What is "alava"

Álava ( in Spanish) or Araba ( in Basque), officially Araba/Álava, is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the seat of the political main institutions of the autonomous community. It borders the Basque provinces of Biscay and Gipuzkoa to the north, the community of La Rioja to the south, the province of Burgos (in the community of Castile and León) to the west and the community of Navarre to the east. The Enclave of Treviño, surrounded by Alavese territory, is part of the province of Burgos and, so, belongs to the autonomous community of Castile and León, not Álava.

It is the largest of the three provinces in the Basque Autonomous Community in geographical terms, with 2,963 km², but also the least populated with 322,557 inhabitants (2012).

Álava is one of the 52 electoral districts used for the Spanish Congress of Deputies—the lower chamber of the Spanish Parliament, the Cortes Generales. It was first contested in modern times in the 1977 General Election. The largest municipality is Vitoria-Gasteiz where approximately 75% of the electorate live.

Alava is one of 28 parishes (administrative divisions) in Salas, a municipality within the province and autonomous community of Asturias, in northern Spain.

It is in size, with a population of 51 ( INE 2005).

Álava may refer to:

• Álava (Spanish Congress Electoral District)
• Álava (province)

People

• Miguel Ricardo de Álava y Esquivel
• Ignacio Maria de Álava y Sáenz de Navarrete