Province of Ragusa

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**Province of Ragusa**


Nation	Italy
Region	Sicily
Capital	Ragusa
Area	1,614 km²
Population (2001)	295,246
Density	183
Comuni	12
Vehicle Registration	RG
Postal Code	97100, 97010-97015, 97017-97019
Telephone Prefix	0932
ISTAT	088
President	Giovanni Francesco Antoci

Map highlighting the location of the province of Ragusa in Italy

The Province of Ragusa (Italian: Provincia di Ragusa) is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. Ragusa is in the south-east of the island. Its capital is the city of Ragusa.

It has an area of 1,614 km², and a total population of 295,264 (2001). There are 12 comunes (Italian: comuni) in the province[1], see Comunes of the Province of Ragusa. By population, they are:

Commune	Population
Ragusa	71,712
Vittoria	60,918
Modica	53,448
Comiso	29,489
Scicli	25,855
Pozzallo	18,393
Ispica	14,823
Santa Croce Camerina	9,397
Acate	8,340
Chiaramonte Gulfi	8,085
Monterosso Almo	3,357
Giarratana	3,255

Tourism seems to have now replaced the fishing and farming industries as the principal source of employment.

[edit] Geography

From Scoglitti to Pozzallo, the Ragusan coastline, is approximately 50 kilometres long, along the Ragusan coast are many fishing villages such as Kaukana, Punta Secca, Marina di Ragusa and Marina di Modica. The skyline of Ragusa is frequently punctuated by the towers, domes and cupolas of the many exquisite churches for which the province is famed. The area is mostly unspoilt, during the 19th century and early 20th century there was large migration from Ragusa to the more prosperous areas of Italy and abroad.

Ragusa has changed dramatically over the last 20 years largely due to tourism, however, in many places it remains untouched by the last two centuries, and has escaped unscathed from the excesses of discovery by the travelling world. In places the atmosphere of the 18th century still pervaded.

[edit] Sights

The city of Ragusa contains many examples of baroque architecture.

At Acate is the Castle of the Prince of Biscari constructed originally in 1494, it is a commanding feature of the town square. The construction of the castle was ordered by Baron Guglielmo Raimondo, its golden coloured stone work has been modified many times during is long history, it now appears more as an 18th century palazzo than a castle, although some crenelations and towers remain.