Soria - Castilla y Leon
Soria is the least populous of all of Spain's provinces, with a density of around 9 inhabitants/km2 - one of the lowest in the European Union. Of the province's population of 91,487 (2002), nearly 40% live in the capital, Soria. There are 183 municipalities in Soria, of which nearly half are hamlets of under 100 people and of which only 12 have more than 1000 people. The cathedral town of the province is El Burgo de Osma.
Castilla y Leon came together in 1983, when the regions of Castilla la Vieja and Leon were united. Both have been central areas of Spanish medieval history, and the importance during that epoch is still evident in many cathedrals, monasteries, castles and fortificated towns, many of which are preserved in perfect state. Apart of its great monumental patrimony, Castilla y Leon offers as well natural parks and kilometers of practically virginal nature, with woods of oaks and cork-oaks.
Gastronomy is distinguished by excellent meat, in particular of lamb, and vegetables like the famous creamy beans of Avila. Artisany and popular celebrations show a rich and varied folklore, often of archaical roots and almost unknown to a wider public.
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