Somontano de Barbastro

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(for the wine-growing region see Somontano D.O.)

Somontano de Barbastro is a county in the Province of Huesca, in Aragon, north-eastern Spain. In recent years the area has come to enjoy world renown as one of Spain's finest viticultural regions, earning it Denominación de origen certification.

View of Somontano de Barbastro from Lagunarrota

County Seat: Barbastro
Area: 1.166,60 Km²
Population: 23.464 (2007 census)
Population Density: 20,11 hab/Km²
Municipalities: Abiego, Adahuesca, Alquézar, Azara, Azlor, Barbastro, Barbuñales, Berbegal, Bierge, Castejón del Puente, Castillazuelo, Colungo, Estada, Estadilla, El Grado, Hoz y Costean, Ilche, Laluenga, Laperdiguera, Lascellas-Ponzano, Naval, Olvena, Peralta de Alcofea, Peraltilla, Pozán de Vero, Salas Altas, Salas Bajas, Santa María de Dulcis and Torres de Alcanadre

Somontano borders the counties of Sobrarbe and Alto Gállego to the north, Ribagorza and La Litera to the east, Cinca Medio to the southwest, the Monegros 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. The area is abundantly irrigated by four important rivers which flow down from the north: the Alcanadre, Cinca, Ésera 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 title in 1984, has acquired great prestige for its quality. (See also Somontano D.O. for the the wine area.) 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, a vast Open Space preserve with canyons and gorges and over 60 limestone caves with prehistoric cave paintings, which led UNESCO to declare it as a World Heritage Site in 1998.