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Val d'Aran
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<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>In 1313, <a href="/facts/James_II_of_Aragon/R41Cu6PW">James II of Aragon</a> granted administrative and political autonomy to the Aran Valley, the legal details of which are described in a <a href="/facts/Latin_language/pM3Kge85">Latin</a> manuscript called the <a href="/facts/Querimonia/UkAmtj9s">Querimonia</a>. The devolution of power was a reward for the Aranese pledging allegiance to James II in a dispute with the kingdoms of France and Mallorca over control of the valley.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> This status was suppressed in 1834, when the Valley was integrated into the new Province of Lleida, in the context of the establishment of the Spanish provinces at the beginning of the liberal state. </p><p>On 19 October 1944, <a href="/facts/Spanish_Communist_Party/ncahBBCA">Spanish Communist Party</a> <a href="/facts/Guerrilla_warfare/IMWNg4bI">guerrillas</a> <a href="/facts/Invasion_of_Val_d%27Aran/ueqsWUF8">invaded the valley</a> in an attempt to bring about the fall of the Spanish <a href="/facts/Francisco_Franco/uSnuj0gf">dictatorship</a>. They took control of several villages until October 27, 1944, but were forced to retreat back into France after Franco sent reinforcements to defend Vielha.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p><p>Before the construction of the <a href="/facts/Vielha_tunnel/H34d9xlx">Vielha tunnel</a>, opened in 1948, the Aran valley had no direct communication with the south side of the mountains during winter. </p><p>In 1987 it became an administrative comarca. In 1990 the special status of Aran within Catalonia was restored by the <a href="/facts/Parliament_of_Catalonia/8eVA5IDr">Parliament of Catalonia</a>, reestablishing the Conselh Generau, granting it a degree of home rule and declaring Occitan as official language. In 2015 the Catalan Parliament passed a new law which increased the powers of the Conselh Generau and recognized Aran as an "Occitan national reality".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p><p>The population of Val d'Aran has generally been opposed to the <a href="/facts/Catalan_independence_movement/UhpWHG6J">Catalan independence movement</a> due to lack of a strong Catalan identity.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="name-and-local-language">Name and local language</h2> <p><a href="/facts/Aranese_dialect/szQd484s">Aranese</a> is the standardized form of the local <a href="/facts/Gascon_language/1MQsKjnG">Gascon</a> variety of the <a href="/facts/Occitan_language/w0etTc3w">Occitan language</a>. Aranese has been regularly taught at school since 1984. Like several other <a href="/facts/Minority_language/jN1xCGGb">minority languages</a> in Europe that recently faced decline, Aranese is experiencing a renaissance.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p><p>The name Aran comes from <a href="/facts/Basque_language/rEMpH97p">Basque</a> <i>haran</i>, meaning valley. Maps and road signs in Spain use the name "era Val d'Aran" to refer to the valley, where <i>era</i> is the Aranese singular feminine article. The same practice goes for all towns and other locations in Aran, for example, the Aranese spelling <i>Vielha</i> is used instead of Catalan and Spanish <i>Viella</i> to refer to the capital of Aran. </p><p>Basque toponyms reveal that Basque was spoken further east along the Pyrenees than today. The growing influence of <a href="/facts/Latin_language/pM3Kge85">Latin</a> began to drive Basque out after the turn of the first millennium. </p> <h2 id="government-and-economy">Government and economy</h2> <p>Administratively, Aran is a "unique territorial entity" roughly equivalent to a <a href="/facts/Comarques_of_Catalonia/8tRthnEw"><i>comarca</i></a> with additional powers, and informally referred to as a comarca. This status was most recently formalised in February 2015.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> The area is divided into six administrative divisions called <i><a href="/facts/Ter%C3%A7on/qY3oRBWy">terçons</a></i> (meaning "thirds", as there were formerly three divisions). The current arrangement of the divisions dates from the 15th century. Since 1991, Aran has an autonomous government called the <i><a href="/facts/Conselh_Generau_d%27Aran/00BUVomI">Conselh Generau d'Aran</a></i> (<a href="/facts/Occitan_language/w0etTc3w">Occitan</a>: <i>General Council of Aran</i>), headed by the <a href="/facts/S%C3%ADndic_d%27Aran/ovgaNE7c">Síndic d'Aran</a>. </p><p>The major political parties are the <a href="/facts/Unity_of_Aran/6jsd5pmA">Unity of Aran - Aranese Nationalist Party</a> (the local chapter of the <a href="/facts/Socialists%27_Party_of_Catalonia/Co6fMeCM">Socialists' Party of Catalonia</a>), the <a href="/facts/Aranese_Democratic_Convergence/0fqev2Qq">Aranese Democratic Convergence</a> (the local chapter of the (<a href="/facts/Democratic_Convergence_of_Catalonia/oYM5GTmk">Democratic Convergence of Catalonia</a>). The <a href="/facts/Occitan_Republican_Left/IXClcEMy">Occitan Republican Left</a> party was founded in 2008. </p><p>The main economic activity in the valley is tourism; from the <a href="/facts/Ski/5wD7CfLa">ski</a> resorts in the winter and from other tourist activity in the summer. Other primary sectors of the economy include forest products, cattle ranching and agriculture, all of which have become progressively less important since the opening of ski resorts.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> </p> <h3>Municipalities</h3> <table><tbody><tr><th>Municipality</th><th>Population(2014)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a></th><th>Areakm2<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a></th></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Arres/IndBbgrT">Arres</a></td><td>73</td><td>11.6</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Bausen/l6ocscaV">Bausen</a></td><td>49</td><td>17.7</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Es_B%C3%B2rdes/pMPAjSD2">Es Bòrdes</a></td><td>234</td><td>21.4</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Boss%C3%B2st/XC0lYECo">Bossòst</a></td><td>1,140</td><td>28.2</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Canejan/KxLzh3fC">Canejan</a></td><td>102</td><td>48.3</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Les,_Catalonia/MR4rnFLh">Les</a></td><td>968</td><td>23.4</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Naut_Aran/fBxrwppI">Naut Aran</a></td><td>1,782</td><td>255.8</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Vielha_e_Mijaran/4WBpREUj">Vielha e Mijaran</a></td><td>5,474</td><td>211.7</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Vilam%C3%B2s/MdR1ju5Q">Vilamòs</a></td><td>171</td><td>15.4</td></tr><tr><td>• Total: 9</td><td>9,993</td><td>633.5</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="fauna">Fauna</h2> <p>Many native animals of Aran are <a href="/facts/Endangered_species/L7cIweSW">in danger of extinction</a>. There are programs to reintroduce and/or protect: </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Aran_rock_lizard/JD2B0hF3">Aran rock lizard</a> (<i>Lacerta aranica</i>)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Bearded_vulture/xM8IKbAG">Bearded vulture</a> (<i>Gypaetus barbatus</i>)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Brown_bear/tNpUFtFB">Brown bear</a> (<i>Ursus arctos</i>)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Rock_ptarmigan/jHBacoKg">Rock ptarmigan</a> (<i>Lagopus mutus</i>)</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://www.aran.org">Page of the Conselh Generau d'Aran</a> (in Occitan)</li> <li><a href="http://www.municat.net:8000/omunicat/owa/mun_p01.dad_ens?via=6&cod=8103980001">Information from the Generalitat de Catalunya</a> (in Catalan)</li> <li><a href="http://www.valdaran.com">Touristic information about the Val d'Aran</a> (in Occitan)</li> <li>Smith, Dominic. <a href="http://www.domsmith.co.uk/aranes/aranes.pdf">"Language planning in the Val d'Aran: The recent work of the Conselh Generau d'Aran's 'Oficina de Foment e Ensenhament der Aranés' and its effects on the Aranés-speaking population."</a> (<a href="/facts/PDF/C9Mn1vYL">PDF</a>). 2003.</li></ul> <p><a href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Val_d%27Aran¶ms=42_43_21_N_0_50_14_E_region:ES-CT_type:adm2nd_source:cawiki">42°43′21″N 0°50′14″E / 42.72250°N 0.83722°E / 42.72250; 0.83722</a> </p> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Patrimoni culturau dera Val d'Aran | Conselh Generau d'Aran" (in Occitan). Retrieved 2023-05-30. <a href="https://www.conselharan.org/cultura/patrimoni-culturau-dera-val-daran/" target="_blank">https://www.conselharan.org/cultura/patrimoni-culturau-dera-val-daran/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Ua lengua oficiau | Conselh Generau d'Aran" (in Occitan). Retrieved 2023-05-30. <a href="https://www.conselharan.org/ua-lengua-oficiau/" target="_blank">https://www.conselharan.org/ua-lengua-oficiau/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Ua lengua romanica | Conselh Generau d'Aran" (in Occitan). Retrieved 2023-05-30. <a href="https://www.conselharan.org/ua-lengua-romanica/" target="_blank">https://www.conselharan.org/ua-lengua-romanica/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Visit Val d'Aran". Visit Val d'Aran - Val d'Aran. Era esséncia des Pirinèus, official tourist website of Val d'Aran (in Catalan). Retrieved 2023-05-30. <a href="https://www.visitvaldaran.com/ca/" target="_blank">https://www.visitvaldaran.com/ca/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Val d'Aran | Visit Pirineus (part of the official tourist website of the Generalitat de Catalunya)". www.visitpirineus.com. Retrieved 2023-05-30. <a href="https://www.visitpirineus.com/ca/destinations/val-daran" target="_blank">https://www.visitpirineus.com/ca/destinations/val-daran</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Forau de Aigualluts ✅". Portal Benasque (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-05-30. <a href="https://www.benasque.com/es/todo-valle-de-benasque/excursion-forau-aigualluts" target="_blank">https://www.benasque.com/es/todo-valle-de-benasque/excursion-forau-aigualluts</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"Cens lingüístic de l'aranès de 2001" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-08-06. <a href="http://www20.gencat.cat/docs/Llengcat/Documents/Altres/Arxius/aran_cens.pdf" target="_blank">http://www20.gencat.cat/docs/Llengcat/Documents/Altres/Arxius/aran_cens.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Cens lingüístic de l'aranès de 2001 (section 10: Llengua materna de la població de la Val d'Aran. Distribució per lloc de naixement. 2001) (in Catalan) <a href="http://www20.gencat.cat/docs/Llengcat/Documents/Altres/Arxius/aran_cens.pdf" target="_blank">http://www20.gencat.cat/docs/Llengcat/Documents/Altres/Arxius/aran_cens.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Turell, M. Teresa, ed. (2001). Multilingualism in Spain : sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic aspects of linguistic minority groups ([Online-Ausg.]. ed.). Clevedon [u.a.]: Multilingual Matters. p. 142. ISBN 9781853594915. Retrieved 19 August 2015. <a href="9781853594915" target="_blank">9781853594915</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Rodríguez Marcos, Javier. "El valle de la libertad". elpais.com (in Spanish). El Pais. Retrieved 18 August 2015. <a href="http://elpais.com/diario/2010/08/15/eps/1281853616_850215.html" target="_blank">http://elpais.com/diario/2010/08/15/eps/1281853616_850215.html</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Brandtjen, Roland (2021). The valley and the rock: europeanized separatism and Iberian micro-nations: secession to gain full EU-Membership?: an analysis of Gibraltar and the Val d'Aran. Schriftenreihe Schriften zur Europapolitik. Hamburg: Verlag Dr. Kovač. ISBN 978-3-339-12272-8. <a href="978-3-339-12272-8" target="_blank">978-3-339-12272-8</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Brandtjen, Roland (2021). The valley and the rock: europeanized separatism and Iberian micro-nations: secession to gain full EU-Membership?: an analysis of Gibraltar and the Val d'Aran. Schriftenreihe Schriften zur Europapolitik. Hamburg: Verlag Dr. Kovač. ISBN 978-3-339-12272-8. <a href="978-3-339-12272-8" target="_blank">978-3-339-12272-8</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Collett, Richard. "Aranese: Spain's little-known language". BBC. Retrieved 2022-01-18. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220117-aranese-spains-little-known-language" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220117-aranese-spains-little-known-language</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>"LLEI 1/2015, del 5 de febrer, del règim especial d'Aran" (PDF) (in Catalan). Generalitat of Catalonia. 2015-02-13. Retrieved 2015-11-19. <a href="http://www.conselharan.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Llei-1_2015-Regim-Especiau-dAran2.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.conselharan.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Llei-1_2015-Regim-Especiau-dAran2.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Brandtjen, Roland (2021). The valley and the rock: europeanized separatism and Iberian micro-nations: secession to gain full EU-Membership?: an analysis of Gibraltar and the Val d'Aran. Schriftenreihe Schriften zur Europapolitik. Hamburg: Verlag Dr. Kovač. ISBN 978-3-339-12272-8. <a href="978-3-339-12272-8" target="_blank">978-3-339-12272-8</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>"El municipi en xifres". Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya. Retrieved 2015-05-25. <a href="http://www.idescat.cat/emex/" target="_blank">http://www.idescat.cat/emex/</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>"El municipi en xifres". Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya. Retrieved 2015-05-25. <a href="http://www.idescat.cat/emex/" target="_blank">http://www.idescat.cat/emex/</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>