The
Principality of
Asturias (
Asturian:
Asturies) is a
province and an
autonomous community of
Spain on the north coast facing the
Bay of Biscay (Spanish:
Golfo de Vizcaya or
Mar Cantábrico).
The capital is
Oviedo; Asturias was formerly called the province of Oviedo. Other noteworthy cities are the major seaport
Gijón and the industrial city of Avilés. Other towns include
Cangas de Onís, Cangas del Narcea, Grado, Langreo, Mieres, Villaviciosa, and
Llanes. See also
List of municipalities in Asturias.
The autonomous community is bordered on the east by
Cantabria, on the south by
Castile-Leon (Castilla y León, province of
León), on the west by
Galicia (province of
Lugo), and on the north by the
Bay of Biscay.
At one point, Asturias was one of the last remnants of Christian Spain; for this reason, the heir to the Spanish throne automatically takes the title of Prince of Asturias, much as the heir to the British throne is the
Duke of Cornwall and
Rothesay.
Asturias shares the Parque Nacional Picos de Europa (in the
Picos de Europa mountain range) with Cantabria and with León province.
In
1934, the worker movements fought the government of the
Second Spanish Republic in the so-called Revolution of Asturias.\nTroops led by
Francisco Franco were brought from the North African colonies to suffocate the rebellion.
Economy of Asturias
\nThe traditional resource of Asturias was mountain farming.\nThe mountain pastures feed milk cows.\nThe mountains also held rich coal miness; however, lately Asturian coal can't compete with off-EU imports and is maintained by tariffs and subventions.\nThe main mining company is the state-run Hunosa.\nThere was also a steel industry, grouped around the state-run Ensidesa.\nThe difficulties to compete with foreing imports led to a troubled reconvertion process, heavily protested with strikes.
Gastronomy
Asturias is known for its fine lamb and seafood, but its most famous dish is Fabada Asturiana, a stew made with large white beans (fabes), shoulder of pork (lacón), black sausage (morcilla), spicy sausage (chorizo) and saffron (azafrán).
The apple trees sustain the production of alcoholic cider.\nThe Cabrales cheese is also famous for its poignant odour.\nSalmons climb Asturian rivers; the first fish of the season is called campanu (from campana, a bell tolled to signal the catch) and reaches a high price.
See also
\nKingdom of Asturias
External links
\nGovernment of Asturias (in Spanish)
\n
