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comarques of Catalonia

{{Short description|Groups of municipalities in Catalonia, Spain}}

{{More citations needed|date=September 2020}}

The comarques of Catalonia (singular comarca, {{IPA|ca|kuˈmarkə|label=Eastern Catalan:}}, {{IPA|ca|koˈmaɾka|label=Western Catalan:}}), often referred to in English as counties,{{Cite web |title=Idescat. Statistical Yearbook of Catalonia. County councils. Councillors. Counties. |url=https://www.idescat.cat/indicadors/?id=aec&n=15897&lang=en |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=www.idescat.cat}}{{Cite web |date=2023-05-06 |title=Festivals in southern Terres de l'Ebre counties form new group to increase visibility |url=https://www.catalannews.com/culture/item/festivals-in-southern-terres-de-lebre-counties-unite-in-new-group-to-increase-visibility |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=www.catalannews.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Coronavirus: Spain puts 200,000 people in Catalonia back into lockdown as cases rise |url=https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-spain-puts-200-000-people-in-catalonia-back-into-lockdown-as-cases-rise-12020938 |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=Sky News |language=en}}{{efn|Not to be confused with the historical Catalan counties.}} are an administrative division of Catalonia. Each comarca comprises a number of municipalities, roughly equivalent to a county in the United States. Currently, Catalonia is divided into 42 comarques and Aran, considered a "unique territorial entity" and not a comarca.

Each comarca has a representative county council ({{langx|ca|consell comarcal|links=no}}), except for Barcelonès, which abolished it in 2019, and Aran, which instead 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).

Comarques of Catalonia

{{Image label begin|image=CataloniaInEurope.svg|width={{{width|600}}}|float={{{float|right}}}}}

{{Image label small|x=0.49|y=0.60|scale={{{width|400}}}|text =Anoia}}

{{Image label small|x=0.55|y=0.52|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Bages}}

{{Image label small|x=0.39|y=0.53|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Segarra}}

{{Image label small|x=0.44|y=0.40|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Solsonès}}

{{Image label small|x=0.34|y=0.64|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Conca
de Barberà}}

{{Image label small|x=0.62|y=0.39|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Lluçanès}}

{{Image label small|x=0.63|y=0.49|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Moianès}}

{{Image label small|x=0.72|y=0.42|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Osona}}

{{Image label small|x=0.56|y=0.35|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Berguedà}}

{{Image label small|x=0.54|y=0.25|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Cerdanya}}

{{Image label small|x=0.41|y=0.28|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Alt Urgell}}

{{Image label small|x=0.36|y=0.15|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Pallars
Sobirà}}

{{Image label small|x=0.23|y=0.07|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Val
d'Aran}}

{{Image label small|x=0.24|y=0.19|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Alta
Ribagorça}}

{{Image label small|x=0.26|y=0.31|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Pallars
Jussà}}

{{Image label small|x=0.26|y=0.44|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Noguera}}

{{Image label small|x=0.33|y=0.58|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Urgell}}

{{Image label small|x=0.25|y=0.54|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Pla
d'Urgell}}

{{Image label small|x=0.14|y=0.59|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Segrià}}

{{Image label small|x=0.22|y=0.65|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Garrigues}}

{{Image label small|x=0.52|y=0.65|scale={{{width|400}}}| text =Alt
Penedès}}

{{Image label small|x=0.60|y=0.70|scale={{{width|400}}}| text =Baix
Llobregat}}

{{Image label small|x=0.70|y=0.67|scale={{{width|400}}}| text =Barcelonès}}

{{Image label small|x=0.63|y=0.60|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Vallès
Occidental}}

{{Image label small|x=0.76|y=0.60|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Maresme}}

{{Image label small|x=0.71|y=0.56|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Vallès Oriental}}

{{Image label small|x=0.67|y=0.28|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Ripollès}}

{{Image label small|x=0.79|y=0.31|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Garrotxa}}

{{Image label small|x=0.90|y=0.26|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Alt Empordà}}

{{Image label small|x=0.87|y=0.34|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Pla de
l'Estany}}

{{Image label small|x=0.86|y=0.42|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Gironès}}

{{Image label small|x=0.82|y=0.49|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Selva}}

{{Image label small|x=0.97|y=0.42|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Baix
Empordà}}

{{Image label small|x=0.54|y=0.76|scale={{{width|400}}}| text =Garraf}}

{{Image label small|x=0.43|y=0.72|scale={{{width|400}}}| text =Baix
Penedès}}

{{Image label small|x=0.35|y=0.78|scale={{{width|400}}}| text =Tarragonès}}

{{Image label small|x=0.34|y=0.71|scale={{{width|400}}}| text =Alt
Camp}}

{{Image label small|x=0.27|y=0.78|scale={{{width|400}}}| text =Baix
Camp}}

{{Image label small|x=0.22|y=0.74|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Priorat}}

{{Image label small|x=0.15|y=0.79|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Ribera
d'Ebre}}

{{Image label small|x=0.08|y=0.79|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Terra
Alta}}

{{Image label small|x=0.1|y=0.91|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Baix Ebre}}

{{Image label small|x=0.08|y=0.99|scale={{{width|400}}}| text= Montsià}}{{Image label small|x=0.76| y=0.14|scale={{{width|400}}}| text=Northern Catalonia/
Pyrénées-Orientales (France) }}

{{Image label small|x=0.65|y=0.06|scale={{{width|400}}}| text=France }}

{{Image label small|x=0.50|y=0.15|scale={{{width|400}}}| text=Andorra }}

{{Image label small|x=0.10|y=0.34| scale={{{width|400}}}| text=Aragon }}

{{Image label small|x=0.02|y=1.05| scale={{{width|400}}}| text=Valencia }}{{Image label small|x=0.55|y=0.92|scale={{{width|400}}}| text=Mediterranean Sea }}

{{Image label end}}

Overview

{{see also | Local government in Spain}}

Although today the comarques are officially defined under a Catalan parliamentary act,{{cite web|title= The comarcal organisation of Catalonia (Act 6/1987)|url=https://www.boe.es/eli/es-ct/l/1987/04/04/6|publisher=Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado |access-date=11 June 2022 |year=1987|pages=12192–12201 |language=Spanish}} 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 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.

Comarques exist as a local government area, and have a representative county council. They are often known as counties in the English language, but this can be confused with the counties that were ruled by counts.

Borders of comarques generally do not cross those of the four state-level provinces (Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Tarragona). However, since the provinces are defined by the Spanish government, while comarques are defined by the Catalan government, exceptions do exist{{snd}}most notably in the case of Cerdanya, which is roughly evenly split between the provinces of Lleida and Girona (other exceptions generally involve only a handful of municipalities).

Aran, which is included here, is officially not a comarca but a "unique territorial entity" with additional powers. Its current status was formalised in February 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.conselharan.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Llei-1_2015-Regim-Especiau-dAran2.pdf|title=LLEI 1/2015, del 5 de febrer, del règim especial d'Aran|trans-title= Administration of Aran Act|publisher=Generalitat of Catalonia|language=ca|date=2015-02-13|access-date=2015-11-19}}

List of comarques

{{Update|section|date=February 2024}}

class="wikitable sortable"

! Comarca !! Date{{br}}created !! Capital !! Number of{{br}}municipalities{{br}}{{Update inline|date=May 2023}} !! Population{{br}}(2014){{cite web|url=http://www.idescat.cat/emex/|title=El municipi en xifres|publisher=Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya|access-date=2015-05-25}} !! Area{{br}}(km2) !! Density

!Region (vegueria)!! Province(s)

Alt Campalign=center | 1987Vallsalign=center | 23align=right | 44,578align=right | 538.2align=right | 82.8

|Camp de Tarragona

Tarragona
Alt Empordàalign=center | 1987Figueresalign=center | 68align=right | 140,214align=right | 1,357.4align=right | 103.3

|Comarques Gironines

Girona
Alt Penedèsalign=center | 1987Vilafranca del Penedèsalign=center | 27align=right | 106,262align=right | 592.7align=right | 179.3

|Penedès

Barcelona
Alt Urgellalign=center | 1987La Seu d'Urgellalign=center | 19align=right | 20,878align=right | 1,447.5align=right | 14.4

|Alt Pirineu

Lleida
Alta Ribagorçaalign=center | 1988El Pont de Suertalign=center | 3align=right | 3,873align=right | 426.8align=right | 9.1

|Alt Pirineu

Lleida
Anoiaalign=center | 1987Igualadaalign=center | 33align=right | 117,842align=right | 866.3align=right | 136.0

|Penedès, Central Catalonia

Barcelona
Aranalign=center | 1987Vielha e Mijaranalign=center | 9align=right | 9,993align=right | 633.5align=right | 15.8

| Aran

Lleida
Bagesalign=center | 1987Manresaalign=center | 30align=right | 175,527Adjusted following creation of Moianèsalign="right" | 1,092.2align="right" | 160.7

| Central Catalonia

Barcelona
Baix Campalign=center | 1987Reusalign=center | 28align=right | 190,249align=right | 697.3align=right | 272.8

| Camp de Tarragona

Tarragona
Baix Ebrealign=center | 1987Tortosaalign=center | 14align=right | 80,637align=right | 1002.6align=right | 80.4

| Terres de l'Ebre

Tarragona
Baix Empordàalign=center | 1987La Bisbal d'Empordàalign=center | 36align=right | 132,886align=right | 701.8align=right | 189.4

| Comarques Gironines

Girona
Baix Llobregatalign=center | 1987Sant Feliu de Llobregatalign=center | 30align=right | 806,249align=right | 486.2align=right | 1,658.3

| Barcelona

Barcelona
Baix Penedèsalign=center | 1987El Vendrellalign=center | 14align=right | 100,262align=right | 296.4align=right | 338.3

| Penedès

Tarragona
Barcelonèsalign=center | 1987Barcelonaalign=center | 5align=right | 2,227,238align=right | 145.8align=right | 15,276.0

| Barcelona

Barcelona
Berguedàalign=center | 1987Bergaalign=center | 31align=right | 40,039align=right | 1,185.3align=right | 33.8

| Central Catalonia

Barcelona, Lleida
Cerdanyaalign=center | 1987Puigcerdàalign=center | 17align=right | 18,063align=right | 546.6align=right | 33.0

| Alt Pirineu

Girona, Lleida
Conca de Barberàalign=center | 1987Montblancalign=center | 22align=right | 20,723align=right | 650.2align=right | 31.9

| Camp de Tarragona

Tarragona
Garrafalign=center | 1987Vilanova i la Geltrúalign=center | 6align=right | 145,886align=right | 185.1align=right | 788.1

| Penedès

Barcelona
Garriguesalign=center | 1987Les Borges Blanquesalign=center | 24align=right | 19,762align=right | 797.7align=right | 24.8

| Ponent

Lleida
Garrotxaalign=center | 1987Olotalign=center | 21align=right | 56,036align=right | 734.5align=right | 76.3

| Comarques Gironines

Girona
Gironèsalign=center | 1987Gironaalign=center | 28align=right | 185,085align=right | 575.6align=right | 321.6

| Comarques Gironines

Girona
Lluçanèsalign=center | 2023Prats de Lluçanèsalign=center | n/aalign=right | n/aalign=right | n/aalign=right | n/a

| Central Catalonia

Barcelona
Maresmealign=center | 1987Mataróalign=center | 30align=right | 437,919align=right | 398.6align=right | 1,098.6

| Barcelona

Barcelona
Moianèsalign=center | 2015Moiàalign=center | 10align=right | 13,056align=right | 337.9align=right | 38.6

| Central Catalonia

Barcelona
Montsiàalign=center | 1987Ampostaalign=center | 12align=right | 69,613align=right | 735.5align=right | 94.6

| Terres de l'Ebre

Tarragona
Nogueraalign=center | 1987Balagueralign=center | 30align=right | 39,376align=right | 1,784.1align=right | 22.1

| Ponent

Lleida
Osonaalign=center | 1987Vicalign=center | 50align=right | 154,559align="right" | 1,245.1align="right" | 124.1

| Central Catalonia

Barcelona, Girona
Pallars Jussàalign=center | 1987Trempalign=center | 14align=right | 13,530align=right | 1,343.2align=right | 10.1

| Alt Pirineu

Lleida
Pallars Sobiràalign=center | 1987Sortalign=center | 15align=right | 7,220align=right | 1,378.0align=right | 5.2

| Alt Pirineu

Lleida
Pla de l'Estanyalign=center | 1988Banyolesalign=center | 11align=right | 31,554align=right | 262.8align=right | 120.1

| Comarques Gironines

Girona
Pla d'Urgellalign=center | 1988Mollerussaalign=center | 16align=right | 37,128align=right | 305.2align=right | 121.7

| Ponent

Lleida
Prioratalign=center | 1987Falsetalign=center | 23align=right | 9,550align=right | 498.7align=right | 19.1

| Camp de Tarragona

Tarragona
Ribera d'Ebrealign=center | 1987Móra d'Ebrealign=center | 14align=right | 22,925align=right | 827.1align=right | 27.7

| Terres de l'Ebre

Tarragona
Ripollèsalign=center | 1987Ripollalign=center | 19align=right | 25,700align=right | 956.6align=right | 26.9

| Comarques Gironines

Girona
Segarraalign=center | 1987Cerveraalign=center | 21align=right | 22,713align=right | 722.8align=right | 31.4

| Ponent

Lleida
Segriàalign=center | 1987Lleidaalign=center | 38align=right | 209,768align=right | 1,396.4align=right | 150.2

| Ponent

Lleida
Selvaalign=center | 1987Santa Coloma de Farnersalign=center | 26align=right | 170,249align=right | 994.9align=right | 171.1

| Comarques Gironines

Girona, Barcelona
Solsonèsalign=center | 1987Solsonaalign=center | 15align=right | 13,497align=right | 1001.1align=right | 13.5

| Central Catalonia

Lleida
Tarragonèsalign=center | 1987Tarragonaalign=center | 22align=right | 250,306align=right | 319.2align=right | 784.2

| Camp de Tarragona

Tarragona
Terra Altaalign=center | 1987Gandesaalign=center | 12align=right | 12,119align=right | 743.0align=right | 16.3

| Terres de l'Ebre

Tarragona
Urgellalign=center | 1987Tàrregaalign=center | 20align=right | 36,526align=right | 579.6align=right | 63.0

| Ponent

Lleida
Vallès Occidentalalign=center | 1987Sabadell, Terrassaalign=center | 23align=right | 899,532align=right | 583.1align=right | 1,542.7

| Barcelona

Barcelona
Vallès Orientalalign=center | 1987Granollersalign=center | 39align=right | 399,781align="right" | 734.5align="right" | 544.3

| Barcelona

Barcelona
class="sortbottom"

| Total comarques–43

Barcelonaalign=center | 948align=right | 7,518,903align=right | 32,108.0{{cite web|url=http://www.idescat.cat/pub/?id=inddt&n=396&lang=en|title=Indicadors geogràfics. Superfície, densitat i entitats de població: Catalunya|publisher=Statistical Institute of Catalonia|access-date=2015-11-25}}The total of the figures above is 32,107.1. The difference may be due to rounding.align="right" | 234.2

|

Comarca revisions

Revisions to the comarques took place in 1988 (creation of Pla d'Estany, Pla d'Urgell, and Alta Ribagorça),{{cite web|url=http://portaljuridic.gencat.cat/ca/pjur_ocults/pjur_resultats_fitxa/?action=fitxa&documentId=23086&language=ca_ES&mode=single|title=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|publisher=Generalitat de Catalunya|language=ca|date=1988-03-28|access-date=2015-05-25}} 1990 (various adjustments),{{cite web|url=http://portaljuridic.gencat.cat/ca/pjur_ocults/pjur_resultats_fitxa/?action=fitxa&documentId=41586&language=ca_ES&mode=single|title=Llei 3/1990, de 8 de gener, de modificació de la divisió comarcal de Catalunya|publisher=Generalitat de Catalunya|language=ca|date=2015-05-25|access-date=2015-05-25}} and May 2015 (creation of Moianès).{{cite news|url=http://www.lavanguardia.com/local/bages/20150415/54430644006/el-parlament-aprova-la-llei-de-creacio-del-moianes-amb-els-vots-en-contra-de-ciutadans-i.html|title=El Parlament aprova la llei de creació del Moianès amb els vots en contra de Ciutadans i l'abstenció del PP|newspaper=La Vanguardia|language=ca|date=2015-04-15|access-date=2015-04-15}} The Catalan government's "Report on the revision of Catalonia's territorial organisation model" (the {{Interlanguage link multi|Roca Report|ca|3=Informe Roca}}), published in 2000, recommends many more changes to comarques, which have not yet been adopted except for the 2015 creation of Moianès.{{cite web|url=http://www.geosoc.udl.es/professorat/informe_OTC.pdf |title=Informe sobre la revisió del Model d'organització territorial de Catalunya |author=Miquel Roca i Junyent |language=ca |date=December 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140829023715/http://www.geosoc.udl.es/professorat/informe_OTC.pdf |archive-date=2014-08-29 |display-authors=etal |url-status=dead }} The other proposed new comarques are: {{Interlanguage link multi|Vall de Camprodon|ca}} (capital at Camprodon), {{Interlanguage link multi|Selva Marítima|ca}} (capital at Blanes), {{Interlanguage link multi|Alta Segarra|ca}} (capital at Calaf), {{Interlanguage link multi|Segre Mitjà|ca}} (capital at Ponts), and {{Interlanguage link multi|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 2023. {{Cite web |last=Osona.com |title=La llei del Lluçanès fa un pas endavant al Parlament de Catalunya |url=https://www.naciodigital.cat/osona/noticia/50567/llei-llucanes-fa-pas-endavant-al-parlament-catalunya |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=www.naciodigital.cat |language=ca}}

class="wikitable sortable"
DateFrom comarcaTo comarcaMunicipalities
1988GironèsPla de l'EstanyBanyoles, Camós, Cornellà del Terri, Crespià, Esponellà, Fontcoberta, Palol de Revardit, Porqueres, Sant Miquel de Campmajor, Serinyà, Vilademuls
1988UrgellPla d'UrgellBarbens, Castellnou de Seana, Ivars d'Urgell, Vilanova de Bellpuig, Vila-sana
1988SegriàPla d'UrgellBell-lloc d'Urgell, Fondarella, Golmés, Miralcamp, Mollerussa, El Palau d'Anglesola, Sidamon
1988NogueraPla d'UrgellBellvís, Linyola, El Poal
1988GarriguesPla d'UrgellTorregrossa
1988Pallars JussàAlta RibagorçaBarruera (La Vall de Boí), El Pont de Suert, Vilaller
1990NogueraSegriàAlfarràs, La Portella
1990PrioratBaix CampArbolí
1990TarragonèsBaix PenedèsBonastre
1990Vallès OccidentalVallès OrientalCaldes de Montbui
1990GarrafAlt PenedèsCastellet i la Gornal, Olesa de Bonesvalls
1990BarcelonèsBaix LlobregatEsplugues de Llobregat, Sant Just Desvern
1990TarragonèsAlt CampEls Garidells
1990Alt CampBaix PenedèsMasllorenç
1990AnoiaSolsonèsLa Molsosa
1990RipollèsOsonaMontesquiu, Santa Maria de Besora, Sant Quirze de Besora, Vidrà
1990UrgellSegarraMontornès de Segarra
1990Baix EbreMontsiàSant Jaume d'Enveja
1990SegarraConca de BarberàVallfogona de Riucorb
1994-Vallès OccidentalBadia del Vallès
2015BagesMoianèsCalders, L'Estany, Moià, Monistrol de Calders, Santa Maria d'Oló
2015Vallès OrientalMoianèsCastellcir, Castellterçol, Granera, Sant Quirze Safaja
2015OsonaMoianèsCollsuspina
2015-GironèsMedinyà
2017Gironès-Medinyà{{dagger}}
2023SegarraSolsonèsTorà, Biosca
2023

|Osona

|Lluçanès

|Alpens, Lluçà, Olost, Oristà, Perafita, Prats de Lluçanès, Sant Martí d'Albars, Sobremunt

2023

|Bages

|Lluçanès

|Sant Feliu Sasserra

2023

|Lluçanès

|Bages

|Sant Feliu Sasserra

Northern Catalan comarques

{{Main|Comarques of Northern Catalonia}}

There are six comarques which are often referred to as the historical comarques of Catalonia, because their present-day territory was a part of the former Principality of Catalonia, but nowadays they lie in Northern Catalonia, administered by France.

class="wikitable"

! Comarca !! Capital

Alta CerdanyaFont-romeu
CapcirEls Angles
ConflentPrada de Conflent
RossellóPerpinyà
VallespirCeret

See also

Footnotes

{{reflist|2|group=lower-alpha}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{in lang|ca}} The Statistical Institute of Catalonia contains statistical information for Catalonia, with in-depth details for each individual comarca and other types of divisions. [https://www.idescat.cat/?lang=en Link to the English version].
  • {{in lang|ca}} History of the current county division. [http://www.racocatala.cat/eltalp/dtc12.htm Catalonia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070127113921/http://www.racocatala.cat/eltalp/dtc12.htm |date=2007-01-27 }}, [http://www.racocatala.cat/eltalp/dtc14.htm La Franja] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070127113941/http://www.racocatala.cat/eltalp/dtc14.htm |date=2007-01-27 }} and [http://www.racocatala.cat/eltalp/dtc11.htm Northern Catalonia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070127113911/http://www.racocatala.cat/eltalp/dtc11.htm |date=2007-01-27 }}.

{{Catalonia topics}}

{{Comarcas of Spain}}