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.