Vegueries of Catalonia

Catalonia is internally divided into eight regional divisions, known in Catalan as vegueries (singular vegueria, Catalan pronunciation: [bəɣəˈɾi.ə]), following the regional plan of Catalonia. Each vegueria is further divided into comarques and municipalities, with the exception of the Aran Valley, considered a "unique territorial entity".^[1]

The vegueries system is based on the feudal administrative territorial jurisdiction of the Principality of Catalonia, which was abolished with the Nueva Planta decrees of 1716.^[2] The current division was established by the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006 with two functions: an inter-municipal government and the arrangement of the services from the Generalitat de Catalunya.^[3]

However, although the vegueries are intended to become Catalonia's first-level administrative division and a full replacement for the four diputacions of the official Catalan provinces within the Spanish system in the future and create a council for each vegueria,^[4] the latter is currently still used administratively at state level,^[5][6] as changes to the statewide provinces system are unconstitutional.^[7]