Aezkoa Valley

Municipal Division of the Aézcoa Valley.

The Aézkoa Valley —officially Aezkoa Valley— (in Basque Aezkoa or Aezkoa ibarra) is a valley and a community (local entity of a traditional character) of the Foral Community of Navarra (Spain), located in the Merindad de Sangüesa and in the Auñamendi region. Its population in 2017 was 873 inhabitants.

Local administration

The valley is made up of nine municipalities: Abaurrea Alta, Abaurrea Baja, Aria, Arive, Garayoa, Garralda, Villanueva de Aézcoa, Orbara and Orbaiceta. The towns are small, made up of typical Pyrenean houses with whitewashed stone walls and steep roofs. Livestock has lost the strength of yesteryear, when endless flocks of sheep roamed the ravines towards the Ribera de Navarra before winter arrived. They used the Cañada Real de Milagro-Aezkoa CRMA (135 km.), which crosses Navarra de northeast to south, from the Sierra de Abodi to Milagro, on the banks of the Ebro.

The Aézcoans zealously preserve the traditional arts of making a cheese whose fame transcends the borders of the Community. In addition, its own language, Basque, remains alive, conserving, although in a precarious state, the local or Aezcoan dialect.

The General Board of the Aezcoa Valley, manages the communal areas of the valley and among its functions are:

• manage and manage the resources of the Valley, the Irati Mountain being of particular importance.
• Promote and implement supramunicipal incidence development projects.
• Regular different aspects of public life: approval of ordinances, calls of auzolan (realization of work in common), batzarre (neighborhood meeting of decision-making character)...
• Establish complementary policies for investment, housing, employment creation,

The Board is headquartered in Arive and is made up of 15 members, a president and fourteen members, elected every four years on an open list system, in accordance with the Valley Ordinances.

Physical geography

Situation

The Aézcoa valley is located in the northeastern part of Navarra, transversally to the Pyrenees. It has an area of 198.41 km² and is bordered to the north by the Cize Valley (France), to the east by the Salazar Valley, by Urraúl Alto to the south and by the Arce, Burguete and Roncesvalles Valleys to the west.

Relief and hydrology

Mountainous orography, all below 1500 m s. no. m., denote that here, however, the Pyrenees has lost a good part of its vigor. Imposing oak and beech forests give the Aezcoan landscape a particular attraction, which complement the lively waters of the Irati River, the main river current in the area.

Climate

Winter in Aézcoa is conducive to copious snowfalls, while summers are mild and pleasant.

Demographics