Small villages, big challenges - A closer look at Catalonia's micropobles

The term "micropobles" refers to small villages in Catalonia with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants. There are more than 480 micropobles in the territory, representing nearly one-third of all Catalan municipalities, yet they are home to only 2.5% of Catalonia’s population, many of whom are already over 65 years old. Gigi Giulia and Lorcan Doherty join host Beth Cohen to discuss the pros and cons of living in a micro village and analyze the socio-demographic profile of the residents. We meet Joan Solà, president of the Associació de Micropobles de Catalunya, who explains the importance of rural communities in preserving Catalan cultural heritage, language and traditions. Young architect Marta Solà explains her decision to return to her home town in an isolated area of Lleida to begin her professional life after studying in Barcelona. And we explore some of the government initiatives which are being implemented to protect remote villages from depopulation. Whatever challenges Catalonia’s micro villages may be facing, they continue to be unique places to reside for those who seek an alternative lifestyle far from the city.   This week our Catalan phrase is “Fotre el camp,” which is a rude expression commonly used to tell someone to go away or “get lost!” but can be translated as “go to the countryside.”