From the wealthy cities of the north to the parched olive groves of the south, Italians are rising to the challenge of European Union membership. And their lives are changing in other ways, too. Agriculture and manufacturing were once Italy's main employers, but today over half of all Italians work in service industries such as tourism and information technology. Environmental awareness is increasing, and both companies and individuals are taking responsibility for looking after Italy's natural resources. Meet the people of Italy, and learn about the diversity of their lives, from a student in Ravenna to a fisherman in Comacchio. Includes maps and graphic panels showing statistics and fact boxes about size, flag, population, religion, currency and language.

Author Biography

The authors: Kathryn Britton has lived and worked in Italy for over nine years. The consultant: Roberta Piazza is a lecturer in Italian language and literature at the University of Sussex.