List of municipalities in Biscay

Biscay is a province in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, Spain, that is divided into 113 municipalities.^[1] As of the 2023^[update] Spanish census, the province is the tenth largest by population, with 1,153,282 inhabitants,^[2] and the second smallest by land area, spanning 2,215.55 square kilometres (855.43 sq mi).^[3] Municipalities are the basic local political division in Spain^[4] and can only belong to one province.^[5] They enjoy a large degree of autonomy in their local administration. Amongst other tasks, they are in charge of urban planning, water supply, lighting, road network, local police, and firefighting.^[6]

Map of Spain with Biscay highlighted

Map of the municipalities in the province of Biscay

The organisation of municipalities in Spain is outlined in a local government law (Spanish: Ley 7/1985, de 2 de abril, Reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local; transl. Law 7/1985, of 2 April, Regulating the Bases of the Local Administration) passed on 2 April 1985^[7] and finalised by an 18 April 1986 royal decree.^[8] The Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country of 1979 also contains provisions concerning the relations between the municipalities and the autonomous government of the Basque Country.^[9] All citizens of Spain are required to register in the municipality in which they reside.^[10] Each municipality is a corporation with independent legal personhood: its governing body is called the ayuntamiento (municipal council or corporation),^[11] a term often also used to refer to the municipal offices (city and town halls). The ayuntamiento is composed of the mayor (Spanish: alcalde), the deputy mayors (tenientes de alcalde) and the plenary assembly (pleno) of councillors (concejales).^[12] Municipalities are categorised by population for the purpose of determining the number of councillors: three when the population is up to 100 inhabitants, five for 101–250, seven for 251–1,000, nine for 1,001–2,000, eleven for 2,001–5,000, thirteen for 5,001–10,000, seventeen for 10,001–20,000, twenty-one for 20,001–50,000, and twenty-five for 50,001–100,000.^[13] One councillor is added for every additional 100,000 inhabitants, with a further one added when the number of councillors based on this methodology would be even in order to prevent tied votes.^[14]

The mayor and the deputy mayors are elected by the plenary assembly, which is itself elected by universal suffrage.^[15] Elections in municipalities with more than 250 inhabitants are carried out following a proportional representation system with closed lists,^[14] whilst those with a population lower than 250 use a block plurality voting system with open lists.^[16] The plenary assembly must meet periodically at the seat of the ayuntamiento, with meetings occurring more or less frequently depending on the population of the municipality: monthly for those whose population is larger than 20,000, once every two months if it ranges between 5,001 and 20,000, and once every three months if it does not exceed 5,000.^[17] Many ayuntamientos also have a local governing board (Spanish: junta de gobierno local), which is named by the mayor from amongst the councillors and is required for municipalities of more than 5,000 inhabitants.^[12] The board, whose role is to assist the mayor between meetings of the plenary assembly, may not include more than one third of the councillors.^[18]

The largest municipality by population in the province of Biscay as of the 2023 Spanish census is Bilbao, its capital, with 345,235 residents, while the smallest is Arakaldo, with 162 residents.^[19] The largest municipality by area is Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza, which spans 137.82 km², while Lanestosa is the smallest at 1.14 km².^[3]

Municipalities

• Most populous municipalities in Biscay
• 
  Bilbao is the province's capital and largest municipality by population.
• 
  Barakaldo, the second most populous municipality in Biscay
• 
  Getxo is Biscay's third largest municipality by population.
• 
  Santurtzi, Biscay's fourth largest municipality by population
• 
  Portugalete is the fifth most populous municipality in Biscay.
• 
  Basauri is the province's sixth largest municipality by population.

†  Provincial capital

Municipalities in Biscay

Name	Population (2023 census)[19]	Population (2011 census)[1]	Population change	Land area (km²)[3]	Population density (2023)
Abadiño	7,720	7,350	+5.0%	36.05	214.1/km2
Abanto y Ciérvana-Abanto Zierbena	9,401	9,742	−3.5%	16.20	580.3/km2
Ajangiz	478	456	+4.8%	7.13	67.0/km2
Alonsotegi	2,959	2,838	+4.3%	20.22	146.3/km2
Amorebieta-Etxano	19,540	18,400	+6.2%	58.84	332.1/km2
Amoroto	392	413	−5.1%	13.07	30.0/km2
Arakaldo	162	129	+25.6%	2.72	59.6/km2
Arantzazu	391	361	+8.3%	3.54	110.5/km2
Areatza	1,238	1,224	+1.1%	9.12	135.7/km2
Arrankudiaga	992	954	+4.0%	22.70	43.7/km2
Arratzu	429	385	+11.4%	10.06	42.6/km2
Arrieta	580	549	+5.6%	14.62	39.7/km2
Arrigorriaga	11,949	12,525	−4.6%	16.25	735.3/km2
Artea	755	772	−2.2%	12.35	61.1/km2
Artzentales	726	753	−3.6%	36.79	19.7/km2
Atxondo	1,368	1,428	−4.2%	23.37	58.5/km2
Aulesti	654	672	−2.7%	25.56	25.6/km2
Bakio	2,813	2,588	+8.7%	16.59	169.6/km2
Balmaseda	7,642	7,681	−0.5%	22.37	341.6/km2
Barakaldo	100,987	100,064	+0.9%	24.99	4,041.1/km2
Barrika	1,542	1,523	+1.2%	7.74	199.2/km2
Basauri	40,430	41,777	−3.2%	7.01	5,767.5/km2
Bedia	1,113	976	+14.0%	16.37	68.0/km2
Berango	7,472	6,883	+8.6%	8.73	855.9/km2
Bermeo	16,911	17,092	−1.1%	33.81	500.2/km2
Berriatua	1,215	1,242	−2.2%	19.20	63.3/km2
Berriz	4,533	4,875	−7.0%	29.77	152.3/km2
Bilbao†	345,235	351,356	−1.7%	41.34	8,351.1/km2
Busturia	1,643	1,748	−6.0%	20.22	81.3/km2
Derio	7,064	5,578	+26.6%	10.15	696.0/km2
Dima	1,497	1,364	+9.8%	62.41	24.0/km2
Durango	29,715	28,367	+4.8%	10.73	2,769.3/km2
Ea	826	883	−6.5%	14.24	58.0/km2
Elantxobe	349	409	−14.7%	1.80	193.9/km2
Elorrio	7,299	7,294	+0.1%	37.01	197.2/km2
Erandio	24,426	24,369	+0.2%	18.17	1,344.3/km2
Ereño	276	262	+5.3%	10.52	26.2/km2
Ermua	15,594	16,235	−3.9%	6.47	2,410.2/km2
Errigoiti	510	543	−6.1%	16.52	30.9/km2
Etxebarri	11,968	10,230	+17.0%	3.27	3,659.9/km2
Etxebarria	783	806	−2.9%	17.84	43.9/km2
Forua	915	979	−6.5%	7.63	119.9/km2
Fruiz	550	513	+7.2%	5.62	97.9/km2
Galdakao	29,309	29,153	+0.5%	31.47	931.3/km2
Galdames	833	843	−1.2%	44.41	18.8/km2
Gamiz-Fika	1,394	1,342	+3.9%	15.30	91.1/km2
Garai	334	345	−3.2%	7.15	46.7/km2
Gatika	1,624	1,623	+0.1%	17.29	93.9/km2
Gautegiz Arteaga	888	903	−1.7%	13.54	65.6/km2
Gernika-Lumo	17,012	16,727	+1.7%	8.53	1,994.4/km2
Getxo	76,297	80,252	−4.9%	11.87	6,427.7/km2
Gizaburuaga	196	204	−3.9%	6.09	32.2/km2
Gordexola	1,681	1,728	−2.7%	41.30	40.7/km2
Gorliz	6,067	5,501	+10.3%	10.23	593.1/km2
Güeñes	6,736	6,403	+5.2%	41.48	162.4/km2
Ibarrangelu	694	636	+9.1%	15.49	44.8/km2
Igorre	4,284	4,240	+1.0%	17.09	250.7/km2
Ispaster	734	695	+5.6%	22.98	31.9/km2
Iurreta	3,733	3,852	−3.1%	18.86	197.9/km2
Izurtza	225	275	−18.2%	4.37	51.5/km2
Karrantza Harana/Valle de Carranza	11,907	2,795	+326.0%	137.82	86.4/km2
Kortezubi	445	429	+3.7%	11.86	37.5/km2
Lanestosa	248	265	−6.4%	1.14	217.5/km2
Larrabetzu	2,056	1,979	+3.9%	21.54	95.5/km2
Laukiz	1,225	1,132	+8.2%	8.11	151.0/km2
Leioa	32,472	30,483	+6.5%	8.39	3,870.3/km2
Lekeitio	7,141	7,377	−3.2%	1.79	3,989.4/km2
Lemoa	3,540	3,408	+3.9%	15.42	229.6/km2
Lemoiz	1,315	1,061	+23.9%	18.91	69.5/km2
Lezama	2,448	2,467	−0.8%	16.29	150.3/km2
Loiu	2,296	2,494	−7.9%	15.02	152.9/km2
Mallabia	1,159	1,192	−2.8%	23.11	50.2/km2
Mañaria	533	498	+7.0%	17.59	30.3/km2
Markina-Xemein	5,021	4,941	+1.6%	45.32	110.8/km2
Maruri-Jatabe	1,069	961	+11.2%	15.96	67.0/km2
Mendata	385	381	+1.0%	22.43	17.2/km2
Mendexa	424	437	−3.0%	6.93	61.2/km2
Meñaka	763	746	+2.3%	12.49	61.1/km2
Morga	415	401	+3.5%	14.47	28.7/km2
Mundaka	1,842	1,943	−5.2%	4.08	451.5/km2
Mungia	17,865	16,857	+6.0%	44.46	401.8/km2
Munitibar-Arbatzegi Gerrikaitz	471	434	+8.5%	24.31	19.4/km2
Murueta	338	303	+11.6%	5.63	60.0/km2
Muskiz	7,342	7,518	−2.3%	21.01	349.5/km2
Muxika	1,516	1,467	+3.3%	49.87	30.4/km2
Nabarniz	269	227	+18.5%	11.76	22.9/km2
Ondarroa	8,207	8,799	−6.7%	4.30	1,908.6/km2
Orozko	2,658	2,512	+5.8%	102.27	26.0/km2
Ortuella	8,537	8,440	+1.1%	7.96	1,072.5/km2
Otxandio	1,324	1,300	+1.8%	12.39	106.9/km2
Plentzia	4,369	4,329	+0.9%	5.91	739.3/km2
Portugalete	44,648	47,698	−6.4%	3.14	14,219.1/km2
Santurtzi	46,089	47,101	−2.1%	8.87	5,196.1/km2
Sestao	27,780	28,805	−3.6%	3.58	7,759.8/km2
Sondika	4,525	4,543	−0.4%	6.85	660.6/km2
Sopelana	14,857	12,824	+15.9%	8.43	1,762.4/km2
Sopuerta	2,721	2,570	+5.9%	42.56	63.9/km2
Sukarrieta	354	350	+1.1%	1.91	185.3/km2
Trucios-Turtzioz	520	532	−2.3%	25.99	20.0/km2
Ubide	179	185	−3.2%	2.81	63.7/km2
Ugao-Miraballes	4,158	4,052	+2.6%	5.26	790.5/km2
Urduliz	5,468	3,601	+51.8%	7.81	700.1/km2
Urduña/Orduña	4,163	4,241	−1.8%	33.40	124.6/km2
Usansolo	No data[a]
Valle de Trápaga-Trapagaran	11,907	12,166	−2.1%	12.86	925.9/km2
Zaldibar	3,000	3,053	−1.7%	11.65	257.5/km2
Zalla	8,322	8,411	−1.1%	31.08	267.8/km2
Zamudio	3,290	3,277	+0.4%	18.17	181.1/km2
Zaratamo	1,605	1,651	−2.8%	10.18	157.7/km2
Zeanuri	1,248	1,299	−3.9%	67.22	18.6/km2
Zeberio	1,083	1,080	+0.3%	47.68	22.7/km2
Zierbena	1,496	1,458	+2.6%	12.15	123.1/km2
Ziortza-Bolibar	399	411	−2.9%	18.86	21.2/km2
Biscay	1,153,282[21]	1,156,190[22]	−0.3%	2,215.55	520.5/km2
Basque Country	2,216,302[21]	2,185,393[22]	+1.4%	7,092.45	312.5/km2
Spain	48,085,361[21]	46,815,916[22]	+2.7%	504,755.17	95.3/km2

Notes

1. Usansolo was partitioned from Galdakao and became an independent municipality in 2023^[20] and is thus not included in the 2023 or 2011 censuses

References

1. "Censos de Población y Viviendas 2011. Resultados Municipales - Bizkaia. Población por municipios, sexo y edad (año a año)" (in Spanish). National Statistics Institute. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
2. "Censo anual de población 2021-2023. Cifras de población. Principales resultados. 2021-2023. Población según comunidad autónoma y provincia y sexo" (in Spanish). National Statistics Institute. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
3. "Nomenclátor Geográfico de Municipios y Entidades de Población" (in Spanish). Centro Nacional de Información Geográfica. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
4. BOE 1985, p. 11.
5. BOE 1985, p. 14.
6. BOE 1985, pp. 22–23.
7. BOE 1985.
8. BOE 1986.
9. BOE 1979.
10. BOE 1985, p. 15.
11. BOE 1985, pp. 13–14.
12. BOE 1985, p. 19.
13. LOREG 1985, pp. 64–65.
14. LOREG 1985, p. 65.
15. LOREG 1985, p. 7.
16. LOREG 1985, p. 66.
17. BOE 1985, p. 33.
18. BOE 1985, p. 21.
19. "Censo anual de población 2021-2023. Resultados por municipios. 2021-2023. Población por sexo, edad (grupos quinquenales) y nacionalidad (española/extranjera)" (in Spanish). National Statistics Institute. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
20. "La Diputación Foral da la bienvenida a Usansolo como municipio 113 del Territorio Histórico de Bizkaia" (in Spanish). Diputación Foral de Bizkaia. 28 December 2023. Archived from the original on 20 August 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
21. "Censo anual de población 2021-2023. Resultados nacionales, por comunidades autónomas y provincias. 2021-2023. Población por sexo, edad (año a año) y nacionalidad (española/extranjera)" (in Spanish). National Statistics Institute. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
22. "Censos de Población y Viviendas 2011. Resultados Nacionales, por Comunidades Autónomas y Provincias. Población según comunidad autónoma y provincia y sexo" (in Spanish). National Statistics Institute. Retrieved 20 August 2024.

Works cited

• "Ley Orgánica 3/1979, de 18 de diciembre, de Estatuto de Autonomía para el País Vasco" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). 22 December 1979. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
• "Ley 7/1985, de 2 de abril, Reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). 3 April 1985. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
• "Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). 20 June 1985. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 April 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
• "Real Decreto Legislativo 781/1986, de 18 de abril, por el que se aprueba el texto refundido de las disposiciones legales vigentes en materia de Régimen Local" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). 22 April 1986. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 July 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.

See also

• Geography of Spain
• List of municipalities of Spain

• Media related to the municipalities in Biscay at Wikimedia Commons