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List of municipalities in Biscay

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Map of Spain with Biscay highlighted
Map of Spain with Biscay highlighted
Map of the province of Biscay with its municipalities
Map of the municipalities in the province of Biscay

Biscay is a province in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, Spain, that is divided into 113 municipalities.[1] As of the 2023 Spanish census, the province is the tenth largest by population, with 1,153,282 inhabitants,[2] and the second smallest by land area, spanning 2,215.55 square kilometres (855.43 sq mi).[3] Municipalities are the basic local political division in Spain[4] and can only belong to one province.[5] They enjoy a large degree of autonomy in their local administration. Amongst other tasks, they are in charge of urban planning, water supply, lighting, road network, local police, and firefighting.[6]

The organisation of municipalities in Spain is outlined in a local government law (Spanish: Ley 7/1985, de 2 de abril, Reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local; transl. Law 7/1985, of 2 April, Regulating the Bases of the Local Administration) passed on 2 April 1985[7] and finalised by an 18 April 1986 royal decree.[8] The Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country of 1979 also contains provisions concerning the relations between the municipalities and the autonomous government of the Basque Country.[9] All citizens of Spain are required to register in the municipality in which they reside.[10] Each municipality is a corporation with independent legal personhood: its governing body is called the ayuntamiento (municipal council or corporation),[11] a term often also used to refer to the municipal offices (city and town halls). The ayuntamiento is composed of the mayor (Spanish: alcalde), the deputy mayors (tenientes de alcalde) and the plenary assembly (pleno) of councillors (concejales).[12] Municipalities are categorised by population for the purpose of determining the number of councillors: three when the population is up to 100 inhabitants, five for 101–250, seven for 251–1,000, nine for 1,001–2,000, eleven for 2,001–5,000, thirteen for 5,001–10,000, seventeen for 10,001–20,000, twenty-one for 20,001–50,000, and twenty-five for 50,001–100,000.[13] One councillor is added for every additional 100,000 inhabitants, with a further one added when the number of councillors based on this methodology would be even in order to prevent tied votes.[14]

The mayor and the deputy mayors are elected by the plenary assembly, which is itself elected by universal suffrage.[15] Elections in municipalities with more than 250 inhabitants are carried out following a proportional representation system with closed lists,[14] whilst those with a population lower than 250 use a block plurality voting system with open lists.[16] The plenary assembly must meet periodically at the seat of the ayuntamiento, with meetings occurring more or less frequently depending on the population of the municipality: monthly for those whose population is larger than 20,000, once every two months if it ranges between 5,001 and 20,000, and once every three months if it does not exceed 5,000.[17] Many ayuntamientos also have a local governing board (Spanish: junta de gobierno local), which is named by the mayor from amongst the councillors and is required for municipalities of more than 5,000 inhabitants.[12] The board, whose role is to assist the mayor between meetings of the plenary assembly, may not include more than one third of the councillors.[18]

The largest municipality by population in the province of Biscay as of the 2023 Spanish census is Bilbao, its capital, with 345,235 residents, while the smallest is Arakaldo, with 162 residents.[19] The largest municipality by area is Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza, which spans 137.82 km², while Lanestosa is the smallest at 1.14 km².[3]

Municipalities

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  • Most populous municipalities in Biscay
  • View of Bilbao, with the Guggenheim museum on the left of a river containing a motorboat
    Bilbao is the province's capital and largest municipality by population.
  • Panoramic view of Barakaldo showing numerous small buildings covering a wide area with green hills in the foreground and background
    Barakaldo, the second most populous municipality in Biscay
  • View of the coast of Getxo which includes a concrete wall separating the water (below) from several apartment buildings (above) with a street between them
    Getxo is Biscay's third largest municipality by population.
  • Aerial view of the industrial port and city of Santurtzi with green mountains in the background and ocean in the foreground
    Santurtzi, Biscay's fourth largest municipality by population
  • View of the coast of Portugalete which includes a concrete wall separating the water (below) from several apartment buildings (above) with a street between them
    Portugalete is the fifth most populous municipality in Biscay.
  • Aerial view of the city of Basauri with green mountains in the background and large powerlines in the foreground
    Basauri is the province's sixth largest municipality by population.

†  Provincial capital

Municipalities in Biscay
Name Population
(2023 census)[19] 		Population
(2011 census)[1] 		Population change Land area (km²)[3] Population density
(2023)
Abadiño 7,720 7,350 +5.0% 36.05 214.1/km2
Abanto y Ciérvana-Abanto Zierbena 9,401 9,742 −3.5% 16.20 580.3/km2
Ajangiz 478 456 +4.8% 7.13 67.0/km2
Alonsotegi 2,959 2,838 +4.3% 20.22 146.3/km2
Amorebieta-Etxano 19,540 18,400 +6.2% 58.84 332.1/km2
Amoroto 392 413 −5.1% 13.07 30.0/km2
Arakaldo 162 129 +25.6% 2.72 59.6/km2
Arantzazu 391 361 +8.3% 3.54 110.5/km2
Areatza 1,238 1,224 +1.1% 9.12 135.7/km2
Arrankudiaga 992 954 +4.0% 22.70 43.7/km2
Arratzu 429 385 +11.4% 10.06 42.6/km2
Arrieta 580 549 +5.6% 14.62 39.7/km2
Arrigorriaga 11,949 12,525 −4.6% 16.25 735.3/km2
Artea 755 772 −2.2% 12.35 61.1/km2
Artzentales 726 753 −3.6% 36.79 19.7/km2
Atxondo 1,368 1,428 −4.2% 23.37 58.5/km2
Aulesti 654 672 −2.7% 25.56 25.6/km2
Bakio 2,813 2,588 +8.7% 16.59 169.6/km2
Balmaseda 7,642 7,681 −0.5% 22.37 341.6/km2
Barakaldo 100,987 100,064 +0.9% 24.99 4,041.1/km2
Barrika 1,542 1,523 +1.2% 7.74 199.2/km2
Basauri 40,430 41,777 −3.2% 7.01 5,767.5/km2
Bedia 1,113 976 +14.0% 16.37 68.0/km2
Berango 7,472 6,883 +8.6% 8.73 855.9/km2
Bermeo 16,911 17,092 −1.1% 33.81 500.2/km2
Berriatua 1,215 1,242 −2.2% 19.20 63.3/km2
Berriz 4,533 4,875 −7.0% 29.77 152.3/km2
Bilbao† 345,235 351,356 −1.7% 41.34 8,351.1/km2
Busturia 1,643 1,748 −6.0% 20.22 81.3/km2
Derio 7,064 5,578 +26.6% 10.15 696.0/km2
Dima 1,497 1,364 +9.8% 62.41 24.0/km2
Durango 29,715 28,367 +4.8% 10.73 2,769.3/km2
Ea 826 883 −6.5% 14.24 58.0/km2
Elantxobe 349 409 −14.7% 1.80 193.9/km2
Elorrio 7,299 7,294 +0.1% 37.01 197.2/km2
Erandio 24,426 24,369 +0.2% 18.17 1,344.3/km2
Ereño 276 262 +5.3% 10.52 26.2/km2
Ermua 15,594 16,235 −3.9% 6.47 2,410.2/km2
Errigoiti 510 543 −6.1% 16.52 30.9/km2
Etxebarri 11,968 10,230 +17.0% 3.27 3,659.9/km2
Etxebarria 783 806 −2.9% 17.84 43.9/km2
Forua 915 979 −6.5% 7.63 119.9/km2
Fruiz 550 513 +7.2% 5.62 97.9/km2
Galdakao 29,309 29,153 +0.5% 31.47 931.3/km2
Galdames 833 843 −1.2% 44.41 18.8/km2
Gamiz-Fika 1,394 1,342 +3.9% 15.30 91.1/km2
Garai 334 345 −3.2% 7.15 46.7/km2
Gatika 1,624 1,623 +0.1% 17.29 93.9/km2
Gautegiz Arteaga 888 903 −1.7% 13.54 65.6/km2
Gernika-Lumo 17,012 16,727 +1.7% 8.53 1,994.4/km2
Getxo 76,297 80,252 −4.9% 11.87 6,427.7/km2
Gizaburuaga 196 204 −3.9% 6.09 32.2/km2
Gordexola 1,681 1,728 −2.7% 41.30 40.7/km2
Gorliz 6,067 5,501 +10.3% 10.23 593.1/km2
Güeñes 6,736 6,403 +5.2% 41.48 162.4/km2
Ibarrangelu 694 636 +9.1% 15.49 44.8/km2
Igorre 4,284 4,240 +1.0% 17.09 250.7/km2
Ispaster 734 695 +5.6% 22.98 31.9/km2
Iurreta 3,733 3,852 −3.1% 18.86 197.9/km2
Izurtza 225 275 −18.2% 4.37 51.5/km2
Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza 11,907 2,795 +326.0% 137.82 86.4/km2
Kortezubi 445 429 +3.7% 11.86 37.5/km2
Lanestosa 248 265 −6.4% 1.14 217.5/km2
Larrabetzu 2,056 1,979 +3.9% 21.54 95.5/km2
Laukiz 1,225 1,132 +8.2% 8.11 151.0/km2
Leioa 32,472 30,483 +6.5% 8.39 3,870.3/km2
Lekeitio 7,141 7,377 −3.2% 1.79 3,989.4/km2
Lemoa 3,540 3,408 +3.9% 15.42 229.6/km2
Lemoiz 1,315 1,061 +23.9% 18.91 69.5/km2
Lezama 2,448 2,467 −0.8% 16.29 150.3/km2
Loiu 2,296 2,494 −7.9% 15.02 152.9/km2
Mallabia 1,159 1,192 −2.8% 23.11 50.2/km2
Mañaria 533 498 +7.0% 17.59 30.3/km2
Markina-Xemein 5,021 4,941 +1.6% 45.32 110.8/km2
Maruri-Jatabe 1,069 961 +11.2% 15.96 67.0/km2
Mendata 385 381 +1.0% 22.43 17.2/km2
Mendexa 424 437 −3.0% 6.93 61.2/km2
Meñaka 763 746 +2.3% 12.49 61.1/km2
Morga 415 401 +3.5% 14.47 28.7/km2
Mundaka 1,842 1,943 −5.2% 4.08 451.5/km2
Mungia 17,865 16,857 +6.0% 44.46 401.8/km2
Munitibar-Arbatzegi Gerrikaitz 471 434 +8.5% 24.31 19.4/km2
Murueta 338 303 +11.6% 5.63 60.0/km2
Muskiz 7,342 7,518 −2.3% 21.01 349.5/km2
Muxika 1,516 1,467 +3.3% 49.87 30.4/km2
Nabarniz 269 227 +18.5% 11.76 22.9/km2
Ondarroa 8,207 8,799 −6.7% 4.30 1,908.6/km2
Orozko 2,658 2,512 +5.8% 102.27 26.0/km2
Ortuella 8,537 8,440 +1.1% 7.96 1,072.5/km2
Otxandio 1,324 1,300 +1.8% 12.39 106.9/km2
Plentzia 4,369 4,329 +0.9% 5.91 739.3/km2
Portugalete 44,648 47,698 −6.4% 3.14 14,219.1/km2
Santurtzi 46,089 47,101 −2.1% 8.87 5,196.1/km2
Sestao 27,780 28,805 −3.6% 3.58 7,759.8/km2
Sondika 4,525 4,543 −0.4% 6.85 660.6/km2
Sopelana 14,857 12,824 +15.9% 8.43 1,762.4/km2
Sopuerta 2,721 2,570 +5.9% 42.56 63.9/km2
Sukarrieta 354 350 +1.1% 1.91 185.3/km2
Trucios-Turtzioz 520 532 −2.3% 25.99 20.0/km2
Ubide 179 185 −3.2% 2.81 63.7/km2
Ugao-Miraballes 4,158 4,052 +2.6% 5.26 790.5/km2
Urduliz 5,468 3,601 +51.8% 7.81 700.1/km2
Urduña/Orduña 4,163 4,241 −1.8% 33.40 124.6/km2
Usansolo No data[a]
Valle de Trápaga-Trapagaran 11,907 12,166 −2.1% 12.86 925.9/km2
Zaldibar 3,000 3,053 −1.7% 11.65 257.5/km2
Zalla 8,322 8,411 −1.1% 31.08 267.8/km2
Zamudio 3,290 3,277 +0.4% 18.17 181.1/km2
Zaratamo 1,605 1,651 −2.8% 10.18 157.7/km2
Zeanuri 1,248 1,299 −3.9% 67.22 18.6/km2
Zeberio 1,083 1,080 +0.3% 47.68 22.7/km2
Zierbena 1,496 1,458 +2.6% 12.15 123.1/km2
Ziortza-Bolibar 399 411 −2.9% 18.86 21.2/km2
Biscay 1,153,282[21] 1,156,190[22] −0.3% 2,215.55 520.5/km2
Basque Country 2,216,302[21] 2,185,393[22] +1.4% 7,092.45 312.5/km2
Spain 48,085,361[21] 46,815,916[22] +2.7% 504,755.17 95.3/km2

Notes

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  1. ^ Usansolo was partitioned from Galdakao and became an independent municipality in 2023[20] and is thus not included in the 2023 or 2011 censuses

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Censos de Población y Viviendas 2011. Resultados Municipales - Bizkaia. Población por municipios, sexo y edad (año a año)" (in Spanish). National Statistics Institute. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Censo anual de población 2021-2023. Cifras de población. Principales resultados. 2021-2023. Población según comunidad autónoma y provincia y sexo" (in Spanish). National Statistics Institute. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Nomenclátor Geográfico de Municipios y Entidades de Población" (in Spanish). Centro Nacional de Información Geográfica. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  4. ^ BOE 1985, p. 11.
  5. ^ BOE 1985, p. 14.
  6. ^ BOE 1985, pp. 22–23.
  7. ^ BOE 1985.
  8. ^ BOE 1986.
  9. ^ BOE 1979.
  10. ^ BOE 1985, p. 15.
  11. ^ BOE 1985, pp. 13–14.
  12. ^ a b BOE 1985, p. 19.
  13. ^ LOREG 1985, pp. 64–65.
  14. ^ a b LOREG 1985, p. 65.
  15. ^ LOREG 1985, p. 7.
  16. ^ LOREG 1985, p. 66.
  17. ^ BOE 1985, p. 33.
  18. ^ BOE 1985, p. 21.
  19. ^ a b "Censo anual de población 2021-2023. Resultados por municipios. 2021-2023. Población por sexo, edad (grupos quinquenales) y nacionalidad (española/extranjera)" (in Spanish). National Statistics Institute. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  20. ^ "La Diputación Foral da la bienvenida a Usansolo como municipio 113 del Territorio Histórico de Bizkaia" (in Spanish). Diputación Foral de Bizkaia. 28 December 2023. Archived from the original on 20 August 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  21. ^ a b c "Censo anual de población 2021-2023. Resultados nacionales, por comunidades autónomas y provincias. 2021-2023. Población por sexo, edad (año a año) y nacionalidad (española/extranjera)" (in Spanish). National Statistics Institute. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  22. ^ a b c "Censos de Población y Viviendas 2011. Resultados Nacionales, por Comunidades Autónomas y Provincias. Población según comunidad autónoma y provincia y sexo" (in Spanish). National Statistics Institute. Retrieved 20 August 2024.

Works cited

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See also

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