Alt Pirineu (; English: ''Upper Pyrenees'') is one of the nine regions ('' vegueries'') of
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...
.
Located in the north-west of Catalonia, specifically by the
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees are a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. They extend nearly from their union with the Cantabrian Mountains to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean coast, reaching a maximum elevation of at the peak of Aneto. ...
, it covers the higher mountain regions from the
Aragon
Aragon ( , ; Spanish and ; ) is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces of Spain, ...
border to the
Cerdanya
Cerdanya (; , ; , ) or often La Cerdanya is a natural region, natural comarca and historical region of the eastern Pyrenees divided between France and Spain. Historically it was one of the Catalan counties, counties of Catalonia.
Cerdanya has a ...
. It is the second least populated region, with 63,892 inhabitants as of 2022.
It consists of the
counties
A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
of
Alta Ribagorça
Alta Ribagorça () is a comarca in the Alt Pirineu region, in Catalonia, Spain. Its capital is El Pont de Suert. The highest peak is the Comaloformo (3030 metres above sea level) in the massif of Bessiberri. Northeast of the region is the west ...
,
Alt Urgell
Alt Urgell () is a ''comarca'' (county) in the Alt Pirineu region, in Catalonia, Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de ...
,
Cerdanya
Cerdanya (; , ; , ) or often La Cerdanya is a natural region, natural comarca and historical region of the eastern Pyrenees divided between France and Spain. Historically it was one of the Catalan counties, counties of Catalonia.
Cerdanya has a ...
,
Pallars Jussà
Pallars Jussà () is a comarca (county) in Alt Pirineu, Catalonia, Spain. It was established as a ''comarca'' in 1936, out of the old county of Pallars. The name is an archaism meaning "Lower Pallars"; to the northeast and into the mountains i ...
and
Pallars Sobirà
Pallars Sobirà () is a independent state in the northwest region of Alt Pirineu, in Spain. The name means "Upper Pallars", distinguishing it from the more populous (and less mountainous) Pallars Jussà to its southwest. Its capital and larges ...
. Although the
Aran Valley
Aran (; ; ) (often known as the Aran Valley, or Val d'Aran in Aranese Occitan; in other forms of Occitan: ''Vath d'Aran'' or ''Vau d'Aran'', in Catalan: ''Vall d'Aran'', in Spanish: ''Valle de Arán'') is an autonomous administrative entity (form ...
is officially not part of the region, as it has its own autonomous governing body, it is sometimes included under the name of ''Alt Pirineu i Aran'' (English: ''Upper Pyrenees and Aran'';
Aranese
Aranese () is a standardized form of the Pyrenean Gascon dialect, Gascon variety of the Occitan language spoken in the Val d'Aran, in northwestern Catalonia close to the France–Spain border, Spanish border with France, where it is one of the t ...
: ''Naut Pirenèu e Aran'') for statistical purposes. Within Catalonia, it borders to the south with
Ponent
Ponent, also known as the Lleida region following the vegueries law, is the westernmost of the eight regions (Vegueria, ''vegueries'') defined by the Regional Plan of Catalonia. It has an area of 5,586 km2, and 365,289 inhabitants as of 2022. ...
La Seu d'Urgell
La Seu d'Urgell (; , formerly ''Urgell'') is a town located in Alt Urgell county in Alt Pirineu, Catalonia, Spain. The town is also the head of its judicial district and the seat of the Bishop of Urgell, one of the co-princes of Andorra. It is ...
, the most populous settlement, as a law has not set one yet.
Demography
Geography
Location
The location of the Upper Pyrenees is essentially strategic. It is bordered to the west by
Aragon
Aragon ( , ; Spanish and ; ) is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces of Spain, ...
and to the north by
Andorra
Andorra, officially the Principality of Andorra, is a Sovereignty, sovereign landlocked country on the Iberian Peninsula, in the eastern Pyrenees in Southwestern Europe, Andorra–France border, bordered by France to the north and Spain to A ...
and
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
's
Occitania
Occitania is the historical region in Southern Europe where the Occitan language was historically spoken and where it is sometimes used as a second language. This cultural area roughly encompasses much of the southern third of France (except ...
. Andorra has a significant importance in the region as, with a surface area of 8% compared to that of the region, Andorra has a population similar to the whole region. Besides, the small country has twice as many work places as the whole region, and its economy is closely tied to Andorra's. Taking advantage of this situation, the Catalan government aims to create joint Pyrenean strategies, particularly in terms of infrastructure and facilities, so that they are more favourable and can achieve sufficient critical mass to make them possible and viable. Besides, the biggest city, La Seu d'Urgell, is the seat of the
Bishop of Urgell
The Diocese of Urgell (; ) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Catalonia (Spain) and the Principality of Andorra in the historical County of Urgell,co-princes of
Andorra
Andorra, officially the Principality of Andorra, is a Sovereignty, sovereign landlocked country on the Iberian Peninsula, in the eastern Pyrenees in Southwestern Europe, Andorra–France border, bordered by France to the north and Spain to A ...
, and the region holds the
Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell Airport
Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell Airport (, ; ) is a public airport owned by the government of Catalonia and hosts general aviation and commercial flights. It is located in the municipality of Montferrer i Castellbò in Catalonia, eastern Spain, and se ...
.
Climate
The climate is predominantly
mountainous
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...
. Four zones can be distinguished: one with an alpine and subalpine climate, another with an
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
climate (mainly the Aran Valley), and two other ones with high-mountain and medium/low-mountain
Mediterranean climates
A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typica ...
.
Protected natural spaces
The Upper Pyrenees holds a third of the protected natural areas of Catalonia. It includes a
national park
A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...
Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park
''Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici'' National Park (, ), is one of the fifteen Spanish national parks, and the only one located in Catalonia.
A wild mountain region in the Pyrenees, with peaks rising to 3017 m (Besiberri Sud) and wi ...
*
Alt Pirineu Natural Park
Alt Pirineu Natural Park () is the largest natural park in Catalonia, Spain. The park was established in 2003 by the Generalitat de Catalunya and covers an area of , including the highest peaks of the Pyrenees in Catalonia. It stretches over the ...
*
Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park
The Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park () is a natural park (Spain), natural park to the north of Catalonia, Spain, near the border with Andorra. The park was established in 1983 and encompasses of mountainous terrain in the comarca, comarques of Alt Ur ...
Local media
Television
In addition to channels broadcasting for the whole of Catalonia, such as those of
Televisió de Catalunya
Televisió de Catalunya (, known by the acronym TVC) is the public broadcasting network of Catalonia, one of the seventeen autonomous communities of Spain.
It is part of the Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals, a public corporation c ...
or the regional broadcasts of , as well as channels broadcasting for all of Spain, the Alt Pirineu region has its own multiplex (TL03L), holding two local commercial channels: (also watchable in
Andorra
Andorra, officially the Principality of Andorra, is a Sovereignty, sovereign landlocked country on the Iberian Peninsula, in the eastern Pyrenees in Southwestern Europe, Andorra–France border, bordered by France to the north and Spain to A ...
) and (also watchable in
Ponent
Ponent, also known as the Lleida region following the vegueries law, is the westernmost of the eight regions (Vegueria, ''vegueries'') defined by the Regional Plan of Catalonia. It has an area of 5,586 km2, and 365,289 inhabitants as of 2022. ...
).
In addition,
TV3 Channel 3 or TV 3 may refer to:
Television
*Canal 3 (Burkina Faso), a commercial television channel in Burkina Faso
* Canal 3 Niger, a commercial television channel in Niger
* Canal 3 (Guatemala), a commercial television channel in Guatemala
* Can ...
's ''Telenotícies comarques'' programme used to offer a brief regional news segment via disconnections from the main feed for the regions of Alt Pirineu and
Ponent
Ponent, also known as the Lleida region following the vegueries law, is the westernmost of the eight regions (Vegueria, ''vegueries'') defined by the Regional Plan of Catalonia. It has an area of 5,586 km2, and 365,289 inhabitants as of 2022. ...
until its discontinuation in June 2017.
News
Some local news outlets in Alt Pirineu are ''Viure als Pirineus'', ''RàdioSeu'' and ''Pallars Digital'' (the latter two aimed at
Alt Urgell
Alt Urgell () is a ''comarca'' (county) in the Alt Pirineu region, in Catalonia, Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de ...
or
Pallars Jussà
Pallars Jussà () is a comarca (county) in Alt Pirineu, Catalonia, Spain. It was established as a ''comarca'' in 1936, out of the old county of Pallars. The name is an archaism meaning "Lower Pallars"; to the northeast and into the mountains i ...
and
Pallars Sobirà
Pallars Sobirà () is a independent state in the northwest region of Alt Pirineu, in Spain. The name means "Upper Pallars", distinguishing it from the more populous (and less mountainous) Pallars Jussà to its southwest. Its capital and larges ...
, respectively, but servicing the whole region). ''
3/24
3/24 (, ''tres vint-i-quatre'') is a Catalan free-to-air television channel owned and operated by Televisió de Catalunya (TVC). It's the TVC's all-news network, launched on 11 September 2003.
History
3/24 was launched on 11 September 2003 as ...
'', ''Ara'', ''Nació'', ''Diari Segre'' and ''Les Vegueries'' also include regional news sections for Alt Pirineu.