Italy is the world s largest wine producer. Other produce include deciduous fruit, oats, barley, vegetables, milk, flowers and olives. The cheese industry industry is one of the most important in the world. Italy is one of the six most advanced industrial nations of the world. The industries include construction, textiles and apparel, machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, non-metal minerals and transportation equipment, vehicles, steel, clothing, fuels and wine.
Petroleum is the major product, followed by lignite, pyrites, fluorspar and barytes.
Italy also has reserves of bauxite, lead and zinc. Other mineral products include coal, iron ore, iron purities, cement, zinc, sulphur, marble and lime. Telecommunications Direct dialling is available from South Africa on dial code 0939 followed by the area code and then subscribers number. 81 Bari 80 Good telegraph services are maintained internally. The metric system is utilised.