raw materials are imported or to large mechanical engineering centers, i.e. to sales markets. The largest and technically the Findser association. The main products that are exported are cold-rolled sheet steel. The aluminum industry is quite developed.

Electrical industry.

Italy has developed the electrical industry quite strongly. The main production center for this type of product is located in Milan.

Note 2

Shipbuilding is another one of the leading industries in Italy. More than 1 million workers are employed in production. The Italcantieri company owns the majority of shipbuilding capacities.

In addition, there are other production facilities in Italy:

• pharmaceuticals;
• production of telecommunications equipment
• perfume and cosmetics industry

Italy produces children's toys, modeling products, etc.

The current state of industry in Italy

Over the past six months, Italy increased its growth rate by 1.4%. These figures exceeded analysts' expectations. Industrial enterprises increasing volumes. To date, they have grown by 3.2%. The automotive industry has especially distinguished itself, with production volume increasing by 10.8%.

Industry for Italy remains the basis and plays huge role in the development and welfare of the state’s economy. It is undergoing constant restructuring, new ones are being introduced innovative technologies, new techniques are being introduced. By modern standards, almost all industries are profitable business and quite common.

With the development of scientific and technological progress, the role of industry is growing and is inextricably linked with mechanization, automation, electrification and heating of production, which determine intensive growth in the national economy

In addition, Italian industry faces a number of problems. The country is divided into economic zones. The northern zone is quite developed, while the south, on the contrary, is mired in unemployment.

Production in Italy has set a course for export; it very much depends on the quality of the products. Italian products have proven their quality. Italian textile brands have become symbols of luxury. However, Italy is forced to purchase all its raw materials abroad. In addition, in 2017, Italy was the only one to lose its credit rating, and experts consider it a weak link in the eurozone.

Despite this, a fairly large amount of funds are invested in industry every year. Present in Italy transnational corporations, which were built from scratch or converted from another enterprise. Not only private enterprises, but also the state invest in the market; grants are allocated annually for the development of this sector; not only production, but also new technologies are encouraged. Italian industry is always at a high level. The manufactured product is trusted not only in the domestic market, but also in the foreign market.

Per capita gross indicator internal product(according to PPP) at the beginning of the 21st century. amounted to 20 thousand euros per year. Total GDP exceeded I trillion euros.

The range of specialization industries on a global and European scale is significantly smaller than that of France or France. However, most of them are technically modern, efficient and highly cost-effective.

The shares of economic sectors and the set of key economic sectors indicate that Italy has undergone industrialization and may well be classified as a post-industrial country. Thus, the share of the tertiary sector in GDP exceeds 60%. But there are also some peculiarities: high degree dependence of the economy on the import of energy resources and raw materials, sharp territorial contrasts in the development of the economy and the level of income of the population (rich North and poor South), lag in the development of knowledge-intensive and high-tech industries.

Italian agriculture is typical of the Mediterranean in composition, but in productivity it lags behind many EU countries. 80% of agricultural products come from crop production. A third of agricultural land is occupied by arable land, and half of arable land is occupied by grain crops. From the time of Ancient Rome the basis is formed by the “Mediterranean triad”; wheat, grapes, olives. The reference area for traditional Mediterranean crop production is the Italian "heel" of Apulia.

The “breadbasket” of Italy is the Padana Lowland. Wheat fields located in the fertile floodplain of the river. They produce rich grain harvests. In the south - in Puglia and Sicily - they are lower, but durum wheat varieties are grown here, which are used to make the famous Italian spaghetti national dish.

Viticulture has a history of thousands of years. Vineyards are one of the main elements of the Italian rural landscape. More than 250 grape varieties are grown here. The collection exceeds 10 million tons per year. In terms of wine production, Italy is one of the top three world producers, along with and.

Olive groves are also an integral element of the country's landscape, especially in the south. Italy ranks second in the world in olive harvesting after Spain (3 million tons per year). Almost the same amount of citrus fruits are grown. Plantings of oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, and lemons are concentrated mainly in two southern regions - in Calabria and Sicily. This is where they grow Walnut, almonds, hazelnuts, bergamot and tobacco are collected. Extensive flower plantations.

Among the important branches of Italian crop production are rice growing and vegetable growing. Rice is cultivated in the floodplain of the river. However, it is used to prepare the national dish risotto, and is also exported to EU countries. Vegetable growing is very diverse: in small private gardens in open ground or in greenhouses they grow tomatoes, salads, onions, artichokes, and asparagus, which is typical for a Mediterranean country.

Livestock farming occupies a subordinate position due to limited food base, but, like plant growing, has ancient roots. The main limiting factor for development today is fierce competition in the pan-European market from more profitable manufacturers, of which there are now many European Union. The main sheep breeding area is about. Sardinia. Meat and dairy farming is developed in the alpine meadows of Northern Italy. Poultry farms are located around major cities.

Italy has created a powerful modern industry. 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 import volumes in Foreign Europe, Italy is second only to Germany. general power oil refineries are the largest in Foreign Europe - 100 million tons per year. A significant part of petroleum products is exported to EU countries. The largest plant with a capacity of 16 million tons per year is located in the city of Sarrok on the island. Sardinia. Hydroelectric power plants built in the Alps serve not only the north and northeast of the country, but also its neighbors: electricity is sold to and.

The acute shortage of our own traditional energy resources stimulated the search for new ones. Back in 1905, the world's first hydrothermal power plants based on underground hot springs were built in the central part of the country, in Larderello. Italy was the first in Europe to begin building nuclear power plants, but after the Chernobyl accident in 1987, under public pressure, all of them were closed and new projects were frozen. Currently, the government's energy policy is aimed at reducing the economy's dependence on oil. 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 sector of Italian 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 occupied an advantageous position thanks to its 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 purchased not only in Italy itself, but also in many EU countries. However, due to the difficult conditions on the global and European markets, metallurgical enterprises are not operating in full power. Import dependence explains the coastal location of enterprises. The largest and most modern metallurgical plant full cycle located in the south of the country in Taranto. There are also full-cycle plants in Genoa and in 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 a mixed supply of domestic and imported raw materials. Zinc smelting is located near large power plants in Porto Marghera, Monteponi, Crotone. Lead smelters are located mainly on the island. Sardinia. The powerful aluminum industry has now reoriented itself primarily to the import of bauxite, in particular from the Balkan countries, and primarily serves the automotive industry. The most powerful aluminum smelter 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 has been closed in both countries, in particular due to environmental reasons, and the world championship in mercury production passed to.

Among the basic sectors in Italy, marble mining and cement production stand out. Italian marbles gained worldwide fame many centuries ago.

The key industry in Italy is transport engineering. It gives a quarter of the total industrial products countries and almost half of exports. By general production Italy ranks 4th in Europe after Germany, France and Spain; 1.5 million cars and another 200 thousand trucks and buses are produced here annually.

The 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 traders. The passion for driving fast became the main motive for creating magnificent racing cars that gained worldwide fame. The Ferrari and Maserati brands are known to every teenager today. But main company The country 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 Italian “oligarchic-mafia” monopolized capitalism. In the post-war period, powerful automobile factories, in addition to Turin, were built near Milan, near Naples and Termini Imerese in Sicily. FIAT subjugated the Alfa Romeo and Lancia companies. In addition to the production of Fiat passenger cars, the “empire” of Angeli, who died in 2003, includes construction companies, shopping complexes, an extensive chain of hotels, it owns one of the most popular newspapers in the country, La Stampa.

Italy is the birthplace of the crawler tractor, invented for rugged terrain. The main manufacturer of agricultural machinery is the Lombardini company.

A significant part of one of the oldest sectors of the Italian economy now also belongs to 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, ancient shipyards continue to operate in Genoa, Livorno and La Spezia, and in the south of the country - in Palermo (small fishing boats and sports yachts).

Italy is also famous 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 the specialty of the famous Olivetti company. The capital of Olivetti is the city of Ivrea in the north of the country.

The chemical industry, like the automobile industry, is highly monopolized. Two companies dominate here - Montadison and the state association ENI. They produce a wide range of plastics, chemical fibers, varnishes and paints. Pharmaceuticals have been developing dynamically in recent decades. The oldest chemical plant area is Milan and its surroundings. 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 produced 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. The Company specializes in the cultivation of silkworms and the production of silk fabrics. The historical center of the wool industry is Prato in Tuscany. Today, Italy produces cotton, wool, silk, linen, as well as a variety of artificial and mixed fabrics.

Italy is a leader in knitwear production in Europe. There are especially many knitting factories in the Emilia-Romagna region. It ranks one of the first places in the world in clothing exports. Italy, like France, is a recognized trendsetter. One of best podiums world is located in Turin.

Italy is the world's largest exporter of shoes. 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 Marche. Not far from Padova there are enterprises of the Hudson company, one of the world trendsetters in shoe fashion.

Italy has special sectors of specialization. One of these is ancient glass production. Factories in Murano near Venice, built during the Renaissance, still blow art glass, known throughout the world as “Venetian”. Several hundred glass factories scattered throughout the country produce highly durable glass for automobiles and glass for optical instruments. Florence is one of the oldest centers of jewelry making in the world. Italian jewelry is different great variety, reasonable prices and are popular among 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 visible here. More than half of the workforce is employed in the tertiary sector.

Tourism is one of the main areas of specialization in Italy. 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 ranks 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 country’s colossal cultural heritage. There are 34 World Heritage Sites in Italy cultural heritage UNESCO. The most visited tourist places are Rome with the Vatican, Venice and Florence. On the territory of Italy there is a microstate - the Republic, which lives off tourism.

Due to the features geographical location and the configuration of the country, transport has always played an exceptional role both in the organization internal space, and in relations with the outside world. The key mode of transport is automobile. It provides 90% of passenger traffic and 80% of cargo traffic. home transport route countries - the “Motorway of the Sun”, running from the border with France to the south through Turin, Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples to Reggio Calabria. There is a particularly dense network of roads in the north of the country.

To develop tourism infrastructure, a modern high-speed railway was built in parallel with the “Motorway of the Sun”.

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 the Italian economy is its dualism, i.e. contrast between the “developed North” and the “backward South”. Two-fifths of industrial production is concentrated in the North-West in the Turin-Milan-Genoa triangle. This is primarily due to the proximity of the pan-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 the capital of Italy, Rome, is located here. Southern Italy lags far behind Northern and Central Italy in key indicators of economic development (a quarter of GDP, 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 Italian economy is the economy of a highly developed industrial-agrarian country. Despite the problems, the Italian economy is among the top seven developed countries.

Agriculture

In agriculture crop production predominates. The main crops are wheat, corn, rice (1st place in Europe; over 1 million tons per year), sugar beets. Italy is one of the world's largest and Europe's leading producers of citrus fruits (over 3.3 million tons per year), tomatoes (over 5.5 million tons), grapes (about 10 million tons per year; over 90% is processed into wine) ,olives. Floriculture. Poultry farming is developed.

Industrial development . Large industry in Italy arose late. However, between 1870 and 1914 a number of large industrial firms were founded in the North, including the Pirelli rubber factories, the Montecatini chemical factories, the Terni iron and steel works and the Fiat automobile factories. During World War I, industrial development stalled, but there was some recovery in the 1920s and 1930s, although the economy was distorted by the attempt to achieve economic self-sufficiency.

After World War II, the state stimulated development export industries . This was especially true for metallurgy, mechanical engineering and the chemical industry. New equipment and increased production efficiency contributed to a noticeable increase in steel production, which increased more than 8 times between 1951 and 1980. Significant progress has been made in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and the automotive industry. The modernization of the chemical industry has influenced the expansion of its product range - from petroleum products to dyes, synthetic fibers and plastics. Manufacturing industry - the most important sector of the Italian economy. It accounts for almost 25% of national income and the bulk of export earnings. This sector accounts for a fifth of all jobs in the country.

Chemical industry in Italy

The Italian chemical industry operates mainly on imported raw materials (mainly oil, natural gas, phosphorites, sulfur, cellulose), but partially uses its own reserves of chemical raw materials, primarily natural gas, pyrites, potassium salts, sulfur, etc.

The face of the industry is determined primarily by organic chemical enterprises: large petrochemical plants and individual plants operating on petroleum products and natural gas. The country's most important centers of the petrochemical industry are concentrated in the North: in the Milan industrial region, Mantua, Porto Marghera, Ravenna, Ferrara. The main petrochemical center in Central Italy is the city of Terni. The chemical industry of Southern Italy is almost entirely specialized in the production of organic synthesis products from oil and natural gas. Several large petrochemical plants have been built here: in the port cities of Brindisi, Priolo, Gela, Naples, Cagliari, Porto Torres, as well as based on local natural gas - in Pisticci.

Petrochemical products are very diverse. The production of plastics, which has become one of the main areas of Italian specialization in the international division of labor, is growing especially rapidly, as well as the production of chemical fibers. The country produces both artificial fibers from cellulose raw materials and different kinds synthetic fibers. Rubber is produced in Ravenna in the North and Brindisi in the South.

Italy stands out in Europe in terms of development of the paint and pharmaceutical industries. Both of these industries are concentrated in the industrial Northwest, as well as Rome.

The main manufacturing industry is mechanical engineering . Office equipment (calculators, typewriters, etc.), agricultural machines (tractors), weaving machines, sewing machines, and electric heating equipment are produced in Italy. Electrical engineering includes the production of telecommunications equipment, refrigerators, washing machines and other household electrical appliances. Mechanical engineering products are produced mainly in the North, in the areas of Milan, Turin, Genoa, Bergamo, Brescia and Florence. After World War II, a number of engineering factories were built in the area around Naples and Bari. Automotive industry is important , which produces cars, trucks and scooters. The industry's companies are concentrated in the areas of Turin, Milan, Brescia and Desio.

Most FIAT plants are located in Turin and its surroundings, near Novara and Lombardy. FIAT automobile factories also appeared in the south of Italy - in Poggioreale, near Naples, and in Termini Imerese, near Palermo. FIAT specialists are involved in the construction of automobile plants in many countries around the world.

The factories of other, less significant automobile companies - Ferrari and Maserati, which produce racing cars, Lancia, the state company Alfa Romeo, etc. are located in the north - in Milan, Turin, Chivasso, Bolzano, Modena, and also near Naples.

Italy is the birthplace of the scooter . Italian scooters and motorcycles are in great demand among the local population and are known in many countries around the world.

Geographical conditions and historical reasons explain the tradition for Italy shipbuilding. About 90% of the country's total shipbuilding capacity belongs to three large state-owned shipbuilding companies led by Italcantieri. On the Adriatic Sea, the most important shipbuilding centers are Monfalcone, where the largest shipyards in the country are located, Trieste, Venice with the suburb of Porto Marghera and Ancona. Ligurian coast with shipyards in the cities of Genoa, Riva Trigoso,

La Spezia, Livorno, Marina di Carra - the oldest area of ​​the Italian shipbuilding industry. In the South, shipbuilding is developed in port cities - Naples, Castellammare di Stabia, Taranto, Messina, Palermo.

Italy has achieved considerable success in its traditional electrical industry , especially in its new industry - the production of electronic equipment. The production of electrical equipment for household consumption is growing rapidly.

Textile industry in Italy

In second place after mechanical engineering in terms of the number of employees is the textile industry, one of the oldest industries in Italy. It produces fabrics and yarn from cotton, wool, silk, hemp, flax, jute and chemical fibers, as well as a variety of knitwear.

Among the traditional sectors of the Italian textile industry, wool and cotton stand out in terms of the number of employees and the cost of products. Cotton mills are widely located throughout the country, especially in the North - Lombardy and Piedmont, which is facilitated by the abundance of water and cheap electricity from Alpine hydroelectric power stations. The main areas of the wool industry are located in Tuscany (Prato), Pie Monte (Biella) and Venice (Schis, etc.).

Silk production originated in the country in the 12th century. and is still characterized by high quality and variety of products. Silk industry enterprises are concentrated in the areas of the cities of Como and Treviso, i.e. in the main areas for breeding silkworms.

Every year, the production of fabrics from natural fibers decreases and the production of artificial and synthetic fabrics and yarn increases. The emergence of artificial and synthetic fibers caused an acute and long-term crisis in the entire Italian textile industry, associated with the restructuring of its structure, raw material base, and technology.

Italy produces 28% of shoes produced in the world (320 million pairs per year). Italy ranks second in the world after the USA in shoe production, and in first place in its exports; it accounts for 379 exports of these products. Most shoe factories are located in Lombardy, in the Veneto near Naples.

Food industry in Italy

The food industry plays an important role in the Italian economy. In terms of production value, it ranks third among manufacturing industries after mechanical engineering and chemistry. This industry, which has developed from numerous small enterprises, has faced serious challenges as it is forced to adapt to the demands of the global market. As a result, many industries are in crisis. Although, under the influence of the world market, there is an intensified process of concentration of production, the vast majority of enterprises, except for pasta, sugar and canning, are still of a semi-handicraft nature.

The flour milling industry, which is very important for the country, is located in all the largest industrial centers and port cities in Italy. In the South, the region of Naples especially stands out, where they produce not only flour, but also the famous Italian pasta, the production of which Italy ranks first in the world.

There are about a hundred sugar factories scattered across the expanses of the Padan Plain, processing local sugar beets.

Canning production is highly developed in the country, mainly the canning of fruits and vegetables, and especially tomatoes. About 400 factories located in the main growing areas of this crop - Campania, Emilia-Romagna and the island of Sicily - produce canned peeled tomatoes, tomato paste and juice.

Meat canning production is concentrated in the North. In large and small port centers there are fish canning factories, most of them small in size.

Italy has long been famous for its cheese. Along with pasta, cheese is a traditional Italian food. Almost the entire dairy industry is concentrated in the regions of Northern Italy, where dairy farming is most developed. Only the main sheep cheese production areas are located to the south - in Lazio and Sardinia.

Italy ranks one of the first places in the world for the production of olive oil. The largest quantities of it are supplied by the areas with the most extensive olive plantings - Apulia, Calabria, Sicily, etc.

The Italian tobacco industry is completely monopolized by the state. Most of the tobacco factories are isolated from the raw material base - the tobacco-growing regions of the South - and are located in the largest cities - Rome, Milan, Turin, Bologna, Venice.

In the post-war decades, the furniture industry began to develop rapidly in Italy. According to established tradition, Italy produces the largest quantities of “antique” furniture, which is in great demand on the world market, Switzerland, and Libya. The main centers of furniture production are Varedo, Seregno and other cities around Milan, Turin, as well as the city of Cascina in Tuscany.

Italy was once a major supplier of cork to the world market, but competition from Spain and the decline in cork consumption within the country led the industry into crisis.

One of the oldest industries in Italy, the paper industry is concentrated in the Alpine foothills and along the upper and middle reaches of the Alpine tributaries of the river. By.

The rich deposits of limestone, dolomites, marble, granites, clays, gypsum, asbestos, marls, pozzolan, etc. in Italy contribute to the development of the building materials industry.

The production of artistic earthenware products is widespread, the traditions of which go back to ancient times. The word “faience” itself comes from the name of the ancient center of this production - the city of Faenza in Emilia-Romagna.

From the Renaissance to the present day, renowned art glass has been produced in Venice. Currently, 500 glass factories in Northern and Central Italy produce sheet glass, crystal, especially strong glass for cars, laboratory glassware, glass for optical instruments, etc.

Italy is one of the first places in the world in terms of the development of the jewelry industry and the quality of jewelry. This industry developed from ancient handicrafts, enriched by the high traditions of the Renaissance. Jewelry factories and workshops are located mainly in large industrial cities and centers of foreign tourism. Florence, Rome, and Venice have long been famous for their jewelry.