| Gipuzkoa | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — Province — | |||
| Historical Territory of Gipuzkoa1 | |||
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| Motto: Fidelissima Bardulia Numquam Superata | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Spain | ||
| Autonomous Community | Basque Country | ||
| Capital | Donostia-San Sebastián | ||
| Government | |||
| • Deputy General | Martin Garitano (Bildu) | ||
| Area(0.38% of Spain; Ranked 50th) | |||
| • Total | 1,909 km2 (737.1 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2009) | |||
| • Total | 705,698 | ||
| • Density | 369.7/km2 (957.4/sq mi) | ||
| • Ranked | 19th | ||
| ISO 3166-2 | 20 | ||
| Official languages | Basque, Spanish | ||
| Parliament | Cortes Generales | ||
| Congress seats | 6 (of 350) | ||
| Senate seats | 4 (of 264) | ||
| General Assembly of Gipuzkoa | 51 | ||
| Website | Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundia | ||
| :1.^ Complete official names: Gipuzkoako Lurralde Historikoa (Basque) and Territorio Histórico de Gipuzkoa (Spanish) | |||
Gipuzkoa (in Basque and officially, in Spanish Guipúzcoa but since 2011 also officially written Gipuzkoa) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country. Its capital city is Donostia-San Sebastián. It limits with the French department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques at the northeast, with the province and autonomous community of Navarre at east, Biscay at west, Álava at southwest and the Bay of Biscay at north. It is located at the easternmost extreme of the Cantabric Sea, in the Bay of Biscay. It has 92 km of coast land.
Its total area of 1.909 km2 makes it the smallest province of Spain. The province has 88 municipalities and a population of 705.698 inhabitants, from which more than half live in the Donostia-San Sebastián metropolian area. Apart from the capital, other important cities are Irun, Errenteria, Zarautz, Mondragón, Eibar, Hondarribia, Oñati, Tolosa, Besain and Pasaia.
Its oceanic climate gives the province an intense green color with little thermic oscilation. Guipuscoa is the province of the Basque Country where the Basque language is the most extended.
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The first recorded name of the province was Ipuscoa from a document of the year 1025.[1] During the following years, and on different documents, several similar names appear, as Ipuzcoa, Ipuçcha, Ipuzka, among others.
The full etymology the word Gipuzkoa has not been fully ascertained but links have been made with the Basque word Giputz[1], containing the root ip- which is related to the word ipar (north), ipurdi (back) and ipuin (tale). According to this, ipuzko (one of the several first known denominations) might refer of something "to the north" or "in the north".[1]
Gipuzkoa is the Basque denomination recommended by the Royal Academy of the Basque language, and it is commonly used on official documents on that language. It is also used on documents in Spanish, and it is the most used denomination by the media in Spanish in the Basque Country. It is also the denomination used in the Basque version of the Spanish constitution and in the Basque version of the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country.
Gipuzkoa is also the only official denomination approved for the historical territory by the Juntas Generales of the province.
Guipúzcoa is the denomination in Spanish, recommended by the Royal Spanish Academy. It is used in non-official documents and, in general, by Spanish speakers. It is also the Spanish denomination used in the Spanish version of the Constitution and in the Spanish version of the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country.
Its area of 1,980 km2 (764 sq mi) makes it the smallest province in Spain. The province numbers 88 municipalities and a population of 705,698 inhabitants (2009), of whom about a quarter live in the capital, San Sebastián. Other important towns are Irun, Errenteria, Zarautz, Arrasate, Oñati (with an old university), Eibar, Tolosa (during a short time capital of the province), Beasain, Pasaia (the main port), Hondarribia (an old fort town opposite to France).
Gipuzkoa stands out as a region of hilly and green landscape linking mountain and sea, besides being heavily populated with numerous urban nuclei that dot the whole territory. The conspicuous presence of hills and rugged terrain has added to a special leaning towards hiking, nature and mountains on the part of Gipuzkoans. Some mountains steeped in tradition hold an iconic and emblematic significance, their summits being often topped with crosses, memorials and mountaineer postboxes. In addition, pilgrimages (which have gradually lost their former religious zeal and taken on a more secular slant) are sometimes held to their summits. Some renowned and iconic mountains to mention but a few are Aiako Harria, Hernio, Txindoki, Aizkorri, Izarraitz, etc.
The rivers of Gipuzkoa show a string of distinctive features differing from other Bay of Biscay rivers. These rivers, rising in the hilly Basque inland landscape (Basque Mountains), flow in a south to north disposition, shaping narrow close valleys stretching in this direction before joining the ocean. The rivers extend for a short length with a small fluctuation in the volume of water thanks to the stable rainfall all year round, besides showing an abrupt drop between rise and mouth if the length of the river is considered. The rivers, ordered from west to east, are the following: Deba, Urola, Oria, Urumea, Oiartzun and Bidasoa. But for a narrow strip extending east from the hamlet Otzaurte (Zegama) and the tunnel of San Adrian, the province drains its waters to the Atlantic basin.
The region shows a communication layout well in step with its geographical features, with the main communication axes following the North to South direction up to recent times along the rivers heading to the ocean. So it was with the Way of St. James penetrating in the province via Irun and turning south-west along the Oria River towards the province limits at the tunnel of San Adrian. This stretch was in operation up to 1765 when the King's Highway moved to the western Gipuzkoan Deba Valley. A minor St. James route crossed Gipuzkoa east to west along the coast.
Currently, the main road cutting through Gipuzkoa sticks largely to that pattern, i.e. the N-1 E-5 from Irun to Donostia and on to Altsasu all along the Oria for the most part (gateway to Navarre through the pass of Etxegarate). Also, the major Irun-Madrid railway runs closely clinging to this river up to its very rise on the slopes of Aizkorri (train stop Otzaurte in Zegama). By 1973 engineering works for the Bilbao-Behobia A-8 E-70 motorway had come to an end, with the new road cutting across the valleys east to west and turning into the main axis between Donostia and Bilbao, besides enabling heavy load traffic to access the west and south of Spain (toll applies). Regional railway network Euskotren winds down along the coast from east to west too, while this transport proves impractical for long distance on the grounds of its tortuous layout and its serving small towns. The railway network reaches the border town Hendaia (change to SNCF).
The stretch of the A-15 motorway serving Gipuzkoa and Pamplona opened in 1995 shrouded in controversy after a protest and attack campaign led by ecologists, Basque leftist nationalists and eventually ETA. Troubles came to a halt after a deal was struck about the definitive layout. Later on, in January 2010, following a scheme drawn up by the regional government of Gipuzkoa to improve provisions for the ever increasing road traffic, the Maltzaga-Urbina AP-1 motorway stretch leading to Gasteiz was placed into operation, providing likewise access to the industrial areas of Arrasate and Bergara (gateway to Álava by village Landa). Works for connection between AP-1 and N-1 E-5 are due to conclude in 2010 by means of the highway linking east to west Bergara and Beasain. Arrangements for the road network of Donostia's metropolitan area (2nd ring road and Urnieta's bypass) are well under way and due operational by mid-2010.
A scheme exists for a high-speed rail with an X-type layout and links to the SNCF network in Hendaia (NE), Vitoria (SE), Bilbao (W) and Pamplona (S) (works due finished by 2016). The appointment of works were made, works are in place despite overdue, while the scheme faces opposition from conservationist, leftist and anti-system groups.
The only airport in Gipuzkoa serving just domestic flights is the San Sebastian Airport located in Hondarribia, while the air transportation needs are usually served by the nearby Bilbao and Biarritz airports.
Gipuzkera is a dialect of the Basque language spoken in most of the region as well as neighbouring areas of Navarre, which shows a considerable vitality and holds a prominent position among other dialects. The province's patron saints are Ignatius of Loyola, who was born in the neighborhood of Loyola in the town of Azpeitia, and Our Lady of Arantzazu.
The region has produced many famous Basque football players including José Ángel Iribar, Joseba Etxeberria, Xabi Alonso and Mikel Arteta.
See List of municipalities in Gipuzkoa.
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