Barcelona Province, Spain

With 5,983,325 people on January 1, 2025, Barcelona province ranks 2nd by population and 33rd by area among Spain’s 50 provinces. Since 2015 it has gained 459,403 people (8.3%). Density is 2,004 people/sq mi, against a Spanish average of 251 people/sq mi.

The capital, Barcelona, has 1,731,649 residents, 29% of the province. Next come L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (289,510), Terrassa (233,270), and Badalona (231,542).

Of its 311 municipalities (the 3rd most of any province), 90 have fewer than 1,000 people. The smallest by population is Sant Jaume de Frontanyà, with 25, and the largest by area is Sant Mateu de Bages, at 39.5 sq mi.

The capital, Barcelona, sits 43 ft (13 m) above sea level, the 12th lowest of Spain’s 52 provincial capitals and autonomous cities.

According to the IGN’s summit table, the highest point in Barcelona province is Pic de Costa Cabirolera, at 8,543 ft (2,604 m), in the El Cadí, on the border with Lleida. It’s 67 mi from the capital in a straight line and 8,501 ft higher.

Besides the capital, 19 cities over 50,000 people have their own elevation page: Vic (1,634 ft), Terrassa (932 ft), Manresa (781 ft), Sabadell (620 ft), Granollers (476 ft), Rubí (423 ft), Sant Cugat del Vallès (374 ft), Cerdanyola del Vallès (269 ft), Mollet del Vallès (197 ft), Santa Coloma de Gramenet (115 ft), Cornellà de Llobregat (85 ft), Mataró (75 ft), Vilanova i la Geltrú (56 ft), Sant Boi de Llobregat (43 ft), Viladecans (39 ft), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (30 ft), Badalona (23 ft), El Prat de Llobregat (20 ft), and Castelldefels (10 ft).

Barcelona is one of the 4 provinces of Catalonia, along with Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. See Catalonia: its provinces, population and peaks.