Catalonias History - Term Paper Example

?Catalonia Geography of Catalonia The nationality known as Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, and consists of four provinces, which are Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. There is also a fifth region, Andorra, which is a small country that is dominated by both Spain and France. Catalonia is located in Northeast Spain along the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyrenees mountains. This political and administrative community borders the outskirts of Pamplona, Saragossa, and Valencia, covering a total land mass of 32,114 km2, or 12,399 square miles. The climate of Catalonia varies depending on the location, such as the areas along the coast, the inland, up in the mountains, or within the valleys. In the provinces on the edge of the coast and part of inland Barcelona, the climate is subtropic with hot and dry summers of around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and cold winters, though it gets colder the closer to the shore the province is. The rest of inland Catalonia is hotter in the summer than in other locations, reaching temperatures as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit, and cooler during the nights. In these regions, Catalonia gets the majority of its rainfall during spring and autumn. The valleys, however, with their oceanic climate, have their wettest season in summer, and often experiences freezing rain and subzero temperatures during the winter months. Throughout the year, snow is a common occurrence in the Pyrenees mountains. Catalonia’s flora and fauna is considered to be among the most incredible throughout Spain. Catalonia, Barcelona specifically, contains sixty unique parks, with a combined total of 140 different trees, including figs, cypresses, and cedars, which are common to the Mediterranean. Despite the wonders found in the parks of Barcelona, the mountains of Catalonia is where the majestic beauty of nature truly flourishes. “With beechwood and evergreen oak forests, extraordinary rock formations, glacial lakes and thousands of plant species, the Catalan Pyrenees are one of Europe’s greatest natural wonders (Shubert, 1992).” In the spring, the meadows of the Pyrenees are covered with pheasant’s eye narcissi, fritillaries, jasmine, trumpet gentians, and Pyrenean hyacinths. The autumn season is graced with red and gold Montpellier maples and downy oaks, and the meadows are then spotted with crocuses and purple merendera. Come winter, the Pyrenees is decorated with irises and orchids. Vall d’Aran displays these floral delights year round, and Augues Tortes is home to the lake of Sant Maurici and forests fit to burst with Scots pine and silver fur. Catalonia is considered to have “a greater diversity of wildlife than any other region of Spain (Williams, 1994).” In the Pyrenees, one can find the marmot, which is a large rodent, the goat-like isard, or wild boar as they sniff out truffles. Other present creatures include badgers, otters, and ibex. While they are difficult to find, many having just been reintroduced into the wild, Catalonia is also home to the Iberian lynx and various bears and wolves. In the mountains, the rivers and meadows are teeming with the Pyrenean brook salamander, the painted frog, asps, and a unique variety of dragonflies and butterflies, as well as the giant peacock moth, which is Europe’s largest insect. Located alongside the Mediterranean Sea, Catalonia has a variety of rivers and lakes that are fed from the sea. The main rivers that connect with the Mediterranean Sea are the Ebre, Llobregat, and the Ter. There are two primary basins in Catalonia, Ebro and the main “one that comprises the internal basins of Catalonia (White & Aviva, 2010)”, all of which flow into the Mediterranean. There is also the Garona river basin that meets with the Atlantic Ocean, but it takes up an insignificant portion of land. Though there are small lakes spotted throughout Catalonia, the majority of them can be found in the Pyrenees, with the largest being Banyoles, a remnant of the ice age. Catalonia’s History Before Catalonia became the Catalonia we know today, it was a merchant trading post run by Greek merchants and inhabited by proto-Iberian tribes. Come the third century BC, Catalonia became overrun by Phoenician and Carthaginian settlers, thought “they in turn were replaced after the Punic wars by the Romans, who established what is now Tarragona (Eaude, 2008).” When the Roman Empire fell in the early part of the fifth century, the Visigoths took over. During the eighth century, counts of Catalonia achieved independence from the Frankish kings, and, following the Reconquest and the reign of Wilfred the Hairy, Catalonia became a nation with Barcelona holding dominance in political and military forces. Catalonia’s Golden Age rose during the thirteenth century while the nation was under the rule of Jaume II. During this time, Barcelona ruled over the empire as a maritime power, and the prosperity than came about as a result led to the construction of many famous Barcelona monuments. However, these thriving and promising years did not prevent Catalans from revolting in 1640 when they attempted to change their allegiance to Louis XIII of France, a move that came to an end in 1652 when Barcelona was sieged by Don Juan of Austria. Catalans made a second attempt to secede from the monarchy during the Spanish War of Succession but lost miserably, prompting their privileges being stripped after the surrender of Barcelona on September 11, 1714. Catalonia had a brief respite during the Second Republic from 1932 to 1939, during which they regained their autonomy. Until 1977, the Nationalists repressed the Catalans and every right and privilege. When the new Constitution was written in 1977, Catalonia was able to reestablish some degree of self-government. After that final victory, Catalonia has flourished as Spain’s leading economic region. Languages Catalonia has three languages with official status, and they are Catalan, Spanish, and Aranese. Catalan is the primary spoken and written language, one that is currently being taught in schools, and spoken in government, businesses, and throughout the media, such as television, news broadcasts, and the radio. Catalan is considered a Romance language as it has similar attributes as the languages of French and Italian. Despite 95% of the population understanding and utilizing Catalan, Spanish is the most spoken language in the metropolitan area of Barcelona as many dwellers in other locations of Spain have moved to Barcelona. Spanish is also the language that most citizens are able to read and write with ease since it was the only language used in school and official communications until the early 1980s. The 1980s brought with it a renewed interest for preserving Catalan heritage, especially its language. Aranese is considered a language with an official status, yet it is only spoken, read, and written by a small portion of the Catalonia population. Aranese is spoken in the territory of Aran, but its popularity is gradually declining with each year, though there has been a slight increase in the amount of people who are able to write Aranese. In Aran, Spanish is the primary language, followed by Aranese, and then Catalan. Culture Given its location in the Mediterranean Basin, Catalonia’s cuisine is inspired by and rich in Mediterranean flavors. Common foods used in Catalonian cuisine include dried fruits, nuts, onions, tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic; Catalans are also particularly fond of mushrooms, and their homeland contains at least six dozen edible varieties. One of Catalonia’s famous dishes is escudella I carn d’olla, which consists of meats and sausages simmered with vegetables, whose broth is served with pasta as a first course, and the rest of the meal as the main course (Andrews, 2006). An important Catalonian staple is pa amb tomaquet, bread slathered with tomato and sprinkled with oil and salt. The are three major festivals in Catalonia: correfocs, Sant Jordi, which is also known as Dia del Llibre, and the colles castelleres festival. Correfocs is “one of the most striking of the Catalan festive events (Lye, 1994)” as men play with fire close to onlookers, setting off fireworks while dancing to drums and the gralla. On April 23, Catalans celebrate Sant Jordi and Dia del Llibre, the first in which men give red roses to women and, to celebrate the second, women give books to men as a gift; Dia del Llibre is the anniversary of the deaths of the great literary masters William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes, and Josep Pla. On this day, the streets are filled with people sharing roses and books. The colles castelleres occurs when groups of enthusiasts form human towers, an event that attracts thousands of people. Public holidays that are traditional to Catalonia but no typical to locations outside of Spain. One such holiday is Epiphany, which takes place on January 6 and is part of the tradition of children receiving their Christmas gifts the night before. As previously mentioned, April 23 is Sant Jordi, or St. George’s Day, which is celebrated by giving a rose and a book to a loved one. May 1 is Labour Day, a national holiday to “celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers (Cramer, 2001).” September 11 is National Day of Catalonia, a day that commemorates the 1714 Siege of Barcelona defeat during the War of the Spanish Succession. November 1 is All Saints Day, a holiday celebrated throughout Spain in honor and remembrance of deceased relatives and loved ones. In terms of religion, many of the citizens of Catalonia are Roman Catholic, which is the predominant religion in Spain. However, unlike the earliest Spanish civilizations, the role of religion is not as important as it once was. This change is believed to have been caused by the industrialization and modernization of Catalonia and outside cultural influences. While most Catalans observe major religious events such as marriage and baptism, very few are regular churchgoers. Government and Politics In 1978, Catalonia was officially described as a nationality in the Spanish Constitution, prompting the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 1979, a document that declared Catalonia the right to autonomy (Crameri, 2008). As a nationality, Catalonia has its own government, and therefore has a law and constitution that is second only to the Spanish Constitution. However, the 2006 Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia recognized Catalonia as a nation, inciting many legal debates, when, during the People’s Party in 2006, Catalonia was finally declared a nation, though the term has no legal weight. It is continued to be regarded as a nationality. The Catalan Statute declares that Catalonia is politically organized though the Generalitat de Catalunya, which follows the structure set forth by the Parliament and the Presidency of the Generalitat. Barcelona plays home to the seat of the Executive Council, and the current president is Artur Mas. As a nationality, Catalonia has its own police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra. Catalonia abides by the uniform Spanish criminal justice system, though their civil law is a separate entity within Catalonia. Catalonia’s police force also works with the other security forces in Spain in matters such as overseeing airports, international borders, coasts, and arms control; this camaraderie allows for a united identity among the nationalities and cities throughout Spain. Catalonia consists of provinces, which are then categorized into municipalities. The four provinces, which are governed by the Diputacio, are the Province of Barcelona, the Province of Lleida, the Province of Girona, and the Province of Tarragona. The Province of Barcelona is the largest, with an overwhelming population of approximately six million people, with the Province of Tarragona having the second-largest population of a mere eight hundred thousand. There are currently 947 recognized municipalities in Catalonia. The sole governing body of Catalonia is the Government of Catalonia, which consists of the executive branch of the Generalitat de Catalunya. The executive branch is responsible for all administration, political action, and regimentation of the Generalitat. At the head of this government body is the President of the Generalitat, who is able to appoint a Prime Minister and a variety of other ministers with designated duties, such as the Minister of Education and the Minister of Health. Economy Catalonia is the fiftieth largest country subdivision by nominal GDP; as of 2008, its regional GDP was $314.4 billion, the highest in all of Spain. In terms of nominal gross regional product, or GRP, as of 2010 Catalonia ranked the highest with $262,288,000, which is followed closely by Madrid with $252,407,000. Andalusia and Valencian Community are the remaining communities in the hundred million section. The six other communities that make the list of ten highest GRP include Basque Country, Castile and Leon, Galicia, Canary Islands, Castile-La Mancha, and Aragon. Catalonia has an exceptionally diverse agriculture, and their poultry industry is renowned throughout Spain, which is due to the advance technology they implemented that other countries have yet to utilize. The significant crops of Catalonia are apples, pears, and maize. Catalonia is also the primary source of cork, used for bottle stoppers, with Spain being the second-largest country in the world for the same. The nationality of Catalonia is a tourist’s dream location, between the ancient and culturally vibrant city of Barcelona, the Catalan Pyrenees ski resorts, and the spectacular beaches in areas such as Costa Barcelona, Costa Brava, and Costa Dorada. Catalonia also has a world-class cuisine, and is home to the brilliant works of the artists Gaudi and Dali. If visitors are uninterested in spending time outside, they can still enjoy the wonderful culture of Catalonia by visiting some of its renowned museums such as the National Art Museum of Catalonia and the Dali Theatre-Museum. Conclusion Catalonia is a nationality that is very rich in cultural heritage. While many places throughout the world have succumbed to the changes of the modern world, Catalonia, even with its changes, has remained true to its historical roots. Though it only accounts for a meager portion of Spain land and a small percentage of Spain’s overall population, Catalonia can be considered not only the heart and soul of Spain, but of the culture as well. Catalonia faced much diversity when the nation was first founded many centuries ago, yet it has risen through many obstacles to become the great nation that it is today. References Andrews, C. (2006). Catalan cuisine: Vivid flavors from Spain's Mediterranean coast. Boston, MA: Harvard Common Press. Cramer, M. (2001). Culture shock!: Barcelona at your door. Portland, OR: Graphic Arts Center. Crameri, K. (2008). Catalonia: National identity and cultural policy. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. Eaude, M. (2008). Catalonia: A cultural history. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Lye, K. (1994). Passport to Spain. London: F. Watts. Shubert, A. (1992). The land and people of Spain. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. White, G. C., & Aviva, E. (2010). Powerful places in Catalonia. Santa Fe, NM: Pilgrims Process, Inc.. Williams, R. (1994). Catalonia. Hong Kong: APA Publications. Read More