GALICIA (the ancient Gallaecia or Callaecia, KaXXauda or KaXaucla), a captaincy-general, and formerly a kingdom, count ship and province, in the north-western angle of Spain ; bounded on the north by the Bay of Biscay, east by Leon and Asturias, south by Portugal and west by the Atlantic ocean. Pop. (193o) 2.330,281; area, 11,254 sq.m. In 1833 Galicia was divided for administrative purposes into the provinces of Corunna, Lugo, Orense and Pontevedra. The high land north of the headwaters of the Mino forms the sole connecting link between the Cantabrians properly so-called and the mountains of central and western Galicia. The average elevation of the province is considerable, and the maximum height ft.) is reached in the Pena Trevinca on the eastern border of Orense.
The principal river is the Mino (Portuguese Minho; Lat. Minius; so named, it is said, from the minium or vermilion found in its bed). Rising near Mondonedo, within 25 m. of the north ern coast, the Mino enters the Atlantic near the port of Guardia, after a course of 170 m. south and south-west. Of its numerous affluents the most important is the Sil. Among other rivers hav ing a westerly direction may be mentioned the Tambre, the Ulla and the Lerez or Ler, which falls into the Atlantic by estuaries or rias called respectively Ria de Muros y Noya, Ria de Arosa and Ria de Pontevedra.
Gallaecia, the country of the Galacci, Callaici or Gallaici, seems to have been very imperfectly known to the earlier geog raphers. According to Eratosthenes (276-196 B.c.) the entire population of the peninsula were at one time called Galatae. The region properly called by their name, bounded on the south by the Douro and on the east by the Navia, was first entered by the Roman legions under Decius Junius Brutus in 137-136 B.C. (Livy lv., lvi., Epit.) ; but the final subjugation cannot be placed earlier than the time of Augustus (31 B.c.—A.D. 14).
The coast-line of Galicia, extending to about 240 m., is every where bold and deeply indented, presenting a large number of secure harbours, and in this respect forming a marked contrast to the neighbouring province. The Eo, which bounds Galicia on the east, has a deep estuary, the Rivadeo or Ribadeo, which is a good harbour. Vivero bay and the Ria del Barquero y Vares are of a similar character; while the harbour of Ferrol is an important naval station. On the opposite side of Betanzos bay (the 0-y Xcµ?v or Portus Magnus of the ancients) is the great port of Corunna or Coruna. The principal port on the western coast is that formed by the deep and sheltered bay of Vigo, but there are also some good roadsteads at Corcubion, at Marin and at Carril.
The rainfall is exceptionally heavy, and snow lies on some of the high ground for a considerable portion of the year. Much timber is grown on the high lands, and the rich valley pastures support large herds of cattle, while the abundance of oaks and chestnuts favours the rearing of swine. In the lowland districts good crops of maize, wheat, barley, oats and rye, as well as of turnips and potatoes, are obtained. The dehesas or moorlands abound in game, and fish are plentiful in all the streams. The mineral resources of the province, which are considerable, were known to some extent to the ancients. Strabo (c. 63 B.C.—A.D. 21) speaks of its gold and tin, and Pliny (A.D. 23-79) mentions the gemma Gallaica, a precious stone. Galicia is also remarkable for the number of its sulphur and other warm springs, the most im portant of which are those at Lugo and Orense.
The largest town in Galicia is Corunna (q.v.) ; Santiago de Compostela is the ancient capital and an archiepiscopal see; Lugo, Tuy, Mondonedo and Orense are bishoprics.
See Annette B. Meakin, Galicia, the Switzerland of Spain (London, 1909) ; A. F. G. Bell, Spanish Galicia (London, 1922) .