Leon is a Spanish province pertaining to the independent community of Castile and Leon, is located to the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula with capital in Leon. It limits with the Principality of Asturias and Cantabria by the north; with Galicia (concretely with the provinces of Orense and Lugo), by the west; with the provinces of Zamora and Valladolid by the south; and with the province of Palencia by the east. Km² has an extension of 15,581. It has a population of 495,902 inhabitants (INE 2005). Density: 31,82 hab./km2.. Located to horse between mountains of the Spanish north and the plateau, it presents/displays a great ecological wealth with diverse natural parks in his territory (national Park of the Tips of Europe, the Ancares, the Marrows, Cave of Valporquero). It is possible to also indicate the variety of his gastronomy between which they emphasize inlays (botillo, cured meat, etc...), his wines, like those of the Bierzo with his variety of grape Mencía and Valdevimbre-Los Knolls with his variety of Dark grape Picudo. Crossing site between important regions of the Iberian Peninsula, by the leonine province runs two great routes: of north to the south the Route of the Silver, and of this a the west the Way of Santiago. In addition to the Spanish, in Leon the leonine language, derived directly from the Latin exists, that, in spite of not being in favor recognized officially of the Meeting of Castile and Leon continues being spoken, mainly in zones of the north of the province, bordering with Asturias. In addition in the Bierzo also Gallego is spoken and its inclusion in obligatory education causes that it increases his number of hablantes..
|