Catalan Countries
The term Catalan Countries (Catalan Països Catalans) refers to a national concept that includes all countries where Catalan language is spoken. It is similar to the phrase 'Catalan nation'. The term is primarily used by those who want independence for Catalan countries.
This concept first appeared in a book by Valencian intellectual Joan Fuster, Nosaltres els valencians (1962).
Catalan Countries include:
This territory does not coincide exactly with the places where
Catalan is spoken. For example, in the northwestern region of catalonia known as
Val d'Aran a dialect of
Occitan is spoken. And in some western and south-western places of the
Valencian Country,
Spanish is spoken. On the other side, there are some catalan-speaking places outside the Catalan Countries, such as El Carxe in
Murcia and the city of
Alghero in the island of
Sardinia.