ASTURIAS

officially Principality of Asturias, Spanish Principado de Asturias, comunidad autnoma (autonomous community) and historic region of Spain that is coextensive with the northwestern Spanish provincia of Asturias. The comunidad autnoma was established by the statute of autonomy in 1981 and has an area of 4,079 square miles (10,565 square km). Asturias was an independent Christian kingdom between 718 and 910 and was formed by Visigothic nobles and officials who had been displaced by the Muslim invasion of Spain. The Visigoths elected Pelayo as king and set up a capital at Cangas de Ons. The kingdom extended its frontiers to include Galicia to the southwest and Cantabria to the east before the end of the 8th century. The capital was transferred first to Pravia (c. 780) and in the 9th century to Oviedo, a strategically sited new city. During the reign of Alfonso III (866910), the frontiers of Asturias were pushed south to the line of the Duero River from the Atlantic to Osma. By the 10th century the kingdom had become too large to be controlled effectively from the mountain capital at Oviedo, and in 910 Garca I made Lon, to the south, his capital. Garca's successors styled themselves kings of Leon and Asturias, and eventually simply kings of Leon (see Leon). John I of Castile (a region that was united with Leon from 1230) created Asturias a principality for his eldest son, Henry (later King Henry III), in 1388. The title prince of Asturias subsequently was held by the crown princes throughout the years of the Spanish monarchy. Mountains cover more than four-fifths of the land, effectively isolating the region from the provincias of Santander to the east, Len to the south, and Lugo to the west. The region may be divided into several east-west zones. North to south, these include the plains and hills of the Atlantic coast, which occupy a narrow strip and recede into a range of coastal hills. These hills surround the central corridor, the valley of the Naln River, in which most of Asturias' population and industries are concentrated. Structurally this is a longitudinal depression running between the centres of Cangas de Onis (east) and Oviedo (west). The Cantabrian Mountains rise to the south, with the glaciated Europa Peaks established as a national park. Valleys run north to south, but Leitariegos Pass is the only easily accessible pass into the neighbouring provincia of Len. Annual precipitation is high, exceeding 40 inches (1,000 mm), and much of the autonomous community is snowbound during the winter. The climate is oceanic, with relatively even precipitation throughout the year; temperatures are moderate and show little seasonal variation. The Asturian population has doubled since 1900, but its proportion in the Spanish population has steadily declined, and emigration has left behind an aging population. Emigration to the industrialized regions of Spain and to other western European countries has kept population growth below the national average. The declining agricultural sector has led to emigration from the countryside, with the population increasingly concentrated in the industrial and urban triangle of Oviedo, Avils, and Gijn. Agriculture is poorly developed in the region. Traditional crops are wheat, millet, and kidney beans, and crop rotation has included corn (maize) and potatoes since the 18th century. Asturian agriculture has traditionally had a collective orientation, and the extensive pastures in the mountains were communal until the early 20th century. Pastures and the cultivation of fodder have spread dramatically since that time, establishing animal husbandry as the dominant agricultural activity. Swiss cattle, introduced in 1885, are the leading farm animals and have steadily displaced sheep and horses. The wealth of Asturias, however, is in its coalfields, which extend throughout the Naln Basin and cover more than 1,000 square miles (2,600 square km). Asturias is the most important mining and metallurgical province in Spain. A great industrial complex has been built up at Avils and has resulted in a large increase in its population. Mieres is a busy mining and smelting centre. Gijn's seaport, Puerto del Musel, is Spain's foremost coal-exporting port. There is an armaments factory at Trubia. Oviedo, the capital of the region, is a cultural and communications hub. Asturias is also a major producer of zinc, but production has fallen off considerably since the mid-19th century. Asturias' industries are not greatly diversified, although the manufacture of cement, glass, food and beverages, tobacco, leather, and textiles has increased. The region's undeveloped infrastructure has hindered industrial expansion. Roads and railroads tend to run north to south, converging on the triangle of Oviedo, Avils, and Gijn and largely bypassing points lying to the east and west. Shipping has increased, favouring the ports of Avils, Gijn, and El Musel. The traditional farmstead in Asturias is the casero, which is built of wood and stone and customarily features a balcony, gallery, and arcaded porch. The observance of Roman Catholicism tends to be less intense in Asturias than in Castile, and the local folklore preserves numerous superstitions. The trasgu, for example, is a mocking spirit and the gestia a nocturnal procession of troubled souls. Pop. (1988 est.) 1,134,772.