Province of Burgos

The name of the province derives from that of its capital, the city of Burgos, and therefore shares the same etymological origin. There are several possible origins for the toponymy. When the city was founded, the inhabitants of the surrounding country moved into the fortified village, whose Visigothic name of Burgos signified consolidated walled villages^{[citation needed]} (Gothic baurgs).^[4] The cities Burgas in Bulgaria and numerous cities containing the Germanic burg "city" such as Hamburg have a similar literal composition. The city began to be called Caput Castellae ("Cabeza de Castilla" or "Head of Castile").^[5]

Since 1964, archaeologists have been working at numerous areas of the Archaeological Site of Atapuerca, where they have found ancient hominid and human remains, the former dating to more than one million years ago, with artefacts from the Palaeolithic and Bronze Ages of man. The site has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The province has an area of 14,300 km² (5,500 sq mi) and a population of approximately 375,000 of whom nearly half live in the capital. The other locations higher than 20,000 inhabitants apart from Burgos are Miranda de Ebro and Aranda de Duero, both very industrialized. The Sierra de la Demanda, the northwesternmost end of the Sistema Ibérico where lies the Pico San Millán, is located in Burgos Province.^[6]

The most important rivers in the province are the Ebro and the Duero. The river Duero is in the south of the province and leads to the Atlantic Ocean at Porto, Portugal. Planted near it is a notable vineyard, Ribera de Duero. The north and south-east of the province are mountainous. The Ebro flows to the Mediterranean Sea.

In Valpuesta the oldest texts in the Spanish language has been found, dating from the tenth century.^[7]

Transportation is developed through a wide net of highways and roads. Besides, the province is served by the Burgos Airport, and The High-speed rail AVE.

In the Atapuerca area, archaeologists have found evidence of occupation by hominids and humans for more than one million years. Discoveries have included the earliest hominid skull in Europe.

The Celtiberian region that became Burgos was inhabited by the Morgobos, Turmodigi, Berones and perhaps also the Pellendones, the last inhabitants of the northern part of the Celtiberian region. According to the Greek historian Ptolemy, the principal cities included: Brabum, Sisara, Deobrigula (nowadays Tardajos), Ambisna Segiasamon (Sasamón) and Verovesca (Briviesca). Under Roman colonization, it was part of Hispania Citerior ("Hither Spain") and then Hispania Tarraconensis.

In the fifth century, the Visigoths drove back the Suevi. In the eighth century, the Arabs occupied all of Castiles. Alfonso III the Great, king of León reconquered the area around the middle of the ninth century, and built many castles for the defence of Christendom. Gradually the area was reconquered. The region came to be known as Castile (Latin castella), i.e. "land of castles". In the eleventh century, Burgos became the capital of the Kingdom of Castile.

The Province of Burgos was established by the Royal Decree of 29 October 1833, driven by the minister Javier de Burgos, like the rest of the provinces of the country (see: 1833 territorial division of Spain). This division considered the common historic, cultural, and economic characteristics of each territory.

The government and administration of the province of Burgos is the responsibility of the Provincial Council of Burgos [es], as outlined in the statute of autonomy of Castile and León. Its headquarters are located in the Provincial Palace of Burgos.

The province of Burgos is divided into 371 municipalities, being the Spanish province with the highest number, although many of them have fewer than 100 inhabitants.

• List of municipalities in Burgos
• Treviño enclave