fertility rates have dropped throughout europe, but in southern europe, the rates are lowest, with italy averaging 1.3 children per woman. low birth rates are brought about by a combination of factors. some are common to many countries, and this program will look at how italy in particular has been affected by these. we'll also look at some factors that are specific to the very low fertility rates in italy. probably the most significant factor that has influenced fertility rates in europe has been industrialization. industrialization has brought more people into urban areas and encouraged more materialistic life styles. in northern european countries, this process took place over a long period. the important difference for italy was that industrialization came later and much faster. [man] in some countries, the urbanization process had been following the first stages of industrialization during even the 18th century. in italy, the industrialization started at the beginning of the present century, but real intensive industrialization, real diffused industrialization was only possible afte

nine percent last year and over ten percent in the first quarter of this year europe especially southern europe has come to the point of catastrophe because of excessive borrowing greece has so far been the worst hit send others economic disasters have meant appeals for bailouts this makes it difficult for national governments to defend. constantly pouring more money into the coffers of irresponsible or inefficient members within creasing tension in the you are economic mismanagement some for c. big problems ahead because army corp. based on single currency in europe. is. going to be history in the near future meaning that turkey will likely remain independent trader to some time to come turkey's markets are famous to tourists and traders alike taking that mercantile spirit to europe what once seemed like a good idea but with all the riches here and not in europe you no longer seems like such a profitable move tom barton r.t. istanbul turkey. has a eurozone debt burden it shows little sign of abating e.u. members that decided to stick to their own national currencies are breathing a sigh of rel

not just southern europe, but ireland as well. the problem is because they are so dead set against conceding the need for a default by greece and a restructuring, they are postponing what really is looking more and more to the markets like the inevitable. the thing to do now is to have an orderly restructuring, one that people can count on and anticipate and react to in a controlled, disciplined manner. if it goes down the way lehman brothers went down, we are in for a big mess. >> one final question -- would we be in the current mess if we did not have the euro? >> no, because greece never would have been able to borrow at such artificially low rates. would not have accumulated the amount of debt it did. we would still have a problem, but to agree degrees needed to become more competitive, it could have done so by depreciating the drop,, which does not even exist anymore. >> thank you very much indeed. in syria, thousands of people are reportedly fleeing in fear that the army is declaring a crackdown. the syrian government says t