Noguera

Noguera

Country: Spain
Autonomous community: Catalonia
Province: Lleida
Capital: Balaguer
Municipalities: Àger, Albesa, Algerri, Alòs de Balaguer, Artesa de Segre, Les Avellanes i Santa Linya, Balaguer, La Baronia de Rialb, Bellcaire d'Urgell, Bellmunt d'Urgell, Cabanabona, Camarasa, Castelló de Farfanya, Cubells, Foradada, Ivars de Noguera, Menàrguens, Montgai, Oliola, Os de Balaguer, Penelles, Ponts, Preixens, La Sentiu de Sió, Tiurana, Torrelameu, Térmens, Vallfogona de Balaguer, Vilanova de Meià, Vilanova de l'Aguda
Area: Total 1,733.0 km2 (669.1 sq mi)
Population: Total 34,744
Density: 20/km2 (51.9/sq mi)
Time zone: CET (UTC+1)
Largest municipality: Balaguer

Noguera is a comarca (county) in Catalonia, Spain. It is part of the historic county of Urgell. Its capital is Balaguer.

Municipalities
Populations are for 2001.
Àger - population: 497
Albesa - population: 1,523
Algerri - population: 507
Alòs de Balaguer - population: 167
Artesa de Segre - population: 3,413
Les Avellanes i Santa Linya - population: 475
Balaguer - population: 14,068
La Baronia de Rialb - population: 285
Bellcaire d'Urgell - population: 1,215
Bellmunt d'Urgell - population: 232
Cabanabona - population: 96
Camarasa - population: 886
Castelló de Farfanya - population: 570
Cubells - population: 381
Foradada - population: 209
Ivars de Noguera - population: 340
Menàrguens - population: 830
Montgai - population: 819
Oliola - population: 283
Os de Balaguer - population: 822
Penelles - population: 538
Ponts - population: 2366
Preixens - population: 522
La Sentiu de Sió - population: 469
Tiurana - population: 30
Torrelameu - population: 578
Térmens - population: 1,394
Vallfogona de Balaguer - population: 1,511
Vilanova de Meià - population: 423
Vilanova de l'Aguda - population: 256

Montsià is on the Costa Daurada, in the far south of Catalonia (the river Sènia marks the border), between the Tortosa-Beseit mountain passes and the Ebro Delta (southern side). Amposta is the capital. The landscape varies from the steep slopes of the passes (mount Rei, the border with Aragon and Valencia, woods, springs, ravines) to the arable plain and the intermediate high land (Montsià mountain and Godall hill) to the rice fields, lagoons and long, lonely beaches of the delta area. It includes half of the Ebro Delta Natural Park, the largest wetland in Catalonia; the rest of it is in Baix Ebre. In the Middle Ages these were the domains of the Knights Hospitallers: the castle town of Amposta, which came under the command of the Hospitallers in Ulldecona in the 13th century. Sant Carles de la Ràpita was founded in the late 18th century by Carles III. Agriculture (boosted by the draining of the swamp lands of the Delta and the construction of the Ebro canal), fishing (the large fishing port of Sant Carles and the Delta saltworks), and industry (food, furniture, chemicals) are now complemented by tourism, thanks to the natural attractions (sea, mountains, fauna and flora of the Delta), hunting and fishing, water sports, sailing on the river or the architectural heritage.