Berguedà

Berguedà (in Catalan: El Berguedà) is an inland comarca (coonty) in Catalonie, Spain, leein pairtly in the Pyrenees an Pre-Pyrenees, an pairtly in the Catalan Central Depression. Geografie The northren hauf o Berguedà, kent as Alt Berguedà (“Upper Berguedà”), consists o the upper Llobregat Glen an the muntainous auries surroondin it. Its northren mairch is a veritable muntain barrier: Berguedà is separatit frae Cerdanya bi a chain o 2,000-meter peaks. Thae include the muntain ranges o Cadí, Moixeró, Puig d'Alp an Puigllançada. In this aurie the population is centert mainly in the Llobregat Valley an the glens o the rivers Bagà, Bastareny an Saldes. Eastle are the muntain ranges o Catllaràs an Rasos de Tubau, wastle the heich ranges o Pedraforca, Verd, Ensija an Rasos de Peguera. The mair populous Baix Berguedà ("Lawer Berguedà") is the soothren pairt o the comarca. It lees alang the fuithills o the Pyrenees, transitionin intae the plains o the Catalan Central Depression. Climate Alt Berguedà is rainy an (bi Catalan standards) cauld, wi snaw in the winter on the heicher peaks. Average annual precipitation exceeds 1000 mm (40 inches), maistly in the wairmer saisons. The vegetation consists mainly o wids o Scots Pine an aik. Shadier auries hae European beech an, less aften, silver fir. Abuin 1700 meter, Mountain Pine dominates an abuin 2200 meter the vegetation consists primarily o alpine meadaes. The soothren hauf o Berguedà consists o lawer glens, wi a dry Mediterranean climate. Average annual precipitation is 700 tae 900 mm (28 tae 36 inches), wi vera little precipitation in the simmer. Average annual temperaturs faw atween 11 an 13 °C, wi cauld winters, but athoot nimious het simmers. The naiturally occurrin vegetation is carrascara (Roond-leafit aik, Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia) in dry auries wi puir syle an aiks whaur thare is better syle an mair rain. In the center an tae the wast, Portuguese aik (Quercus faginea) dominates, wastle an northwart Downy aik (Quercus pubescens, syn. Q. humilis). Thir days, thay are intermixed wi Scots Pine an Aleppo pine. Population an economy Berguedà haes ayes been spairsely populatit. In 1860 thare wis 31,544 indwellers, but, bi 1887, the population haed fawen tae a law o 23,257. The 1900 census shawed a slicht reboond tae 27,217 indwellers. For the next 60 year, growin opportunities in minin, textiles, forestry, nowt ranchin, an agricultur led tae a slaw but steady increase, wi 39,600 indwellers in 1930, 41,938 in 1950 an 47,953 in 1960. Then, wi a decline in the local economy (inspecially a faw-aff in minin) coincidin wi greater opportunity elsewhaur, anither decline o the economy an population set in, wi the population fawin tae 44,446 in 1970, 42,152 in 1981, an a mere 40,555 the day. Currently, industrial activity is locate mainly in atween Berga an Puig-reig. The openin o the Cadí Tunnel an the general impruivement o the roads in recent (as o 2004) years mey impruive the economic potential o the Llobregat Valley an o Berguedà in general. Agricultur, nowt ranchin an forestry haes pruiven generally complementar tae ane anither an compatible wi tourism. The growthe in tourism haes providit some jobs an haes been a key factor in reducin emigration frae Alt Berguedà. Mony fermhooses hae been convertit (in whole or in pairt) tae tourism-relatit uises. Main sichts Berguedà is weel kent for Pedraforca Muntain (tradeetionally considered a meetin place for witches' covens), for its pastoral an muntain scenery, an for its mony Romanesque kirks. Anither aften-visitit sicht is the Muntain o Queralt (hame tae a sanctuar hoosin the Comarca's patroness, Oor Lady o Queralt), whilk is sert bi mony hikin trails an affers views o hintle o Berguedà an the surroondin comarques. The comarca boasts mony medieval brigs an haes presert mony auld toun centers an aw, maist notably the anes o Berga an Bagà. Events Berguedà is weel kent for its mony tradeetional festivals. The maist famous is certainly the Patum, a week-lang celebration held in Berga ivery simmer. In the Patum, representations o different meethological beasts an historical figurs tak tae the streets, an concerts an banquets are organisit in the toun an aw. Anither weel-kent celebration is the Fia-faia, held ivery Christenmas Eve in Bagà an Sant Julià de Cerdanyola. This pre-Christian tradeetion marks the winter solstice, wi pairticipants cairryin lichtit bundles o Cephalaria leucanta frae a bonfire in the muntains tae the wast o either toun (whaur the sun is seen tae set) tae the main square. Municipalities Populations are frae 2005. Avià - pop. 2,015 Bagà - pop. 2,160 Berga - pop. 16,175 Borredà - pop. 518 Capolat - pop. 79 Casserres - pop. 1,548 Castell de l'Areny - pop. 60 Castellar de n'Hug - pop. 184 Castellar del Riu - pop. 152 Cercs - pop. 1,342 L'Espunyola - pop. 270 Fígols - pop. 48 Gironella - pop. 4,853 Gisclareny - pop. 36 Guardiola de Berguedà - pop. 926 Gósol - pop. 223 Montclar - pop. 121 Montmajor - pop. 460 La Nou de Berguedà - pop. 159 Olvan - pop. 897 La Pobla de Lillet - pop. 1,348 Puig-reig - pop. 4,197 La Quar - pop. 68 Sagàs - pop. 140 Saldes - pop. 346 Sant Jaume de Frontanyà - pop. 28 Sant Julià de Cerdanyola - pop. 258 Santa Maria de Merlès - pop. 151 Vallcebre - pop. 284 Vilada - pop. 507 Viver i Serrateix - pop. 193 References Instituto Nacional de Estadística Archived 2006-07-16 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish). Reference for populations of municipalities as of January 1, 2005. IDESCAT: statistical information on Berguedà (in Catalan), source for list of municipalities, surface area Freemit airtins Information about Berguedà on the Generalitat de Catalunya wabsteid. Berguedà Coonty Tourist information (in Catalan) "Berguedà Actual" - local news steid coverin Berguedà Archived 2011-02-02 at the Wayback Machine (in Catalan) Centre Informàtic del Berguedà (Berguedà Computer Center), in Berga (in Catalan)