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Comarques of Catalonia

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Present-day division of Catalonia in comarques

This is a list of the 42 comarques (singular comarca, Catalan pronunciation: [kuˈmaɾkə]) into which Catalonia is divided. A comarca is a group of municipalities, roughly equivalent to a county in the US or a district or council in the UK. However, in the context of Catalonia, the term "county" can be a bit misleading, because in medieval Catalonia, aside from the kings of Aragon, the most important rulers were counts, notably the Counts of Barcelona and of Urgell. Comarques have no particular relation to the "counties" that were ruled by counts.

Overview

See also: Local government in Spain

Although today the comarques are officially defined under a Catalan parliamentary act,[1] for centuries they had existed unofficially, with citizens identifying with a particular comarca in the same way that people in other parts of the world might identify with a particular region.

In some cases, comarques consist of rural areas and many small villages centring on an important town, where the people of the region traditionally go to shop or to sell their goods. This is the case of comarques such as the Pla d'Estany, centred on the town of Banyoles, or the Ripollès, centred on the town of Ripoll. In other cases, comarques are larger areas with many important population centres that have traditionally been considered part of the same region, as in the case of the Empordà or Vallès.

The current official division of Catalonia into comarques originates in an order of the semi-autonomous Catalan government under the Spanish Republic in 1936. It was superseded after the 1939 victory of Francisco Franco's forces in the Spanish Civil War, but restored in 1987 by the re-established Generalitat of Catalonia. Since the definition of comarques is traditionally a non-official and sometimes ambiguous, many new proposals have been made since the comarques were first officially designated as different towns attempt to adjust the official comarques with what they consider to be their traditional comarca. As a result, some revisions to the official division have been made periodically.

The comarca exists as a local government area, and has a representative comarcal council.

Borders of comarques generally do not cross those of provinces (Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Tarragona), but there are several exceptions, since the provinces are defined by the Spanish government, while comarques are defined by the Catalan government - notably in the case of Cerdanya which is split into two between the provinces of Lleida and Girona (most other cases involve only one or two municipalities).

Aran, which is included here, is officially not a comarca but a "unique territorial entity" with additional powers, but unofficially it is generally referred to as a comarca. Its current status was formalised in February 2015.[2]

List of comarques

Comarca Date
created		 Capital Number of
municipalities		 Population
(2014)[3]		 Area
(km²)[3]		 Density Province(s)
Alt Camp 1987 Valls 23 44,578 538.2 82.8 Tarragona
Alt Empordà 1987 Figueres 68 140,214 1,357.4 103.3 Girona
Alt Penedès 1987 Vilafranca del Penedès 27 106,262 592.7 179.3 Barcelona
Alt Urgell 1987 La Seu d'Urgell 19 20,878 1,447.5 14.4 Lleida
Alta Ribagorça 1988 El Pont de Suert 3 3,873 426.8 9.1 Lleida
Anoia 1987 Igualada 33 117,842 866.3 136.0 Barcelona
Aran 1987 Vielha e Mijaran 9 9,993 633.5 15.8 Lleida
Bages 1987 Manresa 30 175,527[a] 1,092.2[a] 160.7 Barcelona
Baix Camp 1987 Reus 28 190,249 697.3 272.8 Tarragona
Baix Ebre 1987 Tortosa 14 80,637 1002.6 80.4 Tarragona
Baix Empordà 1987 La Bisbal d'Empordà 36 132,886 701.8 189.4 Girona
Baix Llobregat 1987 Sant Feliu de Llobregat 30 806,249 486.2 1,658.3 Barcelona
Baix Penedès 1987 El Vendrell 14 100,262 296.4 338.3 Tarragona
Barcelonès 1987 Barcelona 5 2,227,238 145.8 15,276.0 Barcelona
Berguedà 1987 Berga 31 40,039 1,185.3 33.8 Barcelona, Lleida
Cerdanya 1987 Puigcerdà 17 18,063 546.6 33.0 Girona, Lleida
Conca de Barberà 1987 Montblanc 22 20,723 650.2 31.9 Tarragona
Garraf 1987 Vilanova i la Geltrú 6 145,886 185.1 788.1 Barcelona
Garrigues 1987 Les Borges Blanques 24 19,762 797.7 24.8 Lleida
Garrotxa 1987 Olot 21 56,036 734.5 76.3 Girona
Gironès 1987 Girona 28 185,085 575.6 321.6 Girona
Lluçanès 2023 Prats de Lluçanès n/a n/a n/a n/a Barcelona
Maresme 1987 Mataró 30 437,919 398.6 1,098.6 Barcelona
Moianès 2015 Moià 10 13,056 337.9 38.6 Barcelona
Montsià 1987 Amposta 12 69,613 735.5 94.6 Tarragona
Noguera 1987 Balaguer 30 39,376 1,784.1 22.1 Lleida
Osona 1987 Vic 50 154,559[a] 1,245.1[a] 124.1 Barcelona, Girona
Pallars Jussà 1987 Tremp 14 13,530 1,343.2 10.1 Lleida
Pallars Sobirà 1987 Sort 15 7,220 1,378.0 5.2 Lleida
Pla de l'Estany 1988 Banyoles 11 31,554 262.8 120.1 Girona
Pla d'Urgell 1988 Mollerussa 16 37,128 305.2 121.7 Lleida
Priorat 1987 Falset 23 9,550 498.7 19.1 Tarragona
Ribera d'Ebre 1987 Móra d'Ebre 14 22,925 827.1 27.7 Tarragona
Ripollès 1987 Ripoll 19 25,700 956.6 26.9 Girona
Segarra 1987 Cervera 21 22,713 722.8 31.4 Lleida
Segrià 1987 Lleida 38 209,768 1,396.4 150.2 Lleida
Selva 1987 Santa Coloma de Farners 26 170,249 994.9 171.1 Girona, Barcelona
Solsonès 1987 Solsona 15 13,497 1001.1 13.5 Lleida
Tarragonès 1987 Tarragona 22 250,306 319.2 784.2 Tarragona
Terra Alta 1987 Gandesa 12 12,119 743.0 16.3 Tarragona
Urgell 1987 Tàrrega 20 36,526 579.6 63.0 Lleida
Vallès Occidental 1987 Sabadell, Terrassa 23 899,532 583.1 1,542.7 Barcelona
Vallès Oriental 1987 Granollers 39 399,781[a] 734.5[a] 544.3 Barcelona
• Total: 42 948 7,518,903 32,108.0[4][b] 234.2

Comarcal revisions

Comarcal revisions have taken place in 1988 (creation of Pla d'Estany, Pla d'Urgell, and Alta Ribagorça),[5] 1990 (various adjustments),[6] and May 2015 (creation of Moianès).[7] The Catalan government's "Report on the revision of Catalonia's territorial organisation model" (the Roca Report [ca]), published in 2000, recommends many more changes to comarques, which have not yet been adopted except for the 2015 creation of Moianès.[8] The other proposed new comarques are: Vall de Camprodon [ca] (capital at Camprodon), Selva Marítima [ca] (capital at Blanes), Alta Segarra [ca] (capital at Calaf), Segre Mitjà [ca] (capital at Ponts), and Baix Llobregat Nord [ca] (capital at Martorell).

In a non-binding referendum in July 2015, a majority of municipalities of the Lluçanès region of Osona voted to join a proposed new comarca of that name. It was finally added to the list of Comarques on the 3rd of May of 2023. [9]

Date From comarca To comarca Municipalities
1988 Gironès Pla de l'Estany Banyoles, Camós, Cornellà del Terri, Crespià, Esponellà, Fontcoberta, Palol de Revardit, Porqueres, Sant Miquel de Campmajor, Serinyà, Vilademuls
1988 Urgell Pla d'Urgell Barbens, Castellnou de Seana, Ivars d'Urgell, Vilanova de Bellpuig, Vila-sana
1988 Segrià Pla d'Urgell Bell-lloc d'Urgell, Fondarella, Golmés, Miralcamp, Mollerussa, El Palau d'Anglesola, Sidamon
1988 Noguera Pla d'Urgell Bellvís, Linyola, El Poal
1988 Garrigues Pla d'Urgell Torregrossa
1988 Pallars Jussà Alta Ribagorça Barruera (La Vall de Boí), El Pont de Suert, Vilaller
1990 Noguera Segrià Alfarràs, La Portella
1990 Priorat Baix Camp Arbolí
1990 Tarragonès Baix Penedès Bonastre
1990 Vallès Occidental Vallès Oriental Caldes de Montbui
1990 Garraf Alt Penedès Castellet i la Gornal, Olesa de Bonesvalls
1990 Barcelonès Baix Llobregat Esplugues de Llobregat, Sant Just Desvern
1990 Tarragonès Alt Camp Els Garidells
1990 Alt Camp Baix Penedès Masllorenç
1990 Anoia Solsonès La Molsosa
1990 Ripollès Osona Montesquiu, Santa Maria de Besora, Sant Quirze de Besora, Vidrà
1990 Urgell Segarra Montornès de Segarra
1990 Baix Ebre Montsià Sant Jaume d'Enveja
1990 Segarra Conca de Barberà Vallfogona de Riucorb
1994 - Vallès Occidental Badia del Vallès
2015 Bages Moianès Calders, L'Estany, Moià, Monistrol de Calders, Santa Maria d'Oló
2015 Vallès Oriental Moianès Castellcir, Castellterçol, Granera, Sant Quirze Safaja
2015 Osona Moianès Collsuspina
2015 - Gironès Medinyà
2017 Gironès - Medinyà
2023 Osona Lluçanès Alpens, Lluçà, Olost, Oristà, Perafita, Prats de Lluçanès, Sant Martí d'Albars i Sobremunt
2023 Bages Lluçanès Sant Feliu Sasserra


Historical comarques

There are some other comarques which are often referred to as historical comarques of Catalonia, because their present territory was part of the former Principality of Catalonia, but they are now in Northern Catalonia, part of France.

Comarca Capital
Rosselló (Roussillon) Perpinyà (Perpignan)
Alta Cerdanya Font-romeu (Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via)
Capcir Els Angles (Les Angles)
Vallespir Ceret (Céret)
Conflent Prada de Conflent (Prades)

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e f Adjusted following creation of Moianès
  2. ^ The total of the figures above is 32,107.1. The difference may be due to rounding.

References

  1. ^ "The comarcal organisation of Catalonia (Act 6/1987)" (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado. 1987. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  2. ^ "LLEI 1/2015, del 5 de febrer, del règim especial d'Aran" [Administration of Aran Act] (PDF) (in Catalan). Generalitat of Catalonia. 2015-02-13. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
  3. ^ a b "El municipi en xifres". Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya. Retrieved 2015-05-25.
  4. ^ "Indicadors geogràfics. Superfície, densitat i entitats de població: Catalunya". Statistical Institute of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  5. ^ "Llei 5/1988, de 28 de març, de creació de les comarques del Pla de l'Estany, del Pla d'Urgell i de l'Alta Ribagorça" (in Catalan). Generalitat de Catalunya. 1988-03-28. Retrieved 2015-05-25.
  6. ^ "Llei 3/1990, de 8 de gener, de modificació de la divisió comarcal de Catalunya" (in Catalan). Generalitat de Catalunya. 2015-05-25. Retrieved 2015-05-25.
  7. ^ "El Parlament aprova la llei de creació del Moianès amb els vots en contra de Ciutadans i l'abstenció del PP". La Vanguardia (in Catalan). 2015-04-15. Retrieved 2015-04-15.
  8. ^ Miquel Roca i Junyent; et al. (December 2000). "Informe sobre la revisió del Model d'organització territorial de Catalunya" (PDF) (in Catalan). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-08-29.
  9. ^ Osona.com. "La llei del Lluçanès fa un pas endavant al Parlament de Catalunya". www.naciodigital.cat (in Catalan). Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  • (in Catalan) The Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya is an excellent source of statistical information for Catalonia, down to the level of individual municipalities. It is also our source for which municipalities are in which comarca. Parts of the site are in English and Spanish, although most of it is in Catalan.
  • (in Catalan) History of present comarcal division. Catalonia, La Franja and Northern Catalonia.
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