Part 3/14:

• Public Debt: Close to €3 trillion (about 150% of GDP)

• Trade Balance: Surplus

While Italy benefits from a trade surplus and social stability, its economic growth remains sluggish, hindered by long-standing structural issues.

Historical Roots of Economic Divisions

Italy's late unification in the 1860s fostered persistent regional disparities. The north, stretching from Rome to the Swiss border, is affluent, industrialized, and highly educated—akin to Germany, the Netherlands, or Switzerland. Conversely, the south (Sicily, Calabria, and surrounding regions) remains economically underdeveloped, resembling Greece or Portugal in terms of standards of living.