Cerdanya (; , ; , ; ) or often La Cerdanya is a natural comarca and historical region of the eastern Pyrenees divided between France and Spain. Historically it was one of the counties of Catalonia.

Cerdanya has a land area of , divided almost evenly between Spain (50.3%) and France (49.7%). In 2001 its population was approximately 26,500, of whom 53% lived on Spanish territory. Its population density is 24 residents per km<sup>2</sup> (63 per sq. mile). The only urban area in Cerdanya is the cross-border urban area of Puigcerdà-Bourg-Madame, which contained 10,900 inhabitants in 2001.

The area enjoys a high annual amount of sunshine &ndash; around 3,000 hours per year. For this reason, pioneering large-scale solar power projects have been built in several locations in French Cerdagne, including Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via, the Themis plant near Targassonne, and Mont-Louis Solar Furnace in Mont-Louis.

History

Antiquity

The first inhabitants of Cerdanya probably spoke a language related to the old Basque language and to Aquitanian.

The main oppidum of the Kerretes, commanding the whole country, was called Kere and was built on the hill above the modern-day village of Llívia (a Spanish exclave in French territory). Later the Kerretes came under Roman rule, and the Romans renamed the oppidum Julia Lybica,

Municipalities

French side

Known as French Cerdagne (Catalan: Alta Cerdanya), it is part of the French department of Pyrénées-Orientales, which itself is part of the Occitanie region. It has no special administrative self-government status apart from that of the department, thus solely being a physiographic region within the department.

  • Angoustrine-Villeneuve-des-Escaldes (Catalan: Angostrina)
  • Bolquère (Catalan: Bolquera)
  • Bourg-Madame (Catalan: La Guingueta d’Ix)
  • Dorres
  • Égat (Catalan Èguet)
  • Enveitg (Catalan Enveig)
  • Err (Catalan Er)
  • Estavar
  • Eyne (Catalan Eina)
  • Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via (Catalan Font-Romeu or Odelló i Vià)
  • La Cabanasse (Catalan La Cabanassa)
  • Latour-de-Carol (Catalan La Tor de Querol)
  • Llo
  • Mont-Louis (Catalan Montlluís)
  • Nahuja (Catalan Naüja)
  • Osséja (Catalan Osseja)
  • Palau-de-Cerdagne (Catalan Palau de Cerdanya)
  • Planès (Catalan Planès)
  • Porta
  • Porté-Puymorens (Catalan Portè)
  • Saillagouse (Catalan Sallagosa)
  • Saint-Pierre-dels-Forcats (Catalan Sant Pere dels Forcats)
  • Sainte-Léocadie (Catalan Santa Llocaia)
  • Targassonne (Catalan Targasona)
  • Ur
  • Valcebollère (Catalan: Vallsabollera)

Spanish side

Known as Baixa Cerdanya. Unlike its French counterpart, it does constitute its own administrative division inside the autonomous community of Catalonia as a comarca or county, with its own self-ruling institutions known as the Comarcal Council of Cerdanya, inside the already self-ruling autonomous Catalonia. All municipalities of Baixa Cerdanya are part of the Catalan region of Alt Pirineu, this one itself divided between the Spanish provinces of Lleida and Girona.

{| class="wikitable sortable"

! Municipality

! Population(2014)

! Areakm The ski station today boasts of 62 slopes with 15 ski lifts, and since 2013, has nocturnal skiing. Physically adjacent to Masella, though requiring a different ski pass, is "La Molina" with 68 ski slopes. Due to La Cerdanya's close proximity to Andorra and France, its residents also enjoy skiing in "Font Romeu," "Formigueres," "Les Angles," and "Grandvalira."

Notable people

  • Dr. José Baselga, oncologist

References

</references>

  • La Cerdanya from Catalan Encyclopaedia
  • County of Cerdanya from Catalan Encyclopaedia
  • Counts of Cerdagne: genealogical tree
  • Turisme Cerdanya Portal Cerdanya