Girona (; es, Gerona ; french: Gérone) 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 out ...
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")
, ...
, in the northeastern part of the
autonomous community of
Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy.
Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the no ...
. It is bordered on the northwest by the
province of Lleida, on the southwest by the
province of Barcelona
Barcelona (, ) is a province of eastern Spain, in the center of the autonomous community of Catalonia. The province is bordered by the provinces of Tarragona, Lleida, and Girona, and by the Mediterranean Sea. Its area is . , on the north by
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
(
Pyrénées-Orientales), and on the east by the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on ...
.
The population of the province in 2016 was 739,607. Its capital and largest city is
Girona
Girona (officially and in Catalan , Spanish: ''Gerona'' ) is a city in northern Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 103,369 in 2020. Girona is the capit ...
, with an
urban area
An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas are created through urbanization and are categorized by urban morphology as cities ...
(including the neighbouring municipalities of
Salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...
,
Sarrià de Ter and
Vilablareix) representing, with a total population of 144,709, 19.2% of the population. The Girona area acts as an industrial, commercial and service hub for a significant part of the province.
Municipalities of Girona
The province has 222
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 ...
, including
Girona city (population 96,722),
Figueres
Figueres (, ; , es, Figueras, ) is the capital of the ''comarca'' of Alt Empordà, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain.
The town is the birthplace of artist Salvador Dalí, and houses the Teatre-Museu Gala Salvador Dalí, a large mus ...
(pop. 44,765),
Lloret de Mar (pop. 40,282),
Blanes (pop. 39,834),
Olot (33,725),
Salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...
(pop. 30,389),
Palafrugell (pop. 22,816) and
Sant Feliu de Guíxols (pop. 21,814), as well as some significant and historical towns such as
Banyoles,
Besalú
Besalú () is a town in the '' comarca'' of Garrotxa, in Girona, Catalonia, Spain.
The town's importance was greater in the early Middle Ages, as capital of the county of Besalú, whose territory was roughly the same size as the current ''coma ...
,
Cadaqués,
Camprodon,
Palamós,
Puigcerdà
Puigcerdà (; es, Puigcerdá) is the capital of the '' Catalan comarca'' of Cerdanya, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, northern Spain, near the Segre River and on the border with France (it abuts directly onto the French town of Bourg-Ma ...
or
Ripoll
Ripoll () is the capital of the ''comarca'' of Ripollès, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is located on confluence of the Ter River and its tributary Freser, next to the Pyrenees near the French border. The population was 11, ...
.
The municipality of
Llívia
Llívia (; es, Llivia ) is a town in the ''comarca'' of Cerdanya, province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is a Spanish exclave surrounded by the French ''département'' of Pyrénées-Orientales. In 2009, the municipality of Llívia had a total ...
, which is an
exclave
An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...
separated from the rest of Spain and surrounded by France, is also officially part of this province.
''Comarques'' of Girona
Since the division by provinces in Spain and the division by ''
comarques'' in Catalonia do not completely match, the term ''comarques of the province of Girona'' is not accurate. However, a list of the ''comarques'' that are included—totally or partially—in the province of Girona can be made:
* Fully included:
** l'
Alt Empordà
** el
Baix Empordà
** la
Garrotxa
** el
Gironès
** el
Pla de l'Estany
** el
Ripollès
* Partially included:
** la
Selva (all
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 ...
except
Fogars de la Selva
Fogars de la Selva is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Selva in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated to the north of the Montnegre range, and is linked to Tordera by a local road. The village used to be called Fogars de Tordera, and is the on ...
)
** la
Cerdanya (only its eastern half)
**
Osona (this ''comarca'' is generally not listed as part of Girona, since only three of its municipalities are part of this province:
Espinelves,
Vidrà
Vidrà is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Osona in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the valley of the Ges river, between the Bellmunt and Milany ranges, in the north of the ''comarca''. It is linked to Sant Quirze de Besora by a local r ...
and
Viladrau)
Population
The historical population is given in the following chart:
Colors=
id:lightgrey value:gray(0.9)
id:darkgrey value:gray(0.7)
id:sfondo value:rgb(1,1,1)
ImageSize = width:600 height:auto barincrement:30
PlotArea = left:40 bottom:40 top:20 right:20
DateFormat = x.y
Period = from:0 till:800
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
AlignBars = late
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:darkgrey increment:100 start:0
ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightgrey increment:50 start:0
BackgroundColors = canvas:sfondo
PlotData=
color:skyblue width:20 shift:(-50,-5) fontsize:M anchor:till
bar:1877 from:0 till:306 text:305,658
bar:1887 from:0 till:311 text:311,153
bar:1900 from:0 till:304 text:303,829
bar:1910 from:0 till:324 text:324,378
bar:1920 from:0 till:331 text:330,774
bar:1930 from:0 till:331 text:331,389
bar:1940 from:0 till:325 text:324,766
bar:1950 from:0 till:322 text:322,371
bar:1960 from:0 till:352 text:351,645
bar:1970 from:0 till:412 text:412,357
bar:1980 from:0 till:467 text:467,000
bar:1990 from:0 till:510 text:509,628
bar:2000 from:0 till:566 text:565,304
bar:2010 from:0 till:752 text:751,806
bar:2020 from:0 till:782 text:781,788
TextData=
pos:(35,20) fontsize:M
text:"Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, INE"
See also
*
List of municipalities in Girona
Notes and references
External links
news and information of the province of GironaXanascat the National Network of Youth Hostels of Cataloniarural tourism in GironaTourism guide of Girona province, Hotels, Restaurants, Guides, Campings & more of GironaAn excentric guide to Girona province
{{DEFAULTSORT:Girona, Province of