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Galicia (Spain) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Galicia or Galiza is a special part of Spain called a nationality. It became an autonomous community in 1978, which means it has its own government. Galicia is located in the northwest corner of the Iberian Peninsula. It shares its southern border with Portugal. To the east, it borders the Spanish regions of Castile and León and Asturias.

Localización de Galicia
Map showing where Galicia is in Spain.
Flag of Galicia
The flag of Galicia.
Escudo de Galicia
The coat of arms of Galicia.

History of Galicia

Galicia is known as a green land with features that remind people of Celtic cultures.

How Galicia is Governed

Since 1978, when Galicia gained its own government, it has been led by the Xunta de Galicia. This is like its own local government.

From 1990 to 2005, a leader named Manuel Fraga was in charge. After him, Emilio Pérez Touriño became president until 2009. He made Galicia more open and modern. Then, in March 2009, a different political group, the Partido Popular, won the elections. Their new president was Alberto Núñez Feijóo. He was re-elected in 2012, continuing to lead Galicia.

Languages Spoken in Galicia

Galicia has one main language called Galician, or "galego." This language is very similar to Portuguese. In fact, both Galician and Portuguese came from the same original language.

Spanish is also spoken in Galicia. Most people speak Spanish as a second language, after Galician.

Delicious Galician Food

Galicia is very famous for its fishing industry. Because of this, seafood is a super important part of its food culture.

Popular Seafood Dishes

One very popular dish in Galicia is polbo á feira. "Polbo" means octopus, so it's a tasty octopus dish. You can find many restaurants in Galicia that serve amazing seafood.

Images for kids

  • Land of Galicia, NASA satellite image

    A satellite view of Galicia

  • Casco Leiro

    Bronze Age gold helmet from Leiro, Rianxo

  • Pallozas nevadas, O Cebreiro

    Palloza houses in eastern Galicia, an evolved form of the Iron Age local roundhouses

  • Castro de Baroña y playa de Arealonga-Complexo Húmido de Corrubedo-Coruña-Spain

    Castro de Baroña, an Iron Age fortified settlement

  • Galician warrior head

    A local Iron Age head warrior from Rubiás, Bande. Now in Museo Provincial de Ourense.

  • Cvp-00791-109v

    Miro, king of Galicia, and Martin of Braga, from an 1145 manuscript of Martin's Formula Vitae Honestae, now in the Austrian National Library. The original work was dedicated to King Miro with the header "To King Miro, the most glorious and calm, the pious, famous for his Catholic faith"

  • Apóstoles del Pórtico de la Gloria

    Partial view of the Romanesque interior of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

  • Medieval baseball (El juego de la Pelota) in the Cantigas de Santa Maria

    An illustration of the Cantigas de Santa Maria (13th century)

  • Un dos motivos centrais da Igrexa de Vilar de Donas

    Gothic painting at Vilar de Donas' church, Palas de Rei

  • Sueiro Gomes de Souto Maior

    Tomb of the knight Sueiro Gómez de Soutomaior

  • Descripcion Reyno de Galizia de Ojea

    Map of the Kingdom of Galicia, 1603

  • A Coruña. María Pita’s statue. Galicia (Spain)

    Maria Pita, heroine of the defense of A Coruña during the English siege of 1589

  • Battle of Vigo bay october 23 1702

    Battle of Vigo Bay, 23 October 1702

  • Combat de la Corogne 16 janvier 1809 (ca. 1823) - Lecomte, Hippolyte

    Battle of Corunna on 16 January 1809

  • Batalla Elviña Eli2

    Re-enactment of the Battle of Corunna

  • Camilo Díaz Baliño Estatuto de Galicia, sí

    Pro–devolved-government poster, 1936

  • O pobo de Verín en lembranza dos fusilados o día 17 de xuño de 1937

    Memorial to the mayor and other republicans, including a syndicalist and a journal director, executed in Verín, 17 June 1937

  • Dende a Garita de Erbeira 01

    Cliffs of Vixía Herbeira near Cape Ortegal, the highest (613 m) in continental Europe

  • Prados en Pambre

    Meadows in Pambre, Palas de Rei

  • Ferrol City

    The ria of Ferrol is an important naval base of Spain

  • Tres Bispos, Ancares. Cervantes, Galiza

    'Tres Bispos' peak, Cervantes, Lugo

  • Fragas do Eume

    Riparian forest on the banks of the Eume

  • Canóns do Sil, Nogueira de Ramuín e Ribas de Sil

    The River Sil and its canyon

  • Dende a Garita de Erbeira 02

    Galician Blond cows

  • Lobo (5750180735)

    Iberian wolf, Galicia

  • Pacios, Serra do Courel, Galiza

    Pacios, Courel, Lugo

  • Praia de Cabohome, Donón, O Hío, Cangas

    Rías Baixas, Pontevedra

  • CITROËN C-ZERO, 2012, IFEVI

    Electric cars are made in the Citroën French factory in Vigo.

  • AerLingus-Apr2007

    An Aer Lingus plane in the Santiago de Compostela Airport.

  • 1993-Independence of the seas na Coruña

    A cruise ship in the seaport of A Coruña.

  • Galicia densidade parroq

    Population density

  • ForoBoBurgo

    One of the oldest legal documents written in Galician, the Foro do bo burgo do Castro Caldelas

  • SantiagoCatedral!

    Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, seat of the Archbishop of Santiago of Compostela, and third most important centre of pilgrimage in Christianity.

  • Cathedral of Ourense (Spain)

    Romanesque façade in the Cathedral of Ourense (1160); founded in the 6th century, its construction is attributed to King Chararic.

  • Vista aérea del castillo de Pambre 6

    The castle of Pambre, Palas de Rei, which resisted the Irmandiños troops

  • Viños galegos Albariño

    Galician wines

  • Galician pipers

    Galician pipers

  • FIL 2012 - Arrivée de la grande parade des nations celtes - Grupo de baile as beiras do Ulla

    Galician representation at the Lorient Interceltic Festival

  • Peliqueiros de Laza

    Entroido: Peliqueiros in Laza, allegedly dressed as 16th-century Castilian tax collectors

  • Lexionario. Festa do esquecemento. Xinzo de Limia, Ourense, Galiza

    A reenactor dressed as a Roman soldier. Festa do esquecemento, Xinzo de Limia

  • Escudo reino de galicia

    Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Galicia (L'armorial Le Blancq, c. 1560 AD).

  • Vigo dende o monte do castro

    Vigo

  • Dolmen axeitos

    Anta (dolmen) at Axeitos, Ribeira. Hundreds of megaliths are still preserved in Galicia

  • Cabo Fisterra desde o Monte Pindo

    Fisterra or Cape Finisterre, meaning 'Land's End', one of the westernmost points in continental Europe

  • Breogan e Torre de Hércules

    Tower of Hercules, a Roman lighthouse and a World Heritage monument, A Coruña

  • Muros de San Cibrao de Las

    Gates of the Iron Age oppidum of San Cibrao de Las, one of the largest castros of Galicia

  • Gaiteiros em romaria galega

    Gaiteiros, or bagpipe players. Gaita ('bagpipe') is the most representative Galician musical instrument

  • Queimada Galicia 4

    Queimada, a traditional drink obtained after partially burning local augardente (grappa)

  • 2015 Hórreo de Lira. Carnota. Galiza 2

    A hórreo or cabaceiro or canastro, a traditional and ubiquitous granary

  • Iglesia de San Jorge, La Coruña, España, 2015-09-25, DD 42

    A cruceiro, or wayside cross, and San Xurxo church in A Coruña

  • Ciervo cuernos

    Millenarian rock carvings, Laxe dos carballos at Campo Lameiro, in this detail depicts a deer hit by several spears

  • Pontevedra 13 Praza da leña

    Leña square, Pontevedra

  • Castelo (Monforte de Lemos)

    Castle and Monastery of San Vicente do Pino, Monforte de Lemos

  • Dorna a vela

    A traditional dorna, a fisherman boat common in the Ria de Arousa

  • Faro Silleiro

    The rocky coast of Cabo Silleiro, Baiona

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Galicia para niños

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