Pallars Sobirà
Encyclopedia
El Pallars Sobirà is a comarca
(comparable to a county
or shire
in much of the English-speaking world) in the mountainous northwest of Catalonia
, Spain. The name means "Upper Pallars", distinguishing it from the more populous (and less mountainous) Pallars Jussà
to its southwest. Its capital and largest municipality is Sort
.
Located in the central Pyrenees
, Pallars Sobirà stretches from south to north, starting at the gorge of Collegats to the village of Alós d'Isil, following the course of the river Noguera Pallaresa
. It is the fourth biggest comarca in Catalonia in terms of surface area, and has one of the lowest densities of population in the country, about 5.1 inhabitants per km². All together, it has approximately 7,000 inhabitants.
El Pallars Sobirà contains the largest lake in the Pyrenees, the lake of Certascan, and the highest peak in Catalonia, the Pica d'Estats
(3,143 m).
Most of El Pallars Sobirà is a protected nature reserve. There are a few territories that belong to the PEIN (Pla d'Espais d'Interès Natural de Catalunya- Natural Interest Landscape Plan of Catalonia), as Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park
, the Natural Park Of High Pyrenees, the Natural Partial Reserve of La Noguera Pallaresa - Collegats, a wide range of areas belonging to the Xarxa Natura 2000, the Natural Hunting Reserve of Boumort, etc.
Comarques of Catalonia
This is a list of the comarques of Catalonia . A comarca is roughly equivalent to a US "county" or a UK "district". However, in the context of Catalonia, the term "county" can be a bit misleading, because in medieval Catalonia, the most important rulers were counts, notably the Counts of Barcelona...
(comparable to a county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
or shire
Shire
A shire is a traditional term for a division of land, found in the United Kingdom and in Australia. In parts of Australia, a shire is an administrative unit, but it is not synonymous with "county" there, which is a land registration unit. Individually, or as a suffix in Scotland and in the far...
in much of the English-speaking world) in the mountainous northwest of Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain. The name means "Upper Pallars", distinguishing it from the more populous (and less mountainous) Pallars Jussà
Pallars Jussà
Pallars Jussà is a comarca in Catalonia, Spain. It was established as a comarca in 1936, out of the old county of Pallars. The name means "Lower Pallars"; to the northeast and into the mountains is Pallars Sobirà. Its capital and largest municipality is Tremp.-Municipalities:Populations are...
to its southwest. Its capital and largest municipality is Sort
Sort, Lleida
Sort is the capital of the comarca of Pallars Sobirà, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia, in the country of Spain. It is located at 692 metres above the sea, by the river Noguera Pallaresa, a tributary to the Segre. Population 2,113 ....
.
Located in the central Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
, Pallars Sobirà stretches from south to north, starting at the gorge of Collegats to the village of Alós d'Isil, following the course of the river Noguera Pallaresa
Noguera Pallaresa
The Noguera Pallaresa is a river in Catalonia, Spain. Its source is at Era Font d'era Noguereta in the municipality of Naut Aran at an elevation of about 2000 m and barely a hundred meters from those of the Garonne...
. It is the fourth biggest comarca in Catalonia in terms of surface area, and has one of the lowest densities of population in the country, about 5.1 inhabitants per km². All together, it has approximately 7,000 inhabitants.
El Pallars Sobirà contains the largest lake in the Pyrenees, the lake of Certascan, and the highest peak in Catalonia, the Pica d'Estats
Pica d'Estats
Pica d'Estats is a 3,143-m-high mountain in the Montcalm Massif, Pyrenees. on the Spanish–French border, and is the highest mountain in Catalonia....
(3,143 m).
Most of El Pallars Sobirà is a protected nature reserve. There are a few territories that belong to the PEIN (Pla d'Espais d'Interès Natural de Catalunya- Natural Interest Landscape Plan of Catalonia), as Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park
Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park
Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park is one of the fourteen Spanish National Parks, the second in the Pyrenees and the only one in Catalonia....
, the Natural Park Of High Pyrenees, the Natural Partial Reserve of La Noguera Pallaresa - Collegats, a wide range of areas belonging to the Xarxa Natura 2000, the Natural Hunting Reserve of Boumort, etc.
Municipalities
Population figures are from 2005.- AlinsAlinsAlins is a municipality in the comarca of the Pallars Sobirà in Catalonia, Spain. It adjoins France and Andorra. It covers the valleys of the Noguera de Vallferrara and Tor rivers in the north of the comarca. The Pica d'Estats is part of the Montcalm Massif on the frontier between this...
- pop. 248 - Alt ÀneuAlt ÀneuAlt Àneu is a municipality in the comarca of the Pallars Sobirà in Catalonia, Spain. It is the largest municipality in Catalonia in terms of area at , but it has only about 400 people....
- pop. 454 - Baix PallarsBaix PallarsBaix Pallars is a town and municipality in the comarca of Pallars Sobirà, Catalonia, northern Spain.The hamlet of Gerri de la Sal in the municipality is home to the medieval monastery of Santa Maria de Gerri....
- pop. 380 - EspotEspotEspot is a municipality in the comarca of the Pallars Sobirà in Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the Espot Valley, east of the river Noguera Pallaresa. The municipality is one of the entrances to the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park...
- pop. 374 - Esterri d'ÀneuEsterri d'ÀneuEsterri d'Àneu is a municipality in the comarca of the Pallars Sobirà in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the right bank of the Noguera Pallaresa river above the reservoir of La Torrassa. It is linked to Sort by the C-147 road. It is the site of a hydroelectric power station.-References:*...
- pop. 773 - Esterri de CardósEsterri de CardósEsterri de Cardós is a village in the province of Lleida and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.-References:...
- pop. 70 - FarreraFarreraFarrera is a village in the province of Lleida and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.-References:...
- pop. 105 - La Guingueta d'ÀneuLa Guingueta d'ÀneuLa Guingueta d'Àneu is a municipality in the comarca of the Pallars Sobirà in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the valley of the Noguera Pallaresa river below the reservoir of La Torrassa. It is linked to Sort by the C-147 road.-Subdivisions :...
- pop. 354 - LladorreLladorreLladorre is a village in the province of Lleida and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.-References:...
- pop. 224 - LlavorsíLlavorsíLlavorsí is a village in the province of Lleida and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.-References:...
- pop. 334 - RialpRialpRialp is a village in the province of Lleida and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.-References:...
- pop. 631 - SorigueraSorigueraSoriguera is a village in the province of Lleida and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain....
- pop. 336 - SortSort, LleidaSort is the capital of the comarca of Pallars Sobirà, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia, in the country of Spain. It is located at 692 metres above the sea, by the river Noguera Pallaresa, a tributary to the Segre. Population 2,113 ....
- pop. 2,113 - TírviaTírviaTírvia is a village in the province of Lleida and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.-References:...
- pop. 124 - Vall de CardósVall de CardósVall de Cardós is a village in the province of Lleida and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain....
- pop. 363