How rich is Italy

Italy, also known as The Boot, has been ranked as the ninth largest economy in Europe. The country borders France, Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia. Its’ main industries are tourism, machinery, chemicals, food processing, iron and steel, motor vehicles, engineering products, textiles and clothing, ceramics and footwear. Other exports include beverages, foodstuffs, chemicals, minerals, tobacco and transport equipment, high quality furniture and electrical equipment. The main sectors of the Italian economy are
Industry and Manufacturing sector
Tourism sector
Agricultural sector
Service sector
Trade sector

Industry sector
The country has a well developed industry sector characterized by large corporations, medium sized corporations and small, family run industries. The small and medium sized industries in Italy play a major role in the development of the country’s economy. The sector employees approximately 30% of the local workforce and accounts for 75% of the total GDP. Lack of raw materials has been a major challenge of this sector.
Tourism sector
This is one of the leading sectors in the country. Italy boasts 51 UNESCO heritage sites which is the highest number in the world. It receives many tourists from across the globe and the sector has managed to create employment opportunities for many of the country citizens and foreigners as well. The most visited cities of Italy include; Pisa, Venice, Rome, Florence, Milan, Trieste and Trento among many other cities. The sector accounts for 11.8% of the country’s total GDP.
In 2014, the country received more than 48.6 million visitors and this figure was ranked the fifth highest in the world in terms of international arrivals. Italy boasts a 4600 miles of coastline with numerous ports that contribute to maritime transport. Infrastructure is well developed and there are numerous expansive state of the art roads and railway lines that connect its major cities. The country has a large number of tourist accommodation facilities and tour companies that have created numerous employment opportunities. The well developed air transport system links the country to the rest of the world.
Agricultural sector
The country has a mountainous terrain which is not suitable for agriculture. In 2010, a total of 1.6 million farms were identified in the country and this summed up to 12.7 million hectares of land. Most farms in Italy are family operated and on average each family owns eight hectares of land. The main agricultural items produced in the country include; citrus fruits, maize corn, wheat, meat and dairy products, rice, soybeans, beets and sugar. Italy is a leading producer of fruits including grapes, cherries, apricots, lemons, apples, plums, peaches, olives, kiwi fruits and oranges.