It covers part of theEbro valley towards its north and the Iberian Range in the south. The community is a single province, so there is noprovincial deputation, and it is organized into 174 municipalities. It borders the Basque Country (province ofÁlava) to the north,Navarre to the northeast,Aragón to the southeast (province of Zaragoza), andCastilla y León to the west and south (provinces ofBurgos andSoria).
The area was once occupied by pre-RomanBerones,Pellendones andVascones. After partial recapture from theMuslims in the early tenth century, the region became part of theKingdom of Pamplona, later being incorporated into Castile after a century and a half of disputes. From the eighteenth century the Rioja region remained divided between the provinces of Burgos and Soria, until in 1833 the province of Logroño was created, changing the name of the province to La Rioja in 1980 as a prelude to its constitution under a single provincial autonomous community in 1982. The name "Rioja" (fromRío Oja) is first attested in 1099.
Theetymology of thetoponym Rioja is complex and has been much discussed. The maintheories point to different origins: the traditional popular one that makes it correspond to theriver Oja, the one that points to the termRivalia that would be translated as "land of streams", the one that points as germ a nominaltautology in the termrivo Ohia that would mean "river of fluvial bed"; and the very diverse ones that indicate that it would have its origins in theBasque language, for example as union of the wordsherria andogia being translated as "land of bread".
Numerous authors from different periods have proposed different theories about it, such as the friarMateo Anguiano in the 18th century,Ángel Casimiro de Govantes in the 19th century,Menéndez Pidal orMerino Urrutia in the 20th century, or in the 21st century, the researcher Eduardo Aznar Martínez. In addition, there are texts by older authors such asFlorián de Ocampo in the 16th century orRodrigo Méndez Silva in the 17th century, which give an account of thepopular etymology of the toponym.
The first written appearances of this toponym asRioga orRiogam date back to the 11th century, and it can also be found with different spellings such asRioxa, Riogia, Rivo de Oia, Rivogio or in its definitive formRioja in texts of later centuries. On the other hand, the oldest document found in which itsdemonym appears dates from the 13th century, with the spellingsriogeñ andriogensi, that is, Riojan (Spanish: riojano).
In the first written appearances of this toponym in the 11th century, the westernmost area of the present-day Spanish region is designated under the same name; therefore, the primitive Rioja was the territory around the basins of the riversTirón andOja, with some divergences in its exact location by different authors. Gradually and as a result of various historical events, the toponym was extended from theMiddle Ages, to name a larger region, consisting of sevenriver valleys, located between the Tirón in the west and theAlhama in the east, which flow into theEbro, namely La Rioja today.[6]
In Roman times, the territory of La Rioja was inhabited by the tribes of theBerones (central country),Autrigones (upper country, extending also north and west of it) and theVascones (lower country, extending also north and east of it). It was part of the province ofHispania Tarraconensis.
In medieval times, La Rioja was often a disputed territory. TheVisigoths created theDuchy of Cantabria that probably included most of La Rioja, as a bordermarch against theVascones. After theMuslim invasion of AD 711, La Rioja fell into the Muslim domains ofAl Andalus.
Most of the territory was reconquered in 923 bySancho I of Pamplona, acting for the Kingdom of Pamplona together with the Kingdom of León and the Counts of Castile, feudal lords of the Leonese King. The lower region aroundArnedo came under control of his allies theBanu Qasi ofTudela. The territory to the east of the Leza River remained under Muslim control.[citation needed]
Later, there was a dispute between CountFernán González of Castile and the kings of Pamplona-Navarra, involving great battles. It was decided in favour of the Navarrese after the imprisonment of the Count's family in Cirueña, in 960.[7] La Rioja briefly formed the independentKingdom of Viguera from 970 to about 1005, at which point it became a part of theKingdom of Pamplona.
Sancho Garcés moved the capital of the Kingdom of Pamplona to Nájera (La Rioja), creating the so-called kingdom of Nájera-Pamplona which was, due to its large size, the first Spanish Empire.[citation needed] After the independence ofCastile in 1035, this new kingdom fiercely fought against Pamplona for the possession ofBureba, La Rioja and other territories. In 1076, after the murder ofSancho IV, Navarre was divided among Castile and Aragon. Castile obtained La Rioja, together with other Navarrese lands.[7] The name "La Rioja" first appears in written records in the Miranda de Ebro charter of 1099. The territory was centred on the fortified site of Logroño: the 12th-century church Iglesia de Santa Maria de Palacio recalls its origin as a chapel of the administrative palace. Logroño was aborderland disputed between thekings of Navarre and thekings of Castile from the 10th century;
From 1134 the Navarrese underGarcía Ramírez ("the Restorer") and his sonSancho VI ("the Wise") fought bitterly with Castile for the recovery of the former Pamplonese domains.[citation needed] The region was awarded toCastile in a judgement byHenry II of England and annexed in 1177. Its importance lay in part in the pilgrimage route toSantiago de Compostela, theCamino de Santiago, which crossed the River Ebro on the stone bridge, thePuente de Piedra.
In the 18th century, the territory remained divided between the intendences ofBurgos andSoria. The region was taken by Napoleonic forces in thePeninsular War and remained solidly in French hands until 1814. In the 1810 project ofLlorente it was to be a part of theprefecture ofArlanzón with its capital inBurgos. TheCortes of Cádiz declared La Rioja an independent province at the time of the LiberalConstitution of 1812, and during theLiberal Triennium in January 1822 the province of Logroño was created by royal decree as part of the administrative reform ofRiego, taking in the whole of the historical territory of La Rioja. However,Ferdinand VII soon annulled these decisions and restored most of the previous territorial divisions. Inthe 1833 reorganization, a province of Logroño was again formed within the region ofCastilla la Vieja. The province increased its territory temporarily in 1841.
In 1980 the province changed its name to La Rioja, and following the adoption of the Estatuto de San Millán in 1982, during the reorganization following theSpanish transition to democracy, it was constituted as a uni-provincialautonomous community.[8] It is the second-smallest autonomous community in Spain and has the smallest population; half of its 174 municipalities have populations under 200. Nearly half of its citizens live in the capital.
The Ebro runs through the north of the community. The entire right bank (which is to the south) belongs to La Rioja. There are only three municipalities,Briñas,San Vicente de la Sonsierra andÁbalos on the left bank (known as the Riojan Sonsierra), although Logroño,Agoncillo,Alcanadre,Rincón de Soto and Alfaro also have parts of their respective municipal territories on that bank. Because of their proximity[citation needed], theÁlava area between the Ebro and theSierra de Cantabria is calledRioja Alavesa.
The climate is mainlycontinental. The Rioja Alta comarca receives more precipitation than Rioja Baja. The average temperature ranges from 11.8 to 31.8 °C (53.2 to 89.2 °F) and the precipitation ranges between 300 and 500 mm (12 and 20 in) as an annual average.[9] The wind calledCierzo is very frequent around La Rioja during the winter.
The mountains in La Rioja are part of theIberian System. This mountain range extends to the south of the Ebro river, parallel to it at a distance of about 40 to 60 km (25 to 37 miles), with altitudes ranging between 1,000 and 2,000 m (3,300 and 6,600 feet). From the mountain range theSierra de la Demanda runs northwards, into the heart of La Rioja, incorporatingMonte San Lorenzo which, at 2,271 m (7,451 ft), is the highest peak in the province. Other mountains includeSierra de Camero Viejo,Sierra de Camero Nuevo,Sierra de Cebollera, andPicos de Urbión.
La Rioja and its seven valleys. Drawing by Ernesto Reiner.
TheEbro is the main river passing through the community. Emerging from the narrow channel between the rocks of theConchas de Haro, it reaches La Rioja, through which it runs for 120 km (75 miles), before continuing its journey to the Mediterranean. In the Conchas de Haro the altitude of the river is 445 m (1,460 ft) and when it leaves the community, in the Sotos del Ebro Natural Reserve inAlfaro, it is 260 m (850 ft) high. The river therefore flows very quickly through La Rioja.[original research?]
Seven rivers descend rapidly towards the Ebro from the mountain range, which is why La Rioja is sometimes called: "Zone of the seven valleys". They are, from east to west,Alhama,Cidacos, Leza, Iregua,Najerilla,Oja andTirón, although the headwaters of the Alhama and Cidacos originate inSoria and those of Najerilla-Neila and Tirón are from Burgos. Sometimes Linares (a tributary of Alhama) is added, grouping Tirón with its tributary, the Oja.
All the rivers of these valleys form tributaries that go on to form many valleys in their own right, such as those of Linares, Ocon, Jubera, Tuerto, Brieva, Viniegras and San Millán. There is an almost unlimited number of grandiose canyons, quite splendid in nature, such as Aguas Buenas, Nieva, Manzanares, Ardancha, Navajún, Valderresa, Ollora, Tobia, San Martín and others.
In the highlands,oaks,beech andpine are grown. There are also thickets ofjuniper,boxwood,sloes,holly andcistus.Thyme,rosemary,common juniper, andholm oak are present. There are grand hillsides with fine pasture for livestock, cattle and sheep. In the lower areas there are oaks, olive and almond trees. Near the Ebro, in the plains, the land is used for cereal, sugar beet and potatoes, while the hills are covered with vast vineyards of the wine that has brought worldwide fame to this region.
All Riojan rivers, including the Ebro, have a row of poplars and cottonwood. About the Riojan AlamosAna Maria Matute has written: "... see them on the edge of the water, turning the landscape, like spears magical pointing towards the unreal and mysterious country of the riverbed."[10]
During theEarly Cretaceous period, the geographical area ofCameros was part of a flooded plain that drained periodically, leaving behind muddy areas where dinosaur tracks marked the path. Eventually they were dried and covered with new sediment layers whose weight pressed down on the lower layers, causing them to solidify into rocks over millions of years. Erosion has been wearing down the upper layers making many of these rock formations visible, bringing into view the fossilized footprints. La Rioja is notable for the number and conservation of these sites, in addition to those found in the north ofSoria, such asYanguas,Santa Cruz de Yanguas and other highland locations.[11]
As of 2024, La Rioja has a population of 324,184, with 159,979 men and 164,205 women. Its population density is 64.3 people per km2. It is the least populous autonomous community in Spain. Its capital,Logroño, with approximately 150,845 inhabitants, is its most populous city.[13][1]
La Rioja has174 municipalities. There are more men than women in 150 of them, in two the numbers are the same and in 22 there are more females than males. In the latter set, the differences are small, except in the capital where there are 4,868 more women than men.
Glasses of wine for tasting in the Vivancos Museum
Vineyards (Viñedos) in La Rioja
Toro de fuego festival in Haro
TheGross domestic product (GDP) of the autonomous community was 8.5 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 0.7% of Spanish economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 29,200 euros or 97% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 102% of the EU average.[14]
Power station at Arrúbal, La Rioja
La Rioja is known for its production ofRiojaDOCawines (although the Rioja viticultural region extends slightly into the neighboring administrative regions ofÁlava andNavarra).
Types of industry include wine production and conserves (in Logroño, Cenicero, Haro and Calahorra); textiles and footwear (in Logroño, Arnedo, Cervera del Río Alhama and Ezcaray); furniture manufacturing (in Ezcaray, Logroño and Nájera); rubber, plastics, chemical products and transport machinery; andchorizo, made in Casalarreina.
La Rioja hosts the annualBattle of Wine festival in the village ofHaro. Another famous local festival is theToro de fuego, where a metal frame in the shape of a bull is carried among festival goers, which also takes place in Haro.
According to the 2007 PISA report, education in La Rioja is of the highest quality in Spain, close to that of other European countries with better overall educational levels in terms of student knowledge. In the Ministry of Education's 2009 report La Rioja was in first position among the autonomous communities as it relates to general aspects of primary and secondary education.[15]
It is placed above the Spanish average in the list of communities with the lowest levels of school failure, with 85% of students being able to obtain the ESO title, despite its schools having the highest proportion of enrolled immigrants.[16]
6,208 euros are spent per pupil, making it the tenth ranked community in this regard.[15] The majority of educational institutions in the community are public, followed by subsidized and private schools, the latter of which are very scarce at the primary and secondary levels. Thebachillerato is free in public schools and at a cost in charter schools.[17]
In La Rioja the portion of the population with higher education is 30.6%, with two institutions offering studies at this level: theUniversity of La Rioja and an online university, the International University of La Rioja.[18]
Rail journeys to Madrid, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Valladolid, Oviedo, Bilbao, La Coruña, Vigo are possible, since the Castejón-Miranda line crosses the region from east to west. The main railway station is that at Logroño.
Roads between La Rioja and neighboring regions are primarily through theAP-68. Additional highways have been built, such as theAutovía A-12 which connectsPamplona to Logroño since 2006, and in the future will reachBurgos. Other major road routes include:
The currentPresident of La Rioja isGonzalo Capellán ofPP. The autonomous community has its ownParliament. Other organs include theConsejo de Gobierno (council of government) and theTribunal Superior de Justicia (high court of justice).
^Granado Hijelmo, Ignacio (1993). "Chapter 2: 2.2. El nombre de "La Rioja"".La Rioja como sistema (in Spanish). Vol. III. Gobierno de La Rioja. pp. 1702–1703.ISBN84-8125-033-3.
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