Val d'Aran

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Val d'Aran

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Other Catalan comarques

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

ProvinceLleida

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

CapitalVielha

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Largest cityVielha

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Demonym (Catalan, Aranese)Aran?s 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Demonym (English)Aranese

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Population (1996)7,130

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Area620.47 km2

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pop. density11.5 hab/km2

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Municipalities9

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ter?ons6

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Val d'Aran, a small valley (620.47 km2) is a comarca (county) in the northwestern part of Catalonia, which is an autonomous region of Spain. It is the source of the Garonne, and one of the highest valleys of the Pyrenees. Most of the valley constitutes the only Catalan territory on the north face of the Pyrenees, hence the only part of Catalonia whose waters drain into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is characterized by an Atlantic climate, due to its peculiar orientation, which is different from other valleys in the area.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Val d'Aran borders on the North with France, with Aragón on the west and with the Catalan comarques of Alta Ribagor?a to the south and Pallars Sobir? to the east. The capital of the comarca is Vielha, with 3,692 inhabitants (1996). The entire population of the valley is about 7,130 (1996). The chief river is the Garona, which descends through Gascony to the Atlantic. The Noguera Pallaresa, with its head only a hundred meters from that of the Garona, flows the other way, toward the Mediterranean.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The valley used to be without direct communication with the south side of the mountains during winter, until the construction of a tunnel, opened in 1948. Spanish Republican guerrillas (supporters of the Second Spanish Republic, the losing side in the Spanish Civil War) controlled the area from the end of World War II until the opening of the tunnel.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Province: This article is about political regions. See geologic province for geological meanings....

Lleida: Lleida (Catalan: Lleida, Spanish: L?rida) is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name, and has 119,935...

Capital: :This article concerns places that serve as centers of government and politics. For alternative meanings see capital (disambiguation)...

Val d'Aran related Images and Photos (experimental)

Val d'Orcia Tuscany Italy	Farmhouse Val D' Orcia Tuscany Italy	Farmhouse Val D' Orcia Tuscany Italy	Tuscany Hills Val D Orcia
Country Road Towards Pienza Val D' Orcia Tuscany Italy	St. Peter Panel from a Polyptych Painted for the Convent of San Francesco de Colle Val D'Elsa	Val di Marina I	Val Kilmer Print
Val Kilmer Print	Val Verde Courtyard	Actor Val Kilmer	Val Lewton Horror Collection, The (DVD) (5-Pack)