Garai, Biscay

Garai
Municipality
Overview of Garai
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Garai in Biscay.
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	País Vasco
Province	Biscay
Comarca	Durangaldea
Government
• Mayor	Gontzal Sarrigoitia (Herriko Taldea)
Area
• Total	7,12 km2 (275 sq mi)
Elevation	300 m (1,000 ft)
Population (2010)
• Total	323
• Density	0.45/km2 (1.2/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Garaitarra
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	48200

Garai (in Basque and officially, in Spanish Garay) is an elizate, town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country, Spain. Garai is part of the comarca of Durangaldea and has a population of 318 inhabitants as of 2009 according to the Spanish National Statistics Institute.

The complete name of the elizate was San Miguel de Garay, but the municipality was named just "Garay". The name may have two different origins; one due its geographical location, as Garai is located in the upper area of Durangaldea and garai is the Basque word for "upper" or "the upper part"; but also, the name might be related to the hórreos, very common in this area of Biscay and that have the Basque name of garaidxe. Then, San Miguel de Garay could be translated as "San Miguel of the upper part" of "San Miguel of the hórreos".

Traditionally, the name of the town has been written as "Garay", but according to the new orthographic rules of the Basque language, the correct spelling is "Garai". In the 1990s, the town hall changed the official denomination from Garay to Garai.

As happens with most of the elizates, the origin and date of foundation of the town is unknown. As a member of the ancient merindad of Durango, it had voice and right to vote in the Juntas of Guerendiaga, where it occupied the seat number six. The town was divided into two neighborhoods and it was focused on farming activities; production of corn, wheat, several sorts of vegetables, legumes, cherries, apples and chestnuts.