Comarques of the Valencian Community

The comarques of the Valencian Community, form an intermediate level of administrative subdivision between municipalities and provinces. They are used as a basis for the provision of local services by the Generalitat Valenciana, but do not have any representative or executive bodies of their own.

Homologous territorial demarcations according to the Generalitat Valenciana.

In 1987, the Generalitat Valenciana published an official proposal for Homologated Territorial Demarcations, Demarcacions Territorials Homologades (DTH), of three degrees, where the first degree largely coincides with the territorial concept of comarca. Until now, the practice of these demarcations has been limited as a reference to the administrative decentralisation of the different services offered by the Generalitat, such as education, health, or agriculture. In fact, there is no legal provision for these DTHs to ultimately have the intended “territorial impact”, that is, comarca-level political or administrative bodies. Instead, the powers shared between several municipalities are being articulated through mancomunitats, or commonwealths.

Article 65 of the 2006 Statute of Autonomy provides the first legislative foundation for the comarques.

As of 2019, there are thirty-four comarques (including the city of Valencia), with a median population of 147,227.55 and a median area of 685.43 km².

List of comarques

ComarcaPopulation (2019)[1]Area (km²)[1]Density
(i./km²)
Capital
Alacantí487,113673.57723.15Alicante
Alcalatén15,585648.6824.02Alcora
Alcoià109,196539.66202.33Alcoy/Alcoi
Alt Maestrat6,657663.1610.03Albocàsser
Alt Millars3,908667.065.85Cirat
Alt Palància23,753965.1524.61Segorbe
Alt Vinalopó52,401644.7681.27Villena
Baix Maestrat81,8711,221.3267.03Vinaròs
Baix Vinalopó293,775488.78601.03Elche
Camp de Morvedre91,662271.20337.96Sagunto
Camp de Túria162,991823.37197.96Llíria
Canal de Navarrés15,687709.2922.11Enguera
Comtat28,096377.7774.37Cocentaina
Costera71,522528.26130.47Xàtiva
Horta Nord228,424140.511626.48Burjassot
Horta Oest354,334178.841888.77Catarroja
Horta Sud178,118166.191071.96Torrent
Foia de Bunyol42,598817.3752.08Buñol
Marina Alta175,156758.02228.30Dénia
Marina Baixa188,623578.67338.04Villajoyosa/La Vila Joiosa
els Ports4,400904.074.84Morella
Plana Alta252,828957.29264.10Castellón de la Plana
Plana Baixa190,925605.15315.50Burriana/Borriana
Plana d'Utiel Requena37,7531,721.0321.87Requena
Ribera Alta220,366970.04227.17Alzira
Ribera Baixa79,869276.81288.50Sueca
Racó d'Ademús2,266370.226.12Ademuz
Serrans16,1591,405.2811.49Chelva
Safor171,903429.80400.12Gandia
València794,288134.635.89Valencia
Vall d'Albaida87,349722.22120.63Ontinyent
Vall de Cofrents-Ayora9,8351,141.158.61Cofrentes
Baix Segura355,257957.28362.24Orihuela
Vinalopo Mitjà171,069797.99214.74Elda
Total5,005,73723,254.49214.79

Subcomarques

Some comarques are made up of two or more subcomarques. Most of them correspond with local geographical features. For instance, Alcoià is made up of two subcomarques: Foia de Castalla and Valls d'Alcoi.

Historical comarques

Historical comarques refer to former comarques that are no longer extant.

Some historical comarques of the Valencian Community are now part of other comarques in the new territorial demarcation, such as Tinença de Benifassà and Ports de Morella.

References

  1. Populations and areas are taken from the INE(INE website).

Bibliography

  • Proposta de demarcacions territorials homologades, Direcció General d'Administració Local, València, D.L. 1988. Conselleria d'Administració Pública. ISBN 84-7579-587-0
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