Back Provinsies van Spanje AF Provincias d'Espanya AN مقاطعات إسبانيا Arabic Provincies d'España AST ایسپانیا اوستانلاری AZB Правінцыі Іспаніі BE Правінцыі Гішпаніі BE-X-OLD Провинции на Испания Bulgarian Proviñsoù Spagn BR Pokrajine Španije BS
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2012) |
| Provinces of Spain | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Category | Province |
| Location | Spain |
| Found in | Autonomous community |
| Created by | Royal Decree (30/11/1833) |
| Created |
|
| Number | 50 |
| Populations | 95,258–6,458,684 |
| Areas | 1,980–21,766 km² |
| Government | |
| Subdivisions | |
A province in Spain[note 1] is a territorial division defined as a collection of municipalities.[1][2][3] The current provinces of Spain correspond by and large to the provinces created under the purview of the 1833 territorial re-organization of Spain, with a similar predecessor from 1822 (during the Trienio Liberal) and an earlier precedent in the 1810 Napoleonic division of Spain into 84 prefectures.[4] There are many other groupings of municipalities that comprise the local government of Spain.
The boundaries of provinces can only be altered by the Spanish Parliament,[1] giving rise to the common view that the 17 autonomous communities are subdivided into 50 provinces. In reality the system is not hierarchical but defined according to jurisdiction (Spanish: competencias).[5]
The body charged with government and administration of a province is the Provincial council, but their existence is controversial. As the province is defined as a "local entity" in the Constitution, the Provincial council belongs to the sphere of local government.
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- ^ a b Spanish Constitution 1978, Article 141(1).
- ^ Zafra Víctor 2004, p. 102.
- ^ Local Government Act 1985, Article 31.
- ^ Canel 1994, pp. 51.
- ^ MPA, paragraph 1.