(I) Industrialization came late to Italy. (II) Most of the industry is in the north along the Po Valley and particularly around Turin, Genoa and Milan. (Ill) This was partly due to political reasons and partly to the lack of basic raw materials. (IV) It was the availability of hydroelectric power and a labour force capable of acquiring the necessary skills, which together brought about the rapid development in the 20th century. (V) Indeed, the industrial progress in Italy during the 1950s has been described as “miraculous”