Galicia

Galicia, formerly a kingdom and afterwards a province in the north-west of Spain, bounded N. and W. by the Atlantic, S. by Portugal, and E. by Leon and Asturias, with an area of 11,340 sq. m., has been divided since 1833 into the minor provinces of Coruña, Lugo, Orense, and Pontevedra, whose joint population in 1896 was 1,919,846. The country is mountainous, being traversed by offsets of the Asturian chain, rising in their highest peaks to about 6500 feet. The westernmost spurs, Capes Ortegall and Finisterre, project into the Atlantic. The numerous short but rapid rivers form small estuaries which afford secure havens and roads. The principal river is the Minho, which, with its feeder the Sil, is navigable for small vessels on its lower course. Galicia is one of the most fruitful portions of Europe, and has a mild, nourishing climate; but agriculture is in a backward condition, capital is scarce, roads are bad, and railways are few. Rich meadows and dense forests occur everywhere, but the soil is more suited to the cultivation of garden-produce than of corn. Mines of lead, tin, copper, and iron pyrites are worked. The inhabitants, called Gallegos, are a robust, vigorous, industrious race. Great numbers of them annually visit central and southern Spain and Portugal, where they find employment as harvesters, water-carriers, porters, &c. Chief exports, live cattle, preserved meat, eggs, minerals, fish, fruits, and grain; imports, coal, oil, hides, spirits, sugar, and tobacco. The principal towns are Santiago di Compostella and the two strongly fortified seaports Coruña and Ferrol. Galicia was a kingdom, under the Suevi from 411 to 585, and again from 1060 to 1071, at which date it was finally incorporated with Leon and Castile.