OLIVE GROWTH IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA REGION OF THE WORLD
            by Joan E. Moore
The Mediterranean Climate
Map - Mediterranean Sea Region
Natural Resources and Vegetation
References - Books & Web Sites
(Rieger)

                                                                  

 Legend says that the olive tree grew in the Garden of Eden (Olives).

Facts:

The olive branch was first used as a sign of peace by the Greeks.

Olives have been eaten for thousands of years.

The olive tree is the "oldest tree in continuous cultivation" in the world

The olive cannot be eaten until it is pickled.

The average olive measures from 1.5 to 2 cm in length.

The olive is egg-shaped and is picked either green or dark purple or black when left to ripen on the tree.

An olive tree can live over 1,000 years (Olives).

Olives are one of the most important and best known crops produced in the Mediterranean Sea region of the world.

The "Phoenicians introduced olives to the Greek islands in the 16th century B.C. and to Greece proper in the 12th century B.C."  By the 6th century B.C. they "were being grown in Tripoli, Tunis, and Sicily" and by 200 B.C. in Spain (Hobman).

As people migrated from the Mediterranean region, olive growth spread to different part of the world (Olives).  Today Spain and Italy are the largest producers of olives.  However, what is considered the Mediterranean climate exists on other continents around the world making it possible for olive growth in other places than just the Mediterranean Sea (Hobman).  

 (Rieger)
(Rieger) An olive tree bears its first fruit when it is between 4-8 years old; once it has reached 15 years, it will continue to bear for hundreds of years (Olives).

The parent tree has small, white, fragrant flower clusters on a single stem.  But no matter how many flowers there are on any stem, only a few olives will form on each of the flowering stems (Olives).

Olives grow in different types of soils, but they like temperate weather with warm summers and cool winters.  It  is during the winter months that they hibernate (Olives).

 

 
Olive trees require lots of sunshine and well-drained, moisture-retentive soil and need a lot of Nitrogen.  Though they can be planted at any time of the year, autumn is preferable.  The trees should be planted 25-35 feet apart.  During the first year of growth, it is important that they are watered well.  Because they require a lot of light, it is necessary that the trees be regularly pruned for the best crop production (Owen).  (Rieger)
(Introducing Sicily) The Turks eat more table olives than any other country.  However, the Greeks consume large quantities of olives and even eat them for breakfast.  Other countries whose people consider the olive a large part of their diet are southern Italy, southern France, Spain and Portugal (Olives)

.

What is called the "African olive" is ornamental only;  though it has lovely flowers, its fruit is inedible.  Among the different varieties of edible olives are Mission, Sevillano and Verdale (Owen). (O'Casha)
(O'Casha) "Production Statistics

World - 10,975 (1000 MT) total. 1,947,000 MT of olive oil (70-80% from Europe).

1. Italy - 2,779                    6. Morocco - 560
2. Spain - 2,624                  7. Syria - 400
3. Greece - 1,612                8. Portugal - 215
4. Turkey - 1,200                9. Algeria - 130
5. Tunisia - 665                 10. Egypt - 117

Leading countries, in terms of land area cultivated (1975):

    1. Spain - 2.3 million ha
    2. Italy - 2.25 million ha
    3. Tunisia - 1.24 million ha
    4. Portugal - 1.11 million ha
    5. Greece - 0.52 million ha

Table olive production (1975) was 500,000 MT, 40% green, 60% black" (Rieger).
Olives are usually picked green in the autumn and picked black in the winter (Owen).

Because olives are preserved in dry salt or brine, they are high in salt; the olives which are used for olive oil production contain more fat than those used as table olives (Olives).

With the introduction of so many different ethic foods into American cuisine, olives and olive oil consumption are on a steady rise in the United States.  Dining out became a fad in this country during the 1990's and continues today.  Greek, Italian and Mexican restaurants are plentiful and each uses green and black olives in many of the most popular dishes.  Martinis have come back into vogue and along with that the green olive has become visible in the bar scene.  At the same time, olive oil used on salads and in the restaurant cooking, has found its way into the American kitchen beside the jars and cans of green and black olives.

 

 (O'Casha)