SPOTLIGHT ON SOUTHERN EUROPE :
SPOTLIGHT ON SOUTHERN EUROPE :
ITALY - A MULTIFACETED AND UNIQUELY CHALLENGING DESTINATION
Maddalena Michieli ; Professional Relo
Italy is renowned for being a ‘ must-see ’ country for tourists from around the world . It has earned this reputation for many reasons ; it offers a wealth of history , art , nature and fashion to its visitors , not to mention its food and wine . Italy ’ s fame is due also in large part to its welcoming and hospitable population . Visitors flock throughout the year not only to the capital , Rome , but to the many other highlights the country has to offer ; the sea in the south , the Dolomites in the north , Tuscany which is located centrally , as well as Venice and many other cities of art that each have a unique heritage . Visitors are global ; Americans , Asians , Europeans , Arabs and Africans can be seen in the streets at any time of year .
Yet Italy is more than this , it is the proud holder of many prestigious records , the majority of which are often unknown even to Italians . For example , as far as food is concerned , it has the world ’ s largest number of certified foods , namely no less than 274 PDOs ( Protected Designation of Origin ) and PGIs ( Protected Geographical Indication ), which equates to over 20 % of European products . As regards wine , in 2016 Italian production reached 50 million hectolitres , thereby continuing its growth trend and surpassing France again . Most importantly , the many PDO ( Registered Designation of Origin ), DOCG ( Registered and Certified Designation of Origin ) and IGT ( Regional Geographical Indication ) wines prove that the focus is increasingly on quality rather than quantity .
Italy also leads the way in technology , pharmacology and automation . It is Europe ’ s second largest exporter of mechanics ; in this industry , it ranks third in the world for trade balance , only after Germany and Japan . What is more , Italy is the country with the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites and last but not least , it has the oldest existing university still in operation in the western world , founded in 1088 in Bologna .
According to the list of best citizenships for those travelling or working abroad , recently drawn up by Nomad Capitalist , Italy ranks equal third with Spain , behind Sweden and Belgium .
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Italy unfortunately also holds some negative records . It is a major manufacturer of weapons ; according to statistics , it is one of the world ’ s top eight exporters , and the number one exporter of sowww . theglobalphoenix . org