 |
 irst
among the Catalan territories, South Catalonia is endowed with
31 895km2 of land for its 6.6 million inhabitants. Its ‘Catalanity’
is assured by the importance of Barcelona, the naturally gifted
capital of close to 3 million residents. This region forms a
triangle and is the economic driving force of the Iberian Peninsula.
It is a mixed land, historically peopled by Iberians, Celts,
Phoenicians, Greeks, Arabs, Romans and Jews, and then in the
20th Century by migrants from Andalusia, South America and other
parts of Europe. Barcelona, Girona, Tarragona and Lleida are
its four most important towns and are themselves divided into
comarques which ensure that they function in a decentralised
manner.
| 
|
| Barcelona,
industrial capital |
In
the 10th Century the name ‘Catalunya’ referred to the united
southern counties of the Frankish empire – which became part
of the counties of North Catalonia (separated in 1659) and of
the Franja de Ponent (separated in 1716). Amputated, and then
deprived of independence following the collapse of Barcelona
against a Spanish army, South Catalonia maintained and developed
a national personality based on a linguistic, historic and geographic
coherence. Added to this was the capacity to integrate through
the common identity. In 1931 there was a proclamation of the
‘Catalan Republic’ which was then erased by the Spanish totalitarian
regime at the beginning of 1936. The end of the Spanish regime
in 1975 gave birth to a new South Catalonia. The government
of the Generalitat has been given their rights again within
the framework of a Spain of various autonomous regions. The
Olympic Games in 1992 offered Barcelona a world stage, confirmed
its role as the capital of southern Europe. A breeding ground
for science and art, a model of economic equilibrium; combining
industry, agriculture and tourism, South Catalonia has become
a unique state in Europe.
|
|
