Editing Economy of Italy (section)

== Economic sectors ==

=== Primary ===
{{Main|Agriculture in Italy}}
[[File:Vineyards in Piemonte, Italy.jpg|thumb|right|[[Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato|Vineyards in Langhe and Montferrat, Piedmont]]. Italy is the [[List of wine-producing countries|world's largest wine producer]] (22% of the global market), as well as the country with the widest variety of indigenous [[Vitis|grapevine]] in the world.<ref name="wine"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.inumeridelvino.it/2018/11/la-produzione-di-vino-nel-mondo-2018-prima-stima-oiv.html|title=L'Italia è il maggiore produttore di vino|date=25 November 2018 |access-date=11 November 2021|language=it}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://giornalevinocibo.com/2017/06/03/italia-prima-assoluta-per-vitgni-autoctoni-ecco-i-dati-dei-vari-stati/|title=L'Italia è il paese con più vitigni autoctoni al mondo|date=3 June 2017|access-date=11 November 2021|language=it}}</ref>]]
[[File:Veduta della Basilica di San Francesco ad Assisi (2).JPG|thumb|Cultivated field in [[Umbria]]. The [[Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi]] is in the background.]]
According to the last national agricultural census, there were 1.6&nbsp;million farms in 2010 (−32.4% since 2000) covering {{convert|12700000|ha|0|abbr=on|disp=or}} (63% of which are located in [[Southern Italy]]).<ref name="agrocensus">{{cite web |url=http://dati-censimentoagricoltura.istat.it/ |title=Censimento Agricoltura 2010 |date=24 October 2010 |publisher=[[National Institute of Statistics (Italy)|ISTAT]] |access-date=11 February 2015 |archive-date=13 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213021626/http://dati-censimentoagricoltura.istat.it/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The vast majority (99%) are family-operated and small, averaging only {{convert|8|ha|0|abbr=on}} in size.<ref name="agrocensus"/> Of the total surface area in agricultural use (forestry excluded), grain fields take up 31%, [[olive tree]] orchards 8.2%, [[vineyard]]s 5.4%, [[citrus]] orchards 3.8%, [[sugar beet]]s 1.7%, and horticulture 2.4%. The remainder is primarily dedicated to pastures (25.9%) and feed grains (11.6%).<ref name="agrocensus"/> The northern part of Italy produces primarily maize corn, rice, [[sugar beet]]s, [[soybean]]s, meat, fruits and [[dairy product]]s, while the South specializes in wheat, olive and [[citrus fruit]]s. Livestock includes 6 million head of cattle, 8.6&nbsp;million head of [[swine]], 6.8&nbsp;million head of sheep, and 0.9&nbsp;million head of goats.<ref name="agrocensus"/> The total annual production of the [[Fishing industry by country|fishing industry in Italy]] from capture and [[aquaculture]], including [[crustacean]]s and [[molluscs]], is around 480,000 tons.

Italy is the [[List of wine-producing countries|largest producer of wine]] in the world, and one of the leading producers of [[olive oil]], fruits (apples, olives, grapes, oranges, lemons, pears, apricots, hazelnuts, peaches, cherries, plums, strawberries, and kiwifruits), and vegetables (especially artichokes and tomatoes). The most famous [[Italian wine]]s are the [[Tuscany (wine)|Tuscan]] [[Chianti]] and the [[Piedmont (wine)|Piedmontese]] [[Barolo]]. Other famous wines are [[Barbaresco]], [[Barbera d'Asti]], [[Brunello di Montalcino]], [[Frascati DOC|Frascati]], [[Montepulciano d'Abruzzo]], [[Morellino di Scansano]], [[Amarone]] della Valpolicella DOCG and the [[sparkling wine]]s [[Franciacorta DOCG|Franciacorta]] and [[Prosecco]]. Quality goods in which Italy specialises, particularly the already mentioned wines and [[List of Italian DOP cheeses|regional cheeses]], are often protected under the quality assurance labels [[Denominazione di origine controllata|DOC/DOP]]. This [[Geographical indications and traditional specialities in the European Union|geographical indication certificate]], which is attributed by the European Union, is considered important to avoid confusion with low-quality mass-produced [[Ersatz good|ersatz products]].

In fact, [[Italian cuisine]] is one of the most popular and copied around the world.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13760559 |title=How pasta became the world's favourite food |publisher=bbc |date=15 June 2011 |access-date=28 September 2014 |archive-date=22 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140922021824/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13760559 |url-status=live }}</ref> The lack or total unavailability of some of its most characteristic ingredients outside of Italy, also and above all to falsifications (or food fraud), leads to the complete denaturalization of Italian ingredients.<ref name="contraffazione">{{cite web|url=https://www.lacucinaitaliana.it/news/trend/contraffazione-alimentare/|title=I finti prodotti italiani? Anche in Italia!|date=4 February 2016|access-date=30 November 2021|language=it|archive-date=30 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130151830/https://www.lacucinaitaliana.it/news/trend/contraffazione-alimentare/|url-status=live}}</ref> This phenomenon, widespread in all continents, is better known as ''[[Italian Sounding]]'', consisting in the use of words as well as images, colour combinations (the [[Italian tricolour]]), geographical references, brands evocative of Italy to promote and market agri-food products which in reality have nothing to do with Italian cuisine.<ref name="agrifood">{{Cite web|url=https://www.agrifood.tech/sicurezza-alimentare/italian-sounding-food-che-cose-e-come-funziona/|title=In cosa consiste l'Italian Sounding|date=25 March 2020|access-date=30 November 2021|language=it|archive-date=18 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118225932/https://www.agrifood.tech/sicurezza-alimentare/italian-sounding-food-che-cose-e-come-funziona/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Secondary ===
[[File:The Eni building, Quartiere XXXII Europa, Roma, Lazio, Italy - panoramio.jpg|thumb|[[Eni]] is considered one of the world's oil and gas "[[Supermajors]]"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/oil-gas-and-mining/spotlight-sharpens/|title=The spotlight sharpens: Eni and corruption in Republic of Congo's oil sector|website=Global Witness}}</ref>]]
[[File:Arduino UNO unpacked.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Arduino Uno]], a [[Single-board microcontroller|MCU board]] made in Italy has gained popularity worldwide<ref>{{Cite news |last=Armenta |first=Antonio |date=September 8, 2022 |title=Introduction to Arduino: History, Hardware, and Software |url=https://control.com/technical-articles/introduction-to-arduino-history-hardware-and-software/ |work=control.com}}</ref>]]
Italy is the world's sixth-largest [[manufacturing]] country.<ref name="databank"/> Italy has a smaller number of global multinational corporations than other economies of comparable size, but it has a large number of [[small and medium-sized enterprises]], many of them grouped in clusters, which are the backbone of the Italian industry.<ref name="Mignone2008">{{cite book|last=Mignone|first=Mario B.|title=Italy today: Facing the Challenges of the New Millennium|year=2008|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tv2R8FfFpREC&pg=PA161|publisher=[[Peter Lang (publisher)|Lang Publishing]]|location=New York City|isbn=978-1-4331-0187-8|pages=161–162}}</ref> This results in a manufacturing sector often focused on the export of [[niche market]] and luxury products, that is less capable of competing on quantity but is more capable of facing the competition of emerging economies based on lower labour costs, given the higher quality of its products.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/0,,contentMDK:21808326~menuPK:258604~pagePK:2865106~piPK:2865128~theSitePK:258599,00.html|title=Knowledge Economy Forum 2008: Innovative Small And Medium Enterprises Are Key To Europe & Central Asian Growth|publisher=[[World Bank]]|date=19 May 2005|access-date=17 June 2008|archive-date=23 June 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623065619/http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/0,,contentMDK:21808326~menuPK:258604~pagePK:2865106~piPK:2865128~theSitePK:258599,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[industrial district]]s are regionalized: in the Northwest, there is a large modern group of industries, as in the so-called "industrial triangle" (Milan-Turin-Genoa), where there is an area of intense [[Machine industry|machinery]], [[Automotive industry|automotive]], [[Aerospace manufacturer|aerospace]] production and shipbuilding; in the Northeast, an area that experienced social and economic development mostly around family-based firms, there are mostly small and medium enterprises of lower technology but high craftsmanship, specializing in machinery, clothing, leather products, footwear, furniture, textiles, machine tools, spare parts, home appliances, and jewellery. In central Italy, there are mostly small and medium-sized companies specializing in products such as textiles, leather, jewellery but also machinery.<ref name="Mignone2008"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Jonathan|title=Globalization, the State, and Violence|year=2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QiZjFOsc2TMC&pg=PA97|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|location=[[Lanham, Maryland|Lanham]]|isbn=978-0-7591-0280-4|page=97}}</ref> According to a study carried out in 2015 by the Edison Foundation and [[General Confederation of Italian Industry|Confindustria]] on the most industrialized provinces in [[European Union|Europe]], of the five most industrialized provinces in Europe, three are Italian provinces. [[Brescia]] turns out to be the first European province for value added by industry, with an added value over 10 billion [[Euro|euros]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=BRESCIA, THE CAPITAL OF EUROPEAN INDUSTRY |url=https://www.fierabie.com/brescia-the-capital-of-the-european-industry/ |access-date=18 August 2023 |archive-date=18 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818163642/https://www.fierabie.com/brescia-the-capital-of-the-european-industry/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[automotive industry in Italy]] is a significant part of the manufacturing sector, with over 144,000 firms and almost 485,000 employed people in 2015,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.adnkronos.com/soldi/economia/2015/09/23/auto-settore-mila-imprese-italia-mld-fatturato_WooBmrBqxgxO7mOvIRXUBI.html |title=Auto: settore da 144mila imprese in Italia e 117 mld fatturato |access-date=23 September 2015 |work=adnkronos.com|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925121926/http://www.adnkronos.com/soldi/economia/2015/09/23/auto-settore-mila-imprese-italia-mld-fatturato_WooBmrBqxgxO7mOvIRXUBI.html |archive-date=25 September 2015}}</ref> and a contribution of 8.5% to Italian [[GDP]].<ref name="acea.thisconnect.com">{{cite web |url=http://acea.thisconnect.com/index.php/country_profiles/detail/italy |title=Country Profiles – Italy |access-date=9 February 2008 |work=acea.thisconnect.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080211190839/http://acea.thisconnect.com/index.php/country_profiles/detail/italy |archive-date=11 February 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> Italy's [[automotive industry]] is best known for its automobile designs and small city cars, sports and supercars. Italy is one of the [[List of countries by motor vehicle production|significant automobile producers]] both in [[Europe]] and around the world. Today the Italian automotive industry is almost totally dominated by [[Fiat S.p.A.|Fiat Group]] (now included in [[Stellantis]] corporation). As well as its own, predominantly mass market model range, Stellantis owns the mainstream [[Fiat]] brand, the upmarket [[Alfa Romeo]] and [[Lancia]] brands, and the exotic [[Maserati]] brand. Luxury cars such as [[Ferrari]], [[Lamborghini]], Maserati and [[Ducati]] motorcycles are also made in the Northeast region of Emilia-Romagna. Italian cars have won the annual [[European Car of the Year]] award several times (with Fiat winning more than any other manufacturer), and have also been awarded the [[World Car of the Year]] award.

=== Tertiary ===
{{main|Italian Bourse|List of banks in Italy|Tourism in Italy}}
[[File:Palazzo mezzanotte Milan Stock Exchange.jpg|thumb|[[Palazzo Mezzanotte]] in [[Milan]], the seat of the [[Italian Bourse]]]]
[[File:Portofino_-_2016-06-02_-_View_from_Chiesa_San_Giorgio_-_3284.jpg|thumb| [[Portofino]] in [[Italian Riviera]]]]
[[File:Positano - Fornillo Beach.jpg|thumb|The [[Amalfi Coast]], one of [[Tourism in Italy|Italy's major tourist destinations]]<ref>[http://www.italy24.ilsole24ore.com/art/business-and-economy/2017-05-04/turismo-stranieri-124013.php?uuid=AEVg9GGB "Foreign tourist numbers in Italy head towards new record"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170601184213/http://www.italy24.ilsole24ore.com/art/business-and-economy/2017-05-04/turismo-stranieri-124013.php?uuid=AEVg9GGB |date=1 June 2017 }}, Retrieved 21 May 2017.</ref>]]

In Italy, [[Tertiary sector of the economy|services]] represent the most important sector of the economy, both in terms of number of employees (67% of the total) and value-added (71%).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.comufficio.it/site/comufficio_webprofessional_it/Sintesi_Congiunturale.pdf|access-date=16 February 2010|title=I numeri dei Terziario - Confcommercio - Anno 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722030519/http://www.comufficio.it/site/comufficio_webprofessional_it/Sintesi_Congiunturale.pdf|archive-date=22 July 2011|language=it}}</ref> Furthermore, the sector is by far the most dynamic: over 51% of the more than 5,000,000 companies operating in Italy today belong to the services sector, and in this sector over 67% of new businesses are born.<ref name="ascompd">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ascompd.com/comunicati/Comunicati2007/210507a.html|access-date=10 February 2010|title=Il vero "motore" dell'economia è il settore terziario|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524134258/http://www.ascompd.com/comunicati/Comunicati2007/210507a.html|archive-date=24 May 2011|language=it}}</ref> Very important activities in Italy are [[Tourism in Italy|tourism]], trade, services to people and businesses (advanced tertiary).

In 2006 the main sectoral data are: for trade, there are 1,600,000 enterprises, equal to 26% of the Italian entrepreneurial fabric, and over 3,500,000 work units. Transport, communications, tourism and consumption outside the home, over 582,000 businesses, equal to 9.5% of the entrepreneurial fabric, almost 3,500,000 work units. Business services: 630,000 registered companies, equal to 10.3% of the entrepreneurial fabric, over 2,800,000 work units.<ref name="ascompd"/> In 2004 the transport sector in Italy generated a turnover of about 119.4&nbsp;billion euros, employing 935,700 persons in 153,700 enterprises.

[[Italian Bourse]], based in [[Milan]], is the [[Italy|Italian]] [[stock exchange]]. It manages and organises the domestic market, regulating procedures for admission and listing of companies and intermediaries and supervising disclosures for listed companies.<ref name="Borsa Italiana">italy24.ilsole4ore.com, "[http://www.italy24.ilsole24ore.com/art/lexicon/2015-01-23/borsa-italiana-173534.php?uuid=ABNEc5iC&order=oldest Borsa Italiana] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801082635/http://www.italy24.ilsole24ore.com/art/lexicon/2015-01-23/borsa-italiana-173534.php?uuid=ABNEc5iC&order=oldest |date=1 August 2017 }}"</ref> Following exchange privatisation in 1997, the Italian Bourse was established and became effective on 2 January 1998.<ref name="Privatisation">source sense.com, "[https://www.sourcesense.com/en/portfolio/borsa-italiana/ Borsa Italiana] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207152945/https://www.sourcesense.com/en/portfolio/borsa-italiana/ |date=7 February 2018 }}"</ref> On 23 June 2007, the Italian Bourse became a subsidiary of the [[London Stock Exchange Group]].<ref name="London Stock Exchange Group">news.bbc.co.uk, "[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6233196.stm London Stock Exchange Buys Borsa] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404111113/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6233196.stm |date=4 April 2015 }}"</ref> As of April 2018, overall capitalisation for listed companies on Borsa Italiana was worth €644.3 billion, representing 37.8% of Italian [[GDP]].<ref name="2018 capitalisation">finanzalternativa.it, "[http://www.finanzalternativa.it/2017-12-29-bilancio-2017-di-borsa-italiana-il-ftse-mib-cresce-del-155-anno-record-per-le-ammissioni-39-la-capitalizzazione-vola-a-6443-miliardi-227/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327090818/http://www.finanzalternativa.it/2017-12-29-bilancio-2017-di-borsa-italiana-il-ftse-mib-cresce-del-155-anno-record-per-le-ammissioni-39-la-capitalizzazione-vola-a-6443-miliardi-227/|date=27 March 2022}}"</ref>

Italy is the [[World Tourism rankings|fourth most visited country]], with a total of 57 million arrivals in 2023.<ref name="Barom May24">{{cite web |title=World Tourism Barometer |url=https://pre-webunwto.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2024-06/Barom_PPT_May_2024.pdf?VersionId=U7O62HatlG4eNAj.wcmuQG1PMCjK.Yss |publisher=[[World Tourism Organization]] |access-date=24 June 2024 |date=May 2024 |page=19}}</ref> The total contribution of the [[tourism in Italy]] to GDP (including wider effects from investment, the supply chain and induced income impacts) was EUR162.7bn in 2014 (10.1% of GDP) and generated 1,082,000 jobs directly in 2014 (4.8% of total employment).<ref>{{cite web |title=Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2015 Italy |url=https://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic%20impact%20research/countries%202015/italy2015.pdf |publisher=[[World Travel and Tourism Council]] |access-date=20 May 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010152616/https://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic%20impact%20research/countries%202015/italy2015.pdf |archive-date=10 October 2017 }}</ref> Factors of tourist interest in Italy are mainly [[Culture of Italy|culture]], [[Italian cuisine|cuisine]], [[History of Italy|history]], [[Italian fashion|fashion]], [[Architecture of Italy|architecture]], [[Italian art|art]], religious sites and routes, wedding tourism, naturalistic beauties, nightlife, underwater sites and spas.<ref name="turismo-wedding">{{cite web|url=https://www.ansa.it/canale_viaggiart/it/notizie/speciali/2023/02/01/turismo-wedding-2-milioni-presenze-e-fatturato-599-mln_dcec4ad9-3ab8-4677-a303-6378020ac3a7.html|title=In Italia 11mila matrimoni stranieri, un turismo da 599 milioni|date=February 2023|access-date=2 February 2023|language=it|archive-date=2 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202073931/https://www.ansa.it/canale_viaggiart/it/notizie/speciali/2023/02/01/turismo-wedding-2-milioni-presenze-e-fatturato-599-mln_dcec4ad9-3ab8-4677-a303-6378020ac3a7.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.travel365.it/migliori-destinazioni-italiane-per-vita-notturna.htm|title=10 Migliori destinazioni italiane per vita notturna|access-date=28 December 2021|language=it|archive-date=9 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109172951/https://www.travel365.it/migliori-destinazioni-italiane-per-vita-notturna.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.paesionline.it/articoli/turismo-naturalistico-definizione-e-dove-praticarlo-in-italia|title=Turismo naturalistico: cos'è e dove praticarlo in Italia|access-date=5 May 2022|language=it|archive-date=9 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109172952/https://www.paesionline.it/articoli/turismo-naturalistico-definizione-e-dove-praticarlo-in-italia|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="studiare">{{cite web|url=https://www.studiare-in-italia.it/php5/study-italy.php?idorizz=6&idvert=84|title=Viaggiare in Italia: giro turistico|access-date=31 December 2021|language=it|archive-date=21 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921204815/https://www.studiare-in-italia.it/php5/study-italy.php?idorizz=6&idvert=84|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/il-benessere-genera-53percento-pil-mondiale-e-italia-e-boom-spa-e-turismo-wellness-AEeHWMLG|title=Il benessere genera il 5,3% del Pil mondiale: e in Italia è boom per Spa e turismo "wellness"|date=11 October 2018|access-date=8 January 2022|language=it|archive-date=9 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109172950/https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/il-benessere-genera-53percento-pil-mondiale-e-italia-e-boom-spa-e-turismo-wellness-AEeHWMLG|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.adnkronos.com/turismo-religioso-in-italia-3-milioni-di-pellegrini-lanno-e-8-6-milioni-di-presenze_4xRvus8qO3yR7wEXF8bhrF#:~:text=Turismo-,Turismo%20religioso%2C%20in%20Italia%203%20milioni%20di%20pellegrini%20l'anno,8%2C6%20milioni%20di%20presenze&text=Dai%20cammini%20ai%20santuari%2C%20dalle,vacanze%20all'insegna%20della%20spiritualit%C3%A0.|title=Turismo religioso, in Italia 3 milioni di pellegrini l'anno e 8,6 milioni di presenze|date=24 July 2021|access-date=5 May 2022|language=it|archive-date=9 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109172951/https://www.adnkronos.com/turismo-religioso-in-italia-3-milioni-di-pellegrini-lanno-e-8-6-milioni-di-presenze_4xRvus8qO3yR7wEXF8bhrF#:~:text=Turismo-,Turismo%20religioso%2C%20in%20Italia%203%20milioni%20di%20pellegrini%20l'anno,8%2C6%20milioni%20di%20presenze&text=Dai%20cammini%20ai%20santuari%2C%20dalle,vacanze%20all'insegna%20della%20spiritualit%C3%A0.|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.viaggiarenews.com/2021/03/il-meglio-per-il-turismo-subacqueo-in-italia/|title=Il meglio per il turismo subacqueo in Italia|date=27 March 2021|access-date=19 January 2022|language=it|archive-date=9 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109172954/https://www.viaggiarenews.com/2021/03/il-meglio-per-il-turismo-subacqueo-in-italia/|url-status=live}}</ref> Winter and summer tourism are present in many locations in the [[Alps]] and the [[Apennines]],<ref name="alloggitaly">{{cite web|url=https://www.alloggitaly.it/vacanze-in-montagna-in-italia/|title=VACANZE IN MONTAGNA IN ITALIA: IN INVERNO E IN ESTATE|date=30 July 2017|access-date=1 January 2022|language=it|archive-date=6 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006081936/https://www.alloggitaly.it/vacanze-in-montagna-in-italia/|url-status=live}}</ref> while seaside tourism is widespread in coastal locations on the [[Mediterranean Sea]].<ref name="turismo-oggi">{{cite web|url=https://www.turismo-oggi.com/il-turismo-balneare.html|title=Il turismo balneare|date=14 February 2018|access-date=1 January 2022|language=it|archive-date=1 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001012217/https://www.turismo-oggi.com/il-turismo-balneare.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Italy is the leading cruise tourism destination in the Mediterranean Sea.<ref name="lagenziadiviaggi">{{cite web|url=https://www.lagenziadiviaggi.it/crociere-cemar-88-milioni-di-passeggeri-nei-porti-italiani/|title=Crociere, Cemar: 8,8 milioni di passeggeri nei porti italiani|date=27 April 2022|access-date=13 May 2022|language=it|archive-date=28 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220628205742/https://www.lagenziadiviaggi.it/crociere-cemar-88-milioni-di-passeggeri-nei-porti-italiani/|url-status=live}}</ref> Small, historical and artistic Italian villages are promoted through the association ''[[I Borghi più belli d'Italia]]'' (literally "The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy").

The origins of modern banking can be traced to medieval and early [[Italian Renaissance|Renaissance Italy]], to the rich cities like [[Florence]], [[Lucca]], [[Siena]], Venice and [[Genoa]]. The [[Bardi family|Bardi]] and [[Peruzzi]] families dominated banking in 14th-century Florence, establishing branches in many other parts of Europe.<ref>{{cite book|title=Banking Through the Ages |url=https://archive.org/details/bankingthroughag00hogg |last=Hoggson|first=Noble F.|author-link=Noble Foster Hoggson|year=1926|page=[https://archive.org/details/bankingthroughag00hogg/page/76 76]|publisher=[[Dodd, Mead and Company]] |location=New York City | access-date= 11 February 2015}}</ref> One of the most famous Italian banks was the [[Medici Bank]], set up by [[Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici]] in 1397.<ref>{{cite book|title=Banks, Palaces, and Entrepreneurs in Renaissance Florence |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s4CQAAAAIAAJ |last=Goldthwaite|first=Richard A.|year=1995|publisher=[[Ashgate Publishing]] |location=[[Aldershot]] | isbn=978-0-860-78484-5 | access-date= 11 February 2015}}</ref> The earliest known state deposit bank, the [[Bank of Saint George]], was founded in 1407 in Genoa,<ref>{{cite book|title=Issues in Money and Banking |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k1OYMZ8OzMUC&pg=PA42 |last=Macesich |first=George |year=2000 |page= 42 | publisher= [[Greenwood Publishing Group]] | location= [[Westport, Connecticut|Westport]] | isbn= 978-0-275-96777-2 | access-date= 12 March 2009}}</ref> while [[Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena]], founded in 1472, is the world's [[List of oldest banks|oldest or second oldest bank]] in continuous operation, depending on the definition, and the third-largest Italian commercial and retail bank.<ref name="veconomist" >{{cite news|title=Italy's fourth-biggest bank returns to the stockmarket|url=https://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21730672-shares-bailed-out-bank-start-trading-again-italys-fourth-biggest-bank|newspaper=[[The Economist]]|date=26 October 2017|access-date=9 May 2022|archive-date=15 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215112321/https://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21730672-shares-bailed-out-bank-start-trading-again-italys-fourth-biggest-bank|url-status=live}}</ref> Today, among the financial services companies, [[UniCredit]] is one of the largest banks in Europe by capitalization and [[Assicurazioni Generali]] is second largest insurance group in the world by revenue after [[AXA]].
[[File:Palazzo Salimbeni, Siena, Headquarters of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the worlds oldest surviving bank.jpg|thumb|[[Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena]], founded in 1472, is the world's [[List of oldest banks|oldest or second oldest bank]] in continuous operation.]]
[[File:Unicredit Tower 2014.jpg|thumb|The headquarters of [[UniCredit]] bank in Milan]]

The following is a list of the main Italian banks and insurance groups ranked by total assets and [[gross premiums written]].
{{updated|31 December 2013}}{{needs update|date=September 2024}}

{| border="0"
|- valign="top"
|
{| class="wikitable sortable" align="left"
|+ Banks<ref name="mbres">{{cite web |url=http://www.mbres.it/en/publications/leading-italian-companies |title=Leading Italian Companies |date=October 2014 |publisher=[[Mediobanca]] |access-date=9 February 2015 |archive-date=1 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301024816/http://www.mbres.it/en/publications/leading-italian-companies |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|- style="background:#d1e4fd;"
! Rank !!  Company !! Headquarters !! Assets (€ mil.)
|-
| 1 || [[UniCredit]] || [[Milan]] || 982,151
|-
| 2 || [[Intesa Sanpaolo]] || [[Turin]] || 676,798
|-
| 3 || [[Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena]] || [[Siena]] || 197,943
|-
| 4 || [[Banco Popolare]] || [[Verona]] || 123,743
|-
| 5 || [[UBI Banca]] || [[Bergamo]] || 121,323
|-
| 6 || [[Banca Nazionale del Lavoro]] || [[Rome]] || 84,892
|-
| 7 || [[Mediobanca]] || [[Milan]] || 72,428
|-
| 8 || [[Banca Popolare dell'Emilia Romagna]] || [[Modena]] || 61,266
|-
| 9 || [[Banca Popolare di Milano]] || [[Milan]] || 49,257
|-
| 10 || [[Cariparma]] || [[Parma]] || 48,235
|}
|
{| class="wikitable sortable" align="left"
|+ Insurance groups<ref name="mbres"/>
|- style="background:#d1e4fd;"
! Rank !!  Company !! Headquarters !! Premiums (€ mil.)
|-
| 1 || [[Assicurazioni Generali]] || [[Trieste]] || 70,323
|-
| 2 || [[Poste Vita]] || [[Rome]] || 18,238
|-
| 3 || [[Unipol]]  || [[Bologna]] || 15,564
|-
| 4 || [[Intesa Sanpaolo]] || [[Turin]] || 12,464
|-
| 5 || [[Cattolica Assicurazioni]] || [[Verona]] || 5,208
|-
| 6 || [[Reale Mutua Assicurazioni]] || [[Turin]] || 3,847
|-
| 7 || [[Vittoria Assicurazioni]] || [[Milan]] || 1,281
|}
|}