Current environmental concerns include air pollution, pollution of coastal and inland rivers, acid rain, and inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities. Ninety percent of drinking water comes from ground water sources and some of these sources are polluted due to widespread use of fertilizers and pesticides. Several rivers run the risk of becoming ecologically dead because of industrial pollution.

The original currency of the country was lira (one U.S. dollar is worth about 1.787 lira). Today, the common currency is the euro (one U.S. dollar is worth about 1.0626 euros), which is used by financial institution members of the European Monetary Union. The country has a “basically capitalistic economy…divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed agricultural south, with large pubic enterprises.” Italy has a purchasing power of $1.438 trillion, and a per capita GDP of $25,000. A little more than 2% of the GDP comes from agriculture, which consists mainly of fruits, vegetables, soybeans, grain, olives, and fish. More than 67% of the GDP comes from services and 30% from industry. These are the two sectors with the most jobs in Italy. Major industries are tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, motor vehicles, clothing and footwear. Italy’s economy has been gradually diversifying, shifting from food and textiles to engineering, steel, and chemical products.

As for me, as a person entering into the nation-state of Italy, I believe one of my strengths is that I very easily adapt to different surroundings and cultures. I enjoy being in new places and I find it rather

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