Italy has a diversified industrial economy, which is divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, welfare-dependent, agricultural south, with high unemployment. The Italian economy is driven in large part by the manufacture of high-quality consumer goods produced by small and medium-sized enterprises. Italy also has a sizable underground economy, which by some estimates accounts for as much as 15% of GDP. These activities are most common within the agriculture, constuction, and service sectors. (CIA World Factbook)
Major Italian owned companies:
Eni
An integrated energy company, Eni is committed to growth in the activities of finding, producing, transporting, transforming and marketing oil and gas. Eni is active in 70 countries with a staff of about 76,000 employees.
Enel
Enel is Italy’s largest power company and Europe’s second listed utility by installed capacity. It produces and sells electricity and gas across Europe, North and Latin America.
