The province of A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical en, link=no, Corunna) is the northwesternmost province of
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 ...
, and one of the four provinces which constitute the
autonomous community
eu, autonomia erkidegoa
ca, comunitat autònoma
gl, comunidade autónoma
oc, comunautat autonòma
an, comunidat autonoma
ast, comunidá autónoma
, alt_name =
, map =
, category = Autonomous administra ...
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
Lugo Province
Lugo is a province of northwestern Spain, in the northeastern part of the autonomous community of Galicia. It is bordered by the provinces of Ourense, Pontevedra, and A Coruña, the principality of Asturias, the State of León, and in the nor ...
to the east.
History
The history of this province starts at the end of the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. During those years this province was far smaller than today. This is because in the
1833 territorial division of Spain
The 1833 territorial division of Spain divided the country into provinces, in turn classified into "historic regions" ( es, link=no, regiones históricas).Province of Betanzos together with half of the
Mondoñedo
Mondoñedo () is a small town and municipality in the Galician province of Lugo, Spain. , the town has a population of 4,508. Mondoñedo occupies a sheltered valley among the northern outliers of the Cantabrian Mountains. Despite being the core ...
were amalgamated into one single province with its capital city in A Coruña.
Since 1833, the province has always been the one with the largest population and largest coast. Until the second half of the 20th century, this province was both the religious and cultural centre of the entire region. The
University of Santiago de Compostela
, established =
, type = Public
, budget = €228 million (2011)
, rector = Prof. Dr. Antonio López Díaz
, city = Santiago de Compostela
, state = Galicia
, country = Spain
, undergrad = 23,835
, postgrad = 1,716
, doctoral = 2,697
...
was the only university in North-western Spain until the arrival of democracy after the death of General
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War ...
cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica (Spanish and Galician: ) is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain. The c ...
is the destination of the
Way of St. James
The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the Twelve Apostle ...
, a major historical
pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...
route since the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
which still gathers thousands of pilgrims each year from all over the world.
national park
A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...
in Galicia. It is shared between the Provinces of A Coruña and
Pontevedra
Pontevedra (, ) is a Spanish city in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. It is the capital of both the ''Comarca'' (County) and Province of Pontevedra, and of the Rías Baixas in Galicia. It is also the capital of its own municipality whi ...
.
*
The "Fragas" of the River Eume Natural Park
The Fragas do Eume is a natural park situated in north-west Spain. ''Fraga'' is a Galician word for "natural woodland", ( old-growth forest) and the park is an example of a temperate rainforest in which oak (''Quercus robur'' and ''Quercus pyre ...
extends itself throughout the
Eume
O Eume is a comarca in the province of A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. Its capital is the municipality of Pontedeume. It contains five municipalities and 24,629 inhabitantsINE 2018 in an area of 538.7 km2.
Municipalities
The five municipalities ...
Ferrolterra
Ferrol is a coastal ''comarca'' in the northwest of the province of A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. It is also known as Ferrolterra. The area is 613.4 km2, and the overall population of this ''comarca'' was 161,154 at the 2011 Census; the latest offic ...
.
*
The Dunes of Corrubedo Natural Park
Dunes of Corrubedo Natural Park ( Galician: ''Dunas de Corrubedo e Lagoas de Carregal e Vixán'') is a natural park on the Atlantic coast of Spain. It is one of six natural parks in the autonomous community of Galicia. It is situated at the ve ...
(''Parque Natural das Dunas de Corrubedo e lagoas de Carregal e Vixán'') is a beach park at the very end of the Barbanza Peninsula.
Ferrolterra
Ferrol is a coastal ''comarca'' in the northwest of the province of A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. It is also known as Ferrolterra. The area is 613.4 km2, and the overall population of this ''comarca'' was 161,154 at the 2011 Census; the latest offic ...
Betanzos
Betanzos () is a municipality in the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain in the province of A Coruña. It belongs to the comarca of Betanzos. In Roman times Betanzos was called Flauvium Brigantium or ''Brigantium''. During the ...
, A Coruña and Santiago de Compostela
* Spanish Narrow-Gauge Railways Linking the City of Ferrol with different towns of Ferrol and
Ortegal
Ortegal is a ''comarca'' in the north of the Galician Province of A Coruña, Spain. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabrian Sea to the north, the Province of Lugo to the east, the comarca of O Eume
O Eume is a comarca in the province o ...
. This line is also known as Ferrol-
Irun
Irun ( es, Irún, eu, Irun) is a town of the Bidasoaldea region in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Autonomous Community, Spain.
History
It lies on the foundations of the ancient Oiasso, cited as ...
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
and
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
is under construction.
Economy
Ports
*
A Coruña
A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. A Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and s ...
– ''Major Commercial Port'' – Rías Altas
* Malpica – ''Fishing Port'' – Costa da Morte
*
Camariñas
Camariñas is a municipality in the province of A Coruña in the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain. It belongs to the comarca of Terra de Soneira. An important fishing center, it is renowned all over Spain by the bobbin lace wo ...
– ''Fishing Port'' – Costa da Morte
*
Fisterra
Fisterra (; es, Finisterre) is a municipality in the province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. It belongs to the comarca of Fisterra. Fisterra is on Cape Finisterre, the final destination for many pilgrims on the Wa ...
– ''Fishing Port'' – Costa da Morte
* Ferrol – ''Major Commercial Ports'' (also:
Military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
Cariño
Cariño is a municipality in the province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia, northwestern Spain. It is situated in the north of the province and located on the Ría de Ortigueira y Ladrido (Ortigueira and Ladrido tidal inlet) ...
Cedeira
Cedeira is a municipality in the province of A Coruña in the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain. It is situated in the northern coast of the Rías Altas. Cedeira has a population of 7,412 inhabitants ( INE, 2010).
Parroquias
* ...
– ''Fishing Port'' – Rias altas
Sport
*
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña (), commonly known as Deportivo La Coruña (), Deportivo or simply Dépor, is a professional association football, football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. They currently p ...
SD Compostela
Sociedad Deportiva Compostela is a List of football clubs in Spain, Spanish football team based in Santiago de Compostela, in the autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia. They play home matches at ''Estadio Multiusos de San Lázaro'', and ...
Spanish Tercera Division team from the City of Santiago de Compostela.
*
Atlético Arteixo
Club Atlético Arteixo is a Spanish football team based in Arteixo, A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia. Founded in 1949 it currently plays in Tercera División RFEF, holding home games at ''Campo Municipal Ponte dos Brozos'', with ...
Bergantiños FC
Bergantiños Fútbol Club is a Spanish football team based in Carballo, Province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia. Founded in 1923, it plays in Segunda División RFEF - Group 1, playing home matches at '' Estadio As Eiroas'', ...
SD Negreira
Sociedad Deportiva Negreira is a Spanish football team based in Negreira, in the autonomous community of Galicia.Founded in 1964, it plays in Tercera División – Group 1, holding home matches at ''Estadio Xesús García Calvo'', with a capacit ...