Illa de Arousa

Arousa Island, officially in Galician A Illa de Arousa or Illa de Arousa () is the only island municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. It is in the heart of the Ria de Arousa. According to 2011 INE the island's population was 5,020 inhabitants. The population is divided into several neighborhoods, and places of interest are the lighthouse's environment, Areoso islet (close to the Illa de Arousa) and Carreirón Natural Park, which is listed as a special protection zone for heron birds populations among other birds that inhabit the island. 

O Santo (The Holy) viewpoint is the highest point on the island. 
"San Xulián da Illa de Arousa" is the only parish in this island. Some of its beaches are the following ones: A Area da Secada, A Lavanqueira, O Vao, Camaxe, Carreirón, Espiñeiro and O Cabodeiro.

A Illa de Arousa has five ports. Xufre is the most important and the other important docks include O Campo, Chazo and Cabodeiro.

 Educational centres on the island 
There are two kindergartens (Galescola - A Galiña Azul  and Escola infantil 'Sorrisos e lágrimas''' ), one public and one semi-arranged; a primary education center (CEIP "Torre-Illa"), a secondary education institute (IES da Illa de Arousa ), a municipal music education center  and the Galician Institute of Aquaculture Training. 

There is also an Interpretation Center for Canned Seafood and Fishing, which acts as a museum and receives educational visits from other schools in Galicia.

 Etymology 
According to E. Bascuas, "Arousa", registered as insulam Arauza in 899, would belong to the old European hydronymy, and is derived from the Indoeuropean  root *er- 'flow, move'. 

According to M. Santalha, its origin is Arautia or Arautsia. In any case, both have their origin in the Celtic Arausiu.

There are speculations that relate the place name to a Roman altar (Ara; Ara Augusta)

Scholars say that in "Ara" means "source of the head", and in Gaelic "Before the ear" (in toponymy refers to a coastal outcrop). Arautia also adds the ending "aunt" of participle, meaning "the one before the ear" (and the "ear" turns out to be the Barbanza Peninsula). In this way, Arautia would mean: "before the ear - Barbanza" or "east of Barbanza"''.

 Related pages 
 IGAFA

 References 

 Other websites 

 Concello da Illa de Arousa Townhall of Arousa Island
 Arousa
 A Illa de Arousa - Paraíso Natural en Galicia

Category:Province of Pontevedra
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