comarca

A comarca is a traditional territorial unit used in parts of the Iberian Peninsula and in some Latin American contexts to group municipalities with shared geographic, historical, or economic ties. The exact status and function of a comarca vary by country and region.

In Spain, comarcas function as geographic and planning units. Their legal status varies by autonomous community: some have formal recognition with elected governing bodies, while others are informal or historical subdivisions used for statistical, economic, or cooperative purposes. Comarcas typically encompass several municipalities that collaborate on services such as transportation, tourism promotion, and environmental management, with boundaries often shaped by natural features like rivers or mountain ranges.

In Portugal, the term comarca is used mainly in judicial contexts to denote the jurisdiction of a court (comarca judicial). As a general administrative division, the country relies on districts, municipalities, and parishes, and comarcas do not usually correspond to elected regional governments.

Outside the Iberian peninsula, the word comarca appears in several Latin American countries to describe regional divisions or zones, reflecting historical administrative practices. The precise role and governance of comarcas differ by country and era, ranging from informal cultural regions to formal administrative or judicial units.

Etymology: The term derives from Romance languages and has medieval roots referring to a district or area of shared interest within a larger territory.