Download Mezzogiorno by Shane O Halloran 3rd Year

Q: Differences exist within countries between rich and poor regions.
Describe TWO such differences with reference to a country you have
studied.
There are rich and poor areas in the country of Italy. The north of
Italy is very wealthy. However the south of Italy, known as the
Mezzogiorno, is one of the poorest regions in Europe.
The north of Italy has a better landscape than the south because it is
more suitable for farming. The North Italian Plain is a low lying area
that is very fertile. It has few slopes and lies in the floodplain of the
River Po. This provides the soil with nutrients and results in farmers
being very profitable in this area. The Apennine Mountains run
through the Mezzogiorno region. This means the amount of soil
suitable for farming is limited. Not only that, but most of the soil in
the area are red earth soils, which are highly infertile.
As well as this, there is much more employment available in the
north than in the south. Many successful industries choose to locate
in the north. This is mainly because of the industrial triangle of Milan,
Genoa and Turin. These areas create jobs in many different sectors
of industry, including fashion, car manufacturing and the production
of iron and steel. Although the north of Italy has low levels of
unemployment, in the Mezzogiorno region unemployment rates are
very high. Few industries decide to locate in this area. This means the
standard of living in the south is much lower than in the north.