Somontano de Barbastro

Historia

Somontano de Barbastro is a comarca in Province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain.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. 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.