Editing Catania (section)

==Economy==
{{More citations needed section|section|date=February 2014}} 
[[File:Catania Parco Villa Bellini.jpg|thumb|''Villa Bellini'', one of the most visited places]]
Catania is the first economic and industrial hub of Sicily. The city is famous for its mainly [[petrochemical industry]], and the extraction of [[sulphur]]. In the year 2000, according to Census, Catania was the 14th richest city in Italy, with a GDP of US$6.6 billion (€6.304 billion), which was 0.54% of the Italian GDP, a GDP per capita of US$21,000 (€20,100) and an average GDP per employee of US$69,000 (€66,100).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.regione.basilicata.it/dipattivitaproduttive/default.cfm?fuseaction=linkdoc&doc=519&link=527 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040318203933/http://www.regione.basilicata.it/dipattivitaproduttive/default.cfm?fuseaction=linkdoc&doc=519&link=527 |archive-date=18 March 2004 |title=La ricchezza del territorio italiano |publisher=www.regione.basilicata.it |access-date=1 June 2010}}</ref>

In the late-19th century and early-20th century, Catania began to be heavily industrialised, with its several factories and chimneys, often being referred to as Southern Italy's "Manchester".{{citation needed|date=February 2014}} The economy of Catania suffered heavily from the bad effects of [[World War I]], and was marked by an economic crisis and recession that culminated in the 1920s.{{citation needed|date=February 2014}} Since then, the city lost its industrial and entrepreneurial importance.{{citation needed|date=February 2014}} In the 1930s, Catania remained a small fishing town with derelict and disused industries. However, after the destruction of [[World War II]], Catania's economy began to re-grow in the late-1950s and early-1960s.{{citation needed|date=February 2014}} The city's economic growth was so rapid and dynamic that it was often nicknamed the ''"Milan of the South"'', or in Italian ''"Milano del Sud"''.{{citation needed|date=February 2014}} This rapid economic growth prompted a great number of Sicilians living in the more rural areas, or smaller towns such as Enna, Ragusa and Caltanissetta, to move to the city to seek new jobs.

Today, Catania, despite several problems, has one of the most dynamic economies in the whole of Southern Italy. It still has a strong industrial and agricultural sector, and a fast-growing tourist industry, with many international visitors coming to visit the city's main sights and the nearby Etna volcano. It contains the headquarters or important offices of companies such as [[STMicroelectronics]], and also several chemical and [[pharmaceutical]] businesses. There have been several new business developments to further boost Catania's economy, including the construction of Etnapolis,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.centroetnapolis.it/etnapolis/index.html |title=home |publisher=Centroetnapolis.it |access-date=1 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617005527/http://www.centroetnapolis.it/etnapolis/index.html |archive-date=17 June 2010 }}</ref> a big [[shopping mall]] designed by [[Massimiliano Fuksas]], the same architect who designed the [[FieraMilano]] industrial fair in Milan, or the Etna Valley,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.etnavalley.com/ |title=Oggi la chiamano Etna Valley: i progetti, le aziende, il lavoro nel territorio di Catania |publisher=Etnavalley.com |date=29 April 2010 |access-date=1 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527005056/http://www.etnavalley.com/ |archive-date=27 May 2010 }}</ref> where several high-tech offices are located.

[[Tourism]] is a fast-growing industry in Catania. Lately, the administration and private companies have made several investments in the [[hospitality industry]] in order to make tourism a competitive sector in the Metropolitan City. [[Etnaland]], a large [[amusement park|amusement]] and [[water park]] located in [[Belpasso]], is in the metropolitan area of Catania, {{Convert|12|km|mi}} from the city center. It is the largest of its kind in Southern Italy and attracts thousands of tourists, not only from [[Sicily]], but also from the rest of [[Italy]]. According to [[Tripadvisor]] (2018) it is the third-largest water park in [[Europe]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tripadvisor.mediaroom.com/press-releases?item=126033|title=TripAdvisor Announces the Top Amusement Parks and Water Parks Around the Globe in Travellers' Choice Awards}}</ref>

The seaport of Catania is linked to the road-rail distribution hub of [[Bologna]]. In September 2020 [[Mercitalia Logistics]] opened the first full railway route to link the city to Northern Italy. It replaced an older mixed maritime-railway line.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.efanews.eu/item/16869-chep-for-sustainable-freight-transport.html|title=Chep for sustainable freight transport|website=European Food Agency|date=February 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210606213233/https://www.efanews.eu/item/16869-chep-for-sustainable-freight-transport.html|archive-date=June 6, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>