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The Galician Language
The Galician Statute of Autonomy was ratified in 1981, recognising Galego as the official language of Galicia and the co-official language of the community together with Spanish, which “everyone is entitled to know and use.” The Statute also entrusted the political powers with promoting its normalisation in all spheres of life. The Linguistic Normalisation Act, passed unanimously on 15 June 1983 in the Galician Parliament, develops these principles in the Preamble in the framework of “a constructive effort geared towards reclaiming our collective personality and its creative potential.”
Over almost 20 years, several complementary decrees, orders and regulations have been passed to secure the legislative framework and the recuperation of the Galician language, its social use and its promotion in a range of spheres (Administration, education, media, etc.), as well as to establish the Galician toponymy as the official place names.
Galician Culture Today
Today we enjoy a varied and dynamic culture, based on tradition, but which has gradually incorporated contemporary languages. The fact that this land is home to the final destination of a pilgrimage route that has formed the backbone of European culture meant that throughout the Middle Ages it acted as a natural magnet for European trends in art and thinking. Contact with other European Atlantic nations also flourished. From the first half of the 20th century onwards, the emigrants that set sail from Galicia to America also played an important role in enhancing Galician culture.
Galician culture today enjoys solid foundations, with an increasingly consolidated cultural and creative industry, which represents a strategic sector for Galicia’s social and economic development.
Tourism
In 2011, Galicia welcomed almost 9.5 million visitors, consolidating its position as one of the leading tourist destinations in Spain. Although the tourism industry took longer to flourish in Galicia than in Spain’s eastern regions, the number of visitors that travel to Galicia is growing by the year, thanks to distinguishing values such as the Way of St. James, with destination Santiago de Compostela, and the quality and authenticity of Galician cuisine.
With facilities to accommodate 123,885 travellers, Galicia has an extensive and varied offer of hotels, hostels and guesthouses, over one hundred (115) campsites (for over 34,793 travellers) and 593 Rural Tourism accommodations. This potential positions Galicia as the fourth Spanish region in terms of the number of hotel establishments, behind the Balearic Islands, Andalusia and Catalonia, and the seventh in Spain in terms of the number of rooms (behind the aforementioned autonomous communities, the Canary Islands, Valencia and Madrid). Pontevedra is the fifth Spanish province in terms of hotel establishments.
Natural areas
Galicia overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabrian Sea. Its rich 2,000-year-old history is immediately perceived during a visit to this beautiful region. A visit to these lands in north-western Spain makes for a unique adventure packed with tradition, lush scenery and beautiful cities. Galicia neutralizes the borders between land and sea, and both elements merge over 1,300 kilometres of coast, which is home to 772 beaches and their traditional estuaries, or rias, which are navigable all year round.
Galicia flows into the sea from the river estuaries. The Lower and Upper Rias melt into the landscape, creating an unparalleled site for practising Water Tourism activities. There are 17 blue-flag ports: Ribadeo Yacht Club, Ría de Ares Yacht Club, Sada Yacht Club, A Coruña Royal Yacht Club and Royal Marina, Coruña Marina, Camariñas Yachting Harbour, Portosín Yacht Club, Ribeira Yacht Club, Cabo de la Cruz-Boiro Marina; Vilanova de Arousa Yachting Harbour, Pedras Negras Port, Portonovo Yacht Club, Juan Carlos I Yachting Harbour, Baiona Yachting Harbour, Combarro Yachting Harbour, Dávila-Vigo Marina, and Monte Real Yacht Club.
The Way of St. James
The Way of St. James was –and still is– the most traditional, most popular and most celebrated route in Europe. For over one thousand years, the Way of St. James has offered millions of people from around the world a unique religious, spiritual and cultural experience.
Pilgrims have been travelling to Santiago de Compostela since the 9th century, after the discovery of the remains of the apostle St. James. Over the following eight centuries, the constant flow of pilgrims from all around Europe outlined different routes that converge in Spain as they head towards Santiago de Compostela, their final destination.
The Way of St. James creates close connections between the pilgrims that come to pay their respects from all around the world and the warm and welcoming denizens of the populations they pass through. Apart from building a positive spirituality, these interactions also provide a solid base for the dissemination of languages, customs, schools of thought and, for instance, artistic styles. The knowledge of the West and the legacy of all its cultures converge along the Way of St. James. From the Middle Ages, this universal trail has attracted pilgrims to Galicia, spreading knowledge, dialogue, innovation and cultural diversity.
The Spanish State declared the Way of St. James a historical-artistic ensemble in 1962. Among its many other international recognitions, in 1987 the Way of St. James was the first cultural route to be awarded the title of European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe, and was promoted to the category of Major European Cultural Route in July 2004. UNESCO included the Spanish and French sections of the route in the World Heritage List in 1993 and 1998, respectively.
The Way of St. James offers visitors endless attractions, and the number of pilgrims that hit the trail grows by the year. The spiritual, artistic and cultural vitality, as well as the warm and welcoming inhabitants, and the beautiful and varied landscapes, spur on the thousands of pilgrims that set off to conquer the trails on foot, by bike or on horseback.
Economy and Industry
Population-wise, Galicia is the fifth largest autonomous community in Spain, with 2,795,422 inhabitants in 2011.
The leading economic sectors in the autonomous community are those that are deeply rooted in the economy thanks to direct investments and the development of the auxiliary industry, and the rapidly-evolving sectors with good expectations for short-term development that offer exceptional rates of growth.
Automotive: Galicia’s turnover amounts to €6,800M (representing 12% of the Galician GDP), generates 19,700 direct jobs (10% of Galicia’s industrial employment), and 32% of Galicia’s total exports. The PSA Peugeot Citroën plant in Vigo is the most important production plant in Spain. In fact, 17% of all vehicles made in Spain are manufactured in Galicia.
IT: In Galicia, the IT sector accounts for 4.8% of the GDP and employs 1.6% of the working population (over 16,000 jobs). The Galician IT sector stands out for its rapid development and has grown 45% over the last five years. This sector is one of the major driving forces behind R&D&I.
Timber: Galicia leads the production of timber in Spain, with a forested area covering 1,405,173 hectares. Galician productivity stands at 207.95 m3/k2, exceeding the Spanish average (28.66 m3/k2) by far.
Quality of Life and Welfare: Galicia offers extraordinary conditions for an excellent quality of life thanks to its demographic configuration, climate and landscape, and to the existence of activities with major potential for improving these conditions. These include leading metalworking and motor vehicle industries, advanced services and supplies activities, geriatric services and services that encourage active lifestyles. Galicia’s historical, cultural, educational and leisure heritage offers major potential.
Biotechnology: Health sciences and health-related activities –including the science and innovation system, the healthcare system and the associated business system– are expected to account for over 1/6 of the GDP in coming years. As a result, a growing portion of the collective wealth will be connected to the healthcare sector and to Galicia in particular, where the figure allocated to health and healthcare amounts to 1/3 of the Regional Government’s budget.
Renewable Energies: Galicia offers excellent geographical and socio-economic conditions for technological development and the production of renewable energies. Since the year 2000, renewable energy has rocketed from 2590 MW to an estimated 9951 MW for 2012. In terms of wind power, Galicia is the fourth largest producer in Europe, and takes sixth position in the world ranking.
Outsourcing: Networking, technologies (ITC), shared values and flexibility and adaptability are the keys to a competitive offer.
Logistics: After the creation of the motorways of the sea, Galicia became a strategic location on the transoceanic routes between Europe-Asia, Europe-Africa and Europe-America. The advanced development of planning and coordination measures ensures a smooth functioning of its ports and harbours, and the specialisation of its ports have allowed the installation of a large amount of equipment for specific types of goods.
Railway Network
The current railway network links the main Galician cities and connects Galicia with the rest of Spain and Portugal. The new investment programme for the Galician rail network includes High Speed Trains linking the main Galician cities with Madrid in a maximum time of 2h 59".
Ports and airports
Galicia has a privileged maritime location, with 127 ports along its coastline. From north to south, the most important are San Cibrao, Ferrol, A Coruña, Vilagarcía, Marín and Vigo. The ports of Ferrol, A Coruña and Vigo are located on the main international shipping routes between Europe, America and Asia, placing them in a strategic position which has permitted a degree of specialisation in the loading and unloading of bulk products, fish, and a wide variety of general merchandise, apart from regular feeder services and cruise ships. They are also Spain"s main ports for the unloading of fresh and frozen fish.
In Vigo, Galicia has one of the three Free Trade Zones in Spain, and the only one in the northwest of the peninsula.
Galicia"s communication networks are further complemented by its three airports in A Coruña, Santiago and Vigo, all of which comply with the requirements of the European Commission to be considered as EU airports of an international character. Galicia’s three airports currently offer a series of daily flights connecting the region with Spain’s main cities, together with numerous direct international connections.
Foreign Trade
The Galician share of the Spanish export market has risen steadily over recent years, from 4.75% in 1990 to 8.17% in 2011, representing a higher rate than that of the corresponding imports.
The share for Galician foreign trade rose in 2011 to 124.96%, higher than the rate for Spain as a whole by 42.73%.
Incentives
Galicia presents one of the best offers within the EU for providing financial support for investment. The funding controlled by the IGAPE is channelled through different programmes with the backing of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and the Autonomous Community of Galicia.
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Universities in Galicia
