The municipality (Spanish: municipio, IPA: [muniˈθipjo], Catalan: municipi, Galician: concello, Basque: udalerria, Asturian: conceyu) is one of the two fundamental territorial divisions in Spain, the other being the provinces.
| Municipality | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Category | Municipality |
| Location | Spain |
| Found in | Province |
| Number | 8,131 (as of 10 June 2022) |
| Populations | 3 (Illán de Vacas) - 3,305,408 (Madrid) |
| Government |
|
Organisation
Although provinces are groupings of municipalities, there is no implied hierarchy or primacy of one over the other. Instead the two entities are defined according to the authority or jurisdiction of each (Spanish: competencias). Some autonomous communities also group municipalities into entities known as comarcas (districts) or mancomunidades (commonwealths).
The governing body in most municipalities is called ayuntamiento (municipal council or corporation), a term often also used to refer to the municipal headquarters (city/town hall). The ayuntamiento is composed of the mayor (Spanish: alcalde), the deputy mayors (Spanish: tenientes de alcalde) and the deliberative assembly (pleno) of councillors (concejales). Another form of local government used in small municipalities is the concejo abierto (open council), in which the deliberative assembly is formed by all the electors in the municipality.
The operation of the municipalities is broadly outlined by the 1985 Local Government Act. The Statutes of Autonomy of the various autonomous communities also contain provisions and many sectorial laws from national and autonomous community government determine the functions and powers of ayuntamientos. In general, municipalities enjoy a large degree of autonomy in their local affairs: many of the functions of the comarcas and provinces are municipal powers pooled together.
All citizens of Spain are required to register in the municipality they live in, and after doing so, they are juridically considered "neighbors" (residents) of the municipality, a designation that grants them various rights and privileges, and which entail certain obligations as well, including the right to vote or be elected for public office in said municipality. The right to vote in municipal elections is extended to Spanish citizens living abroad. A Spaniard abroad, upon registering in a consulate, has the right to vote in the local elections of the last municipality they resided in. A Spanish citizen born abroad must choose between the last municipality his or her mother or father last lived in.
In numbers
As of 2022, there were a total of 8,131 municipalities in Spain, including the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla. In the Principality of Asturias, municipalities are officially named concejos (councils).
The average population of a municipality is about 5,300, but this figure masks a huge range: the most populous Spanish municipality is the city of Madrid, with a population of 3,305,408 (2022), while several rural municipalities have fewer than ten inhabitants (Illán de Vacas, had a population of three in 2022).
Almost 40% of the Spanish population resides in just 62 municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants. 84% (6,817) of municipalities have less than 5,000 inhabitants. Castile and León alone account for 28% of municipalities but they constitute less than 6% of the population of Spain. A European report said that one of the most important problems facing local governments in Spain is the very high number of little towns with a low number of inhabitants.
The area of the municipal territory (Spanish: término municipal) usually ranges 2–40 km2, but some municipalities span across a much larger area, up to the 1,750.33 km2 of Cáceres', the largest municipality in the country. The average land area of a Spanish municipality is about 62.23 km2 (24.03 sq mi), while the average population is about 5,988 people.
History
Municipalities were first created by decree on 23 May 1812 as part of the liberal reforms associated with the new Spanish Constitution of 1812 and based on similar actions in revolutionary France. The idea was to rationalise and homogenise territorial organisation, do away with the prior feudal system and provide equality before the law of all citizens.
Between 1812 and 1931, the legislation regarding municipal organisation was changed more than 20 times, and there were 20 addition and unsuccessful proposals for change.
Terminology
| English | Spanish | Catalan / Valencian | Galician | Basque | Asturian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Municipality | Municipio | Municipi | Concello, bisbarra, municipio | Udalerria | Conceyu |
| Municipal corporation | Ayuntamiento, consistorio | Ajuntament, consistori, also paeria (Lleida) | Concello | Udala | Ayuntamientu |
| Mayor | Masc.: Alcalde, regidor Fem.: alcaldesa, regidora | Masc.: Alcalde, batlle, batle (Balearics), Fem.: alcaldessa, batllessa, batlessa (Balearics) | Alcalde | Alkatea | Alcalde |
| Deputy Mayor | Teniente de alcalde | Masc.: Tinent d'alcalde, tinent de batle (Balearics), Fem.: Tinenta d'alcalde, tinenta de batle (Balearics) | Tenente de alcalde | Alkateordea | Teniente d'alcalde |
| Governing commission | Comisión de gobierno, junta de gobierno | Comissió de govern | Comisión de goberno | Gobernu batzordea | Comisión de gobiernu |
| Plenary assembly | Pleno | Ple | Pleno | Osoko bilkura | Plenu |
| Councillor | Masc.: concejal Fem.: concejala | Masc.: regidor Fem.: regidora | Concelleiro | Zinegotzia | Conceyal |
| City hall | Ayuntamiento, casa consistorial, palacio municipal, casa de la villa | Ajuntament, casa de la vila | Casa do concello, concello | Udaletxea | Casa conceyu |
See also
- List of municipalities of Spain
- Local government in Spain
- Political divisions of Spain
- Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces
Notes
- In other languages of Spain:
References
- MPA, paragraph 4.
- Albet i Mas 2019, p. 21.
- MPA, paragraph 1.
- Local Government Act 1985.
- Division of Powers, paragraph 15.
- Local Government Act 1985, Article 11.
- Register of Local Entities.
- Statute of Autonomy of the Principality of Asturias, Art. 6.1
- Rodríguez Álvarez 2010, Abstract.
- Cools & Verbeek 2013, Explanatory Memorandum paragraph 12 on page 7.
- "Cáceres, el municipio más extenso del país". Hoy. 28 July 2008.
- Albet i Mas 2019, pp. 14, 15.
- Albet i Mas 2019, p. 15.
Bibliography
- Albet i Mas, Abel (2019). "The municipal map in Spain: structure, evolution and problems" (PDF). Geopolitica(s). Revista de estudios sobre espacio y poder (in Spanish). 10 (1): 11–40. doi:10.5209/GEOP.63834.
- Cools, Marc; Verbeek, Leen (19–21 March 2013). Local and regional democracy in Spain. Council of Europe.
- Rodríguez Álvarez, José Manuel (2010). "Estructura institucional y organización territorial local en España: fragmentación municipal, asociacionismo confuso, grandes ciudades y provincias supervivientes" [Institutional structure and local territorial organisation in Spain: municipal fragmentation, confusing associations, large cities and surviving provinces]. Política y Sociedad (in Spanish). 47 (3). Madrid: Complutense University of Madrid. ISSN 1130-8001.
- Spanish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation. "Register of Local Entities". Local Entity Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- "Local Government Act, Organic Law 7/1985" (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado. 1985. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- "Local Government in Spain" (PDF). Ministry of Public Administration. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- "Spain - Summary". Division of Powers. European Committee of the Regions. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
The municipality Spanish municipio IPA muniˈ8ipjo Catalan municipi Galician concello Basque udalerria Asturian conceyu is one of the two fundamental territorial divisions in Spain the other being the provinces MunicipalityCategoryMunicipalityLocationSpainFound inProvinceNumber8 131 as of 10 June 2022 Populations3 Illan de Vacas 3 305 408 Madrid GovernmentAyuntamiento or concejo abiertoOrganisationAlthough provinces are groupings of municipalities there is no implied hierarchy or primacy of one over the other Instead the two entities are defined according to the authority or jurisdiction of each Spanish competencias Some autonomous communities also group municipalities into entities known as comarcas districts or mancomunidades commonwealths The governing body in most municipalities is called ayuntamiento municipal council or corporation a term often also used to refer to the municipal headquarters city town hall The ayuntamiento is composed of the mayor Spanish alcalde the deputy mayors Spanish tenientes de alcalde and the deliberative assembly pleno of councillors concejales Another form of local government used in small municipalities is the concejo abierto open council in which the deliberative assembly is formed by all the electors in the municipality The operation of the municipalities is broadly outlined by the 1985 Local Government Act The Statutes of Autonomy of the various autonomous communities also contain provisions and many sectorial laws from national and autonomous community government determine the functions and powers of ayuntamientos In general municipalities enjoy a large degree of autonomy in their local affairs many of the functions of the comarcas and provinces are municipal powers pooled together All citizens of Spain are required to register in the municipality they live in and after doing so they are juridically considered neighbors residents of the municipality a designation that grants them various rights and privileges and which entail certain obligations as well including the right to vote or be elected for public office in said municipality The right to vote in municipal elections is extended to Spanish citizens living abroad A Spaniard abroad upon registering in a consulate has the right to vote in the local elections of the last municipality they resided in A Spanish citizen born abroad must choose between the last municipality his or her mother or father last lived in In numbersAs of 2022 there were a total of 8 131 municipalities in Spain including the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla In the Principality of Asturias municipalities are officially named concejos councils The average population of a municipality is about 5 300 but this figure masks a huge range the most populous Spanish municipality is the city of Madrid with a population of 3 305 408 2022 while several rural municipalities have fewer than ten inhabitants Illan de Vacas had a population of three in 2022 Almost 40 of the Spanish population resides in just 62 municipalities with more than 100 000 inhabitants 84 6 817 of municipalities have less than 5 000 inhabitants Castile and Leon alone account for 28 of municipalities but they constitute less than 6 of the population of Spain A European report said that one of the most important problems facing local governments in Spain is the very high number of little towns with a low number of inhabitants The area of the municipal territory Spanish termino municipal usually ranges 2 40 km2 but some municipalities span across a much larger area up to the 1 750 33 km2 of Caceres the largest municipality in the country The average land area of a Spanish municipality is about 62 23 km2 24 03 sq mi while the average population is about 5 988 people HistoryMunicipalities were first created by decree on 23 May 1812 as part of the liberal reforms associated with the new Spanish Constitution of 1812 and based on similar actions in revolutionary France The idea was to rationalise and homogenise territorial organisation do away with the prior feudal system and provide equality before the law of all citizens Between 1812 and 1931 the legislation regarding municipal organisation was changed more than 20 times and there were 20 addition and unsuccessful proposals for change TerminologySpain s cities and main towns English Spanish Catalan Valencian Galician Basque AsturianMunicipality Municipio Municipi Concello bisbarra municipio Udalerria ConceyuMunicipal corporation Ayuntamiento consistorio Ajuntament consistori also paeria Lleida Concello Udala AyuntamientuMayor Masc Alcalde regidor Fem alcaldesa regidora Masc Alcalde batlle batle Balearics Fem alcaldessa batllessa batlessa Balearics Alcalde Alkatea AlcaldeDeputy Mayor Teniente de alcalde Masc Tinent d alcalde tinent de batle Balearics Fem Tinenta d alcalde tinenta de batle Balearics Tenente de alcalde Alkateordea Teniente d alcaldeGoverning commission Comision de gobierno junta de gobierno Comissio de govern Comision de goberno Gobernu batzordea Comision de gobiernuPlenary assembly Pleno Ple Pleno Osoko bilkura PlenuCouncillor Masc concejal Fem concejala Masc regidor Fem regidora Concelleiro Zinegotzia ConceyalCity hall Ayuntamiento casa consistorial palacio municipal casa de la villa Ajuntament casa de la vila Casa do concello concello Udaletxea Casa conceyuSee alsoSpain portalList of municipalities of Spain Local government in Spain Political divisions of Spain Spanish Federation of Municipalities and ProvincesNotesIn other languages of Spain Catalan Valencian municipis IPA muniˈsipis sing municipi Galician municipios IPA muniˈ8ipjʊs or bisbarras IPA bizˈbarɐs sing municipio bisbarra Basque udalerriak IPA udaleriak sing udalerria Asturian conceyos IPA konˈ8ejʊs sing conceyu ReferencesMPA paragraph 4 Albet i Mas 2019 p 21 MPA paragraph 1 Local Government Act 1985 Division of Powers paragraph 15 Local Government Act 1985 Article 11 Register of Local Entities Statute of Autonomy of the Principality of Asturias Art 6 1 Rodriguez Alvarez 2010 Abstract Cools amp Verbeek 2013 Explanatory Memorandum paragraph 12 on page 7 Caceres el municipio mas extenso del pais Hoy 28 July 2008 Albet i Mas 2019 pp 14 15 Albet i Mas 2019 p 15 BibliographyAlbet i Mas Abel 2019 The municipal map in Spain structure evolution and problems PDF Geopolitica s Revista de estudios sobre espacio y poder in Spanish 10 1 11 40 doi 10 5209 GEOP 63834 Cools Marc Verbeek Leen 19 21 March 2013 Local and regional democracy in Spain Council of Europe Rodriguez Alvarez Jose Manuel 2010 Estructura institucional y organizacion territorial local en Espana fragmentacion municipal asociacionismo confuso grandes ciudades y provincias supervivientes Institutional structure and local territorial organisation in Spain municipal fragmentation confusing associations large cities and surviving provinces Politica y Sociedad in Spanish 47 3 Madrid Complutense University of Madrid ISSN 1130 8001 Spanish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation Register of Local Entities Local Entity Portal in Spanish Retrieved 10 June 2022 Local Government Act Organic Law 7 1985 in Spanish Agencia Estatal Boletin Oficial del Estado 1985 Retrieved 12 June 2022 Local Government in Spain PDF Ministry of Public Administration Retrieved 11 June 2022 Spain Summary Division of Powers European Committee of the Regions Retrieved June 26 2023
