A Illa de Arousa

Municipality in Galicia, Spain

Flag

Coat of arms

42°33′16″N 8°51′50″W / 42.55444°N 8.86389°W / 42.55444; -8.86389Country

SpainAutonomous community

GaliciaProvincePontevedraComarcaSalnésGovernment

• AlcaldeLuis Arosa García (PSdeG-PSOE ; government alliance with BNG)Area

• Total7 km² (3 sq mi)Elevation

9 m (30 ft)Population

(2018)^[1]

• Total4,958 • Density710/km² (1,800/sq mi)Demonym(s)Arousán, áTime zoneUTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)Postal code

36626

Websitehttp://www.ailladearousa.es/

A Illa de Arousa is the only island municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. It is located in the heart of the Ria de Arousa. According to 2021 INE the island's population was 4,951 inhabitants. The population is divided into several neighborhoods, and places of interest are the lighthouse's environment, the island of Areoso (close to the Illa de Arousa) and Carreirón Natural Park, which is listed as a special protection zone for heron birds populations among other birds that inhabit the island. The Holy viewpoint is the highest point on the island. "San Xulián da Illa de Arousa" is the only parish in this island. Some of its beaches are the following ones: A Area da Secada, A Lavanqueira, O Vao, Camaxe, Carreirón, Espiñeiro and O Cabodeiro.

A Illa de Arousa has five ports. Xufre is the most important and the other important docks include O Campo, Chazo and Cabodeiro.

Etymology

According to E. Bascuas, "Arousa", registered as insulam Arauza in 899, would belong to the old European hydronymy, and is derived from the Indoeuropean root *er- 'flow, move'.^[2]

References

^ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
^ Cf. pp. 540 y 541 de "La Hidronimia de Galicia: tres estratos ..". http://www.mondonedoferrol.org/estudios-mindonienses/MINDONIENSES%2024%20[protegido].pdf Archived 2016-06-11 at the Wayback Machine