⭐ In the context of Llívia, Cerdanya (comarca) is considered significant because it...
The Treaty of the Pyrenees, signed in 1659, determined the border between France and Spain, and Llívia's location within the Cerdanya comarca directly influenced its preservation as a Spanish exclave because the treaty only transferred villages, not towns, to France.
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⭐ Core Definition: Cerdanya (comarca)
Cerdanya (Catalan pronunciation:[səɾˈðaɲə]; Spanish: Baja Cerdaña, pronounced[ˈbaxaθeɾˈðaɲa]; French: Basse-Cerdagne, pronounced[bɑssɛʁdaɲ,bas-]) is a comarca in northern Catalonia, in the Pyrenees, on the border of Catalonia with France and Andorra. Within Catalonia, Cerdanya is divided between Catalan provinces of Girona and Lleida. Cerdanya's neighbouring comarques are Alt Urgell, Berguedà, and Ripollès.
Cerdanya is in the "vegueria" of Alt Pirineu, according to "Vegueries of Catalonia law".
Llívia is separated from the rest of Spain by a corridor approximately 1.6 km (1.0 mile) wide, which includes the French communes of Ur and Bourg-Madame. This corridor is traversed by a road, owned by both France (where it is part of Route nationale 20 and RD68) and Spain (where it is part of N-154). Before the implementation of the Schengen Area in 1995, it was considered a "neutral road", a custom-free route with access for both French and Spanish people; since 1995, there have been no formal borders. The two countries share a hospital in Puigcerdà (which lies close to Llívia), as well as other local initiatives.
Cerdanya (comarca) in the context of Alta Cerdanya
42°30′N1°58′E / 42.500°N 1.967°E / 42.500; 1.967French Cerdagne (Catalan: Alta Cerdanya, IPA:[ˈaltəsəɾˈðaɲə]) is the northern half of Cerdanya, which came under French control as a result of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, while the southern half remained in Spain (as a part of Catalonia). Catalans often refer to French Cerdagne as Upper Cerdanya (Catalan: Alta Cerdanya; Occitan: Alta Cerdanha). It is the only French territory on the Iberian Peninsula, as it is located on the south side of the Pyrenees Range between France and Spain. For example, the Segre river, which goes west and then south to meet the Ebro, has its source in the French Cerdagne. An inadvertent result of the Treaty of the Pyrenees is the Spanishexclave of Llívia (the small uncolored area in the map) which is sovereign Spanish territory surrounded by French Cerdagne.
French Cerdagne has no special status inside France, simply forming a physiographic region within the department of Pyrénées-Orientales, unlike the Spanish part of Cerdanya, which is officially a Catalan comarca called simply Cerdanya. In France, the French area is referred to as either Cerdagne française (i.e. "French Cerdagne"), Haute-Cerdagne (i.e. "Upper Cerdagne") or just Cerdagne.
Capcir (Catalan:[kəpˈsi]; French:[kapsiʁ]) is a historical Catalan comarca of Northern Catalonia, now part of the French department of Pyrénées-Orientales. The capital of the comarca was Formiguera, and it borders the historical comarques of Conflent and Alta Cerdanya. Capcir is on a plateau, averaging 1500 metres above sea level, and allows passage between the high valleys of Aude and both the Spanish Cerdanya and French Cerdagne. It has traditionally been rural, but has developed considerably in last the forty years thanks to its tourist attractions. Capcir has two nicknames: little Siberia or little Canada. This gives an idea of the climate which can prevail during the winter. It is one of the last places in Western Europe where the arctic plant Ligularia sibirica can be found.