The municipal term is located in northwestern Asturias, next to the estuary that forms the Navia river at its mouth . It limits to the north with the Cantabrian Sea , to the south with the council of Villayón , to the east with that of Valdés and to the west with that of Coaña . It has an area of ??62.58 km² and a coastline of 14 km in length. Its registered population reaches 8,425 inhabitants ( INE , 2017)
It has several notable industries, such as the ENCE group's paper mill , Armón Shipyards , or the Reny Picot dairy , to name some of the most relevant.
It is one of the municipalities in which some people speak Eonaviego (or Galician-Asturian).
History
Aerial view of the mouth of the Ría de Navia, Asturias.
Prehistory and Celtic settlements
The first hominid settlements take place in the Lower Palaeolithic , about 300,000 years ago, as evidenced by the remains of different stone tools. 2 4,000 years before Christ , a human group of the Neanderthal family already inhabited the territory , living according to their prehistoric customs. Thus tumular remains appear throughout the council, in towns such as Andés , Anleo , Tox ( Villapedre ) or Villanclán among others.
In the year 600 a. C. the first Celtic peoples from central Europe appear on naviego soil , which would culturally assimilate the previous inhabitants of the territory. At this time, human groups appear in the forts that have great architectural value and which today represent important monuments.
It is during coexistence in the area of the celta- tribe GALAICA of Albiones and Astur of pésicos when you have reference to the first human settlement on the right bank of the Ria de Navia whose name is given by the admiration and tribute primitive peoples overlooked water, which was a sacred element.
Medieval era
Navia City Council.
There is a great shadow, historically speaking, during the time that elapses between the disappearance of the Celtic way of life, until the birth of the first medieval urban centers. New changes appear in society and new habits of life that will contribute innovative cultural elements. The Roman period (1st century BC), as well as the Visigothic period (5th century BC) are the most important examples of this change.
After the battle of Covadonga , the new kingdom is divided into territories with the consequent counties, governors, judges ..., the monarchs appointing people to whom to delegate their powers in those territories, which helps the noble classes to emerge , which during the 10th , 11th and 12th centuries hoarded large doses of power and fortunes. It is at this time when the first churches and monasteries appear in the area ( Santa Marina de Vega , San Salvador de Piñera , San Martín de Siloyo ), which perform an administrative and religious function.
It is in the twelfth century when the so-called "Villae" are grouped into towns, creating the first Jurisdictions and the figure of the different councils appearing for the first time. That of Navia included the territories of the current Villayón , the mountain, and Navia itself, a situation that remained until the 19th century .
The first documented news of Navia dates from the 10th century , and refers to a donation made to the bishop of Oviedo of some land in Andés. During the 11th and 12th centuries an economic improvement took place in the area due to a great accumulation of land, livestock and monetary fortunes on the part of the manors.
In the thirteenth century , Navia was no stranger to the development and repopulation policy that occurred throughout the Asturian territory, with King Alfonso X granting it "la carte puebla " in 1270 . The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries are periods of great recession in every sense, largely due to weather disasters that destroy crops and livestock , and to incessant dynastic struggles , spreading crime and terror.
The centuries to come ( 16th and 17th ) were still marked by the great economic hardship inherited from the previous century, although new problems also appeared for society, such as the fight against English and French pirates and corsairs .
18th century
The 18th century brings with it an improvement in the economic situation of the council due to the expansion of crops and plantations, the increase in meat production and the diversification of trades and crafts.
The French invasion of the 19th century altered social life throughout Navia, helping the people of the council to drive the invading peoples out of the territory. We are entering a great era of economic prosperity thanks to the wealthy bourgeoisie and the overseas emigrants. They are due to the improvement of communications, infrastructures and in general the standard of living of the people of the council during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries .
It is at the end of the XIX century when the territories of Villayón and La Montaña were emancipated, leaving the council of Navia as it is today.
Geography
The municipal term occupies an area of ??62.58 km² and its current population is 8,425 inhabitants, most of which are concentrated in the capital, Puerto de Vega and Villapedre (60% of the total). The main road that runs through the council is the N-634 , with good road access to most of the towns in the municipality. The Ferrol - Gijón line passes through the council, which has a station in Navia, and stops in Piñera and Villapedre.
Geology
From the geological point of view, the soil of Navia, due to the area irrigated by the river, corresponds to a period of evolution of the land called Silurian. The tiny river was carving its channel, and fitting into it as the oceanic waters withdrew due to the accumulation of huge polar glaciers . Still in the last century, the estuary was a large estuary that crowned Mount San Esteban to the west and Buenavista hill to the southeast. Slate is the most remarkable geological element, forming rocky complexes of different colors, generally gray and bluish, and a structure with great ease of fracture. Quartzite is another element that occurs especially in the eastern part of the council. The coastal topography is well defined with about 3 km wide and an average height of 60 m.
All this originates a modulated topography around three very well defined relief units: the coastal plain , the middle valleys and the mountainous area of ??the interior. The steepest elevations are found in the south on the border with Villayón, with heights that never reach 1000 meters, being the Panondres peak with 842 meters its most outstanding accident. Other outstanding heights are those of the peak of La Cueva and Costillones with heights located around 500 meters.
Hydrography
Within its hydrographic network, the most outstanding accident is represented by the Navia River , which crosses the council from south to north on its western side, serving as a boundary with the neighboring council of Coaña, and which becomes an estuary already in its final part . It always had a great importance in the council, since much of the local economy was articulated around it. Another mentionable river is the Anleo, which rises in the mountains of the same name and yields its waters to the Navia in the town of Las Aceñas. The Villaoril and Del Monte rivers join to form the Frejulfe , flowing into the Cantabrian Sea at the beach of the same name ; the same as the Barayo river , which acts as a natural boundary with the Valdés council .
Climatology
The climate in the area can be considered temperate and humid, without great fluctuations, thanks largely to the moderating action of the sea that softens temperatures, in winter making them more temperate, and in summer softening them.
Flora and fauna
Thanks to the favorable geological and climatic conditions, the council has an extensive and varied plant and animal wealth. Thus, almost half of the surface area corresponds to pine , eucalyptus , and oak forests . And to a lesser extent chestnut , walnut , birch and beech . Regarding animal life, it is necessary to highlight the abundance of fishing both from the river and from the sea that the territory always had, and that today has gradually become extinct, giving rise to repopulation plans of some species such as salmon .
Parishes
The Navia council is divided into 8 parishes :
Andes
Anleo
Navia
Pinera
Polavieja
Port of Vega
Villanueva
Villapedre
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