Valle del Belice

Valle del Belice
Valle del Belìce
Location south-western Sicily
Long-axis direction NE – SW
Long-axis length 77 km
Geography
Coordinates 37°45′47″N 13°02′56″E / 37.763°N 13.049°ECoordinates: 37°45′47″N 13°02′56″E / 37.763°N 13.049°E
Watercourses
  • Belice
  • Belice Destro
  • Belice Sinistro

The Valle del Belice is the valley of the Belice river, in south-western Sicily, Italy. It lies in the provinces of Agrigento, Palermo and Trapani.[1][2]

The valley was struck by an earthquake in January 1968; in 2012 the damage had still not been fully repaired.[3]

Agriculture

The Valle del Belice breed of domestic sheep originates in the valley. Agricultural products of the area include the D.O.P. Vastedda della valle del Belìce, a pecorino (sheep's milk) cheese,[4] and "Valle del Belìce DOP" extra-virgin olive oil, made from a minimum of 70% Nocellara del Belice olives.[5] Nocellara del Belice table olives also have DOP status.

References

  1. Virginia Maxwell, Duncan Garwood. Sicilia. EDT srl, 2011. ISBN 8860408008.
  2. Collettivo LTN. L'altra Italia: Il Belice. Jaca Book.
  3. [s.n.] (8 January 2012).Terremoti: 44 anni fa il sisma della Valle del Belice, una ferita ancora aperta (in Italian). La Repubblica. Accessed January 2014.
  4. Disciplinare di Produzione della Denominazione d'Origine Protetta "Vastedda della valle del Belìce" (in Italian). Ministero delle politiche agricole alimentari e forestali. Accessed January 2014.
  5. Valle del Belìce DOP (in Italian). Camera di Commercio Trapani. Accessed January 2014.