Province of Agrigento

Province of Agrigento Provincia di Agrigento (Italian) Pruvincia di Girgenti (Sicilian)
Province
Monte delle Rose (IT), Mountain of Roses (EN), Muntagna de Rosi (Sicilian), Mali i Trëndafilët (Arbëreshe)
Coat of arms
Map highlighting the location of the province of Agrigento in Italy
Coordinates: 37°19′N13°35′E / 37.317°N 13.583°E / 37.317; 13.583
Country	Italy
Region	Sicily
Capital(s)	Agrigento
Comuni	43
Government
• President	Eugenio D'Orsi
Area
• Total	3,042 km2 (1,175 sq mi)
Population  (31 December 2023)
• Total	410,508
• Density	130/km2 (350/sq mi)
GDP [1]
• Total	€6.558 billion (2015)
• Per capita	€14,690 (2015)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	92100, 92010-92029
Telephone prefix	0922, 0925
Vehicle registration	AG
ISTAT	084
Website	www.provincia.agrigento.it

The province of Agrigento (Italian : provincia di Agrigento; Sicilian : pruvincia di Girgenti) is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily, Italy, situated on its south-western coast. Following the suppression of the Sicilian provinces, it was replaced in 2015 by the Free Municipal Consortium of Agrigento (Italian: libero consorzio comunale di Agrigento). It has an area of 3,041.90 square kilometres (1,174.48 sq mi), and a total population of 474,493. ^[2] There are 43 comuni (sg.: comune ) in the province. ^[3]

History and location

It is surrounded by province of Palermo in the north, Trapani in the west, Mediterranean Sea in the south, and Caltanissetta in the east. Gela inhabitants founded the province in the 6th century BC as Akragas. Carthage destroyed the province in 406 BC, but it was later ruled by the Romans, Goths, Byzantines, and Arabs. The Arabs rebuilt several parts of the province. Several ancient Doric temples were constructed during the 6th and 5th century BC to worship Hercules, Jupiter, Juno, Castor, Pollux, and Demeter. They are located in the Valley of Temples (Italian: Valle dei Templi). ^[4] The ancient temples and other architectural structures were built using the stones of the hills near Capo San Marco. ^[5]

Places

Here below are listed the towns of the province with more than 10,000 inhabitants:

• Agrigento (55,227);
• Sciacca (38,541);
• Canicattì (34,266);
• Licata (34,087);
• Favara (31,309);
• Palma di Montechiaro (21,236);
• Ribera (17,730);
• Porto Empedocle (15,479);
• Raffadali (11,789);
• Menfi (11,753);
• Ravanusa (10,214). ^[6]

Agrigento is the birthplace of the noted writer Luigi Pirandello and the philosopher Empedocles. ^[3] According to the government records the number of unemployed people is about 17% of the total labour force. ^[2] The province faces the Channel of Sicily in the south and is known for its beaches. Torre Salsa's beaches have been designated natural reserves and are protected due to their environmental importance. ^[5]

Economy

The economy is primarily based on agriculture and tourism. Port traffic is also moderate, centered on Porto Empedocle, which was once a thriving hub for the sale of sulfur from the Pasquasia mine in Enna and smaller deposits. Today, drought and the inequity of the water supply system make water crises frequent.

Wine production

Viticulture produces fine wines, including Inzolia and Marsala, and sparkling wines, all distinctive and driving forces for a rather depressed economy. The total area covered by vineyards in 1984 was almost triple to that in 1949. ^[7] During this period Marsala based wine merchants used the grapes produced in the province to produce Marsala wine. In 1984 the local government passed a law that regulated this practice. ^[8] Around three-quarters of the Sicilian land devoted to growing Fiano grapes is in the province. ^[9] Some of the important municipalities known for their vineyards include Sambuca di Sicilia, Menfi, and Santa Margherita di Belice. ^[10]

Infrastructure and transport

The elegant building of Agrigento's central station and Piazza Marconi

Roads

The Agrigento area is not served by any highways, having only a few expressways. However, the SS 640 is currently being upgraded to a modern highway from Agrigento to the A19 motorway, passing through Caltanissetta. The road network in the province comprises 540 km. of street roads, 1,000 km. of provincial roads, 260 km. of communal roads and 56 km. of regional roads. ^[2]

Railways

The Agrigento area is crossed by three railway lines open to passenger traffic, all operated by RFI, for a total of approximately 150 km: the Palermo-Agrigento line, the Caltanissetta Xirbi-Agrigento line—which meet at the Aragona station—and the Syracuse-Canicattì line. All three lines have single-track electrification, except the Syracuse-Canicattì line, which is not electrified.

See also

• Sicilians
• Sulfur mining in Sicily
• Railway network of Sicily

References

1. Regions and Cities > Regional Statistics > Regional Economy > Regional Gross Domestic Product (Small regions TL3), OECD.Stats. Accessed on 16 November 2018.
2. "Some data about the Province of Agrigento". Sicilia.indettaglioit. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
3. "Provincia di Agrigento". Agrigento-Sicilia. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
4. "Agrigento, Sicily". Sicilybella. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
5. Touring Club of Italy (2005). Authentic Sicily. Touring Editore. p. 120. ISBN   978-88-365-3403-6.
6. "Comuni della Provincia di Agrigento per popolazione al 31/12/2024" (in Italian).
7. Nesto & Savino 2013, p. 198.
8. Nesto & Savino 2013, p. 170.
9. Nesto & Savino 2013, p. 95.
10. Touring Club of Italy (2002). The Italian Food Guide: The Ultimate Guide to the Regional Foods of Italy. Touring Editore. p. 567. ISBN   978-88-365-2538-6.

Bibliography

• Nesto, Bill; Savino, Frances Di (2013). The World of Sicilian Wine. University of California Press. ISBN   978-0-520-95507-3.