# Errenteria

> municipal community in the Basque Country

**Wikidata**: [Q681893](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q681893)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Errenteria)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/errenteria

## Summary
Errenteria is a municipality and city in the Basque Country, northern Spain, with a defined area of 32.26 square kilometers. It has a recorded history dating back to its inception in 1320 and a current population of approximately 39,363 residents as of 2025. The city is officially bilingual in Basque and Spanish and is located in the province of Gipuzkoa.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name:** Errenteria (officially used since 1998-06-10)
- **Location:** Basque Country, Spain; specifically in the province of Gipuzkoa.
- **Coordinates:** 43.3125271° N, -1.8986133° W.
- **Area:** 32.26 square kilometers.
- **Elevation:** 12 meters above sea level.
- **Population (2025):** 39,363 residents (determined via resident register).
- **Population Trend:** Grew from 6,956 in 1920 to 39,363 in 2025, with a peak of 41,163 in 1991.
- **Postal Code:** 20100.
- **Local Dialing Code:** 943.
- **Official Languages:** Basque and Spanish.
- **Demonym:** errenteriar (Basque) and oreretar (Spanish).
- **Nickname:** gaileteroak.
- **Inception:** 1320.
- **Head of Government:** Mayor Aizpea Otaegi Mitxelena (from Euskal Herria Bildu, in office since 2019).
- **Budget (2023):** €63,000,000.
- **Timezone:** UTC+01:00 (CET) standard, UTC+02:00 (CEST) daylight saving.
- **Licence Plate Code:** SS (until 2000-09).
- **UN/LOCODE:** ESERN.
- **INE Code:** 20067.
- **Website:** https://errenteria.eus (available in Spanish and Basque).

## FAQs
**Where is Errenteria located?**
Errenteria is a municipality in the Basque Country autonomous community of northern Spain. It is situated within the province of Gipuzkoa and lies next to the Oiartzun river and body of water. It shares borders with San Sebastián, Pasaia, Lezo, Oiartzun, Goizueta, Arano, Hernani, and Astigarraga.

**What is the population history of Errenteria?**
Errenteria's population has grown significantly over the last century, from 6,956 in the 1920 census to 39,363 in the 2025 resident register. It peaked at 41,163 in the 1991 census before a slight decline and recent stabilization around 39,000-40,000 residents. The population is nearly evenly split between male (19,094 in 2023) and female (19,094 in 2023) residents.

**What are the official languages and demonyms?**
The official languages of Errenteria are Basque and Spanish. The demonym for a resident is "errenteriar" in Basque and "oreretar" in Spanish. The city also has a nickname, "gaileteroak."

**Who governs Errenteria and what is its administrative budget?**
Errenteria is governed by a mayor. Since 2019, the head of government has been Aizpea Otaegi Mitxelena, representing the political party Euskal Herria Bildu. The municipal budget for 2023 was €63,000,000.

**With which international towns is Errenteria twinned?**
Errenteria maintains twinning relationships with four administrative bodies: Schorndorf (Germany), Lousada (Portugal), Tulle (France), and Monroy and Fuentepelayo (both in Spain).

**What are Errenteria's key identifiers and codes?**
Errenteria has numerous standard identifiers: its postal code is 20100, the national INE code is 20067, and its UN/LOCODE for trade and transport is ESERN. Its Geonames ID is 6358155, and its OpenStreetMap relation ID is 346459.

## Why It Matters
Errenteria represents a significant urban center within the Basque Country, a region with a distinct cultural and linguistic identity within Spain and Europe. Its long history, dating back to 1320, and its evolution from a smaller settlement to a city of nearly 40,000 people illustrate broader patterns of urbanization in the region. The municipality's commitment to bilingualism (Basque and Spanish) is a core aspect of Basque cultural preservation and policy. Administratively, its substantial budget and governance structure make it a key local economic and political actor in Gipuzkoa. Its network of international twinning relationships also positions it within a global framework of municipal cooperation.

## Notable For
*   **Historical Continuity:** Its inception is recorded in 1320, indicating a long-established settlement.
*   **Linguistic Duality:** It is officially bilingual in Basque (Euskara) and Spanish, reflecting the core identity of the Basque Country.
*   **Demographic Scale:** It is one of the larger municipalities in Gipuzkoa by population.
*   **Geographic Position:** It serves as a bordering municipality to the major city of San Sebastián and is located on the Oiartzun river.
*   **Multilingual Aliases:** It has numerous alternative names across different languages (e.g., Orereta, Эррентерия, Рентерия, 렌테리아).
*   **Cultural Nickname:** It is known by the nickname "gaileteroak."
*   **Political Representation:** It has been led by a mayor from the Basque nationalist political spectrum (Euskal Herria Bildu) since 2019.

## Body

### Geography and Location
Errenteria is a municipal community located in the Basque Country, an autonomous community in northern Spain. It is administratively part of the province of Gipuzkoa. The city's precise geographic coordinates are 43.3125271° N latitude and -1.8986133° W longitude. It covers a total area of 32.26 square kilometers and sits at an elevation of 12 meters above sea level. A key geographic feature is its location next to the Oiartzun river and body of water. It shares land borders with eight neighboring municipalities: San Sebastián, Pasaia, Lezo, Oiartzun, Goizueta, Arano, Hernani, and Astigarraga.

### Demographics
Errenteria's population has been systematically recorded for over a century. Census data shows a steady increase from 4,081 residents in 1900 to a peak of 41,163 in 1991. The population then slightly declined before stabilizing around 39,000-40,000 in the 2020s. The most recent official figure from the resident register (padrón) is 39,363 inhabitants as of December 31, 2025. This population is nearly evenly divided, with 19,094 male residents and 19,094 female residents recorded at the end of 2023. The demographic data is sourced from Spain's National Institute of Statistics (INE) via their official municipal register revisions.

### Administration and Governance
Errenteria is a municipality of Spain, classified as both a municipal community and a city. Its current head of government is the mayor, Aizpea Otaegi Mitxelena, who has held the office since 2019. She represents the political party Euskal Herria Bildu. The previous mayor from the same party served from 2011 to 2019. The municipal administration operates with an annual budget; the budget for the year 2023 was €63,000,000. The city's official postal code is 20100, and it uses the local dialing code 943. The primary official website is https://errenteria.eus, which provides information in both Spanish and Basque.

### History and Identity
The municipality's inception is recorded as the year 1320. Its official name is Errenteria, a designation formally established on June 10, 1998. The city is known by several aliases across different cultures and languages, including Orereta (a historical Basque name), Эррентерия (Russian), Рентерия (Russian), and 렌테리아 (Korean). The demonym for a person from Errenteria is "errenteriar" in Basque, with "oreretar" also used. The city carries the nickname "gaileteroak." Its patron saint is Mary Magdalene.

### Cultural and Linguistic Context
Errenteria exists within the Basque Country (Euskal Herria), a region with a strong cultural identity. This is reflected in its official language policy, recognizing both Basque (Euskara) and Spanish. The Basque demonym "errenteriar" has a recorded pronunciation audio file in Wikimedia Commons. The city's cultural significance is noted by its dedicated category in the Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana and its inclusion in the Library of Congress Authority File.

### International Relations and Classification
Errenteria participates in international municipal twinning programs. It has established twinning relationships with Schorndorf (Germany), Lousada (Portugal), Tulle (France), and two Spanish towns: Monroy and Fuentepelayo. In terms of administrative hierarchy, it is part of the larger Basque Country autonomous community and the province of Gipuzkoa. For statistical and logistical purposes, it holds the UN/LOCODE ESERN and the INE code 20067.

### Infrastructure and Identifiers
The city utilizes the Central European Time zone (UTC+01:00) in standard time and Central European Summer Time (UTC+02:00) during daylight saving. Its former Spanish licence plate code was "SS" until September 2000. Errenteria is cataloged in numerous global databases and thesauri, including Geonames (ID 6358155), the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names (ID 1062399), the Virtual International Authority File (VIAF ID 146557547), and the German National Library's GND ID (4392434-7). Its OpenStreetMap relation ID is 346459, and its MusicBrainz area ID is b93b176e-1d08-42ee-a12c-84d774d1f463.

### Representation in Knowledge Projects
Errenteria has a significant presence across various Wikimedia projects. Its Wikipedia article exists in over 40 languages, including Basque (eu), Spanish (es), English (en), and German (de). The city has a dedicated Commons category and a sitelink count of 49 across Wikipedias. It is also the subject of entries in the Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana and the Auñamendi Basque Encyclopedia (ID 48381). The Yale University "Lux" identifier for the place is place/caa73e9b-4a20-4245-ba1d-d2f79a1f0763.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Register of Local Entities
3. [Source](https://www.worlddata.info/europe/spain/timezones.php)
4. [Source](https://lingualibre.fr/wiki/Q214594)
5. OpenStreetMap
6. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
7. MusicBrainz
8. Municipal Register of Spain 2013
9. Municipal Register of Spain 2012
10. Municipal Register of Spain 2011
11. Municipal Register of Spain 2010
12. Municipal Register of Spain 2009
13. Municipal Register of Spain 2008
14. Municipal Register of Spain 2007
15. Municipal Register of Spain 2006
16. Municipal Register of Spain 2005
17. Municipal Register of Spain 2004
18. Municipal Register of Spain 2003
19. Municipal Register of Spain 2002
20. Municipal Register of Spain 2001
21. Municipal Register of Spain 2014
22. Municipal Register of Spain 2015
23. Municipal Register of Spain 2016
24. Municipal Register of Spain 2017
25. Municipal Register of Spain 2018
26. [Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero. National Statistics Institute](http://www.ine.es/dynt3/inebase/index.htm?padre=525)
27. Municipal Register of Spain 2019
28. Municipal Register of Spain 2020
29. Municipal Register of Spain of 2021
30. Municipal Register of Spain of 2022
31. Municipal Register of Spain of 2023
32. Municipal Register of Spain of 2024
33. Municipal Register of Spain of 2025
34. [Source](https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Datos.htm?t=3053)
35. [Source](https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Datos.htm?t=2873)
36. Euskaltzaindia
37. nicknames of the inhabitants of Gipuzkoa
38. [Source](https://www.ine.es/dynt3/inebase/es/index.htm?padre=517&capsel=525)
39. [Source](https://errenteria.eus/es/municipio/estadisticas/)
40. GeoNames
41. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/es.htm)
42. [Source](https://www.noticiasdegipuzkoa.eus/gipuzkoa/bertan/2022/11/18/errenteria-culminara-presupuesto-2023-plan-6243401.html#:~:text=El%20equipo%20de%20gobierno%20de,tambi%C3%A9n%20ha%20sido%20muy%20alto.)
43. Quora
44. Límites municipales, provinciales y autonómicos
45. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File