Asturias

Comunidad Autónoma del Principado de
Asturias

(In Detail)
Capital	Oviedo
Area  - total  - % of Spain	Ranked 10th 10 604 km² 2,1%
Population  - Total (2003)  - % of Spain  - Density	Ranked 12th 1 056 789 2,5% 99,65/km²
Demonym  - English  - Spanish	Asturian asturiano/a, astur
Statute of Autonomy	January 11, 1982
ISO 3166-2	O
Parliamentary representation  Congress seats  Senate seats	8 2
President	Vicente Alberto Álvarez Areces (PSOE)
Anthem	Asturias, patria querida

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The Principality of Asturias (Asturian: Asturies) is a province and an autonomous community of Spain on the north coast facing the Oviedo; Asturias was formerly called the province of Oviedo. Other noteworthy cities are the major seaport Gijón and the industrial city of Avilés. Other towns include Cangas de Onís, Cangas del Narcea, Grado, Langreo, Mieres, Villaviciosa, and Llanes. See also List of municipalities in Asturias, Comarcas of Asturias.

The autonomous community is bordered on the east by Cantabria, on the south by Castile-Leon (Castilla y León, province of León), on the west by Galicia (province of Lugo), and on the north by the Cantabric Sea.

At one point, Asturias was one of the last remnants of Christian Spain; for this reason, the heir to the Spanish throne automatically takes the title of Prince of Asturias, much as the heir to the British throne is the Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay.

Asturias shares the Parque Nacional Picos de Europa Biosphere Reserve (in the Picos de Europa mountain range) with Cantabria and with the province of León. Also have another Biosphere Reserves: Muniellos, Somiedo, Redes

Economy of Asturias

The traditional resource of Asturias was mountain farming. The mountain pastures feed milk cows. The mountains also held rich coal mines; however, lately Asturian coal can't compete with off-EU imports and is maintained by tariffs and subventions. The main mining company is the state-run Hunosa. There was also a steel industry, grouped around the state-run Ensidesa. The difficulties to compete with foreing imports led to a troubled reconvertion process, heavily protested with strikes.

Gastronomy

Asturias is known for its fine lamb and seafood, but its most famous dish is Fabada Asturiana, a stew made with large white beans (fabes), shoulder of pork (lacón), black sausage (morcilla), spicy sausage (chorizo) and saffron (azafrán).

The apple trees sustain the production of alcoholic cider, traditionally poured standing, with the bottle a metre above the glass, to oxygenate the brew. Asturian cheeses, especially Cabrales, are also famous, the latter not just for its pungent odour. Salmon swim up Asturian rivers; the first fish of the season is called campanu (from campana, a bell tolled to signal the catch) and reaches a high price.

History

In 1934, the worker movements fought the government of the Second Spanish Republic in the so-called Revolution of Asturias. Troops led by Francisco Franco were brought from the North African colonies to suffocate the rebellion.

See also

Kingdom of Asturias