Other political or pressure groups:
the Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations (CGIL -
Communist dominated, CISL - Christian Democratic, and UIL - Social
Democratic, Socialist, and Republican); Italian manufacturers association
(Confindustria); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura)
Member of:
AfDB, AG (observer), Australia Group, AsDB, BIS, CCC, CDB (nonregional
member), CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, G-7, G-10,
GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IEA, IFC, ILO, IMF,
IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC,
NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, MTCR, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIIMOG, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
ZC
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Boris BIANCHERI CHIAPPORI; Chancery at 1601 Fuller Street NW,
Washington, DC 20009; telephone (202) 328-5500; there are Italian Consulates
General in Boston, Chicago, Houston, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Philadelphia,
San Francisco, and Consulates in Detroit and Newark (New Jersey)
US:
Ambassador Peter F. SECCHIA; Embassy at Via Veneto 119/A, 00187, Rome
(mailing address is APO AE 09624); telephone [39] (6) 46741, FAX [39] (6)
467-2356; there are US Consulates General in Florence, Genoa, Milan, Naples,
and Palermo (Sicily)
Flag:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to
the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and
orange; also similar to the flag of the Ivory Coast, which has the colors
reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green
:Italy Economy
Overview:
Since World War II the economy has changed from one based on agriculture
into a ranking industrial economy, with approximately the same total and per
capita output as France and the UK. The country is still divided into a
developed industrial north, dominated by small private companies, and an
undeveloped agricultural south, dominated by large public enterprises.
Services account for 48% of GDP, industry about 35%, agriculture 4%, and
public administration 13%. Most raw materials needed by industry and over
75% of energy requirements must be imported. After growing at an annual
average rate of 3% during the period 1983-90, growth slowed to about 1% in
1991. For the 1990s, Italy faces the problems of refurbishing a tottering
communications system, curbing pollution in major industrial centers, and
adjusting to the new competitive forces accompanying the ongoing economic
integration of the European Community.
GDP:
purchasing power equivalent - $965.0 billion, per capita $16,700; real
growth rate 1.0% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.5% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
11.0% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues $431 billion; expenditures $565 billion, including capital
expenditures of $48 billion (1991)
Exports:
$209 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
textiles, wearing apparel, metals, transportation equipment, chemicals
partners:
EC 58.5%, US 8%, OPEC 4%
Imports:
$222 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
commodities:
petroleum, industrial machinery, chemicals, metals, food, agricultural
products
partners:
EC 58%, OPEC 7%, US 5%
External debt:
NA
Industrial production:
growth rate - 2.0% (1991); accounts for almost 35% of GDP
Electricity:
57,500,000 kW capacity; 235,000 million kWh produced, 4,072 kWh per capita
(1991)
Industries:
machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor
vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Agriculture:
accounts for about 4% of GDP and 10% of the work force; self-sufficient in
foods other than meat and dairy products; principal crops - fruits,
vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; fish
catch of 388,200 metric tons in 1988
Economic aid:
donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $25.9 billion
Currency:
Italian lira (plural - lire); 1 Italian lira (Lit) = 100 centesimi
Exchange rates:
Italian lire (Lit) per US$1 - 1,248.4 (March 1992), 1,240.6 (January 1991),
1,198.1 (1990), 1,372.1 (1989), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987)
:Italy Economy
Fiscal year: calendar year
:Italy Communications
Railroads:
20,011 km total; 16,066 km 1.435-meter government-owned standard gauge
(8,999 km electrified); 3,945 km privately owned - 2,100 km 1.435-meter
standard gauge (1,155 km electrified) and 1,845 km 0.950-meter narrow gauge
(380 km electrified)
Highways:
294,410 km total; autostrada (expressway) 5,900 km, state highways 45,170
km, provincial highways 101,680 km, communal highways 141,660 km; 260,500 km
paved, 26,900 km gravel and crushed stone, 7,010 km earth
Inland waterways:
2,400 km for various types of commercial traffic, although of limited
overall value
Pipelines:
crude oil 1,703 km; petroleum products 2,148 km; natural gas 19,400 km
Ports:
Cagliari (Sardinia), Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Naples, Palermo (Sicily),
Taranto, Trieste, Venice
Merchant marine:
546 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,004,462 GRT/10,265,132 DWT;
includes 17 passenger, 39 short-sea passenger, 94 cargo, 4 refrigerated
cargo, 24 container, 66 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 9 vehicle carrier, 1
multifunction large-load carrier, 1 livestock carrier, 142 petroleum tanker,
33 chemical tanker, 39 liquefied gas, 10 specialized tanker, 10 combination
ore/oil, 55 bulk, 2 combination bulk
Civil air:
125 major transport aircraft
Airports:
137 total, 134 usable; 91 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways
over 3,659 m; 36 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 39 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
modern, well-developed, fast; 25,600,000 telephones; fully automated
telephone, telex, and data services; high-capacity cable and radio relay
trunks; very good broadcast service by stations - 135 AM, 28 (1,840
repeaters) FM, 83 (1,000 repeaters) TV; international service by 21
submarine cables; 3 satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT with 3
Atlantic Ocean antennas and 2 Indian Ocean antennas; also participates in
INMARSAT and EUTELSAT systems
:Italy Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 14,864,191; 12,980,362 fit for military service; 441,768 reach
military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $22.7 billion, 2.2% of GDP (1991)
:Ivory Coast Geography