At the time this book was originally published in 1985 Italy was one of Europe's leading industrial nations. This volume provides a comprehensive overview of Italian industry during the 1980s. It introduces Italy's physical and human resources and outlines the historical development of the industry. It then examines the major sectors of Italian industry and then describes the different regions of the country and the striking differences between them are explored and discussed.

Part 1: Background to Industrial Development in Italy 1. Resources, Natural and Human 2. The Build-up of Industry in the North 3. Industrial Imperialism, War and Fascism 4. The Framework for Post-War Development Part 2: The Main Sectors of Italian Industry 5. Fuel, Power and Infrastructures 6. Textiles, Clothing and Footwear 7. The Metallurgical and Engineering Industries 8. Chemicals Part 3: Regional Patterns of Italian Industry 9. Northern Italy 10. Central Italy 11. Southern Italy