Ria_of_Ferrol
Ria of Ferrol
Coastal inlet in Galicia, Spain
The Ria of Ferrol (or bay of Ferrol; Spanish and Galician: ría de Ferrol) is a ria in Galicia, Spain, the saline estuary of the Xuvia River. Located in the province of A Coruña, in the northwestern end of the Iberian Peninsula, it forms along the rías of A Coruña, Ares and Betanzos the gulf known as Portus Magnus Artabrorum in Roman times.[1] An important harbour, it became a base of the Spanish Navy during the Hapsburg dynasty, with the forts of San Felipe and La Palma watching over the in and out of the ria.[2] Bordered by the municipalities of Ferrol, Narón, Neda, Fene, Mugardos,[2] it stands out among the Galician rias in terms of the degree of alteration caused by human activities.[3] Also featuring nonetheless a rich sealife, the bay of Ferrol (itself included within the so-called "Rías Altas") is exploited to obtain seafood, chiefly varieties of clam and cockle.[4]
