Provinces of Spain#Provinces

{{Short description|Second-level administrative divisions of Spain}}

{{Refimprove|date=May 2012}}

{{Infobox subdivision type

| name = Provinces of Spain

| alt_name =

| map = 300px

| category = Province

| territory = Kingdom of Spain

| upper_unit = Autonomous communities

| start_date = 1833

| legislation_begin = Royal Decree (30/11/1833)

| legislation_end =

| end_date =

| current_number = 50

| number_date =

| type =

| status =

| exofficio =

| population_range = 95,258–6,458,684

| area_range = 1,980–21,766 km2

| government = Provincial council

| subdivision = Municipalities

}}

A province in Spain

  • {{langx|es|provincias}}, {{IPA|es|pɾoˈβinθjas|IPA}}; sing. provincia)
  • Basque {{lang|eu|probintziak}} ({{IPA|eu|pɾobints̻iak|IPA}}, sing. probintzia.
  • Catalan {{lang|ca|províncies}} ({{IPA|ca|pɾuˈβinsiəs|IPA}}), sing. província.
  • Galician {{lang|gl|provincias}} ({{IPA|gl|pɾoˈβinθjɐs|IPA}}), sing. provincia. is a territorial division defined as a collection of municipalities.{{sfn|Spanish Constitution|1978|loc=Article 141(1)}}{{sfn| Zafra Víctor |2004|page=102}}{{sfn|Local Government Act|1985|loc=Article 31}} The current provinces of Spain correspond by and large to the provinces created under the purview of the 1833 territorial re-organization of Spain, with a similar predecessor from 1822 (during the Trienio Liberal) and an earlier precedent in the 1810 Napoleonic division of Spain into 84 prefectures.{{sfn|Canel|1994|pp=51}} There are many other groupings of municipalities that comprise the local government of Spain.{{sfn|Local Government Act|1985|loc=Articles 40-44}}

The boundaries of provinces can only be altered by the Spanish Parliament,{{sfn|Spanish Constitution|1978|loc=Article 141(1)}} giving rise to the common view that the 17 autonomous communities are subdivided into 50 provinces. In reality, the system is not hierarchical but defined according to jurisdiction ({{langx|es|competencias}}).{{sfn|MPA||loc=paragraph 1}}

The body charged with government and administration of a province is the provincial council, but their existence is controversial. As the province is defined as a "local entity" in the Constitution, the Provincial council belongs to the sphere of local government.

Provincial organization

{{Main|History of the territorial organization of Spain}}

{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2016}}

The layout of Spain's provinces closely follows the pattern of the territorial division of the country carried out in 1833. The only major change of provincial borders since that time has been the division of the Province of Canary Islands into the provinces of Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Historically, the provinces served mainly as transmission belts for policies enacted in Madrid, as Spain was a highly centralised state for most of its modern history. The provinces were the "building-blocks" from which the autonomous communities were created following processes defined in the 1978 Constitution. Consequently, no province is divided between these communities.

The importance of the provinces has declined since the adoption of the system of autonomous communities in the period of the Spanish transition to democracy. They nevertheless remain electoral districts for national elections.

Provinces are also used as geographical references: for instance in postal addresses and telephone codes. National media will also frequently use the province to disambiguate small towns or communities whose names occur frequently throughout Spain. A small town would normally be identified as being in, say, Valladolid province rather than the autonomous community of Castile and León. In addition, organisations outside Spain use provinces for statistical analysis and policy making and in comparison with other countries including NUTS, OECD, FIPS, CIA World Factbook, ISO 3166-2 and the UN's Second Administrative Level Boundaries data set project (SALB).

Most of the provinces are named after their capital town, with the exceptions of Asturias, Cantabria, the Balearic Islands, La Rioja, and Navarre — which are autonomous communities consisting of a single province — as well as the historically autonomous Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa. The names of the provinces of Las Palmas and Castellón are taken from their respective capital cities, but shortened. In almost all cases, the capital of the province is also its biggest settlement, with the exception of the provinces of Pontevedra (Vigo), Cádiz (Jerez), and Asturias (capital is Oviedo, but largest city is Gijón). Only two capitals of autonomous communities —Mérida in Extremadura and Santiago de Compostela in Galicia — are not also the capitals of provinces.

Seven of the autonomous communities comprise no more than one province each: Asturias, the Balearic Islands, Cantabria, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, and Navarre. These are sometimes referred to as "uniprovincial" communities. Ceuta, Melilla, and the plazas de soberanía are not part of any province.

File:Provinces of Spain.svg

List of provinces

The table below lists the provinces of Spain. For each, the capital city is given, together with an indication of the autonomous community to which it belongs and a link to a list of municipalities in the province. The names of the provinces and their capitals are ordered alphabetically according to the form in which they appear in the main Wikipedia articles describing them. Unless otherwise indicated, their Spanish-language names are the same; locally valid names in Spain's other co-official languages (Basque, Catalan, which is officially called Valencian in the Valencian Community, Galician) are also indicated where they differ.

class="wikitable sortable"
scope="col"| Autonomous community

! scope="col" | Province name

! scope="col" | Capital

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Lists of municipalities

rowspan="8" |{{Sort|Andalusia|File:Flag of Andalucía.svg Andalusia}} (8 provinces)

|{{Sort|Almeria|File:Flag Almería Province.svg Almería}}

|{{Sort|Almeria|Almería}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Cadiz|File:Flag Cádiz Province.svg Cádiz}}

|{{Sort|Cadiz|Cádiz}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Cordoba|File:Provincia de Córdoba - Bandera.svg Córdoba}}

|{{Sort|Cordoba|Córdoba}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Granada|File:Bandera de la provincia de Granada (España).svg Granada}}

|{{Sort|Granada|Granada}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Huelva|File:Bandera de la Provincia De Huelva.svg Huelva}}

|{{Sort|Huelva|Huelva}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Jaen|File:Bandera de la provincia de Jaén.svg Jaén}}

|{{Sort|Jaen|Jaén}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Malaga|File:Flag Málaga Province.svg Málaga}}

|{{Sort|Malaga|Málaga}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Seville|File:Flag of Diputacion de Sevilla Spain.svg Seville}}{{efn|name=Seville|{{langx|es|Sevilla}}}}

|{{Sort|Seville|Seville}}{{efn|name=Seville}}

|Municipalities

rowspan="3" |{{Sort|Aragon|File:Flag of Aragon.svg Aragon}} (3 provinces)

|{{Sort|Huesca|File:Flag of Huesca (province).svg Huesca}}

|{{Sort|Huesca|Huesca}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Teruel|File:Teruel (provincia).svg Teruel}}

|{{Sort|Teruel|Teruel}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Zaragoza|File:Flag of Zaragoza province (with coat of arms).svg Zaragoza}}

|{{Sort|Zaragoza|Zaragoza}}

|Municipalities

colspan="2" |{{Sort|Asturias|File:Flag of Asturias.svg Asturias}}{{efn|{{langx|ast|Asturies}}
{{langx|es|Asturias}}}} (1 province)

|{{Sort|Oviedo|Oviedo}}{{efn|{{langx|ast|Uviéu}}
{{langx|es|Oviedo}}}}

|Municipalities

colspan="2" |{{Sort|Balearic Islands|File:Flag of the Balearic Islands.svg Balearic Islands}}{{efn|{{langx|ca|Illes Balears}}
{{langx|es|Islas Baleares}}}} (1 province)

|{{Sort|Palma|Palma}}

|Municipalities

rowspan="3" | {{Sort|Basque Country|File:Flag of the Basque Country.svg Basque Country}}{{efn|{{langx|eu|Euskadi}}
{{langx|es|País Vasco}}}} (3 provinces)

|{{Sort|Alava|File:Álava.svg Álava}}{{efn|{{langx|eu|Araba}}
{{langx|es|Álava}}}}

|{{Sort|Vitoria-Gasteiz|Vitoria-Gasteiz}}{{efn|{{langx|eu|Gasteiz}}
{{langx|es|Vitoria}}}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Biscay|File:Bizkaikobanderea.svg Biscay}}{{efn|{{langx|eu|Bizkaia}}
{{langx|es|Vizcaya}}}}

|{{Sort|Bilbao|Bilbao}}{{efn|{{langx|eu|Bilbo}}
{{langx|es|Bilbao}}}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Guipúzcoa|File:Guipúzcoa.svg Guipúzcoa}}{{efn|{{langx|eu|Gipuzkoa}}
{{langx|es|Guipúzcoa}}}}

|{{Sort|San Sebastian|San Sebastián}}{{efn|{{langx|eu|Donostia}}
{{langx|es|San Sebastián}}}}

|Municipalities

rowspan="2" |{{Sort|Canary Islands|File:Flag of the Canary Islands.svg Canary Islands}} (2 provinces)

|{{Sort|Las Palmas|File:Bandera Provincial de Las Palmas.svg Las Palmas}}

|{{Sort|Las Palmas|Las Palmas}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Santa Cruz de Tenerife|File:Bandera Provincial de Santa Cruz de Tenerife.svg Santa Cruz de Tenerife}}

|{{Sort|Santa Cruz de Tenerife|Santa Cruz de Tenerife}}

|Municipalities

colspan="2" |{{Sort|Cantabria|File:Flag of Cantabria (Official).svg Cantabria}} (1 province)

|{{Sort|Santander|Santander}}

|Municipalities

rowspan="9" |{{Sort|Castile and Leon|File:Bandera de Castilla y León.svg Castile and León}} (9 provinces)

|{{Sort|Avila|File:Bandera de la provincia de Ávila.svg Ávila}}

|{{Sort|Avila|Ávila}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Burgos|File:Burgos (provincia).svg Burgos}}

|{{Sort|Burgos|Burgos}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Leon|File:Bandera de León.svg León}}

|{{Sort|Leon|León}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Palencia|File:Bandera de la provincia de Palencia.svg Palencia}}

|{{Sort|Palencia|Palencia}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Salamanca|File:Bandera de la provincia de Salamanca.svg Salamanca}}

|{{Sort|Salamanca|Salamanca}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Segovia|File:Flag Segovia province.svg Segovia}}

|{{Sort|Segovia|Segovia}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Soria|File:Flag Soria province.svg Soria}}

|{{Sort|Soria|Soria}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Valladolid|File:Bandera de la provincia de Valladolid.svg Valladolid}}

|{{Sort|Valladolid|Valladolid}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Zamora|File:Escudo de la provincia de Zamora.svg Zamora}}

|{{Sort|Zamora|Zamora}}

|Municipalities

rowspan="5" |{{Sort|Castilla-La Mancha|File:Bandera Castilla-La Mancha.svg Castilla-La Mancha}} (5 provinces)

|{{Sort|Albacete|File:Bandera provincia Albacete.svg Albacete}}

|{{Sort|Albacete|Albacete}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Ciudad Real|File:Flag Ciudad Real Province.svg Ciudad Real}}

|{{Sort|Ciudad Real|Ciudad Real}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Cuenca|File:Flag Cuenca Province.svg Cuenca}}

|{{Sort|Cuenca|Cuenca}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Guadalajara|File:Flag Guadalajara Province.svg Guadalajara}}

|{{Sort|Guadalajara|Guadalajara}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Toledo|File:Bandera antigua de la provincia de Toledo.svg Toledo}}

|{{Sort|Toledo|Toledo}}

|Municipalities

rowspan="4" |{{Sort|Catalonia|File:Flag of Catalonia.svg Catalonia}}{{efn|{{langx|ca|Catalunya}}
{{langx|oc|Catalonha}}
{{langx|es|Cataluña}}}} (4 provinces)

|{{Sort|Barcelona|File:Flag of Barcelona (province).svg Barcelona}}

|{{Sort|Barcelona|Barcelona}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Girona|File:Flag of Girona province (unofficial).svg Gerona}}{{efn|name=Girona|{{langx|ca|Girona}}
{{langx|es|Gerona}}}}

|{{Sort|Girona|Girona}}{{efn|name=Girona}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Lleida|File:Bandera de la provincia de Lérida.svg}} Lérida{{efn|name=Lleida|{{langx|ca|Lleida}}
{{langx|oc|Lhèida}}
{{langx|es|Lérida}}}}

|{{Sort|Lleida|Lleida}}{{efn|name=Lleida}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Tarragona|File:Bandera actual de la provincia de Tarragona (alternate).svg Tarragona}}

|{{Sort|Tarragona|Tarragona}}

|Municipalities

rowspan="2" |{{Sort|Extremadura|File:Flag of Extremadura with COA.svg Extremadura}}

|{{Sort|Badajoz|File:Bandera y Escudo de la Provincia de Badajoz, España.jpg Badajoz}}

|{{Sort|Badajoz|Badajoz}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Caceres|File:Flag of the province of Cáceres.svg Cáceres}}

|{{Sort|Caceres|Cáceres}}

|Municipalities

rowspan="4" |{{Sort|Galicia|File:Flag of Galicia.svg Galicia}} (4 provinces)

|{{Sort|La Coruna|File:Coat of Arms of the Province of Corunna.svg La Coruña}}{{efn|name=La Coruña|{{langx|gl|A Coruña}}
{{langx|es|La Coruña}}}}

|{{Sort|La Coruna|La Coruña}}{{efn|name=La Coruña}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Lugo|File:Flag of Lugo province.svg Lugo}}

|{{Sort|Lugo|Lugo}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Orense|File:Provincia de Ourense - Bandera.svg Orense}}{{efn|name=Orense|{{langx|gl|Ourense}}
{{langx|es|Orense}}}}

|{{Sort|Orense|Orense}}{{efn|name=Orense}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Pontevedra|File:Flag Pontevedra Province.svg Pontevedra}}

|{{Sort|Pontevedra|Pontevedra}}

|Municipalities

colspan="2" | {{Sort|La Rioja|File:Flag of La Rioja (with coat of arms).svg La Rioja}} (1 province)

| {{Sort|Logrono|Logroño}}

| Municipalities

colspan="2" | {{Sort|Madrid|File:Flag of the Community of Madrid.svg Madrid}} (1 province)

| {{Sort|Madrid|Madrid}}

| Municipalities

colspan="2" | {{Sort|Murcia|File:Flag of the Region of Murcia.svg Murcia}} (1 province)

| {{Sort|Murcia|Murcia}}

| Municipalities

colspan="2" | {{Sort|Navarre|File:Bandera de Navarra.svg Navarre}}{{efn|{{langx|eu|Nafarroa}}
{{langx|es|Navarra}}}} (1 province)

| {{Sort|Pamplona|Pamplona}}{{efn|{{langx|eu|Iruña}}
{{langx|es|Pamplona}}}}

| Municipalities

rowspan="3" |{{Sort|Valencian Community|File:Flag of the Land of Valencia (official).svg Valencian Community}} (3 provinces)

|{{Sort|Alicante|File:Escut de la Província d'Alacant.svg Alicante}}{{efn|name=Alacant|{{langx|ca-valencia|Alacant}}
{{langx|es|Alicante}}}}

|{{Sort|Alicante|Alicante}}{{efn|name=Alacant}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Castellon|File:Escut de la Província de Castelló.svg Castellón}}{{efn|name=Castelló|{{langx|ca-valencia|Castelló}}
{{langx|es|Castellón}}}}

|{{Sort|Castellon de la Plana|Castellón de la Plana}}{{efn|name=Castelló}}

|Municipalities

{{Sort|Valencian Community|File:Escut de la Província de València.svg Valencia}}{{efn|name=Valencia|{{langx|ca-valencia|València}}
{{langx|es|Valencia}}}}

| {{Sort|Valencia|Valencia}}{{efn|name=Valencia}}

| Municipalities

Native names:

{{notelist}}

Notes

{{reflist|group=note}}

References

{{reflist}}

Bibliography

  • {{cite web |title=The Spanish Constitution |url=https://www.boe.es/legislacion/documentos/ConstitucionINGLES.pdf |publisher=Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado |access-date=12 June 2019 |language=English |date=1978|ref={{harvid|Spanish Constitution|1978}}}}
  • {{cite web|title=Local Government Act (Organic Law 7/1985)|url=https://www.boe.es/eli/es/l/1985/04/02/7/con |publisher=Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado |access-date=12 June 2019 |year=1985|language=Spanish|ref={{harvid|Local Government Act|1985}}}}
  • {{cite journal |title=Reflexiones sobre el gobierno local |trans-title=Reflections on local government |language=Spanish |first=Manuel |last=Zafra Víctor |journal=Anuario del Gobierno Local |issn=2013-4924 |issue=1 |year=2004 |isbn=84-609-5895-7 |accessdate=9 June 2022 |location=Barcelona |publisher=Institut de Dret Públic |format=pdf |url=http://repositorio.gobiernolocal.es/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10873/519/097-114 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809071942/http://repositorio.gobiernolocal.es/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10873/519/097-114%20Zafra.pdf |archivedate=2016-08-09}}
  • {{cite web |title=Local Government in Spain |url=https://www.hacienda.gob.es/Documentacion/Publico/SGT/CATALOGO_SEFP/223_Regimen-Local-ING-INTERNET.pdf|publisher=Ministry of Public Administration |access-date=11 June 2022 |language=English|ref={{harvid|MPA|}}}}

See also