La Massana

La Massana (originally La Maçana) is one of the seven parishes of Andorra. It is in the northwest of the country. La Massana is also the name of the main town of the parish.

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Coat of arms of
Coordinates (La Massana town): 42°32′40″N 1°30′52″E / 42.54444°N 1.51444°E / 42.54444; 1.51444Coordinates: 42°32′40″N 1°30′52″E / 42.54444°N 1.51444°E / 42.54444; 1.51444
CountryAndorra
ParishesLa Massana
VillagesAnyós, Arinsal, El Pui, Erts, Escàs, L'Aldosa, Mas de Ribafeta, Pal,
Puiol del Piu, Sispony, Xixerella
Government
 • MayorDavid Baró Riba
Area
 • Total65 km2 (25 sq mi)
Highest elevation
2,942 m (9,652 ft)
Lowest elevation
1,134 m (3,720 ft)
Population
 (2015)[1]
 • Total10,359
 • Density159.4/km2 (413/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeAD-04
WebsiteOfficial site

The name Massana derives from the Latin name mattianam for a variety of apple.[2]

Geography

The La Massana parish is in the northwest of the country and borders with the Ordino parish to the north, with the Ordino and Encamp parishes to the east, with the Andorra la Vella and the Escaldes-Engordany parishes to the south, with France (Ariège department) and Spain to the west.[3]

The town of La Massana has an average elevation of 1,248 m (4,094 ft) above sea level.

In the La Massana parish are the highest mountains of Andorra, including:

The main river in the parish is the Valira del Nord (or Valira d'Ordino) river, one of the two branches that form the Valira river. There are several small lakes in the parish; the main lakes are Estanys Forcats, Estany de Les Truites and Estany Negre.

Population

The parish had a population, in 2015, of 10,359 inhabitants,[1] for a population density of 169.8 persons/km².


Evolution of the population in La Massana[5]


Change in population
19811986199119962001200620112015
2,4703,2294,9895,7856,3758,9539,74410,359

Villages

There are other villages and hamlets besides the main town of La Massana in the parish:

No. Town Population[6]
(2015)
Altitude[7]
(m)
Notes[7]
1 Aldosa 843 1,296 Also known as L'Aldosa de la Massana. It is on the left side of the Valira d'Ordino river close to the Ordino parish.
2 Anyós 847 1,307 It is on the left side of the Valira d'Ordino (or Valira del Nord) river and on the right side of the Anyós river, just before the confluence of the rivers.
3 Arinsal 1,620 1,467 It is on the left side of the Arinsal river.
4 Erts 473 1,340 It is at the confluence of the Pal and Arinsal rivers.
5 Escàs 162 1,343 It is on the right side of the Valira d'Ordino river.
6 La Massana 5,371 1,240 The capital of the parish. It is at the confluence of the Valira d'Ordino and Arinsal rivers.
7 Pal 260 1,551 It is along Pal river.
8 Sispony 886 1,315

Economy

File:Tabaksveld in Sispony.JPG
A field of tobacco plants in Sispony.

The main economic activity is tourism and the parish is a major tourism destination. In winter, the main activities are skiing, snowboarding, and ski ski biking. The main ski resort, Vallnord, includes the Arinsal and Pal sectors. In summer, the main activities are hiking, climbing, mountain biking and canyoning.

Farming is also an important economic activity in the parish; here tobacco, vegetables (mainly potatoes), and cereals are grown.

Sites of interest

  • Sant Ermengol de l'Aldosa church in Aldosa
  • Sant Climent de Pal church in Pal
  • Pont de Sant Antoni de la Grella, a bridge also called Pont de Sispony
  • Museu Casa Rull, a museum of Ethnology in Sispony
  • Vallnord, a ski/snowboard resort in the Pyrenees mountains

Gallery

La Massana Media

References

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