CATALONIA!

Geography

Catalonia (is an Autonomous Community in
northeast Spain.
Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and
has an official population of 7,210,508. It
borders France and Andorra to the
north, Aragon to the west, the Valencian
Community to the south, and the
Mediterranean Sea to the east (580 km
coastline). Official languages are
Catalan, Spanish and Aranese.
The capital city is Barcelona. Catalonia is
divided into forty-one comarques that
are part, in turn, of four provinces:
Barcelona, Tarragona, Lleida, and
Girona (often spelt Gerona in English as
it is in Spanish). Its territory corresponds
to most of the historical territory of the
former Principality of Catalonia.

Climate

 In the Mediterranean area, summers
are dry, hot and humid with sea
breezes, and the maximum
temperature is around 30 °C. Summer
is the rainiest season in the Pyreneean
valleys with frequent storms. Winter is
cool or cold depending on the location.
It snows frequently in the Pyrenees,
and it occasionally snows at lower
altitudes, even by the coastline.
Overall, spring and autumn are
typically the rainiest seasons.
 The inland part of Catalonia is hotter
and drier in summer. Temperature
may reach 35 °C, some days even 40
°C. Nights are cooler there than at the
coast with the temperature of around
14° to 16 °C. Fog is not uncommon in
valleys and plains, it can be especially
resilient and with freezing drizzle
episodes during winter by the Segre
and other river valleys.

Language

 Originating in the historic territory of Catalonia,
Catalan is one of the three official languages and
has enjoyed special status since the approval of
the Statute of Autonomy of 1979 which declares it
to be the language \"proper to Catalonia\".The other
languages with official status are Spanish, which
has official status throughout Spain, and Aranese
(a dialect of Gascon Occitan) spoken in the
Aran Valley).
 Today, Catalan is the main language of the
Catalan autonomous government and the other
public institutions that fall under its jurisdiction.
Basic public education is given in Catalan except
for two hours for week of Spanish medium
instruction.

Religion

 Religion depens of
people, because you
can be a believer or
non believer.
If you believe religion
is Christianity and if
you do not believe
you're an atheist.

Government

Law and government of Catalonia
 The
Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia is
the fundamental organic law, second
only to the Spanish Constitution
from which the Statute originates.
The Catalan Statute of Autonomy
establishes that Catalonia is
organized politically through the
Generalitat de Catalunya, conformed
by the Parliament, the Presidency of Palau de la Generalitat
the Generalitat, the Government or
Executive Council and the other
institutions created by the
Parliament.
 The seat of the Executive Council is
the city of Barcelona. Since the
restoration of the Generalitat
through the return of democracy in
Spain, the presidents of Catalonia
have been Jordi Pujol (1980-2003),

Represented in Convergence and Union (48) -
the Socialists' Party of Catalonia (37) -
Catalan regional Parliament
Republican Left of Catalonia (21) -
(135) People's Party of Catalonia (14) -
Initiative for Catalonia Greens (12) -
Citizens – Party of the Citizenry (3)
Represented in Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSOE) (25)
the Spanish - Convergence and Union (10) -
Congress of Deputies
Republican Left of Catalonia (3) -
(47) People's Party of Catalonia (6) -
Initiative for Catalonia Greens-
United and Alternative Left (2)
Represented in Catalan Agreement of Progress (PSC,
the Spanish ERC, ICV and EUiA) (16) -
Senate (22) Convergence and Union (6)

Economy

THE EURO:The euro is the currency we use
Banknote coin
 The Catalan economy is distinguished in the Spanish context by a
more industrial profile. The distribution of sectors is the following one:
 Primary sector: 2.8%. Land dedicated to agricultural use is 33%
 Secondary sector: 37.2% (compared to Spain's 29%)
 Tertiary sector: 60% (compared to Spain's 67%)
 Catalonia is the first tourist destination of Spain. The main tourist
destinations in Catalonia are the city of Barcelona, the beaches of the
Costa Brava at Girona and the Costa Daurada at Tarragona. In the
Pyrenees there are several ski resorts.

Culture

 Castellers are one of the main
manifestations of the Catalonian popular
culture. The activity consists in constructing
human towers by competing colles
castelleres (teams). This practice originated
in the southern part of Catalonia during the
18th century.
 The sardana is the most characteristic
Catalonian popular dance, other groups also
practice Ball de bastons, or jota in the
southern part. Musically the Havaneres are
also characteristic in the marine localities of
the Costa Brava specially during the
summer months when these songs are sung
outdoors accompanied by a of burned rum.
As opposed to other parts of Spain,
flamenco is not popularly performed, but
rather the rumba is a more prevalent dance
style.
 In the greater celebrations other elements of
the Catalonian popular culture are usually
present: the parades of gegants (giants)
and correfocs of devils and firecrackers.

THE FOOD

 Escalivada (various grilled vegetables)
 Escudella (a stew with rice)
 Ollada or \"Putxero\" (val.) (Meat and
vegetable stew)
 or \"esgarrat\"\" (val.) (salted cod salad with
tomato and onion)
 Mongetes amb botifarra (beans and pork
sausage)
 Pa amb tomàquet (bread smeared with an
olive oil, garlic and tomato sauce)
 Tonyina en escabetx (tuna escabeche)
 (a seafood casserole)
 Savoury Coca (pastry)
 Embotits, a generic name for different kinds
of cured pork meat), including Fuet (a
characteristic type of dried sausage) and
Salchichón or Llonganissa (salami).
 Calçots (specially cultivated onions, grilled
and served as a \"Calçotada\")
 (cooked snails)
 Catalan cream.

Important things

SAGRADA FAMILIA in Barcelona

BARÇA, a important team of Catalonia

THE BULLI, the best restaurant in Spain

THE SEU VELLA in Lleida

 Catalunya triomfant,
tornarà a ser rica i plena.
Endarrera aquesta gent
tan ufana i tan superba.
Bon cop de falç,
Bon cop de falç,
Defensors de la terra!
Bon cop de falç!
Ara és hora, segadors.
Ara és hora d'estar alerta.
Per quan vingui un altre juny
esmolem ben bé les eines.
Bon cop de falç,
Bon cop de falç,
Defensors de la terra!
Bon cop de falç!
Que tremoli l'enemic
en veient la nostra ensenya.
Com fem caure espigues d'or,
quan convé seguem cadenes.
Bon cop de falç,
Bon cop de falç,
Defensors de la terra!
Bon cop de falç!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10CDqx8XeiE&feature=related