Priorat
Comarca
Coat of arms of Priorat
Coat of arms
Country Spain
Autonomous community Catalonia
RegionCamp de Tarragona
ProvinceTarragona
CapitalFalset
Municipalities
List
Government
 • BodyPriorat Comarcal Council
 • PresidentSergi Méndez (ERC)
Area
 • Total498.61 km2 (192.51 sq mi)
Population
 (2017)
 • Total9,345
 • Density19/km2 (49/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Prioratí, prioratina
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Largest municipalityFalset

Priorat (Catalan pronunciation: [pɾi.uˈɾat]) is a comarca (county) in Camp de Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. The region is named due to the monastery of Scala Dei[1] which held many properties and the capital is now the town of Falset.

Economy

The central part of the comarca, Priorat històric, produces the highly regarded wines that are certified under the DOQ Priorat.[2] Wines from elsewhere in the comarca are certified as DO Montsant although this region also has a small segment of the neighboring comarca, Ribera d'Ebre.[3] However, galena mining was the main activity since prehistoric times until 1972, when the last galena mine closed.[4]

The other main agricultural activity is the production of olives and olive oil, the latter of which is certified under DOP Siurana.[2] Historically there was greater production of hazelnuts and almonds but these activities have become mostly for personal use. In late 1800s, a devastating attack of the insect phylloxera destroyed vines and mining kept activities and around twenty mines opened at that time.[4]

Priorat saw a steady loss of population throughout the 20th century due to a number of external factors such as the Spanish Civil War and the rise of coastal tourism. In 2004, with a more prosperous economy there was an overall increase in population that peaked in 2010 and has since been decreasing again each year. In 2001, the population was 9,196, with only the capital exceeding a population of 1,000 and while it has over 2,800 residents as of 2017, the comarca overall has reduced to 9,345 from a high of 10,145 making it the 3rd least populated comarca in all of Catalonia.

Physical geography

Priorat has an area of 496 km2 and is bordered by the River Ebro, and by the comarques of Ribera d'Ebre, Baix Camp, les Garrigues, and Conca de Barberà. The region is mostly hilly, and in the extreme north of the comarca is the Montsant mountain range, rising to over 1000 m; the south is bordered by the Mola de Colldejou and the mountain ranges of Serra de Llaberia and Serra de Santa Marina.

The climate is continental: dry and hot in summer, cold in the winter.

Municipalities

Municipality Population
(2017)[5]		 Area
km2[5]
Bellmunt del Priorat2908.9
La Bisbal de Falset21714.1
Cabacés30931.3
Capçanes40322.5
Cornudella de Montsant95363.5
Falset2,82031.6
La Figuera10218.7
Gratallops23713.5
Els Guiamets27212.1
El Lloar1176.6
Marçà60216.1
Margalef10134.7
El Masroig51015.5
El Molar28622.8
La Morera de Montsant15852.9
Poboleda35614.0
Porrera44128.8
Pradell de la Teixeta16321.8
La Torre de Fontaubella1377.1
Torroja del Priorat14913.2
Ulldemolins39538.2
La Vilella Alta1275.2
La Vilella Baixa2005.6
• Total: 239,345498.6

References

  1. ↑ Ibar, Leandro (July 2020). El libro del vino. De Vecchi, Editorial, S.A. ISBN 9781646999118. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 Miquel Hudin (2015), Vinologue Priorat, Vinologue, p. 480, ISBN 978-1941598030
  3. ↑ Miquel Hudin (2014), Vinologue Montsant, Vinologue, p. 312, ISBN 978-0983771890
  4. 1 2 Maltman, Alex, 1944- (March 2018). Vineyards, rocks, and soils : the wine lover's guide to geology. New York, NY. ISBN 978-0-19-086329-6. OCLC 1023575788.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. 1 2 "El municipi en xifres". Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya. Retrieved 2018-05-12.

41°08′N 0°49′E / 41.133°N 0.817°E / 41.133; 0.817

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