Почему половина Италии БЕДНАЯ, а вторая — БОГАТЕЙШАЯ в Европе?

Italy is one of the most beautiful and wealthy countries in Europe. But few people know that this country is split in half more severely than any other in Europe. Northern Italy lives at the level of Germany and Switzerland, while the south is on par with Greece and Uruguay. Unemployment in Sicily and Calabria reaches sixteen percent — comparable to Kosovo and Libya. Incomes in the south are many times lower than in the north, industry is concentrated almost entirely in the Po River valley, and young people are fleeing the south en masse in search of a better life. How did this happen? In this video, we will examine all the reasons behind the colossal divide between the North and the South of Italy. Let's start with geography: the vast fertile Po Valley, powerful rivers from the Alps, the convenient ports of Genoa and Trieste — all of this gave the north an incredible advantage. Meanwhile, the south suffered for centuries from droughts, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. But it's not just about nature. For centuries, southern Italy passed from hand to hand — from the Byzantines to the Arabs, from the Normans to the Spanish. Foreign rulers drained resources and prevented the local population from developing. And after Italy's unification in the nineteenth century, the state bet on the industrial north, deepening the divide even further. Today, sixty percent of foreign tourists travel to the north, all the famous Italian brands are based there, and the south continues to lose people. Watch until the end — this story will surprise you!