Greater Bilbao (

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

: ''Bilboaldea'',

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

: ''Gran Bilbao'') is an

administrative division Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...

of the province of

Biscay Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao. B ...

, in the Basque Country, Spain. It is one of the seven

comarcas A ''comarca'' (, or , or ) is a traditional region or local administrative division found in Portugal, Spain and some of their former colonies, like Brazil, Nicaragua, and Panama. The term is derived from the term ''marca'', meaning a "march, ...

of Biscay and the most populated one. The capital city of Greater Bilbao is

Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...

. Greater Bilbao is made by the municipalities situated along the

Estuary of Bilbao The Estuary of Bilbao (Spanish: ''Ría de Bilbao'' / Basque: ''Bilboko Itsasadarra'') lies at the common mouth of the rivers Nervion, Ibaizabal and Cadagua, which drain most of Biscay and part of Alava in the Basque Country, Spain. In this inst ...

which themselves form a conurbation, which metropolitan area is the fifth most populous in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

Geography

Greater Bilbao, or ''Bilboaldea'', is located at the northwest of the province of

, limiting with the comarcas of Enkarterri in the west,

Mungialdea Mungialdea, also known as Uribe-Butroe,Busturialdea in the east,

Durangaldea Durangaldea ( Spanish: ''Duranguesado'') is a comarca of Biscay located in the Basque Country, Spain. It is one of the seven ''eskualdeak/comarcas'' or regions that compose the province of Biscay. The capital city of Durangaldea is Durango. Ge ...

in the southeast and

Arratia-Nerbioi Arratia-Nerbioi (Spanish: ''Arratia-Nervión'') is a comarca of the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country, Spain. It is formed by the valleys of the Arratia river and the Nervión river. It is one of the seven ''eskualdeak'' or ''comarcas'' t ...

in the south. The Bay of Biscay limits at north.

Divisions

Greater Bilbao can be divided into six ''subcomarcas'' or subregions: * The city of

Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...

itself, comprising a single

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

but containing eight districts; earlier part of the

Uribe The Merindad de Uribe or Uribealdea is a historical subdivision of Biscay, Basque Country, Spain. It contained most of the municipalities now within the comarca of Greater Bilbao in the Bilbao metropolitan area (other than the majority of the '' ...

region (

merindad ''Merindad'' () is a Mediaeval Spanish administrative term for a country subdivision smaller than a province but larger than a municipality. The officer in charge of a merindad was called a merino, roughly equivalent to the English ''count'' or ...

) *'' The left bank'': Traditionally an industrial, port, and manufacturing zone. It includes

Barakaldo Barakaldo ( es, Baracaldo; eu, Barakaldo ) is a municipality located in the Biscay province in the Basque Country. Located on the Left Bank of the Estuary of Bilbao, the city is part of Greater Bilbao, has a population at 100,881. Barakaldo h ...

Sestao Sestao is a town and municipality of 27,296 inhabitants located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. It is in the left bank of the Estuary of Bilbao and part of Bilbao's metropolitan area. ...

Portugalete Portugalete is a town lying to the west of Bilbao in the province of Biscay in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain. The town has 45,766 inhabitants (2019 census) and is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area. It is located a ...

and

Santurtzi Santurtzi ( es, Santurce; eu, Santurtzi ) is a port town in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, Spain. It is located in the Bilbao Abra bay, near the mouth of the Nervión river, on its left bank, 14 km dow ...

; earlier part of a larger merindad of Enkarterri, other than Barakaldo which was part of Uribe *'' The right bank'': A mainly residential area, including

Erandio Erandio is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. The name comes from euskera ARANDIO that means plum plantation or field. In 1415, during the War of the Bands, ...

Leioa Leioa ( es, Lejona) is a municipality in Biscay, Basque Country, in northern Spain. It is located south of Getxo and Berango delimitating east and south with Erandio, Portugalete and Sestao. Today it is part of the Bilbao conurbation. Its populat ...

, and the more affluent

Getxo Getxo () is a town located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, in Spain. It is part of Greater Bilbao, and has 77,946 inhabitants (2019). Getxo is mostly an affluent residential area, as well as being the ...

; earlier part of Uribe *''The

mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic ...

zone'' west of the left bank, where the main iron ore resources were located:

Muskiz Muskiz is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. Neighborhoods Muskiz is administratively divided into six neighborhoods or wards: Demography Economy ...

, Gallarta, Ortuella; earlier part of Enkarterri *'' Txoriherri'', wide expansion zone north of Bilbao / east of the right bank, where the international airport and the

University of the Basque Country The University of the Basque Country ( eu, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, ''EHU''; es, Universidad del País Vasco, ''UPV''; UPV/EHU) is a Spanish public university of the Basque Autonomous Community. Heir of the University of Bilbao, initiall ...

are located; earlier part of Uribe *'' Hego Uribe'', south-east of Bilbao including

Basauri Basauri is a major municipality of Biscay, in the Basque Country, an Autonomous Community in northern Spain. The town is a part of the Greater Bilbao conurbation, being only a few kilometers south of Bilbao. It is an industrial town that also i ...

Galdakao Galdakao is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. It is located in the Greater Bilbao, in the valley of the Ibaizabal river, near the Ganguren mountain range. ...

and

Arrigorriaga Arrigorriaga is a town and municipality located in the province of Bizkaia, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. Arrigorriaga is located 7 km south of Bilbao and is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area. Its offici ...

; earlier part of Uribe *'' Uribe-Kosta'': the coastal area north of Getxo is being integrated into the metropolitan area in the recent years, with the development of low density residential areas connected by the metro; earlier part of Uribe, most of the municipalities in this zone belong to the

Mungialdea Mungialdea, also known as Uribe-Butroe, Greater Bilbao is divided into 25

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

, being

Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...

the capital city. The 25 municipalities, among with some others, make the Metropolitan Area of Bilbao.

References

External links

*
Comarca del Gran Bilbao (Biscay Government)

Bilbao Ría 2000

{{coord missing, Spain Populated coastal places in Spain Comarcas of Biscay Metropolitan areas of Spain Estuary of Bilbao

Geography

Divisions

See also

References

External links