Pontevedra is a
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
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 ...
along the country's
Atlantic coast in southwestern Europe. The province forms the southwestern part of 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 ...
of
Galicia. It is bordered by the provinces of
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 ...
,
Lugo, and
Ourense, the country of
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
and the Atlantic Ocean. The official languages of the Pontevedra province are
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 ...
and
Galician. There is a public institution called the
Provincial Deputation of Pontevedra (Provincial Council), whose head office is in
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 wh ...
city, that provides direct services to citizens such as technical, financial and technological support to the councils of the 62 municipalities of the province of Pontevedra.
The population of the province is 942,665 (2019), of whom 9% live in the capital, the city of
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 wh ...
and 28% in
Vigo
Vigo ( , , , ) is a city and municipality in the province of Pontevedra, within the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. Located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, it sits on the southern shore of an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, the ...
.
Geography
Pontevedra is cut in two parts by the
Lérez River
The Lérez is a river in South West Galicia, Spain. The river meets the Atlantic Ocean at Pontevedra, where it creates Pontevedra's ria. The sources of the long stream are in Serra do Candán, in the mountain of San Bieito, in the parish of Aci ...
. Most of the major tourist attractions in Pontevedra are to the south of the river. Pontevedra features many historical buildings, monuments, and churches.
Much of the
Rías Baixas
The Rías Baixas (Galician language, Galician for "Lower Rias") are a series of four estuarine inlets located on the southwestern coast of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. They are the Ría de Muros e Noia, the Ría de Arousa, the Ria de Ponteved ...
''
Denominación de Origen'' (DO) is located in the province. The province similarly shares the
Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park with neighbouring
A Coruña province
A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...
. This region contains the Galician islands of
Ons,
Cies
The International Centre for Sports Studies, known mostly by the initials CIES from the French ''Centre International d'Etude du Sport'', is an independent, research and education organization, located in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
It had a resea ...
,
Sálvora
Sálvora Island ( gl, Illa de Sálvora ; es, Isla de Sálvora ) is a small island located on the Ría de Arousa, coast of Galicia, Spain. It belongs to the municipality of Santa Uxía de Ribeira and is integrated in the Atlantic Islands of Galici ...
and
Cortegada.
Climate
The province has an
oceanic climate with warm and relatively dry summers and cool and very wet winters.
Demographics
The province's capital,
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 wh ...
, with a population of 83,260 (2020) is not the largest city of its province, the largest municipality is the industrial
Vigo
Vigo ( , , , ) is a city and municipality in the province of Pontevedra, within the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. Located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, it sits on the southern shore of an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, the ...
with a population of 293,837. In addition, there are 62 municipalities in the province. Other relevant municipalities, based on their populations, are
Vilagarcía de Arousa
Vilagarcía de Arousa is a Spanish municipality in the Province of Pontevedra, Galicia. As of 2014 it has a population of 37,712, being ninth largest town in Galicia.
History
The present site of Vilagarcía has been occupied since prehistori ...
(37,456),
Redondela
Redondela is a town in the province of Pontevedra, Galicia, northwestern Spain. The most famous icons of the village are its two major railway viaducts built in the nineteenth century. Due to these infrastructures Redondela is known under the nick ...
(29,218),
Cangas (26,542),
Marín (24,319),
Ponteareas
Ponteareas is town and municipality in the province of Pontevedra, in Spain.
It is located on the Vigo-Benavente highway and on the river Tea, a right-hand tributary of the Miño. It is the chief town of a fertile hilly region, which produces wi ...
(22,877),
A Estrada
A Estrada is a municipality of the Pontevedra province in Galicia in northwestern Spain. It is located some southeast of Santiago de Compostela.
Etymology
The name comes from the Latin word ''strata'', with the meaning of ''trodden earth, where ...
(20,479),
Lalín (20,218), and
O Porriño
O Porriño (historically known in English as ) is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra.
An industrial town, in the Vigo metropolitan area, it is an important economic dependency. One of its main industries is granite p ...
(19,848).
Counties
*
O Baixo Miño county
*
Caldas county
*
O Condado county
*
O Deza county
*
O Morrazo county
*
A Paradanta county
*
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 wh ...
county
*
O Salnés
O Salnés is a ''comarca'' in the Galician Province of Pontevedra
Pontevedra is a province of Spain along the country's Atlantic coast in southwestern Europe. The province forms the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Galicia ...
county
*
Tabeirós – Terra de Montes county
*
Vigo
Vigo ( , , , ) is a city and municipality in the province of Pontevedra, within the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. Located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, it sits on the southern shore of an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, the ...
county
See also
*
Galician wine
Notes and references
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pontevedra, Province of