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Catalonia - General information

The autonomous community of Catalonia (in catalan: Catalunya), considered a historical nationality, it occupies the northeast corner of the Iberian Peninsula. It forms a triangle that limits to the north with France and Andorra, to the east with the Mediterranean Sea and to the west with Aragon and the Valencian Community.
Catalonia has established itself as one of the most prosperous and developed regions of Spain and Europe, being the industry, tourism and services the main economic sectors.

Relief

The relief is largely mountainous, with an average height of 700 m. We distinguish three general units: the Pyrenees and the Pre-Pyrenees in the north, the Catalan Pre-Coastal Mountain Range (Serralada Prelitoral) and the Catalan Coastal Range (Serralada Litoral), that form the Catalan Mediterranean System, and the Catalan Central Depression, a plain located in the center.

general information autonomous community catalonia montserrat mountain llobregat river
information catalunya valley llobregat river
The Llobregat river valley and the Montserrat mountain.

Climate

Catalonia enjoys a Mediterranean climate on the coast, tempered in winter and very hot in summer. In the interior, which has a continental Mediterranean climate, the winters are cold and the summers are very hot. In the Pyrenean areas, which have a high mountain climate, the winters are very cold, with snowfall, and the summers are less hot.

Hydrography

The Catalan hydrographic network, with the exception of the Garona river, tributes its waters to the Mediterranean. The Ebro is the largest river on the Iberian Peninsula and discharge his water into the sea forming the Ebro Delta. Much of the main Catalan rivers are born in the Pyrenees (Segre, Noguera Pallaresa, Noguera Ribagorçana, Llobregat, Ter, Fluvià, Muga) and others in the Pre-coastal Range (Besòs, Francolí, Tordera, Foix, Gaià).

Language

In Cataluna several languages are spoken, the main ones being Catalan and Spanish. According to the Statute of Autonomy both languages, together with the Occitan (aranes) are official. Generally, Catalans are bilingual and know the two main languages.