

Gipuzkoa is aprovince in theautonomous community of theBasque Country, Spain, that is divided into 88municipalities.[1] As of the 2023[update] Spanish census, the province is the22nd largest by population with726,712 inhabitants[2] but is the smallest by land area spanning 1,909.03 square kilometres (737.08 sq mi).[3] Municipalities enjoy a large degree of autonomy in their local administration. Amongst other tasks, they are in charge of urban planning, water supply, lighting, road network, local police and fire fighting.[4]
Municipalities are the basic local political division in Spain,[5] and can only belong to one province.[6] The organisation of the municipalities is outlined in a local government law (Ley 7/1985, de 2 de abril, Reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local) passed on 2 April 1985,[7] completed by an 18 April 1986 royal decree.[8] TheStatute of Autonomy of the Basque Country of 1979 also contains provisions concerning the relations between the municipalities and the autonomous government of the Basque Country.[9] All citizens of Spain are required to register in the municipality in which they reside.[10] Each municipality is a corporation with independentlegal personhood: its governing body is called theayuntamiento (municipal council orcorporation),[11] a term often also used to refer to themunicipal offices (city and town halls). Theayuntamiento is composed of themayor (Spanish:alcalde), the deputy mayors (tenientes de alcalde) and the plenary assembly (pleno) of councillors (concejales).[12] Municipalities are categorised by population for the purpose of determining the number ofconcejales: three when the population is up to 100 inhabitants, five for 101–250, seven for 251–1,000, nine for 1,001–2,000, eleven for 2,001–5,000, thirteen for 5,001–10,000, seventeen for 10,001–20,000, twenty-one for 20,001–50,000 and twenty-five for 50,001–100,000.[13] One councillor is added for every additional 100,000 inhabitants, with a further one added when the number ofconcejales based on this methodology would be even in order to preventtied votes.[14]
The mayor and the deputy mayors are elected by the plenary assembly, which is itself elected byuniversal suffrage.[15] Elections in municipalities with more than 250 inhabitants are carried out following aproportional representation system withclosed lists,[14] whilst those with a population lower than 250 use ablock plurality voting system withopen lists.[16] The plenary assembly must meet periodically at the seat of theayuntamiento, more or less often depending on the population of the municipality: monthly for those whose population is larger than 20,000, once every two months if it ranges between 5,001 and 20,000, and once every three months if it does not exceed 5,000.[17] Manyayuntamientos also have a local governing board (Spanish:junta de gobierno local), named by the mayor from amongst the councillors—it is required for municipalities of more than 5,000 inhabitants.[12] Thejunta de gobierno local, whose role is to assist the mayor between meetings of the plenary assembly, may not include more than one third of the councillors.[18]
The largest municipality by population in the province of Gipuzkoa as of the 2023 Spanish census isDonostia-San Sebastián, its capital, with 188,136 residents, while the smallest isOrexa with 109 residents.[19] The largest municipality by area isOñati, which spans 107.37 km2, whileArama is the smallest at 1.32 km2.[3]
| Name | Comarca[20] | Population (2023 census)[19] | Population (2011 census)[1] | Population change | Land area (km2)[3] | Population density (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abaltzisketa | Tolosaldea | 326 | 320 | +1.9% | 11.18 | 29.2/km2 |
| Aduna | Tolosaldea | 505 | 451 | +12.0% | 6.95 | 72.7/km2 |
| Aia | Urola Kosta [eu] | 2,135 | 2,024 | +5.5% | 55.27 | 38.6/km2 |
| Aizarnazabal | Urola Kosta [eu] | 771 | 761 | +1.3% | 6.55 | 117.7/km2 |
| Albiztur | Tolosaldea | 325 | 313 | +3.8% | 13.01 | 25.0/km2 |
| Alegia | Tolosaldea | 1,768 | 1,763 | +0.3% | 7.68 | 230.2/km2 |
| Alkiza | Tolosaldea | 370 | 365 | +1.4% | 11.93 | 31.0/km2 |
| Altzaga | Goierri | 173 | 161 | +7.5% | 2.52 | 68.7/km2 |
| Altzo | Tolosaldea | 447 | 407 | +9.8% | 9.77 | 45.8/km2 |
| Amezketa | Tolosaldea | 937 | 969 | −3.3% | 20.58 | 45.5/km2 |
| Andoain | Donostialdea | 14,526 | 14,633 | −0.7% | 27.17 | 534.6/km2 |
| Anoeta | Tolosaldea | 2,092 | 1,836 | +13.9% | 4.13 | 506.5/km2 |
| Antzuola | Debagoiena | 2,082 | 2,153 | −3.3% | 27.73 | 75.1/km2 |
| Arama | Goierri | 189 | 198 | −4.5% | 1.32 | 143.2/km2 |
| Aretxabaleta | Debagoiena | 7,150 | 6,808 | +5.0% | 26.91 | 265.7/km2 |
| Arrasate/Mondragón | Debagoiena | 21,827 | 21,975 | −0.7% | 32.98 | 661.8/km2 |
| Asteasu | Tolosaldea | 1,544 | 1,500 | +2.9% | 16.76 | 92.1/km2 |
| Astigarraga | Donostialdea | 7,661 | 4,900 | +56.3% | 11.91 | 643.2/km2 |
| Ataun | Goierri | 1,690 | 1,680 | +0.6% | 58.87 | 28.7/km2 |
| Azkoitia | Urola Kosta [eu] | 11,608 | 11,394 | +1.9% | 54.71 | 212.2/km2 |
| Azpeitia | Urola Kosta [eu] | 15,133 | 14,429 | +4.9% | 69.39 | 218.1/km2 |
| Baliarrain | Tolosaldea | 149 | 125 | +19.2% | 2.70 | 55.2/km2 |
| Beasain | Goierri | 13,908 | 13,719 | +1.4% | 29.99 | 463.8/km2 |
| Beizama | Urola Kosta [eu] | 133 | 176 | −24.4% | 16.55 | 8.0/km2 |
| Belauntza | Tolosaldea | 286 | 287 | −0.3% | 3.43 | 83.4/km2 |
| Berastegi | Tolosaldea | 1,082 | 1,057 | +2.4% | 45.90 | 23.6/km2 |
| Bergara | Debagoiena | 14,496 | 14,610 | −0.8% | 75.95 | 190.9/km2 |
| Berrobi | Tolosaldea | 582 | 568 | +2.5% | 2.77 | 210.1/km2 |
| Bidania-Goiatz | Tolosaldea | 538 | 536 | +0.4% | 13.37 | 40.2/km2 |
| Deba | Debabarrena | 5,380 | 5,402 | −0.4% | 50.32 | 106.9/km2 |
| Donostia-San Sebastián† | Donostialdea | 188,136 | 185,512 | +1.4% | 60.89 | 3,089.8/km2 |
| Eibar | Debabarrena | 27,179 | 27,382 | −0.7% | 24.78 | 1,096.8/km2 |
| Elduain | Tolosaldea | 237 | 232 | +2.2% | 25.07 | 9.5/km2 |
| Elgeta | Debagoiena | 1,119 | 1,108 | +1.0% | 16.83 | 66.5/km2 |
| Elgoibar | Debabarrena | 11,479 | 11,364 | +1.0% | 39.11 | 293.5/km2 |
| Errenteria | Donostialdea | 39,134 | 39,228 | −0.2% | 32.26 | 1,213.1/km2 |
| Errezil | Urola Kosta [eu] | 583 | 612 | −4.7% | 32.46 | 18.0/km2 |
| Eskoriatza | Debagoiena | 4,187 | 4,032 | +3.8% | 40.25 | 104.0/km2 |
| Eskio-Itsaso | Goierri | 604 | 625 | −3.4% | 21.22 | 28.5/km2 |
| Gabiria | Goierri | 504 | 483 | +4.3% | 14.88 | 33.9/km2 |
| Gaintza | Goierri | 124 | 124 | 0.0% | 5.96 | 20.8/km2 |
| Gaztelu | Tolosaldea | 170 | 163 | +4.3% | 9.15 | 18.6/km2 |
| Getaria | Urola Kosta [eu] | 2,870 | 2,659 | +7.9% | 10.63 | 270.0/km2 |
| Hernani | Donostialdea | 20,423 | 19,260 | +6.0% | 39.81 | 513.0/km2 |
| Hernialde | Tolosaldea | 312 | 359 | −13.1% | 4.17 | 74.8/km2 |
| Hondarribia | Bidasoa Behea [eu] | 16,888 | 16,391 | +3.0% | 28.63 | 589.9/km2 |
| Ibarra | Tolosaldea | 4,126 | 4,273 | −3.4% | 5.04 | 818.7/km2 |
| Idiazabal | Goierri | 2,274 | 2,264 | +0.4% | 29.47 | 77.2/km2 |
| Ikaztegieta | Tolosaldea | 486 | 469 | +3.6% | 2.00 | 243.0/km2 |
| Irun | Bidasoa Behea [eu] | 62,853 | 60,747 | +3.5% | 42.40 | 1,482.4/km2 |
| Irura | Tolosaldea | 1,888 | 1,626 | +16.1% | 2.99 | 631.4/km2 |
| Itsasondo | Goierri | 654 | 675 | −3.1% | 8.94 | 73.2/km2 |
| Larraul | Tolosaldea | 257 | 247 | +4.0% | 5.90 | 43.6/km2 |
| Lasarte-Oria | Donostialdea | 19,103 | 17,830 | +7.1% | 6.01 | 3,178.5/km2 |
| Lazkao | Goierri | 5,981 | 5,406 | +10.6% | 11.39 | 525.1/km2 |
| Leaburu-Txarama | Tolosaldea | 392 | 388 | +1.0% | 3.50 | 112.0/km2 |
| Legazpi | Goierri | 8,329 | 8,620 | −3.4% | 41.84 | 199.1/km2 |
| Legorreta | Tolosaldea | 1,460 | 1,478 | −1.2% | 8.62 | 169.4/km2 |
| Leintz-Gatzaga | Debagoiena | 194 | 253 | −23.3% | 14.82 | 13.1/km2 |
| Lezo | Donostialdea | 6,015 | 6,011 | +0.1% | 8.59 | 700.2/km2 |
| Lizartza | Tolosaldea | 637 | 648 | −1.7% | 12.33 | 51.7/km2 |
| Mendaro | Debabarrena | 2,008 | 1,960 | +2.4% | 25.39 | 79.1/km2 |
| Mutiloa | Goierri | 262 | 255 | +2.7% | 8.61 | 30.4/km2 |
| Mutriku | Debabarrena | 5,302 | 5,053 | +4.9% | 27.69 | 191.5/km2 |
| Oiartzun | Donostialdea | 10,310 | 10,012 | +3.0% | 59.49 | 173.3/km2 |
| Olaberria | Goierri | 916 | 936 | −2.1% | 6.92 | 132.4/km2 |
| Oñati | Debagoiena | 11,549 | 11,087 | +4.2% | 107.37 | 107.6/km2 |
| Ordizia | Goierri | 10,580 | 9,751 | +8.5% | 5.66 | 1,869.3/km2 |
| Orendain | Tolosaldea | 240 | 180 | +33.3% | 6.34 | 37.9/km2 |
| Orexa | Tolosaldea | 109 | 123 | −11.4% | 5.85 | 18.6/km2 |
| Orio | Urola Kosta [eu] | 6,122 | 5,319 | +15.1% | 9.81 | 624.1/km2 |
| Ormaiztegi | Goierri | 1,226 | 1,318 | −7.0% | 6.77 | 181.1/km2 |
| Pasaia | Donostialdea | 16,071 | 15,727 | +2.2% | 11.34 | 1,417.2/km2 |
| Segura | Goierri | 1,461 | 1,460 | +0.1% | 9.22 | 158.5/km2 |
| Soraluze-Placencia de las Armas | Debabarrena | 3,742 | 3,973 | −5.8% | 14.22 | 263.2/km2 |
| Tolosa | Tolosaldea | 20,045 | 18,389 | +9.0% | 37.39 | 536.1/km2 |
| Urnieta | Donostialdea | 6,196 | 6,191 | +0.1% | 22.40 | 276.6/km2 |
| Urretxu | Goierri | 6,733 | 6,927 | −2.8% | 7.71 | 873.3/km2 |
| Usurbil | Donostialdea | 6,341 | 6,070 | +4.5% | 25.64 | 247.3/km2 |
| Villabona | Tolosaldea | 5,812 | 5,858 | −0.8% | 17.74 | 3.3/km2 |
| Zaldibia | Goierri | 1,734 | 1,504 | +15.3% | 16.44 | 105.5/km2 |
| Zarautz | Urola Kosta [eu] | 23,127 | 22,513 | +2.7% | 14.35 | 1,611.6/km2 |
| Zegama | Goierri | 1,540 | 1,539 | +0.1% | 35.07 | 43.9/km2 |
| Zerain | Goierri | 282 | 266 | +6.0% | 10.37 | 27.2/km2 |
| Zestoa | Urola Kosta [eu] | 3,777 | 3,631 | +4.0% | 43.69 | 86.4/km2 |
| Zizurkil | Tolosaldea | 2,967 | 2,854 | +4.0% | 15.61 | 190.1/km2 |
| Zumaia | Urola Kosta [eu] | 10,189 | 9,538 | +6.8% | 11.28 | 903.3/km2 |
| Zumarraga | Goierri | 9,660 | 10,005 | −3.4% | 18.42 | 524.4/km2 |
| Gipuzkoa | — | 726,712[21] | 708,425[22] | +2.6% | 1,909.03 | 380.7/km2 |
| Basque Country | — | 2,216,302[21] | 2,185,393[22] | +1.4% | 7,092.45 | 312.5/km2 |
| Spain | — | 48,085,361[21] | 46,815,916[22] | +2.7% | 504,755.17 | 95.3/km2 |