jalgadel

Jalgadel is a fictional village created for encyclopedic examples of rural settlements. It is described as a coastal municipality in the northern part of a generic country, with a small population and a mixed economy.

The name Jalgadel has no canonical origin in real-world languages; in the story, scholars trace it to a compound from the region's historic language and a common settlement suffix.

Geographically, Jalgadel occupies a hillside site above a meandering river valley. The area covers about 12 square kilometers; elevations range from 20 to 180 meters. The climate is temperate maritime, with cool winters and mild summers.

Historians place the founding in the 12th century, centered on a medieval parish church. The settlement expanded through the medieval and early modern periods, experienced gradual decline with industrialization, then saw revival through tourism and regional crafts in the late 20th century.

Today the economy combines agriculture—primarily vineyards and olive groves—with small-scale fishing and artisanal crafts. Tourism centers on the church, the river setting, and a traditional pottery workshop.

As of the latest fictional census, Jalgadel has around 1,200 residents. The population is linguistically diverse in the imaginary setting, with a local dialect alongside the national language. Local culture emphasizes the harvest festival and crafts.

Jalgadel forms part of a rural municipal district and is governed by a locally elected council and a mayor. Public services focus on road maintenance, basic healthcare, and cultural programming.