Sorbo San Basile
| Sorbo San Basile | |
|---|---|
| Comune | |
| Comune di Sorbo San Basile | |
  Sorbo San Basile Location of Sorbo San Basile in Italy | |
| Coordinates: 39°1′08″N 16°34′10″E / 39.01889°N 16.56944°ECoordinates: 39°1′08″N 16°34′10″E / 39.01889°N 16.56944°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Calabria |
| Province / Metropolitan city | Catanzaro (CZ) |
| Frazioni | Melitello, Cutura, villaggio Lagomar |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | <Riccelli Luigi> |
| Area | |
| • Total | 58.69 km2 (22.66 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 605 m (1,985 ft) |
| Population (31 December 2013) | |
| • Total | 819 |
| • Density | 14/km2 (36/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Sorbesi |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 88050 |
| Dialing code | 0961 |
| Patron saint | San Francesco Saverio |
| Saint day | 3 December |
| Website | Official website |
Sorbo San Basile is a village and comune in the province of Catanzaro in the Calabria region of southern Italy. The word "sorbo" in Italian means "the service tree or the sorb-apple tree" of which there are many orchards in the vicinity. The words "San Basile" refer to the Greek Saint Basil the Great because Basilian monks established a monastery in the area as early as 640. Some time after the canonization of Francis Xavier in 1622, that Spanish saint became the patron of the village. The population in 1861 was 1228 people, in 1901 held steady at 1224 people, in 1951 reached a high of 2118 people, but in 2001 sank to a low of 932 people (information from the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica).
Geography
The town is bordered by Bianchi (CS), Carlopoli, Cicala, Colosimi, Fossato Serralta, Gimigliano, Panettieri, Taverna (CZ).