Vielha e Mijaran () is a municipality in central Aran, Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital and largest municipality of the region, with a population of . It is part of the terçons of Castièro and Marcatosa.
It was created in 1970 by the merger of the municipalities of Arròs e Vila, Betlan, Escunhau, Gausac, Vielha and Vilac as Viella – Mitg-Aran: some of the former municipalities retain some privileges as "decentralised municipal entities" (entitats municipals descentralitzades, EMD),Entitats municipals descentralitzades are governed by the Llei Municipal i de Règim Local de Catalunya (8/1987 de 15 d'abril de 1987). They correspond to entidades locales menores in the rest of Spain (known as entitats locals menors in the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands). as does the village of Betren. Mijaran literally means "Middle Aran" in Aranese, as the inhabited part of the municipality is situated in the valley of the Garonne (Garona). The Noguera Ribagorçana has its source on the territory of the municipality, on the opposite side of the watershed. The ajuntament (town hall) is in Vielha, spelled Vielha in Occitan and Viella in Catalan and Spanish, which is also the capital of Aran and also the seat of the Conselh Generau d'Aran.
The municipality is linked to France and to the rest of Catalonia (via the Vielha tunnel) by the N-230 road. The C-28 (old name: C-142) road continues up the valley to Naut Aran, and on over the Port de la Bonaigua (2,072 m, 6,798 ft) to the comarca of Pallars Sobirà. This road, the higher stretches of which are impassable in winter, was the only route between the Aran valley and the rest of Spain before the opening of the Vielha tunnel in 1948.
Subdivisions The municipality is composed of thirteen distinct settlements. Populations are given : Arròs (95) Aubèrt (104), in the EMD of Aubèrt e Betlan Betlan (24), on the left bank of the Garonne Betren (376), on the left bank of the Garonne Casarilh (64), in the EMD of Escunhau e Casarilh, on the left bank of the Garonne Casau (87), inhabited in Roman times Escunhau (89) Gausac (555) Mont (25), on the right bank of the Garonne at the foot of the Es Cròdos range Montcorbau (17), on the right bank of the Garonne Vielha (2,620) Vila (30) Vilac (147)
Climate
Politics Local elections of 2019Political party2019%SeatsUnity of Aran (UA) - Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC)59,459Aranese Democratic Convergence (CDA)19,983Aran Amassa (Amassa)7,861
Local elections of 2015Political party2015%SeatsUnity of Aran (UA) - Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC)46,677Aranese Democratic Convergence (CDA)38,685Citizens (C's)7,241
Gallery
Sister cities Saint-Gaudens, France
References
Sources Panareda Clopés, Josep Maria; Rios Calvet, Jaume; Rabella Vives, Josep Maria (1989). Guia de Catalunya, Barcelona: Caixa de Catalunya. (Spanish). (Catalan).
External links Official website Government data pages