Catalonia << `kat` uh LOH nee uh >> is a mountainous region in northeastern Spain. It has a long coastline on the Mediterranean Sea and high interior plateaus. The region covers 12,390 square miles (32,091 square kilometers) and has a population of about 7,800,000. The area is known for its mild climate, its distinct Catalan language, and its rich history and culture. Catalonia is divided into the provinces of Barcelona, Girona, Lleida (also called Lérida), and Tarragona. Catalonia’s capital is Barcelona, Spain’s second largest city after Madrid. Catalonia is also spelled Cataluña in Spanish or Catalunya << `kaht` uh LOON yuh >> in Catalan. 
In ancient times, the area that is now Catalonia was part of the Roman Empire. After the empire fell, a Germanic people called the Visigoths ruled the region. In the A.D. 700’s, Arabs and other Muslim people from northern Africa conquered most of Spain. Christian crusaders began to drive out Spain’s Muslim rulers in the 1000’s. The Catalonia region became important for its fishing and production of almonds, olive oil, and wine. For many years, Catalonia extended beyond the boundaries of the current region—along the eastern coast of Spain, across the islands of the Mediterranean, and into southern Italy. People in these areas still speak Catalan.
In the 1800’s, Catalonia became an industrial center known for its textiles. The region also became a center for social unrest and the anarchist movement—a movement against established government. Over time, Catalonia grew wealthier and more urban. It attracted some well-known artists, including Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí, as well as the architect Antoni Gaudí. In 1932, in response to demands from nationalists in Catalonia, Spain’s Parliament granted the region limited self-government.
Catalonia lost its autonomy under Francisco Franco, who ruled Spain as a dictator from 1939 to 1975. During this time, the government restricted the use of the Catalan language. Following Franco’s death in 1975, Catalonia regained autonomy and experienced a cultural revival. Many people moved to the region, and tourism increased. Catalonia soon became one of the most dynamic and prosperous regions in Spain.
In 2014 and again in 2017, Catalan voters backed independence in nonbinding referendums. Spain’s Constitutional Court dismissed both referendums as unconstitutional. It also dismissed independence resolutions passed by Catalonia’s regional parliament in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, national police arrested separatist politicians in Catalonia and forcefully closed many voting sites for that year’s referendum. Hundreds of Catalan voters and activists were injured. Massive protests against the police crackdown took place in Barcelona and other cities in Catalonia. The Spanish government suspended Catalonia’s autonomous authority until a new regional government took office after elections in 2018. In 2019, the Spanish Supreme Court sentenced a number of Catalan leaders to prison terms for sedition—that is, stirring up discontent against the Spanish government—and for the misuse of public funds. Spain’s government pardoned nine of the Catalan leaders in 2021.
