ITALY (Continued)
d'Aosta) have been functioning for some time and the remaining 15 regions with regular statute were instituted on 1 April 1972; 95 provinces, 8,081 communes
Legal system: based on civil law system, with ecclesiastical law influence; constitution came into effect 1 January 1948; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Anniversary of the Republic, 2 June
Branches: executive—President empowered to dissolve Parliament and call national election; he is also Commander of the Armed Forces and presides over the Supreme Defense Council; otherwise, authority to govern invested in Council of Ministers; legislative power invested in bicameral, popularly elected Parliament; Italy has an independent judicial establishment
Government leaders: President Alessandro PERTIN1; Premier Giovanni SPADOLINI
Suffrage: universal over age 18 (except in senatorial elections where minimum age of voter is 25)
Elections: national elections for Parliament held every five years (most recent, June 1979); provincial and municipal elections held every five years with some out of phase; regional elections every five years (held June 1980)
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party (DC), Flaminio Piccoli (secretary general); Communist Party (PCI), Enrico Berlinguer (secretary general); Socialist Party (PSI), Benedetto Craxi (secretary general); Social Democratic Party (PSDI), Pietro Longo (secretary general); Liberal Party (PLI), Valerio Zanone (party secretary); Italian Social Movement (MSI), Giorgio Almirante (party secretary); Republican Party (PRI), Giovanni Spadolini (party secretary)
Voting strength (1979 election): 38.3% DC, 30.4% PCI, 9.8% PSI, 5.3% MSI, 3.8% PSDI, 3.0% PRI, 1.9% PLI, 3.4% other
Communists: 1,814,740 members (February 1978)
Other political or pressure groups: the Vatican; three major trade union confederations (CGIL—Communist dominated, CISL—Christian Democratic, and UIL—Social Democratic, Socialist, and Republican); Italian manufacturers association (Confindustria); organized farm groups
Member of: ADB, ASSIMER, Council of Europe, DAC, EC, ECOWAS, ECSC, EEC, EIB, ELDO, ESRO, EURATOM, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IEA, IFC, IHO, ILO, International Lead and Zinc Study Group, IMCO, IMF, IOOC, IPU, ITU, NATO, OAS (observer), OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG
ECONOMY
GDP: $394 billion (1980), $6,900 per capita; 63.1% private consumption, 20.0% gross fixed investment, 16.6% government, net foreign balance —0.5%; 1980 growth rate 4.0% (1975 constant prices)
Agriculture: important producer of fruits and vegetables; main crops—cereals, potatoes, olives; 95% self-sufficient; food shortages—fats, meat, fish, and eggs; daily caloric intake, 3,172 calories per capita (1977)
Fishing: catch 401,958 metric tons (1978); exports $90 million (1979), imports $459 million (1979)
Major industries: machinery and transportation equipment, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles
Shortages: coal, fuels, minerals
Crude steel: 26.5 million metric tons produced (1980), 465 kg per capita
Electric power: 48,000,000 kW capacity (1981); 186.0 billion kWh produced (1981), 3,247 kWh per capita
Exports: $77.9 billion (f.o.b., 1980); principal items-machinery and transport equipment, textiles, foodstuffs, chemicals, footwear
Imports: $99.7 billion (c.i.f., 1980); principal items—machinery and transport equipment, foodstuffs, ferrous and nonferrous metals, wool, cotton, petroleum
Major trade partners: (1980) 46% EC-nine (17% West Germany, 14% France, 5% UK, 4% Netherlands); 2% USSR and 3% other Communist countries of Eastern Europe
Aid: donor—bilateral economic aid committed (ODA and OOF), $5.8 billion (1970-79)
Monetary conversion rate: Smithsonian rate as of December 1973, 650.4 lire=US$1; average rate in 1980, 856 lire=US$1
Fiscal year: calendar year
COMMUNICATIONS
Railroads: 20,085 km total; 16,140 km government owned standard gauge (1.435 m), 8,585 km electrified; 3,945 km nongovernment owned—2,100 km standard gauge (1.435 m), 1,155 km electrified, and 1,845 km narrow gauge (0.950 m), 380 km electrified
Highways: 294,410 km total; autostrade 5,900 km, state highways 45,170 km, provincial highways 101,680 km, communal highways 141,660 km; 260,500 km concrete, bituminous, or stone block, 26,900 km gravel and crushed stone, 7,010 km earth
Inland waterways: 2,500 km navigable routes
Pipelines: crude oil, 1,703 km; refined products, 2,148 km; natural gas, 13,749 km
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