| Province of Ourense | |
| Native Name: | |
| Settlement Type: | Province |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Spain |
| Subdivision Type1: | Autonomous community |
| Subdivision Name1: | Galicia |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Ourense |
| Parts Type: | Municipalities |
| P1: | 92 |
| Governing Body: | Deputación de Ourense |
| Leader Party: | PPdeG |
| Leader Title: | President |
| Leader Name: | José Manuel Baltar Blanco |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 7273 |
| Area Rank: | 36th |
| Population As Of: | 2024 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 304467 |
| Population Rank: | 41st |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Demonym: | ourensán (m), ourensá (f) |
| Postal Code: | 32--- |
| Iso Code: | ES-OR |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Legislature |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Parliament |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | 14 deputies (out of 75) |
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | Congress |
| Blank2 Info Sec1: | 4 deputies (out of 25) |
| Blank3 Name Sec1: | Senate |
| Blank3 Info Sec1: | 4 senators (out of 19) |
| Website: | www.depourense.es |
Ourense (pronounced as /gl/; es|Orense pronounced as /es/) is a province of Spain, in the southeastern part of the autonomous community of Galicia. It is bordered by the provinces of Pontevedra to the west, Lugo to the north, León and Zamora, (which both belong to Castile and León) to the east, and by Portugal to the south. With an area of 7,278 square kilometres, it is the only landlocked province in Galicia. The provincial capital, Ourense, is the largest population centre, with the rest of the province being predominantly rural. It has 92 municipalities totalling 304,467 inhabitants.
Ourense (in Galician) is the official name according to Law 2/1998, 3rd of March.[3] The usage of the Spanish spelling, Orense, is common outside Galicia.
Ourense is surrounded by mountains on all sides. These mountains historically isolated the province from the more populated Galician coast. Until a highway was built in recent years linking Ourense with Vigo in the west and Benavente in the east, the only quick way for people to enter or leave the province was by railway.
The principal river system is the Miño-Sil, the fertile valleys of which produce corn (maize) and grapes for wine. Because of the many rapids, these rivers are not navigable, but they have been harnessed for hydroelectric power. The Sil flows through a deep canyon and has become a sought-after tourist site for its river cruises and views.
The Limia River begins north of Ginzo de Limia and flows south towards Portugal; the Lindoso reservoir is on this river as it crosses the border into Portugal. The Tâmega River, another important Portuguese river begins north of Verín.
The mountainous terrain and isolation have kept the province economically challenged and encouraged much emigration to the rest of Spain and to the New World. There is some wine production along the Miño valley and near Verín. There is also considerable pig breeding and potato growing, especially around the area of Xinzo da Limia, in the drained lakebed of Antela, which until the 1960s was the largest fresh-water lake in Spain.
The province has several protected areas and some natural parks, including:
See main article: List of municipalities in Ourense.
Of the province's population of 304,467, 34.4% lives in the capital, Ourense, with 104,725 inhabitants as of 2024. Other than the capital, the most populous municipalities are O Barco de Valdeorras, Verín, Ribadavia, Allariz, A Rua, O Carballiño, Viana do Bolo, and Xinzo de Limia. As of 2018, Ourense has the lowest birthrate of any Spanish province, posting a population growth rate of -2,993.[4]
Industries include chemical manufacture, milk production, water bottling near Verín, and clothing manufacture near the capital city of Ourense. One of the largest poultry processing companies is also located in the industrial zone near that city.
The province has also four wine regions, out of five in the whole region of Galicia. Ribeiro, Ribeira Sacra, Monterrei and Valdeorras.
Although not a major tourist center, tourism contributes somewhat to the economy.[5] The river valleys attract holidaymakers, and there are several preserved medieval towns (Allariz and Ribadavia).
