Maresme

Maresme

Country: Spain
Autonomous community: Catalonia
Province: Barcelona
Capital: Mataró
Municipalities: Alella, Arenys de Mar, Arenys de Munt, Argentona, Cabrera de Mar, Cabrils, Caldes d'Estrac, Calella, Canet de Mar, Dosrius, Malgrat de Mar, El Masnou, Mataró, Montgat, Òrrius, Palafolls, Pineda de Mar, Premià de Dalt, Premià de Mar, Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, Sant Cebrià de Vallalta, Sant Iscle de Vallalta, Sant Pol de Mar, Sant Vicenç de Montalt, Santa Susanna, Teià, Tiana, Tordera, Vilassar de Dalt, Vilassar de Mar
Area: Total 396.9 km2 (153.2 sq mi)
Population: Total 414,081
Density: 1,043.3/km2 (2,702.1/sq mi)
Demonym: maresmenc (m.), maresmenca (f.)
Time zone: CET (UTC+1)
Largest municipality: Mataró
Montcabrer, comarca of the MaresmeMaresme (Catalan: el Maresme, Spanish: Maresme) is a comarca (county) located along the Catalan Mediterranean coast in Spain, between the comarques of Barcelonès (at the Southwest) and Selva (at the Northeast), and also bordering with Vallès Oriental (at the west).
Its capital and largest city is Mataró (pop. 119,035 in 2007).
Geography
Maresme's territory occupies a long and narrow area between the Mediterranean Sea and the hills of Serralada Litoral (Catalonia's coastal mountains), and specifically Montnegre's and Corredor's hills in the northern half and Sant Mateu's hills in the southern half. This particular shape has conditioned both the geography and the history of this comarca. Probably the main distinct elements of its geography are the characteristic rieres (torrents). These short, intermittent water streams, which cross the comarca transversally almost every hundred meters, produce powerful and dangerous floods when it rains.
Maresme has been historically very well connected with the rest of the comarca as well as with Barcelona thanks to old Camí Ral (Royal Way) (actual N-II main road) and railroad (The Barcelona–Mataró railroad route, finished in 1848, was the first ever in all the Iberian Peninsula). Communications were enhanced in recent years with the construction of the C-32's Barcelona–Mataró section (1969), which was the first autopista (highway) ever in Spain, and its subsequent enlargement, the Mataró-Palafolls's section (1995).
Municipalities
Total Maresme's population: 414,081

Alella 8,998
Arenys de Mar 14,164
Arenys de Munt 7,807
Argentona 11,402
Cabrera de Mar 4,269
Cabrils 6,698
Caldes d'Estrac 2,672
Calella 18,034
Canet de Mar 13,181
Dosrius 4,658
Malgrat de Mar 17,822
El Masnou 21,935
Mataró 119,035
Montgat 9,778
Òrrius 487
Palafolls 8,061
Pineda de Mar 25,568
Premià de Dalt 9,788
Premià de Mar 27,590
Sant Andreu de Llavaneres 9,745
Sant Cebrià de Vallalta 3,075
Sant Iscle de Vallalta 1,193
Sant Pol de Mar 4,904
Sant Vicenç de Montalt 5,267
Santa Susanna 3,019
Teià 5,969
Tiana 7,417
Tordera 14,017
Vilassar de Dalt 8,476
Vilassar de Mar 19,052
Along the coast between Barcelona and the Costa Brava, a narrow strip on the slopes and at the foot of the mountains of the coastal range —Sant Mateu, Corredor and Montnegre ranges (the last two are a natural park)— with long sandy beaches. A number of streams, dry for much of the year, flow down to the shore from the mountains. Mataró is the capital and there are other towns of great character and vitality: Arenys de Mar, Calella, El Masnou, Premià de Mar and Vilassar de Mar, among others. The geographical unity of the district is by no means reflected in its history: the sector from Montgat to Caldes d'Estrac (Baix Maresme) has been part of the diocese, county and magistrature of Barcelona since the Middle Ages, whilst the sector from Arenys de Mar to Tordera (Alt Maresme) has been part of the diocese, county and magistrature of Girona. Because of the danger from marauding pirates, the original villages were built away from the coast (they have the words "de Dalt" or "de Munt" added), whilst the old fishermen’s quarters became important towns from the 18th century on. The economy has been traditionally based on agriculture (market gardening, flowers), the sea (fishing and shipping) and industry (particularly textiles). But over the last few decades, the mildness of the climate, the beauty of the landscape and the fact that it is so close to Barcelona have made it one of the leading tourist destinations, especially Alt Maresme (Calella, Pineda, Malgrat, Arenys), and residential areas, again because it is within commuting distance of Barcelona, especially Baix Maresme. The district has a first rate tourist infrastructure (hotels, camping sites, yachting harbours, golf, etc.).