Provincial deputation (Spain)

A provincial deputation (Spanish: diputación provincial) is the governing body of a province of Spain.

By autonomous community

There are provincial deputations in the autonomous communities of Galicia, Aragon, Catalonia, Valencian Community, Castile and León, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, and Andalusia. Basque Country and Navarre have what are known as diputaciones forales (regional deputations), while in the Canary and Balearic Islands there are cabildos (councils) and consejos insulares (island councils) which perform functions similar to those of provincial deputations. Autonomous communities with only one province (Asturias, Cantabria, Community of Madrid, Murcia, and La Rioja) do not have provincial deputations as the government of the autonomous community handles all such functions.

Functions

One of the most fundamental roles of the provincial deputations is the administration of municipal activities. They integrate the provincial government with the provincial president, one or several vice presidents, the administrative body, and the plenary.

Territorial in nature, the provincial deputations serve to promote the economic-administrative interests of the provinces. Similar functions are exercised by the respective bodies in the Canary and Balearic Islands. Certain municipal governments, as that of Cartagena, are also known by this name.

Election

The provincial deputations are elected indirectly by a council which in turn is elected from the judicial districts. The apportionment of deputies per province depends on population and is given as follows:

Population	Deputies
Up to 500,000	25
500,001–1,000,000	27
1,000,001–3,500,000	31
More than 3,500,000	51