Catalans

Catalans are an ethnolinguistic group associated with Catalonia, a region in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. The term also denotes speakers of the Catalan language and people who identify with Catalan culture, regardless of birthplace. Catalan-speaking communities are concentrated in Catalonia, and extend to the Valencian Community (where Valencian is a standard variety), the Balearic Islands, parts of Aragon (La Franja), and Northern Catalonia in southern France, as well as diaspora communities abroad. Estimates place the number of Catalan speakers in the millions.

Catalan is a Romance language that developed from Vulgar Latin and is closely related to Occitan. It is co-official with Spanish in Catalonia, and recognized as an official language in the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands. The language is used in education, media, and public administration, with regional varieties such as Catalan and Valencian.

Historically, Catalan identity formed in the medieval Crown of Aragon, with Catalan-speaking counties uniting under the House of Barcelona. Over centuries, Catalan culture produced distinctive legal traditions, institutions, literature, and a rich architectural and artistic heritage, including movements in architecture and literature that flourished from the 19th to 20th centuries.

Since Spain's transition to democracy, Catalonia has enjoyed a degree of autonomous government within Spain. In recent decades, a significant political movement has sought greater autonomy or independence, leading to non-binding referendums, constitutional disputes, and ongoing debates about self-government and state relations within Spain and the European Union.

Catalan culture encompasses festivals, music, cuisine, and traditional dress, and is associated with symbols such as the Senyera flag and the Estelada. Notable Catalan figures include artists, writers, and architects who contributed to a distinct cultural landscape that continues to influence regional and broader Spanish cultural life.