Catalonia
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Catalonia (Catalan: Catalunya, Spanish: Cataluña, French: Catalogne) is an autonomous region (comunitat autònoma) in the north-east of Spain. It covers an area of 31,950 sq. km. with a population of 6.3 million, and its capital is Barcelona.
See comarques of Catalonia for administrative division in comarques (sort of counties).
The Spanish administrative division includes these 4 provinces: Barcelona (province), Girona (province), Lleida (province), Tarragona (province).
It constitutes the original nucleus and the most important and extensive territory of Catalan language and culture. The historic region of Catalonia also includes the Roussillon (Catalan: Rosselló), a province of France since 1659. The neighbouring Valencia region (Catalan: València), the Balearic Islands (Catalan: Illes Balears), and an adjacent area of Aragon (informally referred to as la Franja) are closely associated with Catalonia historically and linguistically. The whole area is usually referred to as Catalan Countries (Catalan: "Països Catalans").
Linguistic classifications are a politically contentious issue in Spain. While it makes sense to say that different dialects of the same language are spoken in all those areas (with further variations within the three regions), there are minorities in Valencia and the Balearic Islands who wish to consider their languages as separate ones. However, the unity of the Catalan language is not an issue among the academics since the Catalan language is less fragmented than similar languages like Italian or Spanish. The pretended lack of unity of the language has been mainly used by politicians that want to tear apart the different territories of the Catalan Countries.
Geography
The Spanish autonomous region of Catalonia limits with Valencia to the south, Aragon to the west, France and Andorra to the north, and the Mediterranean Sea to the east and southeast.
Mountains:
- Catalan Pyrenees: Val d'Aran in the north face, Pica d'Estats 3141 m., Puigmal 2911 m., Cerdanya depression, Perthus pass (near the ancient Roman road).
- Catalan Litoral mounts: Montseny, Montserrat, Montsant.
- Iberic system: Maestrat.
Major rivers:
Culture
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Catalonia:
- Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco, Tarragona
- Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí
- Parc Güell, Barcelona
- Palau Güell, Barcelona
- Casa Milà, Barcelona
- Poblet Monastery, Poblet, Tarragona province
- Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona
- Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona
Famous Catalans include the musicians Pau Casals and Isaac Albeniz, the singers Montserrat Cavallé and Josep Carreras, the artists Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró, the architect Antoni Gaudí. The Majorcan-born philosopher Ramon Llull wrote many of his works in his native Catalan.
Traditions
Catalonia's festivals and traditions unify Catalan society and help to give it its particular character. Amongst the most striking of festive events are the correfocs, in which devils play with fire and with the people. These devils are not the incarnation of evil; they are sprightly and festive, dancing to the sound of the tambourine and the traditional oboe, while they set off their fireworks.
But perhaps the most spectacular of the Catalan festivals are those of the colles castelleres, groups of enthusiasts who form impressive human towers (up to nine people high towers). This is an old tradition of the Tarragona region, which has now spread to many parts of Catalonia, and has become a real spectacle, or sport, that attracts thousands of Catalans. Amongst other important festivities are the carnival in Vilanova i la Geltrú and the Patum in Berga.
Then, there is the very special music of the cobles, the wind bands that play sardanes. The sardana is a circular, open dance, that originated in the Empordà region (north of the country by the Mediterranean sea and the Pyrenees (Catalan Pirineus), and is now danced in many squares and streets. Anyone can join in.