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Galicia (Spain)

For other uses, see Galicia.

Galicia or Galiza is an autonomous community of Spain. It is located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. It borders Portugal to the south, the Spanish regions of Castile and León and Asturias to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west.

History

Main article: History of Galicia
Castro of Baroña, Porto do Son, A Coruña
Castro of Baroña, Porto do Son, A Coruña

The name Galicia comes from the Latin name Gallaecia, associated with the name of the ancient Celtic tribe that resided above the Douro river, the Gallaeci or Callaeci in Latin, and in Greek (these tribes were mentioned by Herodotus). The Callaeci received their name as they were identified to be worshippers of Celtic goddess Cailleach, among others.

Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula.
Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula.

Before the Roman invasion, a series of tribes lived in the region, having — according to Strabo, Pliny, Herodotus and others — a similar culture and customs. These tribes had a Celtic culture.

This area was first entered by the Roman legions under Decimus Junius Brutus in 137–136 BC. (Livy lv., lvi., Epitome); but the province was only superficially Romanized by the time of Augustus.

Suebian kingdom in Gallaecia - notice that there were periods of control of territories south of the Tejo river as far as the Algarve.
Suebian kingdom in Gallaecia - notice that there were periods of control of territories south of the Tejo river as far as the Algarve.

In the 5th century AD invasions, Galicia fell to the Suevi in 411, who formed a kingdom. In 584, the Visigothic King Leovigild invaded the Suebic kingdom of Galicia and defeated it, bringing it under Visigoth control. During the Moorish invasion of Spain (711-718), the Moors garrisoned Galicia, until driven out in 739 by Alfonso I of Asturias.

During the 9th and 10th centuries, the counts of Galicia gave fluctuating obedience to their nominal sovereign, and Normans/Vikings occasionally raided the coasts. The Towers of Catoira (see also Viking Festival) (Pontevedra) were built as a system of fortifications to stop Vikings raiding Santiago de Compostela.

In 1063, Ferdinand I of Castile and León divided his kingdom among his sons. Galicia was allotted to Garcia II of Galicia. In 1072, it was forcibly reannexed by Garcia's brother Alfonso VI of Castile, and from that time Galicia remained part of the kingdom of Castile and Leon, although under differing degrees of self-government.

The final episode of Galician independence was the dynastic conflict between Isabella of Castile and Xoana, called "a beltranexa" ("Daughter of Beltrán", and not to be confused with Joan the Mad). Queen Isabella, during her reign as queen of Castilla, made (the historically unproven) accusations upon her niece (Xoana) of being the bastard daughter of Beltrán and the former queen (hence the name Beltranexa). A political struggle ensued, and the Xoana-supporting nobles (most of the Galician aristocracy) lost; thus giving Isabel a free ticket to initiate the process she called "Doma y Castración del Reino de Galicia", that is, the "Taming and Castration of the Kingdom of Galicia" (sic)(Court Historian, Zurita).

History of Galicia
Celtic Gallaecia
Gallaecia
Suebi Kingdom
Kingdom of Galicia
Kingdom of Galicia and Portugal
Kingdom of León
20th Century Galicia
Present
Timeline of Galician History
Portal Galicia Portal

and federalist movements arose in the nineteenth century. From 1916 through the 1920s these developed into a full nationalist movement. After the second Spanish Republic was declared in 1931, Galicia became an autonomous region following a referendum. During the 1936–75 dictatorship of General Francisco Franco — himself a Galician from Ferrol — Galicia's statute of autonomy was annulled (as were those of Catalonia and the Basque provinces). Franco's regime also suppressed any official promotion of the Galician language, although its everyday use was never proscribed. During the last decade of Franco's rule, there was a renewal of nationalist feeling in Galicia.

Following the transition to democracy upon the death of Gen. Franco in 1975, Galicia regained its status as an autonomous region within Spain with the Statute of Autonomy of 1981, which starts: "Galicia, historical nationality, is constituted as an Autonomous Community to access to its self-government, in agreement with the Spanish Constitution and with the present Statute (...)". Varying degrees of nationalist or separatist sentiment are evident at the political level. The only nationalist party of any electoral significance, the Bloque Nacionalista Galego or BNG, is a conglomerate of left-wing parties and individuals that claims the Galician political status as a nation.

From 1990 to 2005, the region's government and parliament, the Xunta de Galicia, was presided over by the Partido Popular ('People's Party', Spain's main national conservative party) under Manuel Fraga, a former minister and ambassador in the Franco regime. In 2002, when the oil tanker Prestige sank and covered the Galician coast in oil, Fraga is said to have been unwilling to react. In the 2005 Galician elections, perhaps in response to this perceived lack of action, the 'People's Party' lost its overall majority, while just remaining the largest party in the parliament. As a result, power passed to a coalition between the (PSdeG) ('Galician Socialists' Party'), a regional sister-party of Spain's main social-democratic party, the Partido Socialista Obrero Español ('Spanish Socialist Workers Party') and the Bloque Nacionalista Galego (BNG). As the senior partner in the new coalition, the PSdeG nominated its leader, Emilio Perez Touriño, to serve as Galicia's new president, with Anxo Quintana, the leader of BNG as its vice-president.

Language

Main article: Galician language
Linguistic map of the Galician language.
Linguistic map of the Galician language.

The spoken languages are Galician (Galician: Galego), the local language derived from Latin, closely related to Portuguese, both being Galician-Portuguese languages, and Spanish, the only official language for more than four centuries (XVI - XIX). Since the end of the 20th century, the Galician language also has an official status, and both languages are taught in Galician schools. There is a broad consensus of support within the region for efforts to preserve the Galician language[citation needed].

The Galician and Portuguese languages are derived from the early Galician-Portuguese (Galego-Português or Middle Ages Portuguese) language spoken in Galicia and north-of-Douro regions in Portugal, and are still considered by some Galician people to be two dialects of the same language (Galician-Portuguese or European Portuguese). For some Galician people, the Galician and Portuguese languages began to diverge in the Middle Ages, a development hastened by political separation. Furthermore, there remain many similarities between Portuguese and Galician. Mutual intelligibility is good between Galicians and Portuguese speakers. In fact there is a public debate in Galicia about their own language and its relationship with Portuguese language. Nowadays, some people hold that the Galician language is an autonomous and separate language, others maintain that Galician is a variant of the Portuguese language, such as Brazilian Portuguese.

A distinct Galician Literature emerged after the Middle Ages. In the 13th century, important contributions were made to the romance canon in Galician-Portuguese. The most notable was by the troubadour Martín Codax, by King D. Denis of Portugal and by King Alfonso X of Castile, called O Sábio (The Wise). During this period, Galician-Portuguese was considered the language of love poetry in the Iberian Romance linguistic culture.

Population

Galicia's inhabitants are called "Galicians" (in Portuguese & Galician galegos; in Spanish gallegos). .


Demographic evolution of Galicia (Spain) between 1900 and 2006
1900 1930 1950 1981 2006
1,980,515[1] 2,230,281 2,604,200 2,753,836 2,767,524

Note: The population of the City of A Coruña in 1900 was 43,971 meanwhile the population of the rest of the province including the City and Naval Station of nearby Ferrol as well as Santiago de Compostela was 653,556. It should be noted that A Coruña's great growth happened during aftermaths of the Spanish Civil War at the same speed as other major Galician cities, but it was the arrival of democracy in Spain after the death of Francisco Franco the moment when A Coruña left all the other Galician cities behind.

The meteoric increase of population of Vigo, A Coruña and to a lesser degree Santiago de Compostela and all the other major Galician Cities, during the years which follow the Spanish Civil War during the mid 20th century, can only be explained when we see the figures of the number of villages and hamlets of the four province which disappeared or nearly disappeared during the same period. We are talking here about an economic revolution and not so much to an explosion of births or a substantial increase in living standards which of course has happened too, but looking to the overall picture what has happened is that the fields have been abandon due to the introduction of new machinery and most of the population has moved to find jobs in the main cities increasing the number of people working in the Tertiary and Quaternary sectors.

(Encyclopædia Britannica, 1911). [1] [2]

Geography

From the 15th century till 1833 Galicia was divided in seven administrative provinces:

From 1833 onwards, the seven original provinces of the 15th century have been limited to just four:

The main cities are Vigo, A Coruña, Pontevedra, Lugo, Ferrol, Ourense, and Santiago de Compostela, the capital and archiepiscopal seat, and home of the shrine which gave rise to medieval Europe's most famous pilgrimage route, The Way of St James.

Provinces of Galicia (location maps)

Province of A Coruña

Province of Lugo

Province of Ourense

Province of Pontevedra

Geographically, an important feature of Galicia is the presence of many fjord-like indentations on the coast, estuaries that were drowned with rising sea levels after the ice age. These are called rías and are divided into the , and the Rías Baixas. The rias are important for fishing, and make the coast an important fishing area. The spectacular landscapes and wildness of the coast attract great numbers of tourists.

Finisterre on the Atlantic coast of Galicia
Finisterre on the Atlantic coast of Galicia

The coast of this green corner of the Iberian Peninsula is also known as the "A Costa do Marisco" (i.e.: "The Seafood Coast" in Galician).

Galicia has preserved much of its dense Atlantic forests where wildlife is commonly found. It is scarcely polluted, and its landscape composed of green hills, cliffs and rias is very different to what is commonly understood as Spanish landscape.

Inland, the region is less populated and suffers from migration to the coast and the major cities of Spain. There are few small cities (Ourense, Lugo, Verín, Monforte de Lemos, ), and there are many small villages. The terrain is made up of several low mountain ranges crossed by many small rivers that are not navigable but have provided hydroelectric power from the many dams. Galicia has so many small rivers that it has been called the "land of the thousand rivers". The most important of the rivers are the Miño and the Sil, which has a spectacular canyon.

The mountains in Galicia are not high but have served to isolate the rural population and discourage development in the interior. There is a ski resort in (1700 m) in Ourense Province. The highest mountain is Trevinca (2 127 m) on the Ourense eastern border with León and Zamora provinces (Castilla y León).

Although the region is filled with extensive natural areas, Galicia has had environmental problems in the modern age. Deforestation is a problem in many areas, as is the continual spread of the invasive eucalyptus tree, imported for the paper industry, which is causing imbalances in the indigenous ecosystem. Fauna, most notably the European Wolf, have suffered from livestock owners and farmers. The native deer species have declined because of hunting and development. Recently, oil spills have become a major issue, especially with the disaster in A Coruña and the infamous Prestige oil spill in 2002, a crude oil spill larger than the Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska. Other environmental issues include gas flushing by maritime traffic, pollution from fish hatcheries on the coast, overfishing, and the highest incidence of forest fires in Spain, in spite of the wetter Galician climate.

Galicia gallery

Pórtico da Gloria, Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

Roman wall of Lugo

River Sil

Torre de Hércules, A Coruña

Climate

The weather is Atlantic, with mild temperatures throughout the year. Santiago de Compostela has an average 100 days of rain a year. The interior, specifically the more mountainous parts of Ourense and Lugo, receive significant freezes and snowfall during the winter months.

In the summer the hot temperatures coupled with its geography of dense forests leads to forest fires. The forest fires of summer 2006 were particularly bad, burning tens of thousands of hectares, blackening the skies with thick smoke that resulted in plumes extending for hundreds of kilometers over the Atlantic. Many believe that those responsible tend to be livestock farmers who want to clear the land for livestock grazing or others who wish to build on rural land. Some also suspect that some firefighters themselves, seeking to earn extra money, also play a significant part as arsonists. The law was changed by the PSOE and BNG government so that burnt land couldn't be reclassified as a brown-field site.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Galicia

Galicia is a land of economic contrast. While the western coast, with its major population centers and its fishing and manufacturing industries, is prosperous and increasing in population, the rural hinterland—the provinces of Ourense and Lugo—are economically dependent on traditional agriculture, based on small landholdings called minifundios. However, the rise of tourism, sustainable forestry and organic and traditional agriculture are bringing other possibilities to the Galician economy without compromising the preservation of the natural resources and the local culture.

Emigration

Like most of Western Europe, Galicia's history has been defined by mass emigration. There was significant Galician emigration in the 19th and early 20th centuries to other parts of Spain and to Latin America - specifically Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and Cuba. (Fidel Castro's father was Galician, and his mother is of Galician descent). The city with the greatest number of people of Galician descent outside of Galicia is Buenos Aires, Argentina, where immigration from Galicia was so massive that Spaniards are now known as gallegos (Galicians).

During the Franco years there was a new wave of emigration out of Galicia to other European countries, most notably to France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. There are many expatriate communities throughout the world, and many have their own groups or clubs. Galician emigration is so massive that websites such as Fillos de Galicia were created in order to organize and inform Galicians throughout the world.

Cuisine

Main article: Galician cuisine

Galician cuisine often employs fish and shellfish. The empanada is a meat or fish pie. It has Celtic influence. is a hearty soup whose main ingredients are potatoes and a local vegetable named grelo (broccoli rabe). The latter is also employed in , a typical Carnival dish, consisting of pork shoulder boiled with grelos, potatoes and chorizo (paprika sausage). is the equivalent of King Crab. It is prepared by being boiled alive, having its main body opened like a shell, and then having its innards mixed vigorously. Another popular dish is octopus, boiled (traditionally in a copper pot) and served in a wooden plate, cut into small pieces and laced with olive oil, sea salt and pimentón (Spanish paprika). There are several regional varieties of cheese. The best known one is the so-called cheese, named after its shape, similar to a woman's breast. Other highly regarded varieties include the San Simón cheese from Vilalba and the creamy cheese produced in the Arzúa-Curtis area. The latter area produces also high-quality beef. A classical dessert is , crêpe-like pancakes made with flour, broth and eggs. When cooked at a pig slaughter festival, they may also contain the animal's blood. Famous almond cakes are produced in Santiago de Compostela.

Galicia produces a number of high-quality (mainly white) wines, including Albariño, Ribeiro and Valdeorras. The grape varieties used are local and rarely found outside Galicia and Northern Portugal.

Politics

Xunta de Galicia (Galician government) in San Caetano, Santiago de Compostela
Xunta de Galicia (Galician government) in San Caetano, Santiago de Compostela
Main article: Politics of Galicia

The current government of Galicia was established in 16 March 1978 and is reinforced by the Galician Statute of Autonomy, ratified 28 April 1981. It is run by the Xunta de Galicia, headed by a president and run by a parliament.

Presidents of Galicia

Parliament of Galicia

The Parliament[3] it is composed of 75 deputies or Members of Parliament. The election of 19 June 2005 resulted in the following distribution:

  • Partido Popular de Galicia (PPdeG): 37 deputies (45,2%)
  • Partido Socialista de Galicia (PSdeG-PSOE): 25 deputies (33,2%)
  • Bloque Nacionalista Galego (BNG): 13 deputies (18,7%)
  • Total: 75 deputies (100%)

Famous Galicians

Contemporary music

Folk

Pop/rock

  • Los Suaves: hard rock/heavy metal band active since the early 80s.
  • Deluxe: pop/rock band from A Coruña leaded by Xoel López.
  • : one of the most well-known punk bands ever appeared in Spain.
  • : pop/rock band from Vigo leaded by Iván Ferreiro, who started a successful solo career in 2003.
  • : one of the most popular Galician bands of the 80s, leaded by .

Football

Club teams

Holidays

Political parties

See also

References

  1. ^ Demografía y población (Spanish). Instituto Nacional de Estadística. Retrieved on 2006-11-29. “Demography and population”
  2. ^ Anteriores Presidentes da Xunta de Galicia (Galician). Xunta de Galicia. Retrieved on 2006-11-26. “List of Presidents of Galicia on official website of the Galician government”
  3. ^ Parlamento de Galicia - By Party. Parlamento de Galicia. Retrieved on 2006-11-27. “Parliament of Galicia Composition”

External links

v •  • 
Roman Catholic Roman Catholic Church - The five Dioceses of Galicia.
Diocese of Ourense  · Diocese of Tui-Vigo  · Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela  · Diocese of Mondoñedo-Ferrol  · Diocese of Lugo
v • d • 
Regions (Comarcas) of Galicia
A Baixa Limia · A Barcala · A Coruña · A Fonsagrada · A Limia · A Mariña Central · A Mariña Occidental · A Mariña Oriental · A Paradanta · A Ulloa · Allariz - Maceda · Arzúa · Bergantiños · Betanzos · Caldas · Chantada · Ferrol · Fisterra · Lugo · Meira · Muros · Noia · O Baixo Miño · O Barbanza · O Carballiño · O Condado · O Deza · O Eume · O Morrazo · O Ribeiro · O Salnés · O Sar · Ordes · Ortegal · Os Ancares · Ourense · Pontevedra · Quiroga · Santiago · Sarria · Tabeirós - Terra de Montes · Terra Chá · Terra de Caldelas · Terra de Celanova · Terra de Lemos · Terra de Melide · Terra de Soneira · Terra de Trives · Valdeorras · Verín · Viana · Vigo · Xallas Flag of Galicia
v •  • 
Cities in Galicia
Santiago de Compostela · A Coruña · Vigo · Pontevedra · Ferrol · Lugo · Ourense Flag of Galicia
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Administrative divisions of Spain
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Spain List of the Spanish Costas
Costa Brava · Costa Daurada · Costa da Morte · Costa del Azahar · Costa Blanca · Costa Cálida ·  ·  · Costa del Sol · Costa de la Luz · a Costa do Marisco · Costa Esmeralda · Costa Verde ·

Coordinates: 43°00′N, 8°00′W