Catalonia is a country wich for centuries has possessed all of the characteristics of a nation differentiated from those surrounding it: its own territory, political institutions and public and private law; an official language, wich originated in the foothills on both sides of the Pyrenees and then spread to other countries with cultural affinities wich have in total over ten million inhabitants; an internationally acknowledged literature; a Mediterranean artistic culture and, above all, a national awareness shared by millions of citizens. The book you are now holding opens with a historical summary of the evolution of Catalonia's political institutions for self-government, wich have been lost and recovered at various times in its history. Without knowing about these origins and evolution, it is difficult to understand the country's present-day reality or the aspirations of the Catalan people in the 21st century. The Generalitat de Catalunya is the centuries-old name given to the series of political institutions that make it up today: Presidency, Parliament and Government. The present-day political autonomy is governed by the Statute of Autonomy of 1979, wich is now being revised and updated, particularly regarding the country's framework of powers and their funding. This book seeks to be a guide for getting to know how Catalonia's political institutions organise themselves; what are the fields in wich the Catalan Parliament legislates and the Executive Council rules, what human, financial and heritage resources exist, how the territory is structured, what other public administrations are taking part, and so on.