Roma (Rome) : Italy
Administrative subdivision of Rome
Main article: Administrative subdivision of Rome.
For administrative purposes and in order to boost territorial decentralization, the large territory of Rome’s municipality is officially divided in 19 sub-municipalities (Municipi, formerly called Circoscrizioni) numbered from 1 to 20 (there were originally 20 sub-municipalities, but the XIV, what is now the Comune di Fiumicino, voted some years ago to become a full municipality itself and eventually detached from Rome)
Economy
Today Rome has a dynamic and diversified economy, bent on innovation, technologies, communication and tertiary, which produces 6,5% of the national GDP (more than any other city in the country) and continues to grow at higher rates than that of the rest of Italy. Tourism is one of Rome’s chief industries, but he city is also a centre of the banking, publishing, insurance, fashion, high tech, housing, cinematographic (built on the large Cinecitt studios, often called Hollywood on the Tiber) and aerospace industries.
Many international headquarters are located in Rome’s principal business/office districts: the EUR (Esposizione Universale di Roma), which is as well one of the most exclusive residential area in south-west of Rome (with government ministries, conference and trade centers, parks, an artificial lake, sports venues, museums, gardened villas and apartment complexes); the Torrino (further south from the EUR), the Magliana (with the new Toyota Italia headquarter), the Parco de’ Medici-Laurentina area, the so-called “Tiburtina-valley” along the ancient Via Tiburtina etc.
Transportation
Rome has an intercontinental airport formally named Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport – FCO, but more commonly known as Fiumicino and the Giovan Battista Pastine international airport (commonly referred to as Ciampino Airport), a joint civilian and military airport Southeast of the citycentre, along the Via Appia, which handles mainly charter flights and regional European flights including some low-cost airlines. A third airport, called Aeroporto dell’Urbe, is located in the north of the city along the ancient Via Salaria and handles mainly helicopters and private flights. A fourth airport, called Aeroporto di Centocelle, in the eastern part of Rome between the Via Prenestina and the Via Casilina, has been abandoned for some years now, but it’s currently being redeveloped as one of the largest public parks in Rome.
A subway system operates in Rome called the “Metropolitana” or Rome Metro which was opened in 1955. There are 2 lines (A & B), a third© and a new branch of the B-line (B1) are under construction, while a fourth line (D) has been planned. Today’s (2005) total length is 38 km. The two existing lines, A & B, only intersect at one point, Stazione Termini, the main train station in Rome (which also is the largest train station in Europe, underneath and around which exists now a lively shopping center known as the “Forum Termini” with more than 100 shops of various types). Other importants stations includes: Tiburtina (second largest, which is currently being redeveloped and enlarged to become the main high-speed train hub in the city), Ostiense, Trastevere, Tuscolana, S. Pietro.
