Formerly of greater importance, since the arrival of the autonomous community system the provinces have had fewer powers. They are still used as electoral districts, in postal addresses, and as geographical referents. (A small town would be identified as being in Valladolid province sooner than as being in Castile-Leon, for example.)
Most of the provinces are named after their principal town. There are only two cities that are capitals of autonomous communities without being capitals of provinces: Mérida in Extremadura and Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.
The table below lists the provinces of Spain. For each, the capital city is given, along with the autonomous community it is a part of, and a link to a list of municipalities in the province.
EON lies in the north west of Spain with crossroads between Asturias, Galicia and Castile and fertile lands are crossed by the Esla, Sil and Sella Rivers.
Part of the province's wealth is constituted by the Romanesque, Mudejar, Gothic and Plateresque architecture of the churches which line the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostels.
Capital of the province, the ancient Roman Llierda, is situated along the banks of the Segre River in the middle of a wide plain.
It is also one of three Basque provinces consisting of a plain surrounded by mountains and watered by the Zadorra, a tributary of the Ebro, and extends over 3,007 sq.
There are various tourist routes in the province which link Almeria to the province of Granada and the route of the Alpujarras with its beautiful countryside and towns: Benhadux, Gádor, Aljama de Almeria, Canjáyar, Laujar, Alcolea, Berja, Arra, El Ejido, Dallias, Roquetas de Mar and Almeria.
The inland valleys of the province are a genuine paradise for hunting, fishing (salmon and trout) and relaxation.