Asturias
Asturias (/æˈstʊəriəs, ə-/, Spanish: [asˈtuɾjas]), officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous community in northwest Spain.
Asturias
| |
|---|---|
Autonomous community and province | |
| Principado de Asturias (Spanish) Principáu d'Asturies (Asturian) Principao d'Asturias (Galician–Asturian) | |
| Motto(s): Hoc signo tuetur pius, Hoc signo vincitur inimicus ("By this sign is the pious safeguarded. By this sign is the enemy conquered.") | |
| Anthem: Asturias, patria querida (Spanish) "Asturias, beloved homeland" | |
Location of Asturias (red) within Spain | |
| Coordinates: 43°21′41″N 5°50′52″W | |
| Country | Spain |
| Formation | 722 (Kingdom of Asturias) 1230 (Comarca of the Asturias of Oviedo) 1833 (Province of Oviedo) 1982 (Autonomous Community) |
| Statute of Autonomy | 1981 |
| Capital Largest city | Oviedo Gijón |
| Government | |
| • Type | Devolved government in a constitutional monarchy |
| • Body | Government of the Principality of Asturias |
| • President | Adrián Barbón (FSA-PSOE) |
| • Legislature | General Junta of the Principality of Asturias |
| • Congress of Deputies | 7 Deputies (of 350) |
| • Senate | 6 Senators (of 265) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 10,604 km2 (4,094 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 10th in Spain (2.1%) |
| Population (2021) | |
| • Total | 1,011,792 |
| • Rank | 14th in Spain (2.4%) |
| • Density | 95/km2 (250/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Asturian asturiano, -na (es) |
| GDP | |
| • Total | €25.822 billion (2022) |
| • Per capita | €25,675 (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| Area code | +34 985 |
| ISO 3166 code | ES-AS (autonomous community) ES-O (province) |
| HDI (2021) | 0.900 very high · 9th |
| Official languages | Spanish (Asturian has special status) |
| Patron saint | Our Lady of Covadonga |
| Website | asturias.es |
It is coextensive with the province of Asturias and contains some of the territory that was part of the larger Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages. Divided into eight comarcas (counties), the autonomous community of Asturias is bordered by Cantabria to the east, by León (Castile and León) to the south, by Lugo (Galicia) to the west, and by the Cantabrian sea to the north.
Asturias is situated in a mountainous setting with vast greenery and lush vegetation, making it part of Green Spain. The region has a maritime climate. It receives plenty of annual rainfall and little sunshine by Spanish standards and has very moderated seasons, most often averaging in the lower 20s celsius. Heatwaves are rare due to mountains blocking southerly winds. Winters are very mild for the latitude, especially near sea level.
The most important cities are the communal capital, Oviedo, the seaport and largest city Gijón, and the industrial town of Avilés. Other municipalities in Asturias include Cangas de Onís, Cangas del Narcea, Gozón, Grado, Langreo, Llanera, Laviana, Lena, Llanes, Mieres, Siero, Valdés, Vegadeo and Villaviciosa (see also List of municipalities and comarcas in Asturias).