Useful Notes / The Shining Autonomous Communities of España

Spain is the largest country of Southern Europe in area and ruled in a devolved unitary system (one that's almost an example of The Federation) where the whole country is divided into 17 autonomous communities (Comunidades Autónomas), developed after the end of the Francoist regime. Each community is accorded a "statute of autonomy" (a little Constitution) to define their official language and identity and a parliament capable of passing laws, though said statutes need to be ratified by the national Parliament. This allows each non-Castilian region to develop their cultures after having them repressed viciously when Franco was president (the very opposite of neighboring France, who is all too happy to "merge" the multitudes of their regional cultures into a single French identity). This, however, has led to several regions attempting to to gain more autonomy or outright independence (especially since the financial crisis of 2007), as in the case of Catalonia.

Autonomous communities

Andalusia (Andalucía)

Andalusia (Andalucía)

Capital (and largest city): Seville (Sevilla)
Area: 69,711 km2 (26,9165mi)
Population (2016): 8,388,107
President: Juan Manuel Moreno

The country's most populated autonomous community, the region was historically the center of Moorish Spain, with Córdoba serving as the capital of successive Muslim states from the 8th century to the 11th century (as well as being at one point possibly the greatest gold city of Islam behind Baghdad) and Granada serving as their Last Stand. Their legacy can still be seen today in places like the Alhambra and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Today, the region is famous for its distinctive cultural heritage; a lot of the world's perceptions about Spain (flamenco, gitanos, bullfighting, unbridled love for siestas) are actually native to Andalusia.

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Province of Almería (Provincia de Almería)

Capital (and largest city): Almería
Area: 8,774.87 square kilometres (3,388.00 square miles)
Population (2014): 701,688

Province of Cádiz (Provincia de Cádiz)

Capital (and largest city): Cádiz
Area: 7,385 square kilometres (2,851 square miles)
Population (2014): 1,240,175

Province of Córdoba (Provincia de Córdoba)

Capital (and largest city): Córdoba
Area: 13,769 square kilometres (5,316 square miles)
Population (2014): 800,000

Province of Granada (Provincia de Granada)

Capital (and largest city): Granada
Area: 8,774.87 square kilometres (3,388.00 square miles)
Population (2014): 701,688

Province of Huelva (Provincia de Huelva)

Capital (and largest city): Huelva
Area: 10,148 square kilometres (3,918 square miles)
Population (2014): 483,792

Province of Jaén (Provincia de Jaén)

Capital (and largest city): Jaén
Area: 13,484 square kilometres (5,206 square miles)
Population (2014): 666,190

Province of Málaga (Provincia de Málaga)

Capital: Málaga
Largest city: Montluçon
Area: 7,308 square kilometres (2,822 square miles)
Population (2014): 1,652,999

Province of Seville (Provincia de Sevilla)

Capital (and largest city): Seville (Sevilla)
Area: 7,308 square kilometres (2,822 square miles)
Population (2014): 1,652,999

Aragon (Aragón/Aragó)

Aragon

Capital (and largest city): Zaragoza
Area: 47,720 km2 (18,420mi)
Population (2016): 1,308,563
President: Javier Lambán

Province of Huesca (Provincia de Huesca/Provincia de Uesca/Província d'Osca)

Capital (and largest city): Huesca (Uesca/Osca)
Area: 15,626 square kilometres (6,033 square miles)
Population (2018): 219,345

Province of Teruel (Provincia de Teruel/Província de Terol)

Capital (and largest city): Huesca (Uesca/Osca)
Area: 14,809 square kilometres (5,718 square miles)
Population (2018): 134,572

Province of Zaragoza (Provincia de Zaragoza)

Capital (and largest city): Zaragoza
Area: 17,274 square kilometres (6,670 square miles)
Population (2018): 954,811

Asturias (Asturies)

Asturias (Asturies)

Capital: Oviedo (Uviéu)
Largest city: Gijón (Xixón)
Area: 10,604 km2 (4,094mi)
Population (2020): 1,018,784
President: Adrián Barbón

Balearic Islands (Islas Baleares/Illes Balears)

Balearic Islands (Islas Baleares/Illes Balears)

Capital (and largest city): Palma de Mallorca
Area: 4,992 km2 (1,927mi)
Population (2016): 1,107,220
President: Francina Armengol

An archipelago off the country's east coast, consisting of four major islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera) and several smaller ones, with Catalan and Spanish as official languages. All of the major islands are very popular tourist destinations, with Ibiza especially (in)famous for its club scene. Mallorca has produced several notable sports figures; Palma de Mallorca produced MotoGP series champions Jorge Lorenzo (three times) and Joan Mir (once) plus former #1 tennis player Carlos Moyà, but all have been overshadowed by a figure from nearby Manacor—tennis legend Rafael Nadal.

Basque Country (País Vasco/Euskadi)

Basque Country (País Vasco/Euskadi)

Capital: Vitoria-Gasteiz
Largest city: Bilbao (Bilbo)
Area: 7,234 km2 (2,793mi)
Population (2016): 2,189,534
Lehendakari: Iñigo Urkullu

The autonomous community is unique for a reason, it is the home of one of the two most spoken isolated languages ever (although, it is believed by some that it might be somewhat connect to Caucasian languages, notably Georgian and the Kartvelian languages in general).

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Álava (Araba)

Capital (and largest city): Vitoria-Gasteiz
Area: 2,963 square kilometres (1,144 square miles)
Population (2019): 331,648

Biscay (Vizcaya/Bizkaia)

Capital (and largest city): Bilbao (Bilbo)
Area: 2,217 square kilometres (856 square miles)
Population (2018): 1,149,628

Gipuzkoa (Guipúzcoa)

Capital (and largest city): San Sebastián (Donostia)
Area: 1,980 square kilometres (760 square miles)
Population (2018): 720,592

Canary Islands (Islas Canarias)

Canary Islands (Islas Canarias)

Capital: Santa Cruz de Tenerife & Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Largest city: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Area: 7,493 km2 (2,893mi)
Population (2019): 2,153,389
President: Ángel Víctor Torres

For more information, see the above entry.

Province of Las Palmas (Provincia de Las Palmas)

Capital (and largest city): Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Area: 4,066 square kilometres (1,570 square miles)
Population (2018): 1,109,175

Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Provincia de Santa Cruz de Tenerife)

Capital (and largest city): Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Area: 3,381 square kilometres (1,305 square miles)
Population (2018): 1,018,510

Cantabria

Cantabria

Capital (and largest city): Santander
Area: 5,321 km2 (2,054mi)
Population (2018): 580,229
President: Miguel Ángel Revilla

Castile and León (Castilla y León)

Castile and León (Castilla y León)

Capital (and largest city): Valladolid
Area: 94,222 km2 (36,379mi)
Population (2016): 2,447,519
President: Alfonso Fernández Mañueco

Province of Ávila (Provincia de Ávila)

Capital (and largest city): Ávila
Area: 8,048 square kilometres (3,107 square miles)
Population (2018): 158,265

Province of Burgos (Provincia de Burgos)

Capital (and largest city): Burgos
Area: 14,292 square kilometres (5,518 square miles)
Population (2018): 356,119

Province of León (Provincia de León/Provincia de Llión)

Capital (and largest city): León (Llión)
Area: 15,581 square kilometres (6,016 square miles)
Population (2018): 463,746

Province of Palencia (Provincia de Palencia)

Capital (and largest city): Palencia
Area: 8,052 square kilometres (3,109 square miles)
Population (2018): 161,821

Province of Salamanca (Provincia de Salamanca)

Capital (and largest city): Salamanca
Area: 12,349 square kilometres (4,768 square miles)
Population (2018): 331,473

The University of Salamanca, located in its namesake city, was founded in 1134, making it the world's third oldest university. It was home to the School of Salamanca and many other Spanish men of science and letters.

Province of Segovia (Provincia de Segovia)

Capital (and largest city): Segovia
Area: 6,920.65 square kilometres (2,672.08 square miles)
Population (2018): 163,701

Province of Soria (Provincia de Soria)

Capital (and largest city): Soria
Area: 10,303 square kilometres (3,978 square miles)
Population (2018): 90,040

Province of Valladolid (Provincia de Valladolid)

Capital (and largest city): Valladolid
Area: 8,110 square kilometres (3,130 square miles)
Population (2020): 520,716

Province of Zamora (Provincia de Zamora)

Capital (and largest city): Zamora
Area: 10,559 square kilometres (4,077 square miles)
Population (2018): 174,544

Castilla–La Mancha

Castilla–La Mancha

Capital: Toledo
Largest city Albacete
Area: 79,463 km2 (30,681mi)
Population (2016): 2,041,631
President: Emiliano García-Page

Province of Albacete (Provincia de Albacete)

Capital (and largest city): Albacete
Area: 14,858 square kilometres (5,737 square miles)
Population (2012): 402,837

Province of Ciudad Real (Provincia de Ciudad Real)

Capital (and largest city): Ciudad Real
Area: 19,813 square kilometres (7,650 square miles)
Population (2013): 524,962

Province of Cuenca (Provincia de Cuenca)

Capital (and largest city): Cuenca
Area: 17,141 square kilometres (6,618 square miles)
Population (2012): 218,036

Province of Guadalajara (Provincia de Guadalajara)

Capital (and largest city): Guadalajara
Area: 12,167 square kilometres (4,698 square miles)
Population (2013): 257,723

Guadalajara, a minor city near Madrid, was home to a prominent conquistador who founded a namesake city in the New World, which is where most stereotypes you know about Mexico actually come from.

Province of Toledo (Provincia de Toledo)

Capital (and largest city): Toledo
Area: 15,370 square kilometres (5,930 square miles)
Population (2012): 711,228

Toldeo was renowned for a long time for its high quality steel and the swords made from it.

Catalonia (Cataluña/Catalunya/Catalonha)

Catalonia (Cataluña/Catalunya/Catalonha)

Capital (and largest city): Barcelona
Area: 32,108 km2 (12,397mi)
Population (2016): 7,727,029
President: Pere Aragonès (acting)

Province of Barcelona (Provincia de Barcelona/Província de Barcelona)

Capital (and largest city): Barcelona
Area: 7,726 square kilometres (2,983 square miles)
Population (2018): 5,609,350

Barcelona is the country's second largest city and holds rivalry with Madrid.

Province of Girona (Provincia de Girona/Província de Girona)

Capital (and largest city): Girona
Area: 5,905 square kilometres (2,280 square miles)
Population (2016): 739,607

The birthplace of Salvador Dalí, Figueres, is in this province.

Province of Lleida (Provincia de Lleida/Província de Lleida/Provincia de Lhèida)

Capital (and largest city): Lleida (Lérida/Lhèida)
Area: 12,150 square kilometres (4,690 square miles)
Population (2013): 440,915

Province of Lleida (Provincia de Tarragona/Província de Tarragona)

Capital (and largest city): Tarragona
Area: 6,500 square kilometres (2,500 square miles)
Population (2018): 795,902

Extremadura

Extremadura

Capital (and largest city: Mérida
Area: 41,634 km2 (16,075mi)
Population (2016): 1,087,778
President: Guillermo Fernández Vara

The "land of conquistadors", Extremadura is one of the poorest and least developed lands in the Iberian Peninsula since times Older Than Feudalism, which at several points of history turned it into a factory of emigrants who often had no more means to earn a living than their weapons and grit. Its ancient Lusitanian and Vetton inhabitants were usual mercenaries for various powers around the Mediterranean, and with the arrival of the Age of Exploration, their early modern descendants jumped at the conquest of America with the same desire to escape poverty. Almost all the leading conquistadors, like Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro and Vasco Núñez de Balboa, as well as some famous soldiers of the period like Diego García de Paredes, were Extremadurans.

Until it got it in 2022 it was a running joke that Extremadura was the last region to get the AVE (high speed rail). It finally has it now via a tram system, but it doesn't link up with anywhere else.

Province of Badajoz (Provincia de Badajoz)

Capital (and largest city): Badajoz
Area: 21,766 square kilometres (8,404 square miles)
Population (2010): 692,137

Fans of Roman history will rejoice at Mérida's gigantic archaeological ensemble, for which this city of the province of Badajoz (also the capital of the community of Extremadura) is considered an icon of Roman culture. Its ancient Roman theater has been in use and still staging ancient plays since it was rediscovered.

Province of Cáceres (Provincia de Cáceres)

Capital (and largest city): Cáceres
Area: 19,868 square kilometres (7,671 square miles)
Population (2014): 408,703

You might know this province due to the Old Town of the city of Cáceres, an amazingly well-maintained medieval walled city where countless period films and series, most famously Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, have been shot. There is a minor equivalent in the city of Plasencia and also a few Roman archaeology sites around.

Galicia

Galicia

Capital: Santiago de Compostela
Largest city: Vigo
Area: 29,574.4 km2 (11,418.7mi)
Population (2016): 2,701,743
President: Alberto Núñez Feijóo

If you are familiar with magic, Galicia is a real life Magical Land as it has its own history and culture with mythology. The Galicians will tell you that witches (known as "meigas") actually existed in real life. It is also one of the five Celtic territories in Southern Europe^note Historically, the Celts also controlled parts of Italy, San Marino, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey, but nowadays, Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, León and the North Region of Portugal are the only remaining Celtic territories in the region, the others being Asturias and Cantabria above, León below and the North Region of Portugal.

Province of A Coruña (Provincia de la Coruña/Provincia da Coruña)

Capital (and largest city): A Coruña (La Coruña)
Area: 7,950 square kilometres (3,070 square miles)
Population (2018): 1,121,484

Santiago de Compostela is a millennia-old pilgrimage destination, home to the remains of the Apostle St. James, and the end point of a very famous pilgrimage path known as the Way of St. James. It is located midway between the coastal cities of A Coruña to the north (the region's second-most populated) and Vigo to the south (the most populated).

Province of Lugo (Provincia de Lugo)

Capital (and largest city): Lugo
Area: 9,856 square kilometres (3,805 square miles)
Population (2018): 331,327

Province of Ourense (Provincia de Orense/Provincia de Ourense)

Capital (and largest city): Ourense (Orense)
Area: 7,273 square kilometres (2,808 square miles)
Population (2018): 309,372

Province of Pontevedra (Provincia de Pontevedra)

Capital (and largest city): Pontevedra
Area: 4,495 square kilometres (1,736 square miles)
Population (2019): 942,665

La Rioja

La Rioja

Capital (and largest city): Logroño
Area: 5,045 km2 (1,948mi)
Population (2018): 315,675
President: Concha Andreu

Community of Madrid (Comunidad de Madrid)

Community of Madrid (Comunidad de Madrid)

Capital (and largest city): Madrid
Area: 8,030.1 km2 (3,100.4mi)
Population (2019): 6,661,949
President: Isabel Díaz Ayuso

Madrid is the country's capital and largest city.

Region of Murcia (Región de Murcia)

Region of Murcia (Región de Murcia)

Capital (and largest city): Murcia
Area: 11,313 km2 (4,368mi)
Population (2020): 1,511,251
President: Fernando López Miras

Navarre (Nafarroa)

Navarre (Nafarroa)

Capital (and largest city): Pamplona (Iruña)
Area: 10,391 km2 (4,012mi)
Population (2018): 647,554
President: María Chivite

Valencian Community (Comunidad Valenciana/Comunitat Valenciana)

Valencian Community (Comunidad Valenciana/Comunitat Valenciana)

Capital (and largest city): Valencia (València)
Area: 23,255 km2 (8,97mi)
Population (2018): 5,003,769
President: Ximo Puig

Province of Alicante (Provincia de Alicante/Província de Alacant)

Capital (and largest city): Alicante (Alacant)
Area: 5,816.5 square kilometres (2,245.8 square miles)
Population (2018): 1,838,819

Province of Castellón (Provincia de Castellón/Província de Castelló)

Capital (and largest city): Casllóten de la Plana (Castelló de la Plana)
Area: 6,679 square kilometres (2,579 square miles)
Population (2019): 579,962

Province of Valencia (Provincia de Valencia/Província de València)

Capital (and largest city): Valencia (València)
Area: 10,763 square kilometres (4,156 square miles)
Population (2013): 2,547,986

Valencia is the country's third largest city.

Autonomous cities

Ceuta

Ceuta

Capital and largest city: Ceuta
Area: 18.5 km2 (7.1mi)
Population (2018): 85,144
Mayor-President: Juan Jesús Vivas

For more information, see the above entry.

Melilla

Melilla

Capital and largest city: Melilla
Area: 12.3 km2 (4.7mi)
Population (2019): 86,384
Mayor-President: Eduardo de Castro

For more information, see the above entry.