Italy

Italy is comprised of two independent states: The Vatican City in Rome and the Republic of San Marino. Italy borders to France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia in the north. Italy consists of the Italian Peninsula and the two largest Mediterranean islands of Sicily and Sardinia. It also consists of around 68 smaller islands. The Italian Peninsula will often be quoted looking like a lady’s shoe. As of 2012, the most important areas of Italy’s economy were wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (20.6 %) and industry (18.4 %) and public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities (16.9 %). Main export partners of Italy are Germany, France and the US, while their main import partners are Germany, France and China.