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{{short description|Local administrative division in Portugal and Spain}}
{{Italic title}}
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A '''''comarca''''' ({{IPA|es|koˈmaɾka|lang|LL-Q1321 (spa)-Marreromarco-comarca.wav}}, {{IPA|pt|kuˈmaɾkɐ|lang}}, {{IPA|ca|kuˈmarkə|lang|LL-Q7026 (cat)-Marvives-comarca.wav}}, {{IPA|gl|koˈmaɾka̝|lang}}) is a traditional region or local [[administrative division]] found in [[Portugal]], [[Spain]], and some of their former colonies, like [[Brazil]], [[Nicaragua]], and [[Panama]]. The term is derived from the term '''''marca''''', meaning a [[March (territory)|"march, mark"]], plus the prefix '''''co''-''', meaning "together, jointly".

The ''comarca'' is known in [[Aragonese language|Aragonese]] as ''redolada'' ({{IPA|an|reðoˈlaða}}) and in [[Basque language|Basque]] as ''eskualde'' ({{IPA|eu|es̺kualde|IPA}}). In addition, in [[Galician language|Galician]], ''comarcas'' are also called ''bisbarras'' ({{IPA|gl|bizˈβarɐs|IPA}}). 

Although the English word "[[county]]" and its near synonym "[[shire]]" have similar meanings, they are usually translated into Spanish and Portuguese as ''condado'', a term{{cfn|date=May 2019}} which in the [[Iberian Peninsula]] refers only to regions historically ruled by a ''conde'' ([[count]] or [[earl]]). However, "comarca" is occasionally used such as in the [[:es:comarca|Spanish Wikipedia entry for ''comarca'']] and some translations of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' (see below).

== Community of Portuguese Language Countries ==
In the [[Community of Portuguese Language Countries]] (CPLP), ''comarcas'' are used as follows.

===Historical===
From the [[Middle Ages]] until the 16th century, the ''comarcas'' corresponded to the large administrative divisions of Portugal. There were six such traditional divisions: [[Entre-Douro-e-Minho]], [[Trás-os-Montes Province|Trás-os-Montes]], [[Beira, Portugal|Beira]], [[Estremadura Province (historical)|Estremadura]], [[Alentejo]] and [[Algarve]], of which the last had the honorary title of "kingdom". In the 16th century, the ''comarcas'' started gradually to be referred to as "provinces".

The name "''comarca''" was then applied to the new administrative and judicial subdivisions of the provinces, created in the 17th century. Each ''comarca'' corresponded to the territorial area of jurisdiction of a ''[[corregedor]]'', a high-ranking administrative and judicial officer who represented the Crown in the district.

In the 19th century, the ''comarcas'' were replaced by separate administrative and judicial divisions to reflect the implementation of the separation of executive and judicial powers. The new administrative divisions became the [[Administrative divisions of Portugal#Districts|administrative districts]] and the new judicial divisions kept the name ''comarca''.

===Present===
In Brazil, Portugal, and some other countries of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, the ''comarca'' now is the basic territorial division in the [[judicial]] system. It corresponds to the territorial area of jurisdiction of a [[court]] of first instance.

The ''comarca'' may correspond to a [[municipality]] or group several small municipalities together. Presently, in Brazil, there are 2,680 ''comarcas''. A judiciary organization reform implemented in Portugal in 2014 reduced the number of ''comarcas'' from 231 to 23.

According to the new judicial division of 2015, [[Angola]] will be again subdivided into 60 ''comarcas'', each with a court of first instance. The courts of ''comarca'' will replace the previous provincial and municipal courts.

Comarca is also the name of a suburb of [[Luanda]], the capital of Angola.

== Mexico ==
The ninth-largest metropolitan area in [[Mexico]] is known as the [[Comarca Lagunera]].<ref>Mikael D. Wolfe. ''Watering the Revolution: An Environmental and Technological History of Agrarian Reform in Mexico''. Durham: Duke University Press 2017.</ref> The region is made up of 15 municipalities, including the cities of [[Torreón]], [[Coahuila]], [[Gómez Palacio, Durango|Gómez Palacio]] and Lerdo [[Durango]].

== Panama ==
{{Main article|Provinces of Panama}}
In Panama, the ''comarca indígena'' is an administrative region for an area with a substantial [[indigenous peoples of the Americas|Amerindian]] population. Four ''comarcas'' ([[Emberá-Wounaan Comarca|Emberá-Wounaan]], [[Guna Yala]], [[Naso Tjër Di Comarca|Naso Tjër Di]], and [[Ngäbe-Buglé Comarca|Ngöbe-Buglé]]) exist as equivalent to [[provinces of Panama|provinces]]. Two smaller ''comarcas'' ([[Madugandí|Guna de Madugandí]] and [[Wargandí|Guna de Wargandí]]) are subordinate to a province and considered equivalent to a ''[[corregimientos of Panama|corregimiento]]''.

==Spain==
{{See also|Comarcas of Spain}}
The term ''comarca'' is used in several regions in Spain:

* In [[Asturias]], the historic division is the ''conceyu'' (pl. ''conceyos'', ''concejo'' or ''municipio'' in Spanish). Currently, there are several ''comarcas'' but they are contemporary creations destined to tourism promotions, without administrative or government powers.
* In [[Cantabria]], the ''comarca'' is a traditional or historical division, usually identified with the greatest rivers of the region.
* In [[Catalonia]] and [[Aragon]], the ''comarca'' is a local government area, administered by a ''[[comarcal council]]''.
* In the [[Valencian Community]], the ''comarc''a is a traditional region with no administrative competences. They are legally referred as ''homologated territorial demarcations'' instead of as ''comarques''.
* In [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]] the ''comarca'' or ''bisbarra'' are traditional divisions of the land that have limited official recognition, but have no administrative relevance. However, the [[Xunta de Galicia|Galician government]] is attempting to transform the ''bisbarras'' into territorial administrative tiers, to create a new regional network proposed to be more balanced and efficient. Galician ''comarcas'' also have a ''[[comarcal council]]''.

In other places, such as [[Extremadura]], the ''comarca'' may refer simply to a loosely-defined region.

Because of the word's long-standing use, ''comarca'' is sometimes used as the basis for the promotion of [[tourism]] with emphasis on local cultural tradition and history.

== Fiction ==
Some Spanish-language editions of the British writer [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s works use the term ''La Comarca'' as a translation for the English "[[The Shire]]".

== See also ==
* [[Comarcas of Aragon]]
* [[Comarcas of Asturias]]
* [[:Category:Comarcas of Galicia (Spain)|Comarcas of Galicia]]
* [[Comarques of Catalonia]]
* [[Comarques of the Valencian Community]]
* [[Commune (administrative division)]]
* [[Kecamatan]]
* [[List of terms for administrative divisions]]
* [[Provinces of Panama]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080912094656/http://www.comarcasdegalicia.com/ Comarcas de Galicia], official site for the management and promotion of Galician comarcas, maintained by the [[Xunta de Galicia|Galician Government]] {{in lang|gl|en|es}}
* [http://www.racocatala.cat/eltalp/dtc0.htm History of comarca divisions in the Catalan Countries] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070216071726/http://www.racocatala.cat/eltalp/dtc0.htm |date=2007-02-16 }} {{in lang|ca}}

{{Portuguese terms for country subdivisions}}
{{Spanish terms for country subdivisions}}
{{Types of administrative country subdivision}}

[[Category:Geography of Catalonia]]
[[Category:Administrative divisions in Europe]]