The area now called Galicia was first inhabited by humans during theMiddle Paleolithic period, and takes its name from theGallaeci, theCeltic people[8][9] living north of theDouro River during the last millennium BC. Galicia was incorporated into theRoman Empire at the end of theCantabrian Wars in 19 BC, and was made aRoman province in the 3rd century AD. In 410, the GermanicSuebi established akingdom with its capital inBraga; this kingdom was incorporated into that of theVisigoths in 585. In 711, theIslamicUmayyad Caliphate invaded the Iberian Peninsula conquering theVisigoth kingdom of Hispania by 718,[10] but soon Galicia was incorporated into the Christiankingdom of Asturias by 740. During theMiddle Ages, thekingdom of Galicia was occasionally ruledby its own kings,[11] but most of the time it was leagued to thekingdom of Leon and later to that ofCastile, while maintaining its own legal and customary practices and culture. From the 13th century on, the kings of Castile, as kings of Galicia, appointed anAdiantado-mór, whose attributions passed to theGovernor andCaptain General of the Kingdom of Galiza from the last years of the 15th century.[12] The Governor also presided theReal Audiencia do Reino de Galicia, a royal tribunal and government body. From the 16th century, the representation and voice of the kingdom was held by an assembly of deputies and representatives of the cities of the kingdom, theCortes orJunta of the Kingdom of Galicia.[12] This institution was forcibly discontinued in 1833 when the kingdom was divided into four administrative provinces with no legal mutual links. During the 19th and 20th centuries, demand grew for self-government and for the recognition of the culture of Galicia. This resulted in theStatute of Autonomy of 1936, soon frustrated by Franco'scoup d'état and subsequent long dictatorship. After democracy was restored the legislature passed theStatute of Autonomy of 1981, approved in referendum and currently in force, providing Galicia with self-government.
The interior of Galicia is characterized by a hilly landscape; mountain ranges rise to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in the east and south. The coastal areas are mostly an alternate series ofrias and beaches. The climate of Galicia is usually temperate and rainy, with markedly drier summers; it is usually classified asOceanic. Its topographic and climatic conditions have madeanimal husbandry and farming the primary source of Galicia's wealth for most of its history, allowing for a relatively high density of population.[13] Except shipbuilding and food processing, Galicia was based on a farming and fishing economy until after the mid-20th century, when it began to industrialize. In 2018, thenominal gross domestic product was €62.900 billion,[6] with a nominalGDP per capita of €23,300.[6] Galicia is characterised, unlike other Spanish regions, by the absence of a metropolis dominating the territory. Indeed, the urban network is made up of 7 main cities: the four provincial capitalsA Coruña,Pontevedra,Ourense andLugo, the political capitalSantiago de Compostela and the industrial citiesVigo andFerrol. The population is largely concentrated in two main areas: fromFerrol toA Coruña on the northern coast, and in theRías Baixas region in the southwest, including the cities ofVigo,Pontevedra, and the interior city of Santiago de Compostela. There are smaller populations around the interior cities ofLugo andOurense. The political capital is Santiago de Compostela, in theprovince of A Coruña. Vigo, in theprovince of Pontevedra, is the largest municipality[14] andA Coruña the most populated city in Galicia.[15] Two languages are official and widely used today in Galicia: the nativeGalician; andSpanish, usually calledCastilian. While most Galicians are bilingual, a 2013 survey reported that 51% of the Galician population spoke Galician most often on a day-to-day basis, while 48% most often used Spanish.[16]
The nameGalicia derives from the Latin toponym Callaecia, laterGallaecia, related to the name of an ancient Celtic tribe that resided north of theDouro river, theGallaeci or Callaeci inLatin, orΚαλλαϊκoί (Kallaïkoí) inGreek.[17] TheseCallaeci were the first tribe in the area to help theLusitanians against the invading Romans. The Romans applied their name to all the other tribes in the northwest who spoke thesame language and lived the same life.[18]
The toponymy of the name has been studied since the 7th century by authors such asIsidore of Seville, who wrote that "Galicians are called so, because of their fair skin, as the Gauls", relating the name to the Greek word for milk. (See theetymology of the wordgalaxy.) In the 21st century, some scholars (J.J. Moralejo, Carlos Búa) have derived the name of the ancient Callaeci either fromProto-Indo-European *kl(H)-no- 'hill',[19] through a local relationalsuffix -aik-, also attested inCeltiberian, so meaning 'the hill (people)'; or fromProto-Celtic *kallī- 'forest', so meaning 'the forest (people)'.[20][17] In any case,Galicia, beingper se a derivation of the ethnic nameKallaikói, means 'the land of the Galicians'.
Another recent proposal comes from linguistFrancesco Benozzo after identifying the rootgall- /kall- in a number of Celtic words with the meaning "stone" or "rock", as follows:gall (old Irish),gal (Middle Welsh),gailleichan (Scottish Gaelic),kailhoù (Breton),galagh (Manx) andgall (Gaulish). Hence, Benozzo explains the ethnonymCallaeci as being "the stone people" or "the people of the stone" ("those who work with stones"), about the builders of the ancientmegaliths and stone formations so common in Galicia.[21]
The name evolved during the Middle Ages fromGallaecia, sometimes writtenGalletia, toGallicia. In the 13th century, with the written emergence of the Galician language,Galiza became the most usual written form of the name of the country, being replaced during the 15th and 16th centuries by the current form,Galicia, which is also the spelling of the name inSpanish. The historical denominationGaliza became popular again during the end of the 19th and the first three-quarters of the 20th century and is still used with some frequency today. TheXunta de Galicia, the localdevolved government, usesGalicia. TheRoyal Galician Academy, the institution responsible for regulating the Galician language, whilst recognizingGaliza as a legitimate current denomination, has stated that the only official name of the country isGalicia.[22]
Due to Galicia's history and culture with mythology, the land has been called "Terra Meiga" (land of the witches/witch(ing) land).[23][24]
The oldest attestation of human presence in Galicia has been found in the Eirós Cave, in the municipality ofTriacastela, which has preserved animal remains andNeanderthal stone objects from theMiddle Paleolithic. The earliest culture to have left significant architectural traces is theMegalithic culture, which expanded along the western European coasts during theNeolithic andCalcolithic eras. Thousands of Megalithictumuli are distributed throughout the country, mostly along the coastal areas.[25] Within each tumulus is a stone burial chamber known locally asanta (dolmen), frequently preceded by a corridor. Galicia was later influenced by the BellBeaker culture. Its rich mineral deposits oftin andgold led to the development ofBronze Agemetallurgy, and the commerce of bronze and gold items all along the Atlantic coast of Western Europe. A shared elite culture evolved in this region during theAtlantic Bronze Age.
Dating from the end of theMegalithic era, and up to theBronze Age, numerous stone carvings (petroglyphs) are found in open air. They usually representcup and ring marks,labyrinths,deer, Bronze Age weapons, and riding and hunting scenes.[26] Large numbers of these stone carvings can be found in the Rías Baixas regions, at places such as Tourón andCampo Lameiro.
TheCastro culture[27] ('Culture of the Castles') developed during theIron Age, and flourished during the second half of the first millennium BC. It is usually considered a local evolution of the Atlantic Bronze Age, with later developments and influences overlapping into the Roman era. Geographically, it corresponds to the people the Romans calledGallaeci, which were composed of a large series of nations or tribes, among them theArtabri,Bracari,Limici,Celtici,Albiones andLemavi. They were capable fighters:Strabo described them as the most difficult foes the Romans encountered in conqueringLusitania, whileAppian[28] mentions their warlike spirit, noting that the women bore their weapons side by side with their men, frequently preferring death to captivity. According toPomponius Mela all the inhabitants of the coastal areas wereCeltic people.
Alocal Iron Age head warrior from Rubiás,Bande. Now in Museo Provincial de Ourense.
Gallaeci lived incastros. These were usually annular forts, with one or more concentric earthen or stony walls, with a trench in front of each one. They were frequently located on hills, or in seashore cliffs and peninsulas. Some well knowncastros can be found on the seashore at: Fazouro, Santa Tegra, Baroña, and O Neixón; and inland at:San Cibrao de Lás, Borneiro, Castromao, and Viladonga. Some other distinctive features, such as temples, baths, reservoirs, warrior statues, and decorative carvings have been found associated with this culture, together with rich gold and metalworking traditions.
The Roman legions first entered the area underDecimus Junius Brutus in 137–136 BC,[29] but the country was only incorporated into theRoman Empire by the time ofAugustus (29 BC – 19 BC). The Romans were interested in Galicia mainly for its mineral resources, most notably gold. Under Roman rule, most Galician hillforts began to be – sometimes forcibly – abandoned, andGallaeci served frequently in the Roman army as auxiliary troops. Romans brought new technologies, new travel routes, new forms of organizing property, and a new language:Latin. TheRoman Empire established its control over Galicia through camps (castra) asAquis Querquennis, Ciadella camp orLucus Augusti (Lugo), roads (viae) and monuments as the lighthouse known asTower of Hercules, inCorunna, but the remoteness and lesser interest of the country since the 2nd century AD, when the gold mines stopped being productive, led to a lesser degree ofRomanization. In the 3rd century, it was made a province, under the nameGallaecia, which included also northern Portugal,Asturias, and a large section of what today is known asCastile and León.
Miro, king of Galicia, andMartin of Braga, from an 1145 manuscript of Martin'sFormula Vitae Honestae,[30] now in the Austrian National Library. The original work was dedicated to King Miro with the header "To King Miro, the most glorious and calm, the pious, famous for his Catholic faith"
In the early 5th century, the deep crisis suffered by theRoman Empire allowed different tribes of Central Europe (Suebi,Vandals andAlani) to cross theRhine and penetrate the rule on 31 December 406. Its progress towards theIberian Peninsula forced the Roman authorities to establish a treaty (foedus) by which the Suebi would settle peacefully and govern Galicia as imperial allies. So, from 409 Galicia was taken by the Suebi, forming the first medieval kingdom to be created in Europe, in 411, even before the fall of the Roman Empire, being also the first Germanic kingdom to mint coinage in Roman lands. During this period aBriton colony and bishopric (seeMailoc) was established in Northern Galicia (Britonia), probably asfoederati and allies of the Suebi.[31] In 585, theVisigothicKing Leovigild invaded the Suebic kingdom of Galicia and defeated it, bringing it under Visigoth control.
Later theMuslims invaded Spain (711), but the Arabs andMoors never managed to have any real control over Galicia, which was later incorporated into the expanding ChristianKingdom of Asturias, usually known as Gallaecia or Galicia (Yillīqiya andGalīsiya) by Muslim chroniclers,[32] as well as by many European contemporaries.[33] This era consolidated Galicia as a Christian society which spoke aRomance language. During the next century Galician noblemen took northern Portugal, conqueringCoimbra in 871, thus freeing what was considered the southernmost city of ancient Galicia.
In the 9th century, the rise of the cult of theApostle James inSantiago de Compostela gave Galicia particular symbolic importance among Christians, an importance it would hold throughout theReconquista. As the Middle Ages went on, Santiago became a major pilgrim destination and theWay of Saint James (Camiño de Santiago) a major pilgrim road, a route for the propagation ofRomanesque art and the words and music of thetroubadors. During the 10th and 11th centuries, a period during which Galician nobility become related to the royal family, Galicia was at times headed by its ownnative kings, whileVikings (locally known asLeodemanes orLordomanes) occasionally raided the coasts. The Towers ofCatoira[34] (Pontevedra) were built as a system of fortifications to prevent and stop the Viking raids on Santiago de Compostela.
In 1063,Ferdinand I of Castile divided his realm among his sons, and the Kingdom of Galicia was granted toGarcia II of Galicia. In 1072, it was forcibly annexed by Garcia's brotherAlfonso VI of León; from that time Galicia was united with theKingdom of León under the same monarchs. In the 13th centuryAlfonso X of Castile standardized the Castilian language (i.e. Spanish) and made it the language of court and government. Nevertheless, in his Kingdom of Galicia theGalician language was the only language spoken, and the most used in government and legal uses, as well as inliterature.
During the 14th and 15th centuries, the progressive distancing of the kings from Galician affairs left the kingdom in the hands of the local knights, counts, and bishops, who frequently fought each other to increase their fiefs, or simply to plunder the lands of others. At the same time, the deputies of the Kingdom in theCortes stopped being called. The Kingdom of Galicia, slipping away from the control of the King, responded with a century of fiscal insubordination.
Gothic painting at Vilar de Donas' church,Palas de Rei
On the other hand, the lack of an effective royal justice system in the Kingdom led to the social conflict known as theGuerras Irmandiñas ('Wars of the brotherhoods'), when leagues of peasants and burghers, with the support of several knights, noblemen, and under legal protection offered by the remote king, toppled many of the castles of the Kingdom and briefly drove the noblemen into Portugal and Castile. Soon after, in the late 15th century, in the dynastic conflict betweenIsabella I of Castile andJoanna La Beltraneja, part of the Galician aristocracy supported Joanna. After Isabella's victory, she initiated an administrative and political reform which the chroniclerJeronimo Zurita defined as "doma del Reino de Galicia": 'It was then when the taming of Galicia began, because not just the local lords and knights, but all the people of that nation were the ones against the others very bold and warlike'. These reforms, while establishing a local government and tribunal (theReal Audiencia del Reino de Galicia), and bringing the nobleman under submission, also brought most Galician monasteries and institutions under Castilian control, in what has been criticized as a process of centralisation. At the same time the kings began to call theXunta orCortes of the Kingdom of Galicia, an assembly of deputies or representatives of the cities of the Kingdom, to ask for monetary and military contributions. This assembly soon developed into the voice and legal representation of the Kingdom, and the depositary of its will and laws.
The modern period of theKingdom of Galicia began with the defeat of some of the most powerful Galician lords, such as Pedro Álvarez de Sotomayor, calledPedro Madruga, and Rodrigo Henriquez Osorio, at the hands of the Castilian armies sent to Galicia between the years 1480 and 1486.Isabella I of Castile, considered a usurper by many Galician nobles, defeated all armed resistance and definitively established the royal power of the Castilian monarchy. Fearing a general revolt, the monarchs ordered the banishing of the rest of the great lords like Pedro de Bolaño, Diego de Andrade, or Lope Sánchez de Moscoso, among others.
Map of the Kingdom of Galicia, 1603
The establishment of theSanta Hermandad in 1480, and theReal Audiencia del Reino de Galicia in 1500—a tribunal and executive body directed by theGovernor-Captain General as a direct representative of the King—implied initially the submission of the Kingdom to the Crown,[35] after a century of unrest and fiscal insubordination. As a result, from 1480 to 1520 the Kingdom of Galicia contributed more than 10% of the total earnings of theCrown of Castille, including the Americas, well over its economic relevance.[36] Like the rest of Spain, the 16th century was marked by population growth up to 1580, when the simultaneous wars with the Netherlands, France, and England hampered Galicia's Atlantic commerce, which consisted mostly in the exportation of sardines, wood, and some cattle and wine.
In the late years of the 15th century the written form of the Galician language began a slow decline as it was increasingly replaced by Spanish, which would culminate in theSéculos Escuros "the Dark Centuries" of the language, roughly from the 16th century through to the mid-18th century, when written Galician almost completely disappeared except for private or occasional uses but the spoken language remained the common language of the people in the villages and even the cities.
From that moment Galicia, which participated to a minor extent in the American expansion of theSpanish Empire, found itself at the center of the Atlantic wars fought by Spain against the French and the Protestant powers of England and the Netherlands, whoseprivateers attacked the coastal areas, but major assaults were not common as the coastline was difficult and the harbors easily defended. The most famous assaults were upon the city of Vigo bySir Francis Drake in 1585 and 1589, and the siege ofA Coruña in 1589 by theEnglish Armada. Galicia also suffered occasional slave raids byBarbary pirates, but not as frequently as the Mediterranean coastal areas. The most famous Barbary attack was the bloody sack of the town ofCangas in 1617.[37] At the time, the king's petitions for money and troops became more frequent, due to the human and economic exhaustion of Castile; theJunta of the Kingdom of Galicia (the localCortes orrepresentative assembly) was initially receptive to these petitions, raising large sums, accepting the conscription of the men of the kingdom, and even commissioning a new naval squadron which was sustained with the incomes of the Kingdom.[38]
After the rupture of the wars withPortugal andCatalonia, theJunta changed its attitude, this time due to the exhaustion of Galicia, now involved not just in naval or oversea operations, but also in an exhausting war with the Portuguese, war which produced thousands of casualties and refugees and was heavily disturbing to the local economy and commerce. So, in the second half of the 17th century theJunta frequently denied or considerably reduced the initial petitions of the monarch, and though the tension did not rise to the levels experienced in Portugal or Catalonia, there were frequent urban mutinies and some voices even asked for the secession of the Kingdom of Galicia.[39]
During thePeninsular War the successful uprising of the local people against the new French authorities, together with the support of theBritish Army, limited the occupation to six months in 1808–1809. During the pre-war period the Supreme Council of the Kingdom of Galicia (Junta Suprema del Reino de Galicia), auto-proclaimed interim sovereign in 1808, was the sole government of the country and mobilized near 40,000 men against the invaders.
The1833 territorial division of Spain put a formal end to the Kingdom of Galicia, unifying Spain into a single centralized monarchy. Instead of seven provinces and a regional administration, Galicia was reorganized into the current four provinces. Although it was recognized as a "historical region", that status was strictly honorific. In reaction,nationalist andfederalist movements arose.
In the early 20th century came another turn toward nationalist politics withSolidaridad Gallega (1907–1912) modeled onSolidaritat Catalana inCatalonia. Solidaridad Gallega failed, but in 1916Irmandades da Fala (Brotherhood of the Language) developed first as a cultural association but soon as a full-blown nationalist movement.Vicente Risco andRamón Otero Pedrayo were outstanding cultural figures of this movement, and the magazineNós ('Us'), founded in 1920, its most notable cultural institution,Lois Peña Novo the outstanding political figure.
Pro–devolved-government poster, 1936Estatuto de Galicia
Galicia was spared the worst of the fighting in that war: it was one of the areas where the initial coup attempt at the outset of the war was successful, and it remained in Nationalist hands (Franco's army) throughout the war. While there were no pitched battles, there was repression and death: all political parties were abolished, as were all labor unions and Galician nationalist organizations as theSeminario de Estudos Galegos. Galicia's statute of autonomy was annulled (as were those ofCatalonia and theBasque provinces once those were conquered). According toCarlos Fernández Santander, at least 4,200 people were killed either extrajudicially or after summary trials, among them republicans, communists, Galician nationalists, socialists, and anarchists. Victims included the civil governors of all four Galician provinces;Juana Capdevielle, the wife of the governor of A Coruña; mayors such asÁnxel Casal of Santiago de Compostela, of the Partido Galeguista; prominent socialists such asJaime Quintanilla inFerrol andEmilio Martínez Garrido inVigo;Popular Front deputiesAntonio Bilbatúa,José Miñones,Díaz Villamil,Ignacio Seoane, and former deputyHeraclio Botana); soldiers who had not joined the rebellion, such as GeneralsRogelio Caridad Pita andEnrique Salcedo Molinuevo and AdmiralAntonio Azarola; and the founders of the PG,Alexandre Bóveda andVíctor Casas,[40] as well as other professionals akin to republicans and nationalists, as the journalistManuel Lustres Rivas or physicianLuis Poza Pastrana. Many others were forced to escape into exile, or were victims of other reprisals and removed from their jobs and positions.GeneralFrancisco Franco – himself a Galician fromFerrol – ruled as dictator from the civil war until he died in 1975. Franco's centralizing regime suppressed any official use of the Galician language, including the use of Galician names for newborns, although its everyday oral use was not forbidden. Among the attempts at resistance were small leftist guerrilla groups such as those led byJosé Castro Veiga ("O Piloto") andBenigno Andrade ("Foucellas"), both of whom were ultimately captured and executed.[41][42] In the 1960s, ministers such asManuel Fraga Iribarne introduced some reforms allowingtechnocrats affiliated withOpus Dei to modernize administration in a way that facilitatedcapitalist economic development. However, for decades Galicia was largely confined to the role of a supplier of raw materials and energy to the rest of Spain, causing environmental havoc and leading to a wave of migration toVenezuela and to various parts of Europe.Fenosa, the monopolistic supplier of electricity, built hydroelectric dams, flooding many Galician river valleys.
Memorial to the mayor and other republicans, including a syndicalist and a journal director, executed in Verín, 17 June 1937
The Galician economy finally began to modernize with a FrenchCitroën factory in Vigo, the modernization of the canning industry and the fishing fleet, and eventually a modernization of small peasant farming practices, especially in the production of cows' milk. In the province of Ourense, businessman and politicianEulogio Gómez Franqueira gave impetus to the raising of livestock and poultry by establishing theCooperativa Orensana S.A. (Coren).
During the last decade of Franco's rule, there was a renewal of nationalist feeling in Galicia. The early 1970s were a time of unrest among university students, workers, and farmers. In 1972, general strikes in Vigo and Ferrol cost the lives of Amador Rey and Daniel Niebla.[43] Later, the bishop ofMondoñedo-Ferrol,Miguel Anxo Araúxo Iglesias, wrote a pastoral letter that was not well received by the Franco regime, about a demonstration inBazán (Ferrol) where two workers died.[44]
As part of thetransition to democracy upon the death of Franco in 1975, Galicia regained its status as an autonomous region within Spain with the Statute of Autonomy of 1981, which begins, "Galicia, historical nationality, is constituted as an Autonomous Community to access to its self-government, in agreement with theSpanish Constitution and with the present Statute (…)". Varying degrees ofnationalist or independentist sentiment are evident at the political level. TheBloque Nacionalista Galego or BNG, is a conglomerate ofleft-wing parties and individuals that claims Galician political status as a nation.
From 1990 to 2005, Manuel Fraga, former minister and ambassador in the Franco dictatorship, presided over the Galician autonomous government, theXunta de Galicia. Fraga was associated with thePartido Popular ('People's Party', Spain's main nationalconservative party) since its founding. In 2002, when the oil tankerPrestige sank and covered the Galician coast in oil, Fraga was accused by the grassroots movementNunca Mais ("Never again") of having been unwilling to react. In the 2005 Galician elections, the 'People's Party' lost its absolute majority, though remaining (barely) the largest party in the parliament, with 43% of the total votes. As a result, power passed to a coalition of thePartido dos Socialistas de Galicia (PSdeG) ('GalicianSocialists' Party'), a federal sister-party of Spain's main social-democratic party, thePartido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE, 'Spanish Socialist Workers Party') and the nationalistBloque Nacionalista Galego (BNG). As the senior partner in the new coalition, the PSdeG nominated its leader,Emilio Pérez Touriño, to serve as Galicia's new president, withAnxo Quintana, the leader of BNG, as its vice president.
In 2009, the PSdG-BNG coalition lost the elections, and the government went back to the People's Party (conservative), even though the PSdG-BNG coalition obtained the most votes.
Galicia has a surface area of 29,574 square kilometres (11,419 sq mi).[45] Its northernmost point, at 43°47′N, isEstaca de Bares (also the northernmost point of Spain); its southernmost, at 41°49′N, is on the Portuguese border in theBaixa Limia-Serra do Xurés Natural Park.[45] The easternmost longitude is at 6°42′W on the border between the province ofOurense and theCastilian-Leoneseprovince of Zamora) its westernmost at 9°18′W reached in two places: the A Nave Cape inFisterra (also known as Finisterre), and Cape Touriñán, both in the province of A Coruña.[45]
The interior of Galicia is a hilly landscape, composed of relatively low mountain ranges, usually below 1,000 m (3,300 ft) high, without sharp peaks, rising to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in the eastern mountains. There are many rivers, most (though not all) running down relatively gentle slopes in narrow river valleys, though at times their courses become far more rugged, as in the canyons of theSil river, Galicia's second most important river after theMiño.
Topographically, a remarkable feature of Galicia is the presence of manyfirth-like inlets along the coast,estuaries that were drowned with rising sea levels after theice age. These are calledrías and are divided into the smallerRías Altas ("High Rías"), and the largerRías Baixas ("Low Rías"). TheRías Altas include Ribadeo, Foz, Viveiro, O Barqueiro, Ortigueira, Cedeira, Ferrol, Betanzos, A Coruña, Corme e Laxe and Camariñas. The Rías Baixas, found south of Fisterra, include Corcubión, Muros e Noia,Arousa, Pontevedra and Vigo. The Rías Altas can sometimes refer only to those east ofEstaca de Bares, with the others being calledRías Medias ("Intermediate Rías").
Erosion by theAtlantic Ocean has contributed to the great number ofcapes. Besides the aforementioned Estaca de Bares in the far north, separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Cantabrian Sea, other notable capes areCape Ortegal, Cape Prior, Punta Santo Adrao, Cape Vilán, Cape Touriñán (westernmost point in Galicia),Cape Finisterre or Fisterra, considered by theRomans, along withFinistère inBrittany andLand's End inCornwall, to be the end of the known world.
Theria of Ferrol is an important naval base of Spain
All along the Galician coast are variousarchipelagos near the mouths of therías. These archipelagos provide protected deepwater harbors and also provide habitat for seagoing birds. A 2007 inventory estimates that the Galician coast has 316 archipelagos, islets, and freestanding rocks.[46] Among the most important of these are the archipelagos ofCíes,Ons, andSálvora. Together withCortegada Island, these make up theAtlantic Islands of Galicia National Park. Other significant islands are Islas Malveiras, Islas Sisargas, and, the largest and holding the largest population,Arousa Island.
The coast of this 'green corner' of the Iberian Peninsula, some 1,500 km (930 mi) in length, attracts great numbers of tourists, although real estate development in the 2000–2010 decade has degraded it partially.
The highest point in Galicia isTrevinca or Pena Trevinca (2,124 metres or 6,969 feet), located in the Serra do Eixe, at the border between Ourense and León and Zamora provinces. Other[47] tall peaks are Pena Survia (2,112 metres or 6,929 feet) in the Serra do Eixe, O Mustallar (1,935 metres or 6,348 feet) inOs Ancares, and Cabeza de Manzaneda (1,782 metres or 5,846 feet) in Serra de Queixa, where there is a ski resort.
Galicia is poetically known as the "country of thethousand rivers" ("o país dos mil ríos"). The largest and most important of these rivers is theMiño, poetically known asO Pai Miño (Father Miño), which is 307.5 km (191.1 mi) long and discharges 419 m3 (548 cu yd) per second, with its affluent theSil, which has created a spectacular canyon. Most of the rivers in the inland are tributaries of this river system, which drains some 17,027 km2 (6,574 sq mi). Other rivers run directly into theAtlantic Ocean or theCantabrian Sea, most of them having short courses. Only theNavia,Ulla,Tambre, andLimia have courses longer than 100 km (62 mi).
Galicia's manyhydroelectric dams take advantage of the steep, deep, narrow rivers and their canyons. Due to their steep course, few of Galicia's rivers are navigable, other than the lower portion of the Miño and the portions of various rivers that have been dammed into reservoirs. Some rivers are navigable by small boats in their lower reaches: this is taken great advantage of in several semi-aquatic festivals and pilgrimages.
Galicia has preserved some of its dense forests. It is relatively unpolluted, and its landscapes composed of green hills, cliffs, andrias are generally different from what is commonly understood as Spanish landscape. Nevertheless, Galicia has some important environmental problems.
Deforestation and forest fires are a problem in many areas, as is the continual spread of theeucalyptus tree, a species imported from Australia, actively promoted by the paper industry since the mid-20th century. Galicia is one of the more forested areas of Spain, but the majority of Galicia's plantations, usually growing eucalyptus or pine, lack any formal management.[48] Massive eucalyptus plantation, especially ofEucalyptus globulus, began in theFrancisco Franco era, largely on behalf of the paper company Empresa Nacional de Celulosas de España (ENCE) inPontevedra, which wanted it for its pulp. Galician photographerDelmi Álvarez began documenting the fires in Galicia in 2006 in a project calledQueiman Galiza (Burn Galicia).[49] Wood products figure significantly in Galicia's economy. Apart from tree plantations, Galicia is also notable for the extensive surface occupied by meadows used for animal husbandry, especiallycattle, an important activity. Hydroelectric development in most rivers has been a serious concern for local conservationists during the last decades.
Fauna, most notably theEuropean wolf, has suffered because of the actions of livestock owners and farmers, and because of the loss of habitats, whilst the native deer species have declined because of hunting and development.
Galicia has more than 2,800 plant species and 31 endemic plant taxa. Plantations and mixed forests of eucalyptus predominate in the west and north; a few oak forests (variously known locally asfragas ordevesas) remain, particularly in the north-central part of the province of Lugo and the north of the province of A Coruña (Fragas do Eume). In the interior regions of the country, oak and bushland predominate.Galicia has 262 inventoried species ofvertebrates, including 12 species of freshwater fish, 15amphibians, 24reptiles, 152 birds, and 59 mammals.[51]
Iberian wolf, Galicia
The animals most often thought of as being "typical" of Galicia are the livestock raised there. TheGalician horse is native to the region, as is theGalician Blond cow and the domesticfowl known as thegaliña deMos. The last is anendangered species, although it is showing signs of a comeback since 2001.[52]
Galicia is home to one of the largest populations ofwolves in western Europe. Galicia's woodlands and mountains are also home torabbits,hares,wild boars, androe deer, all of which are popular with hunters. Several important bird migration routes pass through Galicia, and some of the community's relatively few environmentally protected areas areSpecial Protection Areas (such as on the Ría de Ribadeo) for these birds. From a domestic point of view, Galicia has been credited by the authorManuel Rivas as the "land of one million cows".Galician Blond andHolstein cattle coexist on meadows and farms.
Being located on the Atlantic coastline, Galicia has a very mild climate for the latitude and the marine influence affects most of the province to various degrees. In comparison to similar latitudes on the other side of the Atlantic, winters are exceptionally mild, with consistent rainfall. At sea level snow is exceptional, with temperatures just occasionally dropping below freezing; on the other hand, snow regularly falls in the eastern mountains from November to May. Overall, the climate of Galicia is comparable to thePacific Northwest region of the United States; the warmest coastal station of Pontevedra has a yearly mean temperature of 14.8 °C (58.6 °F).[53] Ourense located somewhat inland is only slightly warmer with 14.9 °C (58.8 °F).[54] Lugo, to the north, is colder, with 12 °C (54 °F),[55] similar to the 12.45 °C (54.41 °F) ofPortland, Oregon.
In coastal areas summers are tempered, with daily maximums averaging around 25 °C (77 °F) in Vigo.[56] Temperatures are further cooler in A Coruña, with a subdued 22.8 °C (73.0 °F) normal.[57] Temperatures are much higher in inland areas such as Ourense, where days above 30 °C (86 °F) are regular.
The lands of Galicia are ascribed to two different areas in theKöppen climate classification:[58] a south area (roughly, theprovince of Ourense andPontevedra) with appreciable summer drought, classified as awarm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb), with mild temperatures and rainfall usual throughout the year; and the western and northern coastal regions, the provinces ofLugo andA Coruña, which are characterized by theirOceanic climate (Cfb), with a more uniform precipitation distribution along the year, and milder summers.[59] However, precipitation in southern coastal areas are often classified as oceanic since the averages remain significantly higher than a typical Mediterranean climate.
As an example,Santiago de Compostela, the capital city, has an average[60] of 129 rainy days (> 1 mm) and 1,362 millimetres (53.6 in) per year (with just 17 rainy days in the three summer months) and 2,101 sunlight hours per year, with just 6 days with frosts per year. But the colder city ofLugo, to the east, has an average of 1,759 sunlight hours per year,[61] 117 days with precipitations (> 1 mm) totalling 901.54 millimetres (35.5 in), and 40 days with frosts per year. The more mountainous parts of the provinces of Ourense and Lugo receive significant snowfall during the winter months. The sunniest city isPontevedra with 2,223 sunny hours per year.
Climate data for some locations in Galicia (average 1981–2010):[62]
Pazo de Raxoi, inSantiago de Compostela, seat of the presidency of the local devolved government
The Xunta de Galicia is a collective entity with executive and administrative power. It consists of thePresident, a vice president, and twelve councillors. Administrative power is largely delegated to dependent bodies. The Xunta also coordinates the activities of the provincial councils (Galician:deputacións) located inA Coruña,Pontevedra,Ourense andLugo.
The President of the Xunta directs and coordinates the actions of the Xunta. The president is simultaneously the representative of theautonomous community and of the Spanish state in Galicia. The president is a member of the parliament and is elected by its deputies and then formally named by themonarch of Spain.
There is a further subdivision of local government known as anEntidade local menor; each has its own council (xunta veciñal) and mayor (alcalde da aldea). There are nine of these in Galicia: Arcos da Condesa, Bembrive, Camposancos, Chenlo, Morgadáns, Pazos de Reis, Queimadelos,Vilasobroso and Berán.
Galicia is also traditionally subdivided in some 3,700 civilparishes, each one comprising one or morevilas (towns),aldeas (villages),lugares (hamlets) orbarrios (neighbourhoods).
Galicia's interests are represented at the national level by 25 electeddeputies in theCongress of Deputies and 19 senators in theSenate – of these, 16 are elected and 3 are appointed by the Galician parliament.
Galicia is further divided into 53comarcas, 315municipalities (93 in A Coruña,67 in Lugo,92 in Ourense,62 in Pontevedra) and 3,778parishes. Municipalities are divided into parishes, which may be further divided intoaldeas ("hamlets") orlugares ("places"). This traditional breakdown into such small areas is unusual when compared to the rest of Spain. Roughly half of the named population entities of Spain are in Galicia, which occupies only 5.8 percent of the country's area. It is estimated that Galicia has over a million named places, over 40,000 of them being communities.[67]
Textiles, fishing, livestock, forestry, and car manufacturing are the most dynamic sectors of the Galician economy.
The companies based in theprovince of Coruña generate 70% of the entrepreneurial output of Galicia.[68]Arteixo, an industrial municipality in the A Coruña metropolitan area, is the headquarters ofInditex, the world's largest fashion retailer. Of their eight brands,Zara is the best-known; indeed, it is the best-known Spanish brand of any sort on an international basis.[69] In 2022, Inditex reported €32.6 billion in sales and net income of €4.1 billion.[70] The company president,Amancio Ortega, is the richest person in Spain[71] and indeed Europe[72] with a net worth of 45 billion euros.
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 ofOurense andLugo—is economically dependent on traditional agriculture, based on small landholdings calledminifundios. 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.
Electric cars are made in theCitroën factory inVigo.
Traditionally, Galicia depended mainly on agriculture and fishing. Nonetheless, today thetertiary sector of the economy (the service sector) is the largest, with 582,000 workers out of a regional total of 1,072,000 (as of 2002).
Galicia was late to catch the tourism boom that has swept Spain in recent decades, but the coastal regions (especially theRías Baixas andSantiago de Compostela) are now significant tourist destinations and are especially popular with visitors from other regions in Spain, where the majority of tourists come from. In 2007, 5.7 million tourists visited Galicia, an 8% growth over the previous year, and part of a continual pattern of growth in this sector.[75] 85% of tourists who visit Galicia visit Santiago de Compostela.[75] Tourism constitutes 12% of GalicianGDP and employs about 12% of the regional workforce.[75]
TheGross domestic product (GDP) of the autonomous community was 62.6 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 5.2% of Spanish economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 24,900 euros or 82% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 95% of the EU average.[76]
The unemployment rate stood at 15.7% in 2017 and was lower than the national average.[77]
Galicia's main airport isSantiago de Compostela Airport. Having been used by 2,083,873 passengers in 2014, it connects the Galician capital with cities in Spain as well as several major European cities. There are two other domestic airports in Galicia:A Coruña Airport – Alvedro andVigo-Peinador Airport.
The most important Galician fishing port is thePort of Vigo; It is one of Europe's leading fishing ports, with an annual catch worth 1,500 million euros.[78][79] In 2007 the port took in 732,951 metric tons (721,375 long tons; 807,940 short tons) of fish and seafood, and about 4,000,000 metric tons (3,900,000 long tons; 4,400,000 short tons) of other cargoes. Other important ports areA Coruña,Marín-Pontevedra,Ferrol and the smaller port ofVilagarcía de Arousa, as well as important recreational ports inPontevedra capital city andBurela. Beyond these, Galicia has 120 other organized ports.
Galicia's inhabitants are known as Galicians (Galician:galegos,Spanish:gallegos). For well over a century Galicia has grown more slowly than the rest of Spain, largely due to a poorer economy compared with other regions of Spain andemigration toLatin America and other parts of Spain. Sometimes, Galicia has lost population in absolute terms. In 1857, Galicia had Spain'sdensest population and constituted 11.5% of the national population. As of 2007[update], only 6.1% of the Spanish population resided in the autonomous community. This is due to an exodus of Galician people since the 19th century, first toSouth America and later[when?] toCentral Europe[where?] and the development of population centers and industry in other parts of Spain.
According to a 2006 estimate, Galicia has afertility rate of 1.03 children per woman, compared to 1.38 nationally, and far below the figure of 2.1 that represents a stable populace.[81] Lugo and Ourense provinces have the lowest fertility rates in Spain, 0.88 and 0.93, respectively.[81]
In northern Galicia, theA Coruña-Ferrol metropolitan area has become increasingly dominant in terms of population. The population of the city of A Coruña in 1900 was 43,971. The population of the rest of the province, including the City and Naval Station of nearby Ferrol and Santiago de Compostela, was 653,556. A Coruña's growth occurred after theSpanish Civil War at the same speed as other major Galician cities, but since the revival of democracy after the death ofFrancisco Franco, A Coruña has grown at a faster rate than all the other Galician cities.
During the mid-20th century, the population rapidly increased inA Coruña, Vigo, and to a lesser degree, other major Galician cities, such asOurense,Pontevedra orSantiago de Compostela as the rural population declined after theSpanish Civil War: many villages and hamlets of the four provinces of Galicia disappeared or nearly disappeared during the same period.Economic development and mechanization of agriculture resulted in the fields being abandoned, and most of the population moved to find jobs in the main cities. The number of people working in thetertiary andquaternary sectors of the economy increased significantly.
Since 1999, the absolute number of births in Galicia has been increasing. In 2006, 21,392 births were registered in Galicia,[82] 300 more than in 2005, according to theInstituto Galego de Estatística. Since 1981, the Galicianlife expectancy has increased by five years, thanks to a higher quality of life.[83][84]
Birth rate (2006): 7.9 per 1,000 (all of Spain: 11.0 per 1,000)
Death rate (2006): 10.8 per 1,000 (all of Spain: 8.4 per 1,000)
Roman Catholicism is, by far, the largest religion in Galicia. In 2012, the proportion ofGalicians that identify themselves as Roman Catholic was 82.2%.[85]
As a Celtic region of Spain, Galicia has a tartan called Galicia National.[86]
Like many rural areas of Western Europe, Galicia's history has been defined by mass emigration. Significant internal migration took place from Galicia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to the industrialized Spanish cities ofBarcelona,Bilbao,Zaragoza andMadrid. Other Galicians emigrated toLatin America –Argentina,Uruguay,Venezuela,Mexico,Brazil andCuba in particular.
The two cities with the greatest number of people of Galician descent outside Galicia areBuenos Aires, Argentina, and nearbyMontevideo, Uruguay. Immigration from Galicia was so significant in these areas that Argentines and Uruguayans now commonly refer to all Spaniards asgallegos (Galicians).[87]
During theFranco years, there was a new wave of emigration out of Galicia to other European countries, most notably toFrance,Germany,Switzerland, and theUnited Kingdom. Many of these immigrant or expatriate communities have their groups or clubs, which they formed in the first decades of settling in a new place. TheGalician diaspora is so widespread that websites such asFillos de Galicia have been created in the 21st century to organize and form a network of ethnic Galicians throughout the world.
After this, a third wave was a Spanish internal emigration to heavier industrialised areas of Spain, like theBasque Country orCatalonia.
The proportion of foreign-born people in Galicia is only 2.9 percent compared to the national figure of 10 percent; among the autonomous communities, onlyExtremadura has a lower percentage of immigrants.[88] Of the foreign nationals resident in Galicia, 17.93 percent are the ethnically relatedPortuguese, 10.93 percent areColombian and 8.74 percentBrazilian.[45]
One of the oldest legal documents written in Galician, theForo do bo burgo do Castro Caldelas
Galicia has two official languages: Galician (Galician:galego) and Spanish (also known in Spain asCastellano, i.e."Castilian"), both of themRomance languages. The former (Galician) originated regionally; the latter (Castilian) was associated withCastile. Galician is recognized in the Statute of Autonomy of Galicia as thelingua propia ("own language") of Galicia.
Galician and Portuguese share a common medieval phase known asGalician-Portuguese.[89] The independence of Portugal since the late Middle Ages has favored the divergence of the Galician and Portuguese languages as they developed.[90] Though considered to be independent languages in Galicia, the shared history between Galician and Portuguese has been widely acknowledged; in 2014, the Galician parliament approved Law 1/2014 on the promotion of Portuguese and links with theLusophony.[91]
The official Galician language has been standardized by theReal Academia Galega based on literary tradition. Although there are local dialects, Galician media conform to this standard form, which is also used in primary, secondary, and university education. There are more than three million Galician speakers in the world.[90] Galician ranks in the lower orders of the 150 most widely spoken languages on earth.[45]
For more than four centuries of Castilian domination, Spanish was the only official language in Galicia. Galician faded from day-to-day use in urban areas. Since the re-establishment of democracy in Spain—in particular since the passage and implementation of theLei de Normalización Lingüística ("Law of Linguistic Normalization", Ley 3/1983, 15 June 1983)—the first generation of students in mass education has attended schools conducted in Galician. (Spanish is also taught.)
Since the late 20th century and the establishment of Galicia's autonomy, the Galician language is resurgent. In the cities, it is generally used as a second language for most. According to a 2001 census, 99.16 percent of the population of Galicia understood the language, 91.04 percent spoke it, 68.65 percent could read it and 57.64 percent could write it.[92] The first two numbers (understanding and speaking) were roughly the same as responses a decade earlier. But there were great gains in the percentage of the population who could read and write Galician: a decade earlier, only 49.3 percent of the population could read Galician, and 34.85 percent could write it. During theFranco era, the teaching of Galician was prohibited. Today older people may speak the language but have no written competence because of those years.[92] Among theregional languages of Spain, Galician has the highest percentage of speakers in its population.
The earliest known document in Galician-Portuguese dates from 1228. TheForo do bo burgo do Castro Caldelas was granted byAlfonso IX of León to the town of Burgo, inCastro Caldelas, after the model of the constitutions of the town ofAllariz.[93] A distinctGalician literature emerged during the Middle Ages: In the 13th century important contributions were made to the Romance canon in Galician-Portuguese, the most notable those by thetroubadourMartín Codax, the priestAiras Nunes, KingDenis of Portugal, and KingAlfonso X of Castile,Alfonso O Sabio ("Alfonso the Wise"), the same monarch who began the process of standardization of the Spanish language. During this period, Galician-Portuguese was considered the language of love poetry in the IberianRomance linguistic culture. The names and memories of Codax and other popular cultural figures are well preserved in modern Galicia.
Christianity is the most widely practised religion in Galicia. It was introduced inLate Antiquity and was practiced alongside the native Celtic religion for a few centuries which, incidentally, was re-established as an officially recognised religion in 2015.[95][96] Still, today about 77.7% of Galicians identify as Catholic.[94] Most Christians adhere to Catholicism, though only 32.1% of the population described themselves as active members.
TheCatholic Church in Galicia has had its primatial see in Santiago de Compostela since the 12th century. In fact, since theMiddle Ages, the Galician Catholic Church has been organized into five dioceses: the Metropolitan seeSantiago de Compostela, and four suffragan dioceses:Lugo,Ourense,Mondoñedo-Ferrol andTui-Vigo. While in the 15th-century diocesan boundaries may have coincided with those of the civil province, this is no longer the case. The five dioceses of Galicia are subdivided into a total of 163 districts and 3,792 parishes. In a minority of cases, the parish priest is represented by an administrator.
The patron saint of Galicia isSaint James the Greater. According toCatholic tradition, his body was discovered in 814 near Compostela. After that date, the relics of Saint James attracted an extraordinary number of pilgrims. Since the 9th century these relics have been kept in the heart of the church – the modern-daycathedral – dedicated to him. There are many other Galician and associated saints; some of the best-known are:Saint Ansurius,Saint Rudesind,Saint Mariña of Augas Santas,Saint Senorina, Trahamunda and Froilan.
Galicia's education system is administered by the regional government's Ministry of Education and University Administration. 76% of Galician teenagers achieve ahigh school degree – ranked fifth out of the 17 autonomous communities.
Romanesque façade in the Cathedral ofOurense (1160); founded in the 6th century, its construction is attributed to KingChararic.
Hundreds of ancient standing stone monuments likedolmens,menhirs, and megalithictumuli were erected during the prehistoric period in Galicia. Amongst the best-known are the dolmens of Dombate, Corveira, Axeitos of Pedra da Arca, and menhirs like the Lapa de Gargantáns. From theIron Age, Galicia has a rich heritage based mainly on a great number ofhill forts, few of them excavated like Baroña, Sta. Tegra, San Cibrao de Lás and Formigueiros among others. With the introduction of Ancient Roman architecture, there was a development of basilicas,castra, city walls, cities, villas, Roman temples, Roman roads, and the Roman bridge ofPonte Vella. It was the Romans who founded some of the first cities in Galicia likeLugo andOurense. Perhaps the best-known examples are theRoman Walls of Lugo and theTower of Hercules inA Coruña.
The castle of Pambre,Palas de Rei, which resisted theIrmandiños troops
During the Middle Ages, many fortified castles were built by Galician feudal nobles to mark their powers against their rivals. Although most of them were demolished during theIrmandiño Wars (1466–1469), some Galician castles that survived are Pambre, Castro Caldelas,Sobroso,Soutomaior and Monterrei. The ecclesiastical architecture was raised early in Galicia, and the first churches and monasteries as San Pedro de Rocas began to be built in the 5th and 6th centuries. However, the most famous medieval architecture in Galicia had been using Romanesque architecture like most of Western Europe. Some of the greatest examples of Romanesque churches in Galicia are theCathedral of Santiago de Compostela, theOurense Cathedral,Saint John of Caaveiro, Our Lady Mary ofCambre, and theChurch of San Xoán of Portomarín among others.In the art of Galicia, thestone has a strong imprint, especially thegranite, which served as a support from the prehistoricpetroglyphs figures to the development of medieval art in the Galician Romanesque sculptures fromPortico of Glory byMaster Mateo, inSantiago de Compostela Cathedral. Medieval splendor was followed, as in literature, by a few centuries of darkness (theSéculos escuros) until the arrival of the Compostela Baroque. In painting, the romanticism and impressionist-influenced landscapes of the 20th century were materialized by a generation of artists who died young, so they were called the "Xeración Doente" (Sick Generation). In the 20th century, the renovation came in the 20s byOs renovadores, and by theAtlántica group after the dictatorship.
Galician cuisine often uses fish and shellfish. Theempanada is a meat or fish pie, with a bread-like base, top, and crust with the meat or fish filling usually being in a tomato sauce including onions and garlic.Caldo galego is a hearty soup whose main ingredients are potatoes and a local vegetable namedgrelo (broccoli rabe). The latter is also employed inlacón con grelos, a typical carnival dish, consisting of pork shoulder boiled withgrelos, potatoes, andchorizo.Centolla is the equivalent ofking 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 isoctopus, boiled (traditionally in a copper pot) and served on a wooden plate, cut into small pieces, and laced with olive oil, sea salt, andpimentón (Spanish paprika). This dish is calledpulpo a la gallega or in Galicianpolbo á feira, which roughly translates as 'fair-style octopus', most commonly translated as 'Galician-style octopus'. There are several regional varieties of cheese. The best-known one is the so-calledtetilla, named after its breast-like shape. Other highly regarded varieties include the San Simón cheese fromVilalba and the creamy cheese produced in theArzúa-Ulloa area. A classical isfilloas, crêpe-like pancakes made with flour, broth or milk, and eggs. When cooked at apig slaughter festival, they may also contain the animal's blood. A famous almond cake calledTarta de Santiago (St. James' cake) is a Galician sweet specialty mainly produced in Santiago de Compostela and all around Galicia.
Galician wines
Galicia has 30 products withDenominación de orixe (D.O.), some of them withDenominación de Orixe Protexida (D.O.P.).[97] D.O. and D.O.P. are part of a system of regulation of quality and geographical origin among Spain's finest producers. Galicia produces a number of high-qualityGalician wines, includingAlbariño,Ribeiro,Ribeira Sacra,Monterrei andValdeorras. The grape varieties used are local and rarely found outside Galicia and Northern Portugal. Just as notably from Galicia comes the spiritAugardente—the name means burning water—often referred to asOrujo in Spain and internationally or ascaña in Galicia. This spirit is made from the distillation of thepomace of grapes.
The traditional music of Galicia andAsturias features highly distinctive folk styles that have some similarities with the neighboring area ofCantabria. The music is characterized by the use ofbagpipes.
Luar na Lubre: a band inspired by traditional Galician music. They have collaborated withMike Oldfield and other musicians.
Carlos Núñez: he has also collaborated with a great number of artists, being notable for his long-term friendship withThe Chieftains.
Susana Seivane: virtuoso piper. She descends from a family of pipe makers and stated she preferred pipes instead of dolls during her childhood.
As with many otherRomance languages,Galician-Portuguese emerged as a literary language in the Middle Ages, during the 12th and 13th centuries, when arich lyric tradition developed, followed by a minor prose tradition, whilst being the predominant language used for legal and private texts till the 15th century. However, in the face of the hegemony of Spanish, during the so-calledSéculos Escuros ("Dark Centuries") from 1530 to the late 18th century, it fell from major literary or legal written use.
Entroido:Peliqueiros inLaza, allegedly dressed as 16th-centuryCastilian tax collectors
Entroido, orCarnival, is a traditional celebration in Galicia, historically disliked and even forbidden by the Catholic Church. Famous celebrations are held inLaza,Verín, andXinzo de Limia.
Festa do Corpus Christi inPonteareas, has been observed since 1857 on the weekend followingCorpus Christi (amovable feast) and is known for its floral carpets. It was declared a Festival of Tourist Interest in 1968 and a Festival of National Tourist Interest in 1980.
Feira Franca, the first weekend of September, inPontevedra recreates an open market that first occurred in 1467. The fair commemorates the height of Pontevedra's prosperity in the 15th and 16th centuries, through historical recreation, theater, animation, and demonstration of artistic activities. Held annually since 2000.
Arde Lucus, in June, celebrates the Celtic and Roman history of the city of Lugo, with recreations of Celtic weddings, Roman circus, etc.
Bonfires of Saint John,Noite de San Xoán orNoite da Queima is widely spread in all Galician territory, celebrated as a welcome to thesummer solstice since the Celtic period, and Christianized inSaint John's day eve. Bonfires are believed to makemeigas (malicious or fallen witches) flee. They are particularly relevant in the city ofCorunna, where it becameFiesta of National Tourist Interest of Spain. The whole city participates in making great bonfires in each district, whereas the centre of the party is located on the beaches of Riazor and Orzan, in the very city heart, where hundreds of bonfires of different sizes are lighted. Also, grilled sardines are very typical.
Rapa das Bestas ("shearing of the beasts") inSabucedo, the first weekend in July, is the most famous of severalrapas in Galicia and was declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest in 1963. Wild colts are driven down from the mountains and brought to a closed area known as acurro, where their manes are cut and the animals are marked and assisted after a long winter in the hills. In Sabucedo, unlike in otherrapas, thealoitadores ("fighters") each take on their task with no assistance.
Festival de Ortigueira (Ortigueira's Festival of Celtic World) lasts four days in July, inOrtigueira. First celebrated in 1978–1987 and revived in 1995, the festival is based onCeltic culture, folk music, and the encounter of different peoples throughout Spain and the world. Attended by over 100,000 people, it is considered a Festival of National Tourist Interest.
Festa da Dorna, 24 July, inRibeira. Founded in 1948, declared a Galician Festival of Tourist Interest in 2005. Founded as a joke by a group of friends, it includes the Gran Prix de Carrilanas, a regatta of hand-made boats; theIcarus Prize for Unmotorized Flight; and a musical competition, the Canción de Tasca.
Festas do Apóstolo Santiago (Festas of the Apostle James): the events in honor of the patron saint of Galicia last for half a month. The religious celebrations take place on 24 July. Celebrants set offfireworks, including a pyrotechnic castle in the form of the façade of the cathedral.
Romería Vikinga de Catoira ("Viking Festival of Catoira"), the first Sunday in August, is a secular festival that has occurred since 1960 and was declared a Festival of International Tourist Interest in 2002. It commemorates the historic defense of Galicia and the treasures of Santiago de Compostela fromNorman andSaracen pirate attacks.
Festas da Peregrina inPontevedra, 2nd week of August, celebrating the Pilgrim Virgin ofPontevedra. There is abullfighting festival at the same time. Pontevedra is the only city where there is apermanent bullring.
Festa de San Froilán, 4–12 October, celebrating the patron saint of the city ofLugo. A Festival of National Tourist Interest, the festival was attended by 1,035,000 people in 2008.[98] It is most famous for the booths servingpolbo á feira, anoctopus dish.
Festa do marisco (Seafood Festival), October, inO Grove. Established in 1963; declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest in the 1980s.
In 2015 only fivecorridas took place within Galicia.[99]In addition, recent studies have stated that 92% of Galicians are firmly against bullfighting, the highest rate in Spain. Despite this, popular associations, such asGalicia Mellor Sen Touradas ("Galicia Better without Bullfights"), have blamed politicians for having no compromise to abolish it and have been very critical of local councils', especially those governed by the PP and PSOE, payment of subsidies for corridas. The province government of Pontevedra stopped the end of these subsidies and declared the province "free of bullfights".[100] The province government of A Coruña approved a document supporting the abolition of these events.[101]
Televisión de Galicia (TVG) is the autonomous community's public channel, which has broadcast since 24 July 1985 and is part of theCompañía de Radio-Televisión de Galicia (CRTVG). TVG broadcasts throughout Galicia and has two international channels, Galicia Televisión Europa and Galicia Televisión América, available throughout theEuropean Union and theAmericas throughHispasat. CRTVG also broadcasts adigital terrestrial television (DTT) channel known astvG2 and is considering adding further DTT channels, with a 24-hour news channel projected for 2010.
Radio Galega (RG) is the autonomous community's public radio station and is part of CRTVG. Radio Galega began broadcasting on 24 February 1985, with regular programming starting on 29 March 1985. There are two regular broadcast channels: Radio Galega and Radio Galega Música. In addition, there is a DTT and internet channel, Son Galicia Radio, dedicated specifically to Galician music.
Galicia has several free and community radio stations.Cuac FM is the headquarters of the Community Media Network (which brings together media non-profit oriented and serves their community). CUAC FM (A Coruña), Radio Filispim (Ferrol), Radio Roncudo (corme), Kalimera Radio (Santiago de Compostela), Radio Piratona (Vigo) and Radio Clavi (Lugo) are part of the Galician Network of Free and Association of Community Radio Broadcasters(ReGaRLiC)
Galicia has a long sporting tradition dating back to the early 20th century when the majority of sports clubs in Spain were founded.[citation needed] The most popular and well-supported teams in the region areDeportivo de La Coruña andCelta Vigo. When the two sides play, it is referred to as theGalician derby.[citation needed] Deportivo was champion of La Liga in the 1999–2000 season.[citation needed]
Football aside, the most popular team sports in Galicia arefutsal,handball andbasketball.[citation needed] In basketball,Obradoiro CAB is the most successful team of note, and currently, the only Galician team that plays in theLiga ACB; other teams areCB Breogan,Club Ourense Baloncesto and OAR Ferrol. In the sport of handball,Club Balonmán Cangas plays in the top-flight (Liga ASOBAL). The sport is particularly popular in the province of Pontevedra with the three other Galician teams in the top two divisions: SD Teucro (Pontevedra), Octavio Pilotes Posada (Vigo) and SD Chapela (Redondela).[citation needed]
Galicia is also known[who?] for its tradition of participation in water sports both at sea and in rivers; these includerowing,yachting,canoeing andsurfing. Its athletes have regularly won medals in the Olympics; currently, the most notable examples areDavid Cal, Carlos Pérez Rial, and Fernando Echavarri.[citation needed]
Galician triathlon contendersFrancisco Javier Gómez Noya andIván Raña have been world champions. In 2006 the cyclist Oscar Pereiro won the Tour de France after the disqualification of American Floyd Landis, gaining the top position on the penultimate day of the race.[citation needed] Galicians are also prominent athletes in the sport of mountaineering—Chus Lago is the third woman to reach the summit of Everest without supplemental oxygen.[citation needed]
In 2022, the cycling raceO Gran Camiño was held for the first time[102] and was won by the Spanish legendAlejandro Valverde. In subsequent years, it rose to fame as the scene of the season debut of two times Tour de France winnerJonas Vingegaard who won the race in both 2023 and 2024.[citation needed]
Since 2011, severalGaelic football teams have been set up in Galicia. The first wasFillos de Breogán (A Coruña), followed Artabros (Oleiros), Irmandinhos (A Estrada), SDG Corvos (Pontevedra), and Suebia (Santiago de Compostela) with talk of creating a Galician league.[103] Galicia also fielded a Gaelic football side (recognised as national by theGAA) that beatBrittany in July 2012 and was reported in the Spanish nationwide press.[104]
Rugby is growing in popularity, although the success of local teams is hampered by the absence of experienced ex-pat players from English-speaking countries typically seen at teams based on the Mediterranean coast or in the big cities.[citation needed] Galicia has a long-established Rugby Federation that organises its own women's, children's, and men's leagues. Galicia has also fielded a national side for friendly matches against other regions of Spain and Portugal. A team of ex-pat Galicians inSalvador, Brazil have also formed Galicia Rugby, a sister team of the local football club.[citation needed]
Coat of arms of theKingdom of Galicia (L'armorial Le Blancq, c. 1560 AD).
A goldenchalice enclosed in a field ofazure has been the symbol of Galicia since the 13th century. Originated as aCanting arms due to the phonetic similarity between the words "chalice" andGalyce ("Galicia" in oldNorman language), the first documented mention of this emblem is on theSegar's Roll, an English medievalroll of arms where are represented all the Christian kingdoms of 13th-century Europe. In the following centuries, the Galician emblem varied; diverse shapes and several numbers of chalices (initially three and later one or five) were used. It would not be until the 16th century that its number was fixed as one single chalice. Centuries after, a field of crosses was slowly added to the azure background, and latterly also a silver host. Since then, the emblem of the kingdom would be kept until now.
The ancient flag of the Kingdom of Galicia was based mainly on itscoat of arms until the 19th century. However, when in 1833 the government of Spain abolished the kingdom and divided it into four provinces, the Galician emblem, as well as the flag, lost its legal status and international validity. It would not be until the late 19th century that some Galician intellectuals (nationalist politicians and writers) began to use a new flag as a symbol of renewed national unity for Galicia. That flag, which was composed of a diagonal stripe over a white background, was designated the "official flag of Galicia" in 1984, after the fall of Franco's dictatorship. In addition, the Royal Academy of Galicia asked the Galician government to incorporate the ancient coat of arms of the kingdom onto the modern flag, being present in it since then.
In addition to its coat of arms and flag, Galicia also has its own anthem. While it is true that the Kingdom of Galicia had an unofficial anthem known as the "Solemn March of the kingdom" for centuries, the current Galician anthem was not created until 1907, although its composition had begun already in 1880. Titled "Os Pinos" ("The Pines"), the Galician anthem's lyrics were written byEduardo Pondal, one of the greatest modern Galician poets, and its music was composed by Pascual Veiga. Performed for the first time in 1907 inHavana (Cuba) by Galician emigrants, the anthem was banned from 1927 by various Spanish governments until 1977 when it was officially established by the Galician authorities.
^The termGaliza is accepted by the orthographic and morphological norms of the Galician language set by the Royal Galician Academy in 2003, while retainingGalicia as the first form, as it is used in the Galician Statute of Autonomy and, thus, the official form.
^These words both demonstrate the two main regional speech phenomena of the language,gheada andseseo, and are realized as[ɡaˈliθ(j)ɐ] in the east,[ħaˈliθ(j)ɐ] more centrally, and[ħaˈlis(j)ɐ] further west;[ɡaˈliθ(j)ɐ] isde facto standard, though all of these pronunciations are considered acceptable.
^"Galicia, a historic nationality, constitutes itself as an autonomous community for accessing to its self-government", "Galicia, nacionalidade histórica, constitúese en Comunidade Autónoma para acceder ó seu autogoberno"Statute of Autonomy of Galicia (1981), 1.
^Rodríguez Fernández, Justiniano (1997).García I, Ordoño II, Fruela II, Alfonso IV. Burgos: Editorial La Olmeda.ISBN84-920046-8-1.
^abde Artaza, Manuel Ma. (1998).Rey, reino y representación : la Junta General del Reino de Galicia (1599–1834). Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas.ISBN84-453-2249-4.
^Luján, Eugenio R. (2000): "Ptolemy's 'Callaecia' and the language(s) of the 'Callaeci', inPtolemy: towards a linguistic atlas of the earliest Celtic place-names of Europe: papers from a workshop sponsored by the British Academy, Dept. of Welsh, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, 11–12 April 1999, pp. 55–72. Parsons and Patrick Sims-Williams editors.
^Benozzo, F. (2018) "Uma paisagem atlântica pré-histórica. Etnogénese e etno-filologia paleo-mesolítica das tradições galega e portuguesa", in proceedings ofJornadas das Letras Galego-Portuguesas 2015–2017, DTS, Università di Bologna and Academia Galega da Língua Portuguesa, pp. 159–170.
^Cf. Carballeira Debasa, Ana María (2007).Galicia y los gallegos en las fuentes árabes medievales. Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas.ISBN978-84-00-08576-6.
^Alfonso II of Asturias was addressed as:"DCCXCVIII. Venit etiam et legatus Hadefonsi regis Galleciae et Asturiae, nomine Froia, papilionem mirae pulchritudinis praesentans. (…) Hadefonsus rex Galleciae et Asturiae praedata Olisipona ultima Hispaniae civitate insignia victoriae suae loricas, mulos captivosque Mauros domno regi per legatos suos Froiam et Basiliscum hiemis tempore misit". (ANNALES REGNI FRANCORUM);"Hadefuns rex Gallaeciae Carolo prius munera pretiosa itemque manubias suas pro munere misit". (CODEX AUGIENSIS);"Galleciarum princeps" (VITA LUDOVICI) Cf. López Carreira, Anselmo (2005):O Reino medieval de Galicia. A Nosa Terra, Vigo.ISBN978-84-8341-293-0 pp. 211–248.
^Martínez Crespo, José (2007).A guerra na Galicia do antigo rexime. Noia: Toxosoutos. pp. 302–319.ISBN978-84-96673-19-9.
^de Artaza, Manuel M. (1998).Rey, reino y representación: la Junta General del Reino de Galicia (1599–1834). Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. pp. 231–325.ISBN8445322494.
^de Artaza, Manuel M. (1998).Rey, reino y representación: la Junta General del Reino de Galicia (1599–1834). Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. pp. 325–345.ISBN84-453-2249-4.
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