Alicante (province)
Encyclopedia
Alicante or Alacant (alaˈkant) is a province
of eastern Spain
, in the southern part of the Valencian Community
. It is bordered by the provinces of Murcia
on the southwest, Albacete
on the west, Valencia
on the north, and the Mediterranean Sea
on the east. The province is named after its capital, the city of Alicante
.
, and Valencia
), with 1,917,012 inhabitants. Cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants in the province are Alicante
(334,757 inhabitants), Elx/Elche (230,112), Torrevieja
(101,792), Orihuela
(86,164), Benidorm
(71,034), Alcoi (61,552), Elda
(55,168), and San Vicente del Raspeig
(53,126).
The province has the largest ratio of foreigner population among all Spanish provinces. The total of 446,368 foreigners are registered in the province, which represents 23.6 percent of the total population. Out of 141 municipalities that make up the province, foreign population is above 25% in 54 municipalities, and above 50% in 19 municipalities. The latter include San Fulgencio (80%), Rojales (74%), Benitatxell
(69.8%), Algorfa
(69.7%), Llíber (67%), Teulada
(65.5%), Daya Vieja
(64.4%); San Miguel de Salinas
(64.3%), Calp (62.8%), Els Poblets
(61.6%), Alcalalí
(60.8%), Benijófar
(58.5%), L'Alfàs del Pi
(56.6%), Orba
(55%), Xàbia
(54%), Torrevieja
(53.5%), Murla (52%), Fondó (51.7%), and Benidoleig
(50%).
From the 50 provinces of Spain, Alicante is the only one with three metropolitan area
s–Alicante-Elche, Elda-Petrer and Benidorm–even though only one of them (Alicante-Elche) is ranked within the Spanish top ten metropolitan areas. It has an area of 5.816,5 km², and so it has a population density of 313.8 hab/km².
area; the most elevated points in the province are Aitana (1,558 m), Puig Campana (1,410 m), Montcabrer (1,389 m), Carrascar d'Alcoi (1,354 m), Maigmó (1,296 m), Serra de Crevillent (835 m) and El Montgó (753 m). All of these peaks are a part of the Subbaetic Range
.
The coast extends from the cape, Cap de la Nau
, in the north to almost reaching the Mar Menor
(Minor Sea) in the south. With regard to water sources, due to the dry rain regime there are no major rivers, but mostly ramblas (dry rivers which fill in with water when torrential rains occur).
The only remarkable streams are the Vinalopó
, Serpis
, and, especially, the river Segura
. Other minor seasonal creeks (some completely dried out in summer) are Girona, Algar, Amadòrio and Ebo.
There are remarkable saline wetlands and marshlands along the coast such El Fondo and the former wetlands and now salt evaporation pond
s in Santa Pola and Torrevieja. All of them are key Ramsar Site
s which make the Alicante province of high relevance for both migratory and resident seabirds and waterbirds.
Important coastal dunes are present in the Guardamar
area which were planted with thousands of pine trees during the 19th century in order to protect the ville from the dunes advancing, which has created now an area of remarkable ecologic value.
The climate is strikingly diverse for such a reduced area. Three major areas can be cited
The predominant vegetation in this part of the province is Matorral
Scrublands including thyme
, esparto
, juniper
and the like.
The vegetation of this part is an enriched version of the Matorral shrubland and also Mediterranean pine woods.
The main industries in Alicante Province are, in the primary sector, intensive agriculture, specially in the fertile Vega Baja del Segura, Camp d'Elx (Elche's countryside) and vineyards in the inner part of the province (Monforte, Novelda, Pinós), also near the coast in the Marina Alta area. Fishing is important all along the coast, with important fishing harbours such as Santa Pola, Calp or Denia.
Industry has been historically important in the textile sector around Alcoy. Footwear still remains as the flagship industrial sector of the province, which occurs in Elche, Elda, Petrer and Villena, both labour intensive footwear and, specially, textile are at a low ebb due to harsh competition from fast pace growing economies in Asia. The traditionally important toys industry around the Ibi and Onil area is another one competing internationally with those same areas.
A sector which has gained preeminence during the last 20 years is marble quarrying and processing, it happens mostly in the Novelda and Pinós area.
Still, what the province is known for is its massive tourism sector. The Costa Blanca
generally mild and sunny weather attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from other European countries such as the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, Belgium, Norway or France and also from other parts in Spain like Madrid. Thousands of families from other places own a second home in the Alicante Province which they use for their vacation time.
s or comarques (in Valencian
):
were the oldest documented people living in what today is the Alicante Province. Belonging to these there are several archaeologic sites from which is specially known the one in La Serreta (near Alcoy) because the longest inscriptions remaining in the undeciphered Iberian language
were found there.
Along the coast and contemporarily to the Iberians, the seafaring Phoenicians (in Guardamar) and Greeks
(along the coastal section to the north of the Alicante city) settled stable trading colonies and interacted with the former (see Lady of Elche for the most renowned archeological piece of this period).
After a brief Carthaginian period, the Romans
took over. Romanization in this part of Iberia was intense, the Via Augusta
communicated this part of the Empire to the metropoli and so several cities thrived, from which the one known as Ilici Augusta (now Elche) even reached the status of colonia
.
After a brief period of Visigothic ruling, the area was taken by Islamic armies and became a part of Al Andalus.
From the 13th century, kings like Ferdinand III of Castile
, James I of Aragon
, Alfonso X of Castile
, James II of Aragon
reconquered
the cities that Moors
occupied. What today is the Alicante Province was initially split between the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon
by means of the Treaty of Almizra
, however later on the whole territory became under the control of the Kingdom of Valencia
, which was a component Kingdom of the Crown of Aragon.
Alicante contributes with 12 deputies in the Spanish Parliament and with 36 deputies in the Corts Valencianes
, the regional Parliament of the Valencian Community
.
Provinces of Spain
Spain and its autonomous communities are divided into fifty provinces .In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian , sing. província.*Galician , sing. provincia.*Basque |Galicia]] — are not also the capitals of provinces...
of eastern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, in the southern part of the Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
. It is bordered by the provinces of Murcia
Region of Murcia
The Region of Murcia is an autonomous community of Spain located in the southeast of the country, between Andalusia and Valencian Community, on the Mediterranean coast....
on the southwest, Albacete
Albacete (province)
Albacete is a province of central Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. It is bordered by the provinces of Granada, Murcia, Alicante, Valencia, Cuenca, Ciudad Real and Jaén....
on the west, Valencia
Valencia (province)
Valencia or València is a province of Spain, in the central part of the Valencian Community.It is bordered by the provinces of Alicante, Albacete, Cuenca, Teruel, Castellón, and the Mediterranean Sea...
on the north, and the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
on the east. The province is named after its capital, the city of Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
.
Territory, population, and resources
According to the 2009 population data, Alicante ranks as the 4th most populous province in Spain (after Madrid, BarcelonaBarcelona (province)
Barcelona is a province of eastern Spain, in the center of the autonomous community of Catalonia.-Overview:It is bordered by the provinces of Tarragona, Lleida, and Girona, and by the Mediterranean Sea....
, and Valencia
Valencia (province)
Valencia or València is a province of Spain, in the central part of the Valencian Community.It is bordered by the provinces of Alicante, Albacete, Cuenca, Teruel, Castellón, and the Mediterranean Sea...
), with 1,917,012 inhabitants. Cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants in the province are Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
(334,757 inhabitants), Elx/Elche (230,112), Torrevieja
Torrevieja
Torrevieja is a seaside city and municipality located on the Costa Blanca in the province of Alicante, in south-eastern Spain.Torrevieja lies about 30 miles south of the city of Alicante and has a population of 104,000...
(101,792), Orihuela
Orihuela
Orihuela is a city and municipality located at the feet of the Sierra de Orihuela mountains in the province of Alicante, Spain. The city of Orihuela had a population of 32,472 inhabitants in the beginning of 2006...
(86,164), Benidorm
Benidorm
Benidorm is a coastal town and municipality located in the comarca of Marina Baixa, in the province of Alicante, Valencian community, Spain, by the Western Mediterranean....
(71,034), Alcoi (61,552), Elda
Elda
Elda is a city located in the province of Alicante, Spain. , it has a total population of 55,618 inhabitants, ranking as the 7th most populous city in the province. Elda joins together with the town of Petrer to form a conurbation with over 85,000 inhabitants...
(55,168), and San Vicente del Raspeig
San Vicente del Raspeig
San Vicente del Raspeig or Sant Vicent del Raspeig is a municipality located in the comarca of Alacantí, in the province of Alicante, Spain, inside the conurbation of Alicante city ....
(53,126).
The province has the largest ratio of foreigner population among all Spanish provinces. The total of 446,368 foreigners are registered in the province, which represents 23.6 percent of the total population. Out of 141 municipalities that make up the province, foreign population is above 25% in 54 municipalities, and above 50% in 19 municipalities. The latter include San Fulgencio (80%), Rojales (74%), Benitatxell
Benitachell/El Poble Nou de Benitatxell
Benitachell or El Poble Nou de Benitatxell is a municipality in the comarca of Marina Alta in the Valencian Community, Spain....
(69.8%), Algorfa
Algorfa
Algorfa is a small town in the Costa Blanca area of Spain.Algorfa lies on the banks of the river Segura and is approximately 30 minutes' drive away from Alicante Airport and Murcia-San Javier Airport...
(69.7%), Llíber (67%), Teulada
Teulada, Spain
Teulada is a small coastal town on Spain's Costa Blanca, located 3 km north from Junction 63 of the A7 E-15 toll motorway on the N-332 coast road....
(65.5%), Daya Vieja
Daya Vieja
Daya Vieja is a municipality of the Valencian Community , situated in the south-east of the Province of Alicante, in the comarca of Vega Baja del Segura.-Geography:...
(64.4%); San Miguel de Salinas
San Miguel de Salinas
San Miguel de Salinas is a town and municipality in the Valencian Community , situated in the south of the province of Alicante; in the comarca of Vega Baja del Segura. In the 2006 census, the population was 7,104.-Location and Geography:...
(64.3%), Calp (62.8%), Els Poblets
Els Poblets
Els Poblets , also known as Setla, Mira-rosa i Miraflor, is a municipality in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is situated in the north of the province of Alicante. The population is 3,708 .- Geography :...
(61.6%), Alcalalí
Alcalalí
Alcalalí is a Valencian municipality in the comarca of Marina Alta, province of Alicante, Spain.It is situated in the Pop Valley between the Serra del Ferrer and the mounts of Segili...
(60.8%), Benijófar
Benijófar
Benijófar is a municipality in the comarca of Vega Baja del Segura in the Valencian Community, Spain....
(58.5%), L'Alfàs del Pi
L'Alfàs del Pi
L'Alfàs del Pi is a Valencian town and municipality located in the comarca of Marina Baixa, in the province of Alicante, Spain, lying at the foot of Serra de Bèrnia....
(56.6%), Orba
Orba, Alicante
Orba is a small town and municipality in the comarca of Marina Alta in the Valencian Community, Spain.It is situated in the River Gerona valley and is bordered by Pego to the north; Benidoleig and Ondara to the north-east; Jalón and Pedreguer to the east and Parcent and Alcalali to the south.The...
(55%), Xàbia
Xàbia
Xàbia is a coastal town located in the comarca of Marina Alta, in the province of Alicante, Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea. Situated behind a wide bay and sheltered between two rocky headlands, the town has become a very popular small seaside resort and market town.-Geography:Xàbia is situated in...
(54%), Torrevieja
Torrevieja
Torrevieja is a seaside city and municipality located on the Costa Blanca in the province of Alicante, in south-eastern Spain.Torrevieja lies about 30 miles south of the city of Alicante and has a population of 104,000...
(53.5%), Murla (52%), Fondó (51.7%), and Benidoleig
Benidoleig
Benidoleig is a municipality in the comarca of Marina Alta in the Valencian Community, Spain.Benidoleig is located in the Girona Valley of the Marina Alta area in Spain's Costa Blanca...
(50%).
From the 50 provinces of Spain, Alicante is the only one with three metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
s–Alicante-Elche, Elda-Petrer and Benidorm–even though only one of them (Alicante-Elche) is ranked within the Spanish top ten metropolitan areas. It has an area of 5.816,5 km², and so it has a population density of 313.8 hab/km².
Geography and climate
The province is mountainous, especially in the north and west, whereas it is mostly flat to the south, in the Vega Baja del SeguraVega Baja del Segura
Vega Baja del Segura is a comarca in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain.To the North its neighbouring comarcas are the Baix Vinalopó and Vinalopó Mitjà...
area; the most elevated points in the province are Aitana (1,558 m), Puig Campana (1,410 m), Montcabrer (1,389 m), Carrascar d'Alcoi (1,354 m), Maigmó (1,296 m), Serra de Crevillent (835 m) and El Montgó (753 m). All of these peaks are a part of the Subbaetic Range
Baetic Cordillera
The Baetic System is the main system of mountain ranges in Spain. Located in southern and eastern Spain, it is also known as the Baetic Cordillera, Baetic Ranges or Baetic Mountains...
.
The coast extends from the cape, Cap de la Nau
Cap de la Nau
The Cap de la Nau or Cabo de la Nao , literally “Cape of the Ship,” is a headland located central-eastern coastal Spain on the Gulf of Valencia, Mediterranean Sea...
, in the north to almost reaching the Mar Menor
Mar Menor
Mar Menor is a salty lagoon, in the south-east of the autonomous Community of Murcia, in Spain, separated from the Mediterranean sea by La Manga, a sandbar 22km in length and with a variable width from 100 to 1200m....
(Minor Sea) in the south. With regard to water sources, due to the dry rain regime there are no major rivers, but mostly ramblas (dry rivers which fill in with water when torrential rains occur).
The only remarkable streams are the Vinalopó
Vinalopó
The Vinalopó is a small river flowing through the Alicante province, of Spain. It flows from north to south and, with a length of 81 km., it is the longest of the rivers which flows for its entire length within the limits of this province...
, Serpis
Serpis
The Serpis is a short coastal river in the provinces of Alicante and Valencia, in Spain.The river starts at the feet of the Carrasqueta, a mountain area southwest to Alcoi, by the confluence of the Polop and Troncal streams. In its initial part the Serpis is intermittent. Near Alcoi it joins with...
, and, especially, the river Segura
Segura
Segura is a medium-sized river in southeastern Spain.It starts at Santiago Pontones , passes Calasparra, Cieza, Murcia, Beniaján, Orihuela, Rojales and ends in the Mediterranean Sea near Guardamar del Segura in the province of Alicante...
. Other minor seasonal creeks (some completely dried out in summer) are Girona, Algar, Amadòrio and Ebo.
There are remarkable saline wetlands and marshlands along the coast such El Fondo and the former wetlands and now salt evaporation pond
Salt evaporation pond
Salt evaporation ponds, also called salterns or salt pans, are shallow artificial ponds designed to produce salts from sea water or other brines. The seawater or brine is fed into large ponds and water is drawn out through natural evaporation which allows the salt to be subsequently harvested...
s in Santa Pola and Torrevieja. All of them are key Ramsar Site
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
s which make the Alicante province of high relevance for both migratory and resident seabirds and waterbirds.
Important coastal dunes are present in the Guardamar
Guardamar del Segura
Guardamar del Segura or briefly Guardamar is a municipality of the province of Alicante located at the mouth of the river Segura in southern Valencia , Spain...
area which were planted with thousands of pine trees during the 19th century in order to protect the ville from the dunes advancing, which has created now an area of remarkable ecologic value.
The climate is strikingly diverse for such a reduced area. Three major areas can be cited
- Most of the province belongs to a Semi-arid climate. It roughly goes along the coastal plain from La Vila JoiosaLa Vila JoiosaVillajoyosa or La Vila Joiosa is a coastal town and municipality in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea....
through the southernmost border (cities included here are, amongst others, Alicante, Elx/Elche, Orihuela and Torrevieja). Summers are very long, hot to very hot and very dry, winters are cool to mild and its most prominent feature is very scarce precipitation, typically below 300mm. per year and most likely to happen during spring and autumn. The reasons for this lack of precipitation is mostly the marked rain shadowRain shadowA rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them. As shown by the diagram to the right, the warm moist air is "pulled" by the prevailing winds over a mountain...
effect caused by hills to the west of the Alicante Province (and, to a lesser degree, those in the northern part of the province which, in turn, enhance the inverse Orographic lift effect around Cap de la Nau). Most of its few rainy days happen during Autumn and Spring.
The predominant vegetation in this part of the province is Matorral
Matorral
Matorral is a Spanish word, along with tomillares, for shrubland, thicket or bushes. It is used in naming and describing a Mediterranean climate ecosystem in Southern Europe.-Mediterranean region:...
Scrublands including thyme
Thyme
Thyme is a culinary and medicinal herb of the genus Thymus.-History:Ancient Egyptians used thyme for embalming. The ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing it was a source of courage...
, esparto
Esparto
Esparto, or esparto grass, also known as "halfah grass" or "needle grass", Macrochloa tenacissima and Stipa tenacissima, is a perennial grass grown in northwest Africa and the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula employed for crafts .-Esparto paper:It is also used for fiber production for paper...
, juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
and the like.
- Proper Mediterranean climateMediterranean climateA Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
is present in the northeastern areas around Cap de la NauCap de la NauThe Cap de la Nau or Cabo de la Nao , literally “Cape of the Ship,” is a headland located central-eastern coastal Spain on the Gulf of Valencia, Mediterranean Sea...
, mostly to its North but also to its South, in diminishing grades until disappearing slightly north of Benidorm. It roughly goes along the coastal plain from the northern border of the province through the Benidorm area. The north slopes of the mountains in the Marina AltaMarina AltaMarina Alta is a comarca in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain.- Municipalities :*Adsubia*Alcalalí*Beniarbeig*Benidoleig*Benigembla*Benimeli*Benissa*Benitachell/El Poble Nou de Benitatxell*Calp*Castell de Castells*Dénia...
have a remarkably wetter microclimateMicroclimateA microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. The term may refer to areas as small as a few square feet or as large as many square miles...
which allows to accumulate an average of up to 900mm. due to the Orographic liftOrographic liftOrographic lift occurs when an air mass is forced from a low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain. As the air mass gains altitude it quickly cools down adiabatically, which can raise the relative humidity to 100% and create clouds and, under the right conditions,...
phenomenon with most of the precipitation occurring in Autumn and Spring. The precipitation in this area is an average four times the one of the semiarid South, with this big precipitation gap occurring in a matter of just 100 km.
The vegetation of this part is an enriched version of the Matorral shrubland and also Mediterranean pine woods.
- The Alicante Province also has a mostly dry Mediterranean to Continental Mediterranean climate. These are the innermost part of the province (for example Villena) and some closer to the sea but at a higher elevation (for example Alcoi). Here winters are cool to cold and a few days of snow are not unusual; summers are mild to hot and rains at about 500 mm average and slightly more evenly distributed through the year than in the previous mentioned areas. The innermost part of this domain is more quite dry while the mountainous part reach slightly higher precipitation figures which allow Kermes OakKermes OakQuercus coccifera, the Kermes Oak, is an oak in the Turkey oak section Quercus sect. Cerris. It is native to the western Mediterranean region and Northern African Maghreb, from Morocco and Portugal east to Libya and Greece.-Description:...
woods to thrive, such as the one in La Carrasqueta or in the Mariola range, both near Alcoi.
Economy
Industry has been historically important in the textile sector around Alcoy. Footwear still remains as the flagship industrial sector of the province, which occurs in Elche, Elda, Petrer and Villena, both labour intensive footwear and, specially, textile are at a low ebb due to harsh competition from fast pace growing economies in Asia. The traditionally important toys industry around the Ibi and Onil area is another one competing internationally with those same areas.
A sector which has gained preeminence during the last 20 years is marble quarrying and processing, it happens mostly in the Novelda and Pinós area.
Still, what the province is known for is its massive tourism sector. The Costa Blanca
Costa Blanca
Costa Blanca refers to the over 200 kilometres of coastline belonging to the province of Alicante in Spain. The name "Costa Blanca" was devised as a promotional name used by BEA when they launched their air service between London and Valencia in 1957. It has a well-developed tourism industry...
generally mild and sunny weather attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from other European countries such as the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, Belgium, Norway or France and also from other parts in Spain like Madrid. Thousands of families from other places own a second home in the Alicante Province which they use for their vacation time.
Traditional subdivisions
Traditionally, Alicante Province is divided into nine comarcaComarca
A comarca is a traditional region or local administrative division found in parts of Spain, Portugal, Panama, Nicaragua, and Brazil. The term is derived from the term marca, meaning a "march, mark", plus the prefix co- meaning "together, jointly".The comarca is known in Aragonese as redolada and...
s or comarques (in Valencian
Valencian
Valencian is the traditional and official name of the Catalan language in the Valencian Community. There are dialectical differences from standard Catalan, and under the Valencian Statute of Autonomy, the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua has been established as its regulator...
):
- ComtatComtatComtat is a comarca in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain.- Municipalities :*Agres*Alcosser de Planes*Alcoleja*Alfafara*Almudaina*L'Alqueria d'Asnar*Balones*Benasau*Beniarrés*Benilloba*Benillup*Benimarfull*Benimassot...
: 28,391 inhabitants (2009); its capital is CocentainaCocentainaCocentaina is a town located in the comarca of Comtat, in the province of Alicante, Spain. The city is located between the mountainous Serra de Mariola national park and the Serpis river.The economy of Cocentaina is chiefly based on the textile industry....
; textile industry and agriculture. - AlcoiàAlcoiàAlcoià is a comarca in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain.- Municipalities :*Alcoy/Alcoi*Banyeres de Mariola*Benifallim*Castalla*Ibi*Onil*Penàguila*Tibi...
: It is subdivided into two clearly differentiated subcomarcas:- Valls d'Alcoi: 69,224 inhabitants; its capital is Alcoy; olive trees and textile industry; Moros y CristianosMoros y cristianosMoros y Cristianos or Moros i Cristians literally in English Moors and Christians, is a set of festival activities which are celebrated in many towns and cities of Spain, mainly in the southern Valencian Community; according to popular tradition the festivals commemorate the battles, combats and...
festivals. - La Foia de Castalla or Hoya de Castalla: 43,930 inhabitants; its capital is CastallaCastallaCastalla is a town located in the comarca of L'Alcoià, in the province of Alicante, Spain. Castalla is located in a mountainous area, 35 km from Alicante....
; its most populous city is Ibi; industry of toys.
- Valls d'Alcoi: 69,224 inhabitants; its capital is Alcoy; olive trees and textile industry; Moros y Cristianos
- Marina AltaMarina AltaMarina Alta is a comarca in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain.- Municipalities :*Adsubia*Alcalalí*Beniarbeig*Benidoleig*Benigembla*Benimeli*Benissa*Benitachell/El Poble Nou de Benitatxell*Calp*Castell de Castells*Dénia...
: 199,273 inhabitants; its capital is DéniaDéniaDénia is a city in the province of Alicante, Spain, on the Costa Blanca halfway between Alicante and Valencia, the judicial seat of the comarca of Marina Alta...
; it is the most rainy comarca; tourism. - Marina BaixaMarina BaixaMarina Baixa is a comarca in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is bordered by the comarques of Comtat on the northwest, Marina Alta on the northeast, Alacantí and Alcoià on the west and the Mediterranean Sea on the east....
or Marina Baja: 191,388 inhabitants; its capital is BenidormBenidormBenidorm is a coastal town and municipality located in the comarca of Marina Baixa, in the province of Alicante, Valencian community, Spain, by the Western Mediterranean....
; eminently tourist; beautiful beaches and mountains. - Alto VinalopóAlto VinalopóAlto Vinalopó is a comarca in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain.-Municipalities:*Beneixama*Biar*El Camp de Mirra*Cañada*Salinas*Sax*Villena-References:...
or Alt Vinalopó: 54,061 inhabitants; its capital is VillenaVillenaVillena is a city in Spain, in the Valencian Community. It is located at the northwest part of Alicante, and borders to the west with Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia, to the north with the province of Valencia and to the east and south with the province of Alicante. It is the capital of the comarca...
; agriculture and footwear; Moros y CristianosMoros y cristianosMoros y Cristianos or Moros i Cristians literally in English Moors and Christians, is a set of festival activities which are celebrated in many towns and cities of Spain, mainly in the southern Valencian Community; according to popular tradition the festivals commemorate the battles, combats and...
festivals. - Vinalopó MitjàVinalopó MitjàVinalopó Mitjà is a comarca in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain.-Municipalities:*Algueña*Aspe*Elda*El Fondó de les Neus*Hondón de los Frailes*Monforte del Cid*Monóvar/Monòver*Novelda*Petrer*Pinoso*La Romana...
or Vinalopó Medio: 173,324 inhabitants; its capital is EldaEldaElda is a city located in the province of Alicante, Spain. , it has a total population of 55,618 inhabitants, ranking as the 7th most populous city in the province. Elda joins together with the town of Petrer to form a conurbation with over 85,000 inhabitants...
; footwear industry, marbleMarbleMarble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
, wines and grapeGrapeA grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s. - Baix VinalopóBaix VinalopóThe Baix Vinalopó is a comarca in the province of Alicante . It is bordered by the comarques of Vinalopó Mitjà and Alacantí on the north and Vega Baja del Segura on the south. Its capital is the city of Elx/Elche, with a population of some 230,000 people live...
or Bajo Vinalopó: 290,481 inhabitants; its capital is Elche; agriculture, footwear and carpet industry, tourism; Misteri d'Elx festival and services with Alicante AirportAlicante AirportAlicante Airport , , originally named El Altet, is the sixth busiest airport in Spain, and the main airport for the Province of Alicante and the Region of Murcia. The airport is situated southwest of Alicante and east of Elche in the municipality of Elche on Mediterranean coast. Up to eighty...
in municipality of Elche. - L'AlacantíAlacantíAlacantí is a comarca in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is bordered by the comarques of Marina Baixa and Alcoià to the north and Baix Vinalopó to the south....
: 476,123 inhabitants; its capital is AlicanteAlicanteAlicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
; services and tourism; highly urbanised comarca; Bonfires of Saint JohnBonfires of Saint JohnBonfires of Saint John is a popular festival celebrated around 24 June Saint John's day throughout many cities and towns in Spain; however, the largest is in Alicante, where it is considered the most important festival in the city...
festival. - Vega Baja del SeguraVega Baja del SeguraVega Baja del Segura is a comarca in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain.To the North its neighbouring comarcas are the Baix Vinalopó and Vinalopó Mitjà...
or Baix Segura: 390,817 inhabitants; its capital is OrihuelaOrihuelaOrihuela is a city and municipality located at the feet of the Sierra de Orihuela mountains in the province of Alicante, Spain. The city of Orihuela had a population of 32,472 inhabitants in the beginning of 2006...
; its most populous city is TorreviejaTorreviejaTorrevieja is a seaside city and municipality located on the Costa Blanca in the province of Alicante, in south-eastern Spain.Torrevieja lies about 30 miles south of the city of Alicante and has a population of 104,000...
; agriculture and tourism.
History and politics
The IberiansIberians
The Iberians were a set of peoples that Greek and Roman sources identified with that name in the eastern and southern coasts of the Iberian peninsula at least from the 6th century BC...
were the oldest documented people living in what today is the Alicante Province. Belonging to these there are several archaeologic sites from which is specially known the one in La Serreta (near Alcoy) because the longest inscriptions remaining in the undeciphered Iberian language
Iberian language
The Iberian language was the language of a people identified by Greek and Roman sources who lived in the eastern and southeastern regions of the Iberian peninsula. The ancient Iberians can be identified as a rather nebulous local culture between the 7th and 1st century BC...
were found there.
Along the coast and contemporarily to the Iberians, the seafaring Phoenicians (in Guardamar) and Greeks
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
(along the coastal section to the north of the Alicante city) settled stable trading colonies and interacted with the former (see Lady of Elche for the most renowned archeological piece of this period).
After a brief Carthaginian period, the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
took over. Romanization in this part of Iberia was intense, the Via Augusta
Via Augusta
Via Augusta was a Roman road crossing all the Hispania Province, from Cádiz in the southern tip of current Spain, to the Coll de Panissars, where it crossed the Pyrenees close to the Mediterranean Sea, and joined the Via Domitia...
communicated this part of the Empire to the metropoli and so several cities thrived, from which the one known as Ilici Augusta (now Elche) even reached the status of colonia
Colonia (Roman)
A Roman colonia was originally a Roman outpost established in conquered territory to secure it. Eventually, however, the term came to denote the highest status of Roman city.-History:...
.
After a brief period of Visigothic ruling, the area was taken by Islamic armies and became a part of Al Andalus.
From the 13th century, kings like Ferdinand III of Castile
Ferdinand III of Castile
Saint Ferdinand III, T.O.S.F., was the King of Castile from 1217 and León from 1230. He was the son of Alfonso IX of León and Berenguela of Castile. Through his second marriage he was also Count of Aumale. He finished the work done by his maternal grandfather Alfonso VIII and consolidated the...
, James I of Aragon
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror was the King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276...
, Alfonso X of Castile
Alfonso X of Castile
Alfonso X was a Castilian monarch who ruled as the King of Castile, León and Galicia from 1252 until his death...
, James II of Aragon
James II of Aragon
James II , called the Just was the King of Sicily from 1285 to 1296 and King of Aragon and Valencia and Count of Barcelona from 1291 to 1327. In 1297 he was granted the Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica...
reconquered
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
the cities that Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
occupied. What today is the Alicante Province was initially split between the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
by means of the Treaty of Almizra
Treaty of Almizra
The Treaty of Almizra was the third of a series of three treaties between the Crowns of Aragon and Castile meant to determine the limits of their expansion into Andalusia so as to prevent squabbling between the Christian princes. Specifically, it defined the borders of the Kingdom of Valencia...
, however later on the whole territory became under the control of the Kingdom of Valencia
Kingdom of Valencia
The Kingdom of Valencia , located in the eastern shore of the Iberian Peninsula, was one of the component realms of the Crown of Aragon. When the Crown of Aragon merged by dynastic union with the Crown of Castile to form the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Valencia became a component realm of the...
, which was a component Kingdom of the Crown of Aragon.
Alicante contributes with 12 deputies in the Spanish Parliament and with 36 deputies in the Corts Valencianes
Corts Valencianes
The Corts Valencianes are the main legislative body of the Generalitat Valenciana and therefore of the Valencian Community. The main location of the Corts is in the Palace of Benicarló in Valencia; however it can meet at any location in Valencian territory. The Corts has its origins in bodies...
, the regional Parliament of the Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
.
See also
- List of municipalities in Alicante
- Alicante (Spanish Congress Electoral District)Alicante (Spanish Congress Electoral District)Alicante is one of the 52 electoral districts used for the Spanish Congress of Deputies - the lower chamber of the Spanish Parliament, the Cortes Generales. It was first contested in modern times in the 1977 General Election. It is the fifth largest district in terms of electorate after Madrid,...
- Suma Gestión Tributaria (Alicante Administration Body)Suma Gestión TributariaSuma Gestión Tributaria is a 100% public provincial agency set up by the Provincial Council of Alicante in 1990. It specializes in tax administration: assessment, billing, collection and enforcement...