Montsià

Montsia

Country: Spain
Autonomous community: Catalonia
Province: Tarragona
Capital: Amposta
Municipalities: Alcanar, Amposta, Freginals, La Galera, Godall, Mas de Barberans, Masdenverge, Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Sant Jaume d'Enveja, Santa Bàrbara, La Sénia, Ulldecona
Area: Total 708.7 km2 (273.6 sq mi)
Population: Total 57,550
Density: 81.2/km2 (210.3/sq mi)
Time zone: CET (UTC+1)
Largest municipality: Amposta

Montsià or El Montsià is the southernmost comarca (county) of Catalonia in Spain. Its capital and largest city is Amposta.
History

El Montsià was first established as a separate administrative comarca in 1936 and was named after the Serra del Montsià mountain range (highest point 764 m). It is located at the southern end of Catalonia and the Sénia River marks the ancient boundary with the former Kingdom of Valencia. Many areas in this comarca have ancient passages and resting places of transhumant cattle herders, known locally as lligallos, that were very important in the past.
Almost all Montsià municipalities are part of the Taula del Sénia free association or mancomunitat.

Municipalities
Alcanar - population: 8,032
Amposta - population: 16,865
Freginals - population: 381
La Galera - population: 749
Godall - population: 713
Mas de Barberans - population: 682
Masdenverge - population: 950
Sant Carles de la Ràpita - population: 11, 572
Sant Jaume d'Enveja - population: 3,309
Santa Bàrbara - population: 3,398
La Sénia - population: 5,365
Ulldecona - population: 5,534

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.