Urgell

Urgell may refer to two related entities in Catalonia, Spain: a historical county in western Catalonia and a modern comarca in Lleida province named after that historic domain. The historic County of Urgell had its seat at La Seu d’Urgell and was one of the Catalan counties that formed the early medieval political framework within the Crown of Aragon. It existed from the early Middle Ages and played a role in the feudal consolidation of the region; its lands were later integrated into the Crown of Aragon, and the comital line eventually ceased to exist as an independent entity. The diocese of Urgell, centered at La Seu d’Urgell, remains an important ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Catalonia.

The contemporary Urgell comarca is situated in western Catalonia, in the province of Lleida. It is an inland rural region with its capital at Tàrrega. The economy is based on agriculture, small-scale industry, and services, with crops such as cereals, fruits, and vineyards in irrigated areas. Catalan is the dominant language in administration and daily life, with Spanish also widely used.

In institutional terms, Urgell today is governed by a comarca council within the Catalan regional framework. The historical legacy persists in local place names and in the ecclesiastical heritage of the Diocese of Urgell; notably, the bishop of Urgell is one of the co-princes of Andorra, alongside the President of France.