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Balestrate (Sicilian: ''Sicciara'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Palermo in the Italian region Sicily, located about southwest of Palermo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 5,853 and an area of .〔All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.〕 Located in Western Sicily, on the rail line between Palermo and Trapani, Balestrate is exactly in the center of the Gulf of Castellamare. In previous times it was where much of the grape crop was grown for the island's famous Marsala wine. Today Balestrate's main industry is fishing and tourism. A small town of nearly 6000 most of the year, Balestrate's population swells up to almost 30,000 during the Summer season with vacationing Europeans and Italians from the colder climates seeking the warm water and sun. The Coat of Arms of Balestrate with its Norman crown, honors "Sicciara," the town’s original name, with the symbol of the cuttlefish (“sicci”) so abundant in its waters. Residents of Balestrate still call themselves "sicciaroti" - the "cuttlefish people" - in honor of the old name. Spanish King Federico III of Aragon gave the territory of Balestrate to the town of Partinico in 1307. According to local legend, a crossbow (“balestra”) was used to shoot an arrow from the water's edge, its landing point determining the border of the town's environs; and giving its eventual name - Balestrate. In 1672, a landowner named Rosalia Leto bequeathed uncultivated lands to the locals on condition that they cultivate them. The small town began to take shape, becoming self-governing in 1829. Its development continued to flourish in large part due to the investments of the English winemaking companies of Ingham, Woodhouse, Whittaker and the Palermitan Florio family. In many ways the early fortune of Balestrate was tied in with the rising popularity of sweet Marsala wine. Balestrate borders the following municipalities: Alcamo, Partinico, Trappeto. == Demographic evolution == Colors= id:lightgrey value:gray(0.9) id:darkgrey value:gray(0.8) id:sfondo value:rgb(1,1,1) id:barra value:rgb(0.6,0.7,0.8) ImageSize = width:455 height:303 PlotArea = left:50 bottom:50 top:30 right:30 DateFormat = x.y Period = from:0 till:6000 TimeAxis = orientation:vertical AlignBars = justify ScaleMajor = gridcolor:darkgrey increment:500 start:0 ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightgrey increment:100 start:0 BackgroundColors = canvas:sfondo BarData= bar:1861 text:1861 bar:1871 text:1871 bar:1881 text:1881 bar:1901 text:1901 bar:1911 text:1911 bar:1921 text:1921 bar:1931 text:1931 bar:1936 text:1936 bar:1951 text:1951 bar:1961 text:1961 bar:1971 text:1971 bar:1981 text:1981 bar:1991 text:1991 bar:2001 text:2001 PlotData= color:barra width:20 align:left bar:1861 from: 0 till:1623 bar:1871 from: 0 till:1851 bar:1881 from: 0 till:2606 bar:1901 from: 0 till:3931 bar:1911 from: 0 till:4237 bar:1921 from: 0 till:4075 bar:1931 from: 0 till:4693 bar:1936 from: 0 till:4707 bar:1951 from: 0 till:5686 bar:1961 from: 0 till:5546 bar:1971 from: 0 till:4753 bar:1981 from: 0 till:5162 bar:1991 from: 0 till:5651 bar:2001 from: 0 till:5693 PlotData= bar:1861 at:1623 fontsize:XS text: 1623 shift:(-8,5) bar:1871 at:1851 fontsize:XS text: 1851 shift:(-8,5) bar:1881 at:2606 fontsize:XS text: 2606 shift:(-8,5) bar:1901 at:3931 fontsize:XS text: 3931 shift:(-8,5) bar:1911 at:4237 fontsize:XS text: 4237 shift:(-8,5) bar:1921 at:4075 fontsize:XS text: 4075 shift:(-8,5) bar:1931 at:4693 fontsize:XS text: 4693 shift:(-8,5) bar:1936 at:4707 fontsize:XS text: 4707 shift:(-8,5) bar:1951 at:5686 fontsize:XS text: 5686 shift:(-8,5) bar:1961 at:5546 fontsize:XS text: 5546 shift:(-8,5) bar:1971 at:4753 fontsize:XS text: 4753 shift:(-8,5) bar:1981 at:5162 fontsize:XS text: 5162 shift:(-8,5) bar:1991 at:5651 fontsize:XS text: 5651 shift:(-8,5) bar:2001 at:5693 fontsize:XS text: 5693 shift:(-8,5) TextData= fontsize:S pos:(20,20) text:Data from ISTAT 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Balestrate」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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