Somontano de Barbastro
Encyclopedia
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Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Somontano borders the counties of Sobrarbe
Sobrarbe
Sobrarbe is one of the Comarcas of Aragon, Spain. It is located in the northern part of the province of Huesca, part of the autonomous community of Aragon in Spain...
and Alto Gállego
Alto Gállego
Alto Gállego is a comarca located in the north of the autonomous community of Aragón which occupies practically the entirety of the upper basin of the Río Gállego....
to the north, Ribagorza and La Litera to the east, Cinca Medio
Cinca Medio
The Cinca Medio is a is a comarca in eastern Aragon, Spain. It is named after river Cinca.This comarca is bordered on the northwest by the Somontano de Barbastro comarca, to the east by La Litera and the south by the Bajo Cinca and Monegros....
to the southwest, the Monegros
Monegros
Los Monegros is a comarca in Aragon, Spain. It is located within the provinces of Zaragoza and Huesca. The area is prone to chronic droughts, and much of the area is badlands....
desert to the south and Hoya de Huesca to the west.
As its Latin name suggests, Somontano, meaning "beneath the mountain", lies at the foothills of the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. The area is abundantly irrigated by four important rivers which flow down from the north: the Alcanadre, Cinca, Ésera
Ésera
The Ésera or Éssera is a tributary of the Cinca in the High Aragon. It is part of the valley of the Ebro and its drainage basin. Its etym is Celtic and it is cognate with several European rivers: Isar, Jizera, Isère, Isel, IJssel, and Eisack....
and the river Vero.
The primary economy of the county has always been agricultural and livestock farming based. Wheat and grains, as well as olives are the primary crops; however in recent years, its world renowned wine production which earned it a Denominación de origen
Denominación de Origen
Denominación de Origen is part of a regulatory classification system primarily for Spanish wines but also for other foodstuffs like honey, meats and condiments. In wines it parallels the hierarchical system of France and Italy although Rioja and Sherry preceded the full system...
title in 1984, has acquired great prestige for its quality. The city of Barbastro, home to about 85% of the county's population, is a regional hub for the food industry, construction and chemical industry.
The county is also home to the Sierra de Guara
Sierra de Guara
The Sierra de Guara is a mountain massif in the province of Huesca, the most northerly province in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. Its highest point is Tozal de Guara .It lies around 25km northeast of the city of Huesca itself...
, a vast Open Space preserve with canyons and gorges and over 60 limestone caves with prehistoric cave paintings, which led UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
to declare it as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in 1998.
Municipalities
AbiegoAbiego
Abiego is a municipality in the province of Huesca, in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. In 2004, it had a population of 288.Approaching Abiego along the road from Bierge, there is an interesting collection of in-situ fossil footprints dating from the late-Oligocene epoch .-External links:*...
, Adahuesca
Adahuesca
Adahuesca is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 163 inhabitants....
, Alquézar
Alquézar
Alquézar is a municipality in the province of Huesca, in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. In 2004, it had a population of 309.Situated on a limestone outcrop of Eocene age to the west of the canyon of the Rio Vero river in the Sierra de Guara national park, the village has grown around a...
, Azara
Azara
Azara may refer to:* Azara, Huesca, a Spanish municipality in Huesca province* José Nicolás de Azara , a Spanish diplomat* Félix de Azara , a naturalist, brother of José*Azara , a genus of plants in the family Salicaceae...
, Azlor
Azlor
Azlor is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 154 inhabitants....
, Barbastro
Barbastro
Barbastro is a city in the Somontano county, province of Huesca, Spain...
, Barbuñales
Barbuñales
Barbuñales is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 116 inhabitants....
, Berbegal
Berbegal
Berbegal is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 459 inhabitants....
, Bierge
Bierge
Bierge is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2010 census , the municipality has a population of 258 inhabitants.- Geography :...
, Castejón del Puente
Castejón del Puente
Castejón del Puente is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 435 inhabitants....
, Castillazuelo
Castillazuelo
Castillazuelo is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 230 inhabitants....
, Colungo
Colungo
Colungo is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 135 inhabitants....
, Estada
Estada
Estada is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 192 inhabitants....
, Estadilla
Estadilla
Estadilla is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 856 inhabitants....
, El Grado
El Grado
El Grado is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to 2009 data , the municipality has a population of 506 inhabitants.There is a large reservoir, managing the waters of river Cinca in this town's municipal term....
, Hoz y Costean
Hoz y Costean
Hoz y Costean is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 230 inhabitants....
, Ilche
Ilche
Ilche is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 261 inhabitants....
, Laluenga
Laluenga
Laluenga is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 248 inhabitants....
, Laperdiguera
Laperdiguera
Laperdiguera is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 103 inhabitants....
, Lascellas-Ponzano
Lascellas-Ponzano
Lascellas-Ponzano is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2005 census , the municipality has a population of 166 inhabitants....
, Naval, Olvena
Olvena
Olvena is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 79 inhabitants....
, Peralta de Alcofea
Peralta de Alcofea
Peralta de Alcofea is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality had a population of 670....
, Peraltilla
Peraltilla
Peraltilla is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 181 inhabitants....
, Pozán de Vero
Pozán de Vero
Pozán de Vero is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 244 inhabitants....
, Salas Altas
Salas Altas
Salas Altas is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 366 inhabitants....
, Salas Bajas
Salas Bajas
Salas Bajas is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 156 inhabitants....
, Santa María de Dulcis
Santa María de Dulcis
Santa María de Dulcis is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 213 inhabitants....
and Torres de Alcanadre
Torres de Alcanadre
Torres de Alcanadre is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 125 inhabitants....