Province of Siena

Province of Siena

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Province of Siena

The Province of Siena () is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Siena.

It has an area of 3,821 km² (1475 mile²), and a total population of 252,288 (2001). There are 36 comuni (singular: comune) in the provincehttp://www.upinet.it/indicatore.asp?id_statistiche=6. At June 30, 2005, the main comuni by population are:

Comune	Population
Siena	54,337
Poggibonsi	28,634
Colle di Val d'Elsa	20,276
Montepulciano	14,142
Sinalunga	12,335
Sovicille	8,882
Chiusi	8,746
Monteriggioni	8,189
Castelnuovo Berardenga	8,081
Monteroni d'Arbia	7,548
San Gimignano	7,473
Torrita di Siena	7,305
Chianciano Terme	7,221

The province is divided into seven historical areas:

Alta Val d'Elsa
Chianti senese
The urban area of (Monteriggioni and Siena)
Val di Merse
Crete senesi Val d'Arbia
Val di Chiana senese
Val d'Orcia and Amiata

The area is a hilly one: in the north is Monte del Chianti; Monte Amiata is the highest point at 1738 m; and in the south is Monte Cetona. To the west are the Colline Metallifere (?Metallic Hills?), whilst the Val di Chiana lies to east.

Historically, the province corresponds to the former republic of Siena.

The chief occupations are agricultural (wheat, grapes and fruit) and silk culture. The wine known as Chianti is produced here as well as in other parts of Tuscany: the Chianti Colli Senesi, however, is limited to this province.

Apart from the city of Siena the principal towns are Poggibonsi, Colle di Val d'Elsa, Montepulciano, Chiusi, and San Gimignano.