Lea-Artibai

Lea-Artibai
Lea-Artibai
Eskualdea / Comarca
	Símon Bolivar Square in Ziortza-Bolibar
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Basque Country
Province	Biscay
Capital	Markina-Xemein
Municipalities	List Amoroto, Aulesti, Berriatua, Etxebarria, Gizaburuaga, Ispaster, Lekeitio, Markina-Xemein, Mendexa, Munitibar-Arbatzegi Gerrikaitz, Ondarroa, Ziortza-Bolibar;
Area
• Total	206 km2 (80 sq mi)
Population (2018)
• Total	25,931
• Density	130/km2 (330/sq mi)
Demonym
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Largest municipality	Ondarroa

Lea-Artibai is an eskualdea/comarca of the province of Biscay (Bizkaia), in the Basque Country, Spain. Lea-Artibai is the heir of the historical merindad of Markina, which was one of the merindades of Biscay. Currently, Lea-Artibai is one of the seven comarcas that compose the province. Its capital city is Markina-Xemein.

Geography

Lea-Artibai is located at the northeast extreme of the province. It limits with the comarcas of Busturialdea at west and Durangaldea at south, while the province of Gipuzkoa is at the east. The Bay of Biscay sits on the north. It occupies the drainage basin of the rivers Lea and Artibai.

Municipalities

Municipality	Area in km²	Population 2001^[2]	Population 2011^[3]	Population 2018^[4]
Markina-Xemein	44.79	4,708	4,941	4,934
Ziortza-Bolibar +	18.50	-	411	427
Ondarroa	3.60	9,732	8,799	8,397
Etxebarria	18.10	798	806	772
Berriatua	20.23	987	1,242	1,247
Amoroto	12.94	376	413	419
Gizaburuaga	6.32	144	204	212
Ispaster	22.62	613	695	725
Lekeitio	1.90	7,357	7,377	7,258
Aulesti	25.31	649	672	648
Munitibar-Arbatzegi Gerrikaitz	27.04	390	434	460
Mendexa	6.90	341	437	432

Note: + created from part of Markina-Xemein in 2005.

Transport

Lea-Artibai is the only comarca of Biscay that does not have a single kilometer of highway or railway. Its communications are deficient and depend on roads, like the BI-633 that connects Ondarroa with Durango or the BI-2405 which connects Ondarroa with Lekeitio.