Catalan Countries: Difference between revisions

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The Catalan Countries are split into several states: [[Spain]], [[France]], [[Andorra]] and possibly [[Italy]]. They include approximately the following territories:
The Catalan Countries are split into several states: [[Spain]], [[France]], [[Andorra]] and possibly [[Italy]]. They include approximately the following territories:
* [[Northern Catalonia]] (''Catalunya Nord''), that is, approximately,  the department of the [[Pyrénées-Orientales]], in southern [[France]], around [[Perpignan]].
* ''[[North Catalonia]]'' (''Catalunya Nord''), that is, approximately,  the department of the [[Pyrénées-Orientales]], in southern [[France]], around [[Perpignan]].
* [[Andorra]] (''Andorra''), a sovereign state.
* ''[[Andorra]]'' (''Andorra''), a sovereign state.
* The [[Western Strip]] (''Franja de Ponent'') in the east of the autonomous community of [[Aragon]], in [[Spain]].
* The ''[[Western Strip]]'' or simply the ''Strip'' (''la Franja de Ponent, la Franja'') in the autonomous community of [[Aragon]], in [[Spain]].
* [[Catalonia (autonomous community)|Catalonia]] (''Catalunya'') in the narrow sense, an autonomous community in eastern Spain, around [[Barcelona]].
* ''[[Catalonia (autonomous community)|Catalonia]]'' (''Catalunya'') in the narrow sense, also called the ''Principality'' (''el Principat''), an autonomous community in eastern Spain, around [[Barcelona]].
* The [[Valencian Country]] (''País Valencià''), an autonomous community in eastern Spain, around the [[city of València]].
* The ''[[Valencian Country]]'' (''el País Valencià''), an autonomous community in eastern Spain, around the [[city of València]].
* The [[Balearic Islands]] (''Illes Balears''), an autonomous community in eastern Spain, around [[Palma]].
* The ''[[Balearic Islands]]'' (''les Illes Balears, les Illes''), an autonomous community in eastern Spain, around [[Palma]].
* The [[Carche]] (''Carxe''), a small area in the autonomous community of [[Murcia (autonomous community)|Murcia]], in eastern Spain.
* The ''[[Carche]]'' (''el Carxe''), a small area in the autonomous community of [[Murcia (autonomous community)|Murcia]], in eastern Spain.
* Possibly [[Alghero]] (''l'Alguer''), a city and a Catalan linguistic enclave on the island of [[Sardinia]], in [[Italy]].
* Possibly ''[[Alghero]]'' (''l'Alguer''), a city and a Catalan linguistic enclave on the island of [[Sardinia]], in [[Italy]].


The exact definition of the Catalan Countries varies according to the criteria followed:
The exact definition of the Catalan Countries varies according to the criteria followed:
* According to a strict linguistic criterion, some non-Catalan-speaking areas should not be included in the Catalan Countries.<ref>Such a view is supported, for instance, by Pol Sureda in the website [http://webs.racocatala.cat/eltalp/cart1.htm El Talp].</ref> These are:
* According to a strict linguistic criterion, some non-Catalan-speaking areas should not be included in the Catalan Countries.<ref>Such a view is supported, for instance, by Pol Sureda in the website [http://webs.racocatala.cat/eltalp/cart1.htm El Talp].</ref> These are:
**two [[Occitan language|Occitan]]-speaking areas: the [[Fenouillèdes]] (in the Pyrénées-Orientales) and [[Aran Valley]] (in the official region of Catalonia),
**Two [[Occitan language|Occitan]]-speaking areas: the [[Fenouillèdes]] (in the Pyrénées-Orientales) and [[Aran Valley]] (in the official region of Catalonia),
**a [[Spanish language|Spanish]]-speaking area located in the west of the Valencian Community.
**A [[Spanish language|Spanish]]-speaking area located in the west of the Valencian Community.
* However, according to an administrative criterion, some Catalan activists think that those Occitan- and Spanish-speaking areas should be seen as parts of the Catalan Countries, but not the enclave of Alghero which they consider too remote.<ref>Such a view is supported by the [http://www.enciclopedia.cat/fitxa_v2.jsp?NDCHEC=0048266 Enciclopèdia Catalana].</ref>
* However, according to an administrative criterion, some Catalan activists think that those Occitan- and Spanish-speaking areas should be seen as parts of the Catalan Countries, but not the enclave of Alghero which they consider too remote.<ref>Such a view is supported by the [http://www.enciclopedia.cat/fitxa_v2.jsp?NDCHEC=0048266 Enciclopèdia Catalana].</ref>
The Catalan Countries have 12.8 million inhabitants according to the first criterion, but 13.5 million according to the second. Their area is approximately 70&nbsp;000&nbsp;km².
The Catalan Countries have 12.8 million inhabitants according to the first criterion, but 13.5 million according to the second. Their area is approximately 70&nbsp;000&nbsp;km².

Revision as of 15:52, 14 September 2011

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This article is about the Catalan Countries. For other uses of the term Catalonia, please see Catalonia (disambiguation).

The Catalan Countries[1] (in Catalan: Països Catalans,[2] abbreviated to PPCC) are a cultural territory of southwestern Europe where Catalan is the native language and where Catalan culture is autochthonous. Some activists promote the name Catalonia (Catalunya in Catalan) as a desirable synonym for 'Catalan Countries'[3] but this is not unanimously accepted, since 'Catalonia' is also the name of a region within the Catalan Countries.

The Catalan Countries are split into several states: Spain, France, Andorra and possibly Italy. They include approximately the following territories:

The exact definition of the Catalan Countries varies according to the criteria followed:

  • According to a strict linguistic criterion, some non-Catalan-speaking areas should not be included in the Catalan Countries.[4] These are:
    • Two Occitan-speaking areas: the Fenouillèdes (in the Pyrénées-Orientales) and Aran Valley (in the official region of Catalonia),
    • A Spanish-speaking area located in the west of the Valencian Community.
  • However, according to an administrative criterion, some Catalan activists think that those Occitan- and Spanish-speaking areas should be seen as parts of the Catalan Countries, but not the enclave of Alghero which they consider too remote.[5]

The Catalan Countries have 12.8 million inhabitants according to the first criterion, but 13.5 million according to the second. Their area is approximately 70 000 km².

Notes

  1. The second capital letter in Catalan Countries reflects the native, original form, Països Catalans, which is considered as a proper name in the Catalan language (see Enciclopèdia Catalana). Standard English does not use a capital on common nouns such as country except when they are included in proper names.
  2. Pronounced [pəˈizus kətəˈlans] or regionally [paˈizos kataˈlans].
  3. For instance, in Josep Guia's book: És molt senzill, digueu-li Catalunya (1985, Llibres del segle, Collection "Què us diré" 22).
  4. Such a view is supported, for instance, by Pol Sureda in the website El Talp.
  5. Such a view is supported by the Enciclopèdia Catalana.