Catalan Countries

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The term Catalan Countries (Catalan: Països Catalans) refers to the concept of a nation that includes all territories where the Catalan language is spoken. This concept first appeared at the end of XIX century and later was popularized by the Valencian writer Joan Fuster in his book Nosaltres els valencians ("We, the Valencians") (1962), with a very strong sense of Catalan identity. The term is politically charged, and tends to be closely associated with Catalan nationalism.

The Catalan Countries are sometimes referred to as el pi de les tres branques (the three-branched pine, in Catalan) for its territory can be roughly divided in three parts:

• The former Principality of Catalonia, comprising:
  • the current spanish Autonomous Community of Catalonia (Catalan: Catalunya)
  • Andorra
  • Northern Catalonia (or Pays Catalan), in France
  • the Franja de Ponent in Aragon.
• The former kingdom of Majorca : the Balearic Islands (Catalan: Illes Balears)
• The former kingdom of Valencia: Valencia (Catalan/valencian: País Valencià or València)

According to this, a popular saying defines the Catalan Countries as from Salses to Guardamar and from Fraga to Maó.

This territory does not coincide exactly with the places where Catalan is the native language. For example, in the north-western region of Catalonia known as Val d'Aran, a dialect of Occitan, Aranese, is spoken and considered the native language, although Spanish and Catalan are also spoken. In western and south-western areas of Valencia, only Spanish is spoken. However, there are also some Catalan-speaking places outside the Catalan Countries, such as El Carche in Murcia and the city of Alghero (L'Alguer) on the island of Sardinia.

See also:

• Crown of Aragon Historic origin of Catalan countries
• History of Catalonia
• Catalan independence

External link:

• "Catalan Countries" in the english version of the Catalan Hiperencyclopedia.