Region of León facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Region of León

Región de León, Rexón de Llïón

Historic region of Spain

Flag	Coat of arms

Map showing, in blue, the provinces of the Leonese Country (From top to bottom: León, Zamora, Salamanca).

Autonomous community

Castile and León

Region

Spain

Area

• Total

38,489 km² (14,861 sq mi)

Population

(2018)

• Total

969,783

• Density

25.1964/km² (65.2583/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Leonese (Leonés/Leonesa)

Language

• Local languages

Spanish
Leonese
Galician

The Region of León is a historic area in Spain. It's also called the Leonese region or Leonese Country. People who live here are known as Leonese.

This region was first officially set up in 1833. It includes three provinces: Salamanca, Zamora, and León. Today, these provinces are part of a larger area in Spain called the autonomous community of Castile and León.

Some people in the Leonese Region want it to become its own separate autonomous community within Spain. This idea is supported by several local political groups.

Leonese History: A Journey Through Time

The Region of León has a long and interesting history. It was once a powerful kingdom!

How the Kingdom of León Began

The Kingdom of León was an independent kingdom in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. It started in 910 AD. Christian princes from the Kingdom of Asturias moved their main city from Oviedo to León. This move created the new kingdom.

Over time, parts of the kingdom changed. The western areas became the Kingdom of Portugal in 1139. The eastern parts joined with the Kingdom of Castile at different times, finally uniting in 1230. Even after joining Castile, León kept its status as a kingdom until 1833.

Early People in the Leonese Lands

People have lived in the Leonese lands for a very long time. We have found signs of humans from the Upper Paleolithic period, which was thousands of years ago. There is also evidence from the Lower Paleolithic near Salamanca.

Later, during the Epipaleolithic period, more archaeological finds were made in the Cantabrian Mountains. Some very old stone structures, called megaliths, found in province of Zamora and Maragatería are about 5,000 years old.

Who Were the Celts?

The Celts were a major group of people who came to the Leonese Region. They arrived from Central Europe between 700 BC and 500 BC. Celts were known for being strong warriors and loving nature. They also enjoyed telling stories and legends.

They mixed with the people already living in León, creating a new culture. Many believe that some parts of this Celtic culture still exist today. Their leaders included military chiefs and religious leaders called druids. The Celts got their food by fishing, farming, raising animals, and hunting. They lived in round villages called castros. Each family had a special house called a palloza and a small piece of land. They are thought to have worshipped their gods in forests.

Several Celtic tribes lived in the Leonese Region:

Roman Rule and Conflicts

The Roman Empire wanted to conquer all of the Iberian Peninsula. This meant they had to fight the tribes in the north, including those in the Leonese Region. In 150 BCE, Roman forces attacked Ocellum (now Zamora).

A brave leader named Viriathus united the Vettones and Lusitanians. He won many battles against the Roman army. However, Viriathus was sadly killed by other Celtic people who were paid by Rome. This division among the Celts helped Rome take control of the area. The Cantabri tribe was next to lose their independence. Their leader, Arreno, was crucified. Rome then conquered Lancia, ending a long battle near the Esla River.

Germanic Invasions

In the 5th century, different Germanic groups invaded the region:

Suebi: They came from Central Europe. They were very independent and loved their land. They stayed in the Leonese Region for about 150 years.
Vandals: They were pushed by other groups to move from Southern Poland to the south of the Iberian Peninsula. They invaded much of the peninsula but were eventually forced out.
Visigoths: They had a set of laws called the Code of Euric. These laws later influenced the medieval laws of León.

Muslim Conquest

When the Moors (Muslims from North Africa) arrived in the Iberian Peninsula, they defeated the Visigoth king Don Rodrigo in the Battle of Guadalete. In 712, their leader Muza conquered Salamanca. His forces faced little resistance, except in the towns of Benavente and Veldeiras.

The Kingdom of León: A Powerful Era

The Kingdom of León was an important independent kingdom. It was founded in 910 AD when the capital moved to the city of León. The western parts of the kingdom became the Kingdom of Portugal in 1139. The eastern parts joined with the Kingdom of Castile by 1230.

In 1188, the Kingdom of León created the Cortes of León. This was one of the very first parliaments in Europe! In 1202, it gained the power to control taxes.

Spain from 1833 to Today

The Leonese Region (1833-1983)

In November 1833, Spain was reorganized into 49 provinces. These provinces were grouped into historical regions, but these regions didn't have their own governments. The Leonese Region included the provinces of León, Salamanca, and Zamora. This setup has mostly stayed the same until today.

For some time in the 19th and 20th centuries, the provinces of Palencia and Valladolid were also considered part of the Leonese Region. However, they were later moved back to Old Castile.

Castile and León (1983-Present)

In 1978, Castile and León became an autonomous community. This means it gained some self-governing powers within Spain. Before this, there were ideas to create a single federal state with eleven provinces in the Spanish Douro Valley.

In 1921, the city of Santander suggested creating a group of eleven provinces for Castile and León. This idea continued for many years. In the 1930s, people in León also worked on plans for a Castilian-Leonese region. However, the Spanish Civil War stopped these plans.

After the death of Franco, new groups formed to support regional self-government. Some groups, like the Autonomist Leonese Group (1978) and PREPAL (1980), wanted to create a separate Autonomous Community of León. This community would include the provinces of León, Salamanca, and Zamora.

The province of León had strong support for its own autonomy. However, the Spanish Constitutional Court decided that León would remain part of Castile and León. This decision was made because the process to change the autonomous community was already underway.

Geography of the Leonese Region

Today, the Leonese Region is made up of the provinces of León, Zamora, and Salamanca. These are all part of the autonomous community of Castile and León in modern Spain.

Some political groups, known as Leonesists, want to create a separate autonomous community just for León. In 2007, these parties received a good number of votes in the León elections. There have also been efforts to create a special European statistical region (NUTS-2) for León.

Some people even dream of an independent country that would include parts of Portugal and other areas in Spain.

What are Comarcas?

Comarcas are like smaller traditional areas or districts within each province. They often have their own unique geography or culture.

Comarcas of León Province

Alfoz de León
El Bierzo
Comarca de La Cabrera
Comarca de Luna
Comarca de Sahagún
Esla-Campos
La Cepeda
La Sobarriba
La Tercia del Camino
Laciana
Maragatería
Montaña Occidental
Montaña Oriental
Omaña
Páramo Leonés
Tierra de Astorga
Tierra de Campos
Tierra de León
La Valdería

Comarcas of Salamanca Province

Comarcas of Zamora Province

Alfoz de Toro
Aliste
Benavente y Los Valles
La Carballeda
La Guareña
Sanabria
Sayago
Tierra de Alba
Tierra de Campos
Tierra de Tábara
Tierra del Pan
Tierra del Vino

Languages Spoken in León

The main language spoken in the Leonese Region is Spanish. However, the Leonese language is also recognized by the government of Castile and León. The local government in León works with groups to help promote the Leonese language.

Leonese is taught in some schools in León city and to adults in other towns. The City Council of León even publishes some announcements in Leonese. In the western part of El Bierzo, people also speak Galician.

Population and Demographics

In 2005, the Leonese Region had a total population of about 969,783 people.

León: 497,387 people
Salamanca: 351,326 people
Zamora: 197,237 people

The region has a low population density and the number of people is decreasing. This is especially true in rural areas and smaller towns. The population is also getting older, with fewer births.

Many people who used to work in farming and raising animals have moved to cities. This trend became stronger after the civil war. During the 1960s and 1980s, big cities like León and Salamanca grew a little. However, the region still faces a lot of depopulation.

For example, the number of towns with fewer than 100 people increased seven times between 1960 and 1986. Besides the provincial capitals, important cities include San Andrés del Rabanedo and Ponferrada in León, and Béjar in Salamanca.

There are two cities with over 100,000 people:

Salamanca (about 159,754 people)
León (about 135,059 people)

Economy: How People Make a Living

The economy of the Leonese Region is divided into three main parts: primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors.

Primary Sector: Farming and Livestock

The fields in the Leonese Region can be dry, but they are very fertile. Most farming relies on rainfall. However, irrigation (watering crops) has become more common in the valleys of the Douro, Pisuerga, and Tormes rivers. The most fertile areas are the Esla Valley in León and Tierra de Campos, which spans Zamora, Valladolid, Palencia, and León.

Important wine-producing areas include DOs Toro, D.O. Bierzo, D.O. Arribes, and D.O. Tierras de León. In León province, farmers also grow corn, hops, and legumes (like beans). About 42,100 people in the Leonese Region work in agriculture.

Raising livestock (farm animals) is also a big part of the region's farming. However, small family farms are disappearing due to fewer people living in rural areas. Some nomadic pastoralism (moving animals to different pastures) still exists. Large flocks of sheep travel hundreds of miles each year from flatlands to mountain pastures, like in the Bierzo region. This traditional work is becoming harder to maintain.

Secondary Sector: Industry and Mining

The main industrial areas are León and Ponferrada. Other industries include textiles (cloth making) in Béjar, sugar factories in León, Toro, and Benavente, and pharmaceutical and steel production in Ponferrada.

Mining was very important in the Leonese Region even in Roman times. A famous road, the Ruta de la Plata (Silver Route), was built to transport gold mined from Las Médulas in the Bierzo region.

After the Spanish Civil War, mining helped the region's economy grow. However, the production of iron, tin, and tungsten greatly decreased after the 1970s. Coal mines continued to operate to supply power stations. In the 1980s and 1990s, many mines closed. This led to job losses and more people moving away from the region.

Tertiary Sector: Services and Tourism

Since the 1990s, more tourists have visited the Leonese Region. People are drawn to its rich history, culture, and beautiful natural landscapes. The city of Salamanca, a World Heritage site, and the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) which passes through León, are major attractions for cultural tourism.

Local trade in the Leonese Region focuses on food, cars, fabric, and shoes. For international trade, the region mainly exports steel bars and slate from León. Salamanca exports beef, goat, and sheep meat, along with wine from Zamora.