The comarques of Catalonia (singular comarca, Eastern Calatan:[kuˈmaɾkə]) are an internal division in Catalonia. A comarca is a group of municipalities, roughly equivalent to a county in the US. Currently, Catalonia is divided into 42 comarques and one unique territorial entity, Aran.[1]
Although today the comarques are officially defined under a Catalan parliamentary act,[2] 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 de l'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 It was superseded after the 1939 victory of Francisco Franco's forces in the Spanish Civil War, but restored in 1987 by the re-established Generalitat of Catalonia.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 sometimes ambiguous, many new proposals have been made since the comarques were first officially designated as attempts to modify the official distribution with what some regions consider to be a traditional comarca. As a result, some revisions to the official division have been made, such as the additions of Moianès and Lluçanès to the map, in 2015 and 2023 respectively.
The comarca exists as a local government area, and has a representative comarcal council. It is often known as county in the English language, but within the context of Catalonia, the 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.
Borders of comarques generally do not cross those of the state-level provinces (Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Tarragona), 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.[1]
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]
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.
^The total of the figures above is 32,107.1. The difference may be due to rounding.
ReferencesEdit
^ ab"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.
^"The comarcal organisation of Catalonia (Act 6/1987)" (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado. 1987. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
^ ab"El municipi en xifres". Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya. Retrieved 2015-05-25.
^"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.
^"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.
^"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.
^Miquel Roca i Junyent; et al. (December 2000). (PDF) (in Catalan). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-08-29.
^Osona.com. "La llei del Lluçanès fa un pas endavant al Parlament de Catalunya". www.naciodigital.cat (in Catalan). Retrieved 2023-05-17.
External linksEdit
(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.
September 28, 2023
comarques, catalonia, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, septe. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Comarques of Catalonia news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message The comarques of Catalonia singular comarca Eastern Calatan kuˈmaɾke are an internal division in Catalonia A comarca is a group of municipalities roughly equivalent to a county in the US Currently Catalonia is divided into 42 comarques and one unique territorial entity Aran 1 Comarques of Catalonia Anoia Bages Segarra Solsones Conca de Barbera Llucanes Moianes Osona Bergueda Cerdanya Alt Urgell PallarsSobira Vald Aran AltaRibagorca PallarsJussa Noguera Urgell Plad Urgell Segria Garrigues AltPenedes BaixLlobregat Barcelones VallesOccidental Maresme Valles Oriental Ripolles Garrotxa Alt Emporda Pla del Estany Girones Selva BaixEmporda Garraf BaixPenedes Tarragones AltCamp BaixCamp Priorat Riberad Ebre TerraAlta Baix Ebre MontsiaFrance Andorra Aragon ValenciaMediterranean SeaEach comarca has a representative comarcal council except for Barcelones which abolished it in 2019 and Aran has the Conselh Generau d Aran Comarques form the second level administrative division within Catalonia being a subdivision of vegueries or provinces at state level Contents 1 Overview 2 List of comarques 3 Comarcal revisions 4 Historical comarques 5 See also 6 Footnotes 7 References 8 External linksOverview EditSee also Local government in Spain Although today the comarques are officially defined under a Catalan parliamentary act 2 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 de l Estany centred on the town of Banyoles or the Ripolles 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 Emporda or Valles 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 sometimes ambiguous many new proposals have been made since the comarques were first officially designated as attempts to modify the official distribution with what some regions consider to be a traditional comarca As a result some revisions to the official division have been made such as the additions of Moianes and Llucanes to the map in 2015 and 2023 respectively The comarca exists as a local government area and has a representative comarcal council It is often known as county in the English language but within the context of Catalonia the 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 Borders of comarques generally do not cross those of the state level provinces Barcelona Girona Lleida Tarragona 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 1 List of comarques EditComarca Datecreated Capital Number ofmunicipalities Population 2014 3 Area km 3 Density Region Province s Alt Camp 1987 Valls 23 44 578 538 2 82 8 Camp de Tarragona TarragonaAlt Emporda 1987 Figueres 68 140 214 1 357 4 103 3 Comarques Gironines GironaAlt Penedes 1987 Vilafranca del Penedes 27 106 262 592 7 179 3 Penedes BarcelonaAlt Urgell 1987 La Seu d Urgell 19 20 878 1 447 5 14 4 Alt Pirineu LleidaAlta Ribagorca 1988 El Pont de Suert 3 3 873 426 8 9 1 Alt Pirineu LleidaAnoia 1987 Igualada 33 117 842 866 3 136 0 Penedes Central Catalonia BarcelonaAran 1987 Vielha e Mijaran 9 9 993 633 5 15 8 Aran LleidaBages 1987 Manresa 30 175 527 a 1 092 2 a 160 7 Central Catalonia BarcelonaBaix Camp 1987 Reus 28 190 249 697 3 272 8 Camp de Tarragona TarragonaBaix Ebre 1987 Tortosa 14 80 637 1002 6 80 4 Terres de l Ebre TarragonaBaix Emporda 1987 La Bisbal d Emporda 36 132 886 701 8 189 4 Comarques Gironines GironaBaix Llobregat 1987 Sant Feliu de Llobregat 30 806 249 486 2 1 658 3 Barcelona BarcelonaBaix Penedes 1987 El Vendrell 14 100 262 296 4 338 3 Penedes TarragonaBarcelones 1987 Barcelona 5 2 227 238 145 8 15 276 0 Barcelona BarcelonaBergueda 1987 Berga 31 40 039 1 185 3 33 8 Central Catalonia Barcelona LleidaCerdanya 1987 Puigcerda 17 18 063 546 6 33 0 Alt Pirineu Girona LleidaConca de Barbera 1987 Montblanc 22 20 723 650 2 31 9 Camp de Tarragona TarragonaGarraf 1987 Vilanova i la Geltru 6 145 886 185 1 788 1 Penedes BarcelonaGarrigues 1987 Les Borges Blanques 24 19 762 797 7 24 8 Ponent LleidaGarrotxa 1987 Olot 21 56 036 734 5 76 3 Comarques Gironines GironaGirones 1987 Girona 28 185 085 575 6 321 6 Comarques Gironines GironaLlucanes 2023 Prats de Llucanes n a n a n a n a Central Catalonia BarcelonaMaresme 1987 Mataro 30 437 919 398 6 1 098 6 Barcelona BarcelonaMoianes 2015 Moia 10 13 056 337 9 38 6 Central Catalonia BarcelonaMontsia 1987 Amposta 12 69 613 735 5 94 6 Terres de l Ebre TarragonaNoguera 1987 Balaguer 30 39 376 1 784 1 22 1 Ponent LleidaOsona 1987 Vic 50 154 559 a 1 245 1 a 124 1 Central Catalonia Barcelona GironaPallars Jussa 1987 Tremp 14 13 530 1 343 2 10 1 Alt Pirineu LleidaPallars Sobira 1987 Sort 15 7 220 1 378 0 5 2 Alt Pirineu LleidaPla de l Estany 1988 Banyoles 11 31 554 262 8 120 1 Comarques Gironines GironaPla d Urgell 1988 Mollerussa 16 37 128 305 2 121 7 Ponent LleidaPriorat 1987 Falset 23 9 550 498 7 19 1 Camp de Tarragona TarragonaRibera d Ebre 1987 Mora d Ebre 14 22 925 827 1 27 7 Terres de l Ebre TarragonaRipolles 1987 Ripoll 19 25 700 956 6 26 9 Comarques Gironines GironaSegarra 1987 Cervera 21 22 713 722 8 31 4 Ponent LleidaSegria 1987 Lleida 38 209 768 1 396 4 150 2 Ponent LleidaSelva 1987 Santa Coloma de Farners 26 170 249 994 9 171 1 Comarques Gironines Girona BarcelonaSolsones 1987 Solsona 15 13 497 1001 1 13 5 Central Catalonia LleidaTarragones 1987 Tarragona 22 250 306 319 2 784 2 Camp de Tarragona TarragonaTerra Alta 1987 Gandesa 12 12 119 743 0 16 3 Terres de l Ebre TarragonaUrgell 1987 Tarrega 20 36 526 579 6 63 0 Ponent LleidaValles Occidental 1987 Sabadell Terrassa 23 899 532 583 1 1 542 7 Barcelona BarcelonaValles Oriental 1987 Granollers 39 399 781 a 734 5 a 544 3 Barcelona Barcelona Total 43 948 7 518 903 32 108 0 4 b 234 2Comarcal revisions EditComarcal revisions have taken place in 1988 creation of Pla d Estany Pla d Urgell and Alta Ribagorca 5 1990 various adjustments 6 and May 2015 creation of Moianes 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 Moianes 8 The other proposed new comarques are Vall de Camprodon ca capital at Camprodon Selva Maritima ca capital at Blanes Alta Segarra ca capital at Calaf Segre Mitja 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 Llucanes 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 Municipalities1988 Girones Pla de l Estany Banyoles Camos Cornella del Terri Crespia Esponella Fontcoberta Palol de Revardit Porqueres Sant Miquel de Campmajor Serinya Vilademuls1988 Urgell Pla d Urgell Barbens Castellnou de Seana Ivars d Urgell Vilanova de Bellpuig Vila sana1988 Segria Pla d Urgell Bell lloc d Urgell Fondarella Golmes Miralcamp Mollerussa El Palau d Anglesola Sidamon1988 Noguera Pla d Urgell Bellvis Linyola El Poal1988 Garrigues Pla d Urgell Torregrossa1988 Pallars Jussa Alta Ribagorca Barruera La Vall de Boi El Pont de Suert Vilaller1990 Noguera Segria Alfarras La Portella1990 Priorat Baix Camp Arboli1990 Tarragones Baix Penedes Bonastre1990 Valles Occidental Valles Oriental Caldes de Montbui1990 Garraf Alt Penedes Castellet i la Gornal Olesa de Bonesvalls1990 Barcelones Baix Llobregat Esplugues de Llobregat Sant Just Desvern1990 Tarragones Alt Camp Els Garidells1990 Alt Camp Baix Penedes Masllorenc1990 Anoia Solsones La Molsosa1990 Ripolles Osona Montesquiu Santa Maria de Besora Sant Quirze de Besora Vidra1990 Urgell Segarra Montornes de Segarra1990 Baix Ebre Montsia Sant Jaume d Enveja1990 Segarra Conca de Barbera Vallfogona de Riucorb1994 Valles Occidental Badia del Valles2015 Bages Moianes Calders L Estany Moia Monistrol de Calders Santa Maria d Olo2015 Valles Oriental Moianes Castellcir Castelltercol Granera Sant Quirze Safaja2015 Osona Moianes Collsuspina2015 Girones Medinya2017 Girones Medinya2023 Osona Llucanes Alpens Lluca Olost Orista Perafita Prats de Llucanes Sant Marti d Albars i Sobremunt2023 Bages Llucanes Sant Feliu SasserraHistorical comarques EditThere 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 CapitalRossello Roussillon Perpinya Perpignan Alta Cerdanya Font romeu Font Romeu Odeillo Via Capcir Els Angles Les Angles Vallespir Ceret Ceret Conflent Prada de Conflent Prades See also EditComarcas of Spain Vegueries of Catalonia Municipalities of Catalonia Provinces of Spain Local government in SpainFootnotes Edit a b c d e f Adjusted following creation of Moianes The total of the figures above is 32 107 1 The difference may be due to rounding References Edit a b LLEI 1 2015 del 5 de febrer del regim especial d Aran Administration of Aran Act PDF in Catalan Generalitat of Catalonia 2015 02 13 Retrieved 2015 11 19 The comarcal organisation of Catalonia Act 6 1987 in Spanish Agencia Estatal Boletin Oficial del Estado 1987 Retrieved 11 June 2022 a b El municipi en xifres Institut d Estadistica de Catalunya Retrieved 2015 05 25 Indicadors geografics Superficie densitat i entitats de poblacio Catalunya Statistical Institute of Catalonia Retrieved 2015 11 25 Llei 5 1988 de 28 de marc de creacio de les comarques del Pla de l Estany del Pla d Urgell i de l Alta Ribagorca in Catalan Generalitat de Catalunya 1988 03 28 Retrieved 2015 05 25 Llei 3 1990 de 8 de gener de modificacio de la divisio comarcal de Catalunya in Catalan Generalitat de Catalunya 2015 05 25 Retrieved 2015 05 25 El Parlament aprova la llei de creacio del Moianes amb els vots en contra de Ciutadans i l abstencio del PP La Vanguardia in Catalan 2015 04 15 Retrieved 2015 04 15 Miquel Roca i Junyent et al December 2000 Informe sobre la revisio del Model d organitzacio territorial de Catalunya PDF in Catalan Archived from the original PDF on 2014 08 29 Osona com La llei del Llucanes fa un pas endavant al Parlament de Catalunya www naciodigital cat in Catalan Retrieved 2023 05 17 External links Edit in Catalan The Institut d Estadistica 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 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Comarques of Catalonia amp oldid 1176328834, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
