Calvià
Encyclopedia
Calvià is a municipality
on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish
autonomous community
of the Balearic Islands
. It is located in the southwestern part of the island of Majorca, between the Serra de Tramuntana
and the Serra de Na Burguesa
. The municipal seat is the town of Vila Calvia.
Calvià has an approximate area of 145 km² (56 sq mi). It is bordered on the north by the municipalities of Puigpunyent and Estellencs
, Palma de Mallorca (Palma), the island's capital to the east, Andratx
to the west and to the south by the Mediterranean Sea
.
According to the 2008 census, the municipality had a population of 50,777 inhabitants, of whom 18,046 were foreigners. Today, it is the second most populated area of the entire archipelago Balearic after Palma, and also an area that has the largest number of tourists in the islands. Its population is scattered around the different urban centers created as a result of tourism development and twentieth century urbanization.
The historical epic that marked the most important local culture and traditions regarding the rest of Mallorca is the landing in Santa Ponsa on September 10, 1229 of King James II of Aragon
, and the subsequent conquering of Muslims who had arrived in the year 903. Since 1248, Calvià has had its own parochial church, Sante Ihoannes Caviano. Despite the popularity and use of the official shield locally, the municipality has no flag.
, Calviá (with an acute accent) is used.
Officially, the adjective to refer to inhabitants of Calvià is calvienses or calvieros. However, more widespread use in both Catalan
and in its Castilian translation is calvianero/a. This is used by agencies such as the Institut Calvianer d'Esports del Ajuntament de Calvià and the Asociación Calvianera.
, capped by a crown. The coat of arms was approved on June 25, 1976 emblazoned with De azur y el cordero de plata que empuña en su mano derecha una bandera de aquel metal, cargada con cruz de gules. Al timbre corona real, cerrada..
, where they sought metals. They came from Italy, from other Mediterranean islands, and from the Near East
, and constructed small settlements along the coast. Historians call this period the "Cave Culture", because caves were frequently used as habitations and burial areas. Some vestiges of this area have been catalogued in an archaeological excavation called the Puig de sa Morisca Archaeological Park
, which conserves remains of what was a talaiot
9 metres (29.5 ft) in diameter. It is located on a small mountainous elevation in Calvià's Santa Ponsa
district.
The Roman era lasted from 123 BCE until the 4th century CE, but left no significant vestiges. Among the few archaeological remnants of this era are the remains of a Roman villa
in Santa Ponsa known as Sa Mesquida, which has an oven
that was used to make ceramics, the horse-shoe shaped Naveta Alemany and the Turó de Ses Abelles.
In 425, the area was invaded by the Vandals
, who ended up settling. Lack of remains or written record means little is known about this area other than the decline that began with the destruction of Pollença
. The Byzantine general Flavius Belisarius ordered the conquest of the archipelago in 534, bringing an end to this era.
The first Muslim arrivals were in 707. They quickly ended the Byzantine domination and established their own hegemony. Until 903, the island was part of the Umayyad Caliphate.
. The city of Palma passed from the Almoravids to the Almohads, eventually becoming part of one of the taifa
s. Calviá was part of the administrative division Juz' d' Ahwaz al-Madina.
In 1229, after the Conquest of Mallorca by King James I of Aragon
, colonists brought the Catalan language
and culture, which survive to the present time. In the division of the conquered territory, Calvià formed part of the medietas magnatum that the king granted to nobles Guillem de Montcada, Hugo de Ampurias, Nuño Sánchez
and Berenguer de Palou, all of whom had participated in the conquest. Calvià in particular was granted to Berenguer de Palou, Bishop of Barcelona, becoming part of the Barony of the Bishops of Barcelona. There were many tensions among the conquering nobles who were granted various feudal
rights; these were resolved through a pariatge or condominium
under which feudal rights were shared. Therefore, the surroundings of the municipality are also known as the comarca
of the Pariatge. Ultimately, though, the rights accrued to the Bishopric, which held them until 1834 when the Spanish Church lost many of its feudal properties.
The conquerors came, in various proportions from a variety of places. Thus, and according to the Llibre del Repartiment ("Book of Distribution"), the conquered lands were distributed among people from Catalonia (39.71%), Occitania
(24.26%), Italy
(16.19%), Aragon
(7.35%), Navarra (5.88%), France
(4.42%), Castile
(1.47%) and Flanders
(0.73%). Owing to the extermination or expulsion of the greater part of the prior local populace, there were not enough laborers to cultivate the land. In 1230 a set of privileges called the Franquezas de Mallorca were granted in order to attract new settlers to cultivate the countryside. Most of these new settlers of Mallorca came from Catalonia, more specifically the northeast and, within the east, from Ampurdán. As a result, the dialect spoken today (Mallorquí) is an eastern Catalan dialect.
Since 1248, Calvià has had its own parish
church, Sante Ihoannes Caviano, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist
. In 1285, during the reign of James II of Aragon
, second son of James I, it gained the status of a villa. This meant it would have its own mayor, named by the king or governor. The mayor would execute orders from higher levels of government and would also maintain public order and administer justice. Nonetheless, he did not have the power to administer the villa, which fell within the purview of the jurados de prohombre, (a medieval office that was essentially a district overseer).
In the Middle Ages, various watchtowers were built to defend against Mediterranean piracy.
To sustain the parish and its clerics, the king and the tenured landowners
of the jurisdiction ceded one fourth of the diezmo
s paid to them by those who cultivated the land. This was, in turn, divided into four parts, three of which were granted to the rector of the parish and the fourth to the parish priest
or vicar
.
James II of Majorca
reigned over the islands for more than two decades and made great efforts to guarantee the viability of his kingdom. He undertook a broad policy of agrarian colonization, with the creation of rural nuclei; increased the royal revenue; favored the creation of consulates in North Africa
and in the kingdom of Granada
; created a new monetary system for the kingdom; promoted the creation of textile industries; increased royal power relative to that of the nobility and Church; and promoted the construction of palaces and castles such as the Royal Palace of La Almudaina
, the La Seu
Cathedral in Palma, and the Bellver Castle
. The opening of the trials of the Knights Templar
and the later suppression of the order allowed the Crown to take over their revenues in the islands.
The health system consisted mainly of physicians of Jewish
origins, so-called Xueta
s, descendants of Mallorcan Jews who had converted to Christianity
, but continued to form a largely endogamous
community. The nearest hospital to Calvià was in Sant Elm, founded in 1303 by Jaime II. Fundamentally it was dedicated to merchants and sailors of the ships that were heading from Palma to Barcelona
. They also used it as a refuge in bad weather.
Agriculture was based on latifundia—large estates—from the 14th century into the 20th. Most of the land was owned by a small number of nobles. In 1863, continuing a longstanding pattern 66.3% of the land was owned by four proprietors. At a slightly earlier date, Pedro Caro, 3rd Marquis of la Romana owned 2516 hectares (6,217.2 acre), including all of Bendinat
, Paguera, as well as an additional 990 hectares (2,446.3 acre) in the municipality of Andraitx. The Marquis of Bellpuig owned 4376 hectares (10,813.3 acre) in Santa Ponsa, the largest latifundium in Mallorca at the beginning of the 19th century. On the other hand, there was a small group of peasants known as els roters, to whom the nobility had ceded land near the sea. These roters cultivated cereals, and lived in miserable conditions.
In the 16th century, Calvià itself largely escaped the plague that decimated the population elsewhere, although other nearby municipalities such as Andraitx suffered the scourge of the epidemic. Still, the population suffered other epidemics associated with the era and their way of life, particularly malaria
which only a few escaped, such as the priest or the few artisans who did not work in Ses Rotes. The daily wage of a farm laborer was between four and six sous (a dozen eggs cost one-and-a-half sous). In that era there were also Arab slaves
, although not in the maritime zones, where they were seen as liable to escape or to collaborate with pirates. In the 18th century a severe drought and bad cereal harvest led to a long period of famine
. On 28 November 1715, Philip V of Spain
abolished the fuero
s and privileges of the Balearics, as the Nueva Planta decrees
extended the administrative organization of the Kingdom of Castile
, prohibited the Catalan language, and required the use of Castilian Spanish
in the islands. In 1748 the wretchedness of the municipality had become so severe that chronicler Pere Xamena Fiol described it as follows:
The economic system rooted in latifundia underlay the Caciquism that made moot the theoretically democratic Spanish constitutions the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century. In Restoration Spain
the power of the dominant classes remained intact. Both major political parties of the time, the Conservative Party led by Canovas del Castillo and the Liberal Party led by Sagasta
relied on a system where day laborers and smallholders beholden to the caciques and voted accordingly, producing an orderly alternation of the two parties in power, the turno pacífico
. In the late 19th century, hunger and poverty sparked emigration to the Americas, especially to Cuba
and Argentina
, as well as to France
and Algeria
.
Calviá at this time lacked industrial establishments, other than the manufacture of cement
and plaster
. The system of latifundia was largely an impoverished agrarian autarky
. In 1923 the Federació Obrera Calvianera ("Federation of Calvian Workers") was founded as a member of the socialist Unión General de Trabajadores
, followed by the Unió Agrària de Calvià (Calvian Agrarian Union) and La Fraternal. On 30 September 1923, Spain's socialist party, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
, inaugurated a Casa del pueblo
(a cultural and service center), which represented an investment of half a million Spanish peseta
s. The labor movement and socialism
played and important part in politics during the Second Spanish Republic
, but were squashed during the Spanish Civil War
.
service from Barcelona to Palma began in 1838. This made travel to Mallorca easier for travelers from the Iberian peninsula and beyond. Some came to visit the municipality's coves and beaches. At this time Mallorca drew visitors who were motivated by the desire for adventure, an interest in exploring a different world and society than the one they knew, but also those who came to the island for therapeutic reasons. Among this last group was the composer Frédéric Chopin
. Works published by travelers, learned people, artists and geographer
s increasingly promoted Mallorca as a preferred destination.
In 1962, Calvià had four butcher shops, three bakeries, a dairy, ten grocery shops, three cafés, two haberdasher's, five carpenter's shops, two blacksmiths, a bicycle shop, and one bus line. Its scant industry consisted of five master masons, various concerns in shipping and transport, two cement and plaster factories, a trader in nuts and dried fruit, a machine for shucking almond
s, a flour mill, a carob crusher, a wood dealer, and an oil press.
The first urban nuclei in the municipality began development in 1920, built on failed agricultural land sold well below its potential value. By 1960, changes in ownership had been so fundamental as to facilitate immediate development. Three quarters of the coast was rapidly developed, including all of the most desirable areas. Through their real estate affiliates, some of the last large landowners, such as Miguel Nigorra Oliver, president of the Banco de Crédito Balear, came to control nearly all of the development of Santa Ponsa. By 1986, the municipality had 10,000 of the dwellings locally known as chalés ("chalet
s").
On 30 July 2009, around two in the afternoon, the Palmanova neighborhood suffered a bombing attack
by ETA
. Two members of the Civil Guard
were killed by a bomb placed under a patrol car outside their barracks; a second similar bomb was successfully discovered and defused.
Calvià is located in the western part of the island of Majorca, next to the Sierra de Tramontana, the main mountain of the Balearic Islands, and extends to the Sierra de Na Burguesa, a mountain located in Calvia. Calvia has an area of about 145.02 km ². Of a total of 14,372 hecatares, 81% is protected rural land, 18% is developed urban land and 1% are soils with low protection. It is bordered on the north by the municipality of Puigpunyent and Estellencs
, Palma de Mallorca
(Palma), the island's capital to the east, Andratx
to the west and to the south by the Mediterranean Sea
.
The highest point of the municipality is the Puig de Galatzó at 1026 m (3,366.1 ft) above sea level
. The second is 926 metres above sea level, the Mola del Esclop, an area which consists of many valleys and ravines, between the hills of Puig Batiat and Penya Blanca.
The peninsula on which the municipality is located is marked by the presence of wetlands to the east and west, at Magalluf, Palma Nova and Santa Ponsa, that lead to a narrowing similar to an isthmus
to the north.
The urban area has expanded around its coastline, becoming several villages on the main beaches. The coast extends from Cape Andritxol, until the area of Cas Català Ses Illetas. It is 54 km (33.6 mi) long and very rocky, but still has 34 beaches and coves. There is 35.5 kilometres of rocky shores, 4.5 kilometres of sandy beaches, 10 islets and 7,000 hecatres of coast, with a maximum depth of 5 m (16.4 ft). Islets include El Sec, Sa Porrassa, D'en Sales, Ses Illetes, D'estenedor and Sa Caleta. The most important though, ecologically, are the Malgrats and El Toro, having been designated as marine reserves and a special protection area for birds.
was one of the first tourist resorts to be built on the island within the grounds of an old farm called Ses Planes and began as a project intended to build a residential type Garden City, but due to the Spanish Civil War
, this idea was discarded. In 2009, it is considered one of the most important tourist areas of Majorca. It is bounded on the west by the busy town of Magalluf which contains the largest hotel and greatest infrastructural services of the municipality to accommodate the many tourists. Another of the localities, Santa Ponsa
, has historical significance as the place that James I of Aragon landed. The town of Portals Nous is also a renowned meeting point for businessmen, celebrities, high society figures and members of the Spanish Royal Family
during their summer stays in the Marivent Palace. Another of its main tourist areas is Paguera, where many residents spend their summer holidays, as well as a number of German tourists.. Similarly, the urbanized residential areas of El Toro, which has a marina and a small beach, and Son Ferrer, are of note.
The main mountain range is called Serra de Na Burguesa
, situated between Son Falconer and Son Vida en Palma. It is the southernmost range of the Serra de Tramuntana
. It was formerly known as Portopí or d'en Bou. It has an average height of 500 meters and is covered by large formations of Mediterranean pine forest and scrubland. The hills are composed of Triassic and Jurassic materials, mainly limestone
and dolomite
, with marl
and gypsum
present as well. The hills have a complex tectonic structure, forming a relief fold with many faults. The karst nature of the Tramontana causes numerous caves and sinkholes, etc.
The rest of the municipality is relatively flat, with broad valleys filled by quaternary and tertiary materials and small hills, with Mesozoic materials surfacing occasionally. This area contains a number of cavities divided between the area of Es Coll des Pastors and around the Puig Gros de Bendinat, Son Boronat, Benatiga Nou and Valldurgent. The depression of Puig Gros de Bendinat contains abundant Late Jurassic and Cretaceous sediments. Its coastline is composed of calcareous materials.
with an average annual temperature of 19 °C and an average annual rainfall of 410 mm (16.1 in). It is influenced by two types of atmospheric circulation manifested in two distinct seasons: a hot, dry summer with little pressure gradient and occasional rainfall, as opposed to a cool, wet winter. The coldest month is January, with 15.1 / 3.5 °C and the hottest is August, with 31.0 / 18.2 °C. Rainfall averages 51 days a year and there are approximately 2,756 hours of sunshine. The average temperature in the summer is 27 °C, and 14 °C in winter. The driest month is July, at an average of 7.8 l / m² , while the wettest is December with an average of 81.1 l / m². The area is sheltered from the wind Nordic Tramuntana by mountains that are over a thousand feet high.
The thermal variation of the water has a range of around 15 °C. During the winter, it drops down to about 13 °C. In the late spring, warming occurs, raising the temperature one degree each week. During the summer, a 25 cm deep water layer reaches temperatures above 25 °C.(something of a thermocline
).
s, narrow channels that bring the rainwater to the sea. Among these are the Torrente (ravine) des Gorg, which rises in Es Capdellà and enters the sea at Peguera. The Torrente Vial, rises on the outskirts of the village of Vial and runs to the Cala (cove) de Santa Ponsa; it receives the water of hundreds of smaller ravines, among which are the Barranco des Cobaix and the Barranco des Pas de la Mula. Among the longest is the Torrente de Galatzó, running 23 kilometres (14.3 mi) and draining a basin of 72 square kilometres (27.8 sq mi). It begins on the west slope of the Puig de Galatzó and reaches the sea at the Bay of Santa Ponsa (Santa Ponça).
s (low, soft-leaved scrubland), with pine
s as the dominant trees, although there has been some deforestation
in recent decades. Cultivable land amounts to about 32% of the municipality; the main crops are almond
s, carob (Ceratonia siliqua), olive
s and, to a lesser extent, fig
s. There is also still some farming of cereals and grains.
Because the area has a harsh climate with few natural resources, but is also densely populated by humans, there are relatively few populations of wild animals. The most notable zones for fauna are the rocky shore and the islands of Cala Figuera (Figuera Cove), such as El Toro, el islet of Refeubetx and the group of islets known as the Malgrats. This area has international recognition by the European Commission
as a Special Protection Area
for birds. In 2008, a diver in this reserve sighted and photographed a monk seal (Monachus monachus); it is believed that no more than 500 monk seals survive in the entire world. The Balearic government has studied the possibility of reintroducing monk seals to the islands.
Local native plant species include Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) and various pine species. There are over 1,000 animal species; notable among them are the seabirds Cory's Shearwater
(Calonectris diomedea, various cormorant
s (Phalacrocorax), the Common Swift
(Apus apus), and the Puffin
(Puffinus puffinus) as well as numerous reptiles, such as the endemic Lilford's Wall Lizard
(Podarcis lilfordi) found on several of the islets of the archipelago. The islets are also home to one of Spain's few colonies of Hermann's Tortoise (Testudo hermanni; other colonies are in Murcia
and Almería).
Although the vegetation on the cliffs is sparse, it merits special interest as a habitat for endemic plant species such as the perennial herb Hippocrepis balearica, and Dianthus alpinus
, whose Spanish-language names variously designate it as the "cliff carnation
", "forest carnation" or "Mediterranean carnation". The cliff also provides a habitat for birds, especially raptors
such as Eleonora's Falcon
(Falco eleonorae) and Osprey
(Pandion haliaetus) as well as the world's only remaining insular Cinereous Vultures (Black Vulture, Aegypius monachus). Also worthy of mention, if only for gastronomical reasons, are two species of snail
, Helix aspersa
and Helix pomatia
.
Among the fungi
, the autumn rains bring out the reproductive structures of the mushroom
s. Of particular note is Lactarius sangifluus, known locally as esclata-sang. This Lactarius
is much appreciated for its singular flavor, and figures prominently in the local cuisine.
The forest plants of the region can be divided into four groups:
—or their descendants, who reached the island in the early 1960s, or they are foreign immigrants. According to the 2008 census, the municipality has a population of 50,777 inhabitants, of whom 25,548 were males and 25,229 were women ( 50.31% versus 49.69%). The municipality has the second highest population in the Balearic Islands, second only to the capital, Palma de Mallorca
.
shows that:
This structure is typical of the modern demographic regime seen in much of Western Europe, with a population slowly aging as the birth rate
diminishes.
hotspots, with the localities of Magaluf
(3,865), Santa Ponsa
(8,188), El Toro
(2,002), Paguera (3,400), Illetas (3,286), Portals Nous
(2,395) and Palma Nova
(5,975). There are 14 beaches and 4 sport ports. The proximity of Palma with major road connections means that it can be take as little as 15 minutes to reach the city centre. With massive tourism, estimated at 1.6 million visits per year and with a resident population that itself includes many expatriates, it is impossible to evaluate municipal income or expenditure as it relates only to the residents. What one can say is that Calvià appears to be one of the wealthiest municipalities in Europe, based on per capita public investment. There is also a huge inflow of money into property from Britain, Germany, and increasingly, Russia.
In the early 1960s, Calvià began building a complete infrastructure
for massive tourism, such as rapid construction of hotels. Later, more touristic features were added which included four professional golf courses (Club de Golf Poniente, Golf Sta Ponça I, Golf Sta Ponça II, Golf Sta Ponça III and Golf Bendinat), water parks, a modern promenade called Paseig Calvià and the Gran Casino Mallorca located in Sol de Mallorca, about 10 minutes from Magaluf. The 2004 World Chess Olympiad
was held in Calvià.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish
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...
autonomous community
Autonomous communities of Spain
An autonomous community In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian .*Galician .*Basque . The second article of the constitution recognizes the rights of "nationalities and regions" to self-government and declares the "indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation".Political power in Spain is...
of the Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
. It is located in the southwestern part of the island of Majorca, between the Serra de Tramuntana
Serra de Tramuntana
The Serra de Tramuntana is a mountain range running southwest-northeast which forms the northern backbone of the Spanish island of Majorca. It is also the name given to the comarca of the same area...
and the Serra de Na Burguesa
Serra de Na Burguesa
Serra de Na Burguesa is a well-defined mountain on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is the southernmost portion of the Serra de Tramuntana range, terminating in the Mediterranean Sea at Bay of Palma. Na Burguesa is located approximately...
. The municipal seat is the town of Vila Calvia.
Calvià has an approximate area of 145 km² (56 sq mi). It is bordered on the north by the municipalities of Puigpunyent and Estellencs
Estellencs
Estellencs is a small municipality to the west of Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands, Spain.It lies between the Tramuntana mountain range, on the slopes of Mount Galatzo , and the Mediterranean sea.-External links:*...
, Palma de Mallorca (Palma), the island's capital to the east, Andratx
Andratx
Andratx is a municipality on Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands, along the Mediterranean east coast of Spain. It is located on the southwest tip of the island.-History:...
to the west and to the south by 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...
.
According to the 2008 census, the municipality had a population of 50,777 inhabitants, of whom 18,046 were foreigners. Today, it is the second most populated area of the entire archipelago Balearic after Palma, and also an area that has the largest number of tourists in the islands. Its population is scattered around the different urban centers created as a result of tourism development and twentieth century urbanization.
The historical epic that marked the most important local culture and traditions regarding the rest of Mallorca is the landing in Santa Ponsa on September 10, 1229 of King 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...
, and the subsequent conquering of Muslims who had arrived in the year 903. Since 1248, Calvià has had its own parochial church, Sante Ihoannes Caviano. Despite the popularity and use of the official shield locally, the municipality has no flag.
Toponymy
The origin of the place name is subject to conjecture but is believed to be from the patronymic Latin calvianum, derived from the personal name of Calvius. According to the philologist Antoni Maria Alcover, it comes from the word Caluus, meaning "burn" or "be hot", testament to the arid land that contains no vegetation. The official name is Calvià (with a grave accent), but in CastilianSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, Calviá (with an acute accent) is used.
Officially, the adjective to refer to inhabitants of Calvià is calvienses or calvieros. However, more widespread use in both Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
and in its Castilian translation is calvianero/a. This is used by agencies such as the Institut Calvianer d'Esports del Ajuntament de Calvià and the Asociación Calvianera.
Heraldry
The municipality does not have a flag but has a distinctive coat of arms, defined as an azure blue shield with a paschal lamb holding a flag with a St George's CrossSt George's Cross
St George's Cross is a red cross on a white background used as a symbolic reference to Saint George. The red cross on white was associated with St George from medieval times....
, capped by a crown. The coat of arms was approved on June 25, 1976 emblazoned with De azur y el cordero de plata que empuña en su mano derecha una bandera de aquel metal, cargada con cruz de gules. Al timbre corona real, cerrada..
Ancient era
Calvià first appears in history as a village 2,000 years BCE, although the area was first populated in the Neolithic Era. Later, sailors coming from the east stopped in the Balearics on their way to the Iberian PeninsulaIberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
, where they sought metals. They came from Italy, from other Mediterranean islands, and from the Near East
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
, and constructed small settlements along the coast. Historians call this period the "Cave Culture", because caves were frequently used as habitations and burial areas. Some vestiges of this area have been catalogued in an archaeological excavation called the Puig de sa Morisca Archaeological Park
Puig de sa Morisca Archaeological Park
thumb|right|Archaeologic mound in Puig de sa Morisca Archaeological Park, Nova Santa Ponsa, Mallorca, Spain.The Puig de sa Morisca Archaeological Park is an archaeological park located in Santa Ponsa in the municipality of Calvià on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of...
, which conserves remains of what was a talaiot
Talaiot
The talaiots, or talayots, are Bronze Age megaliths on the islands of Minorca and Majorca forming part of the Talaiotic Culture or Talaiotic Period. They date from the late second millennium and early first millennium BC. There are at least 274 of them, in, near, or related to Talaiotic settlements...
9 metres (29.5 ft) in diameter. It is located on a small mountainous elevation in Calvià's Santa Ponsa
Santa Ponsa
Santa Ponsa is a holiday resort in the south-west of Majorca. Located in the municipality of Calvià, it is 18 kilometres from the capital Palma.- History :...
district.
The Roman era lasted from 123 BCE until the 4th century CE, but left no significant vestiges. Among the few archaeological remnants of this era are the remains of a Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
in Santa Ponsa known as Sa Mesquida, which has an oven
Oven
An oven is a thermally insulated chamber used for the heating, baking or drying of a substance. It is most commonly used for cooking. Kilns, and furnaces are special-purpose ovens...
that was used to make ceramics, the horse-shoe shaped Naveta Alemany and the Turó de Ses Abelles.
In 425, the area was invaded by the Vandals
Vandals
The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century. The Vandals under king Genseric entered Africa in 429 and by 439 established a kingdom which included the Roman Africa province, besides the islands of Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearics....
, who ended up settling. Lack of remains or written record means little is known about this area other than the decline that began with the destruction of Pollença
Pollença
Pollença is a town and municipality situated in the far north corner of the island of Majorca, near Cap de Formentor and Alcúdia. It lies about 6 km west of its port, Port de Pollença.-History:...
. The Byzantine general Flavius Belisarius ordered the conquest of the archipelago in 534, bringing an end to this era.
The first Muslim arrivals were in 707. They quickly ended the Byzantine domination and established their own hegemony. Until 903, the island was part of the Umayyad Caliphate.
Middle Ages
In 903, the Almoravid general Isam al-Jawlani conquered the island on behalf of Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Umawi, Emir of CórdobaCaliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ruled the Iberian peninsula and part of North Africa, from the city of Córdoba, from 929 to 1031. This period was characterized by remarkable success in trade and culture; many of the masterpieces of Islamic Iberia were constructed in this period, including the famous...
. The city of Palma passed from the Almoravids to the Almohads, eventually becoming part of one of the taifa
Taifa
In the history of the Iberian Peninsula, a taifa was an independent Muslim-ruled principality, usually an emirate or petty kingdom, though there was one oligarchy, of which a number formed in the Al-Andalus after the final collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba in 1031.-Rise:The origins of...
s. Calviá was part of the administrative division Juz' d' Ahwaz al-Madina.
In 1229, after the Conquest of Mallorca by King 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...
, colonists brought the Catalan language
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
and culture, which survive to the present time. In the division of the conquered territory, Calvià formed part of the medietas magnatum that the king granted to nobles Guillem de Montcada, Hugo de Ampurias, Nuño Sánchez
Nuño Sánchez
Nuño Sánchez was a Catalan nobleman and statesman.Nuño was the son of Sancho, Count of Provence, Roussillon, and Cerdagne, and Sancha Núñez of the House of Lara. His father was dispossessed of Provence in 1185 but maintained Roussillon and Cerdagne until his death in 1223, handing control of them...
and Berenguer de Palou, all of whom had participated in the conquest. Calvià in particular was granted to Berenguer de Palou, Bishop of Barcelona, becoming part of the Barony of the Bishops of Barcelona. There were many tensions among the conquering nobles who were granted various feudal
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
rights; these were resolved through a pariatge or condominium
Condominium (international law)
In international law, a condominium is a political territory in or over which two or more sovereign powers formally agree to share equally dominium and exercise their rights jointly, without dividing it up into 'national' zones.Although a condominium has always been...
under which feudal rights were shared. Therefore, the surroundings of the municipality are also known as the comarca
Comarca
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...
of the Pariatge. Ultimately, though, the rights accrued to the Bishopric, which held them until 1834 when the Spanish Church lost many of its feudal properties.
The conquerors came, in various proportions from a variety of places. Thus, and according to the Llibre del Repartiment ("Book of Distribution"), the conquered lands were distributed among people from Catalonia (39.71%), Occitania
Occitania
Occitania , also sometimes lo País d'Òc, "the Oc Country"), is the region in southern Europe where Occitan was historically the main language spoken, and where it is sometimes still used, for the most part as a second language...
(24.26%), Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(16.19%), Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
(7.35%), Navarra (5.88%), France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(4.42%), Castile
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
(1.47%) and Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
(0.73%). Owing to the extermination or expulsion of the greater part of the prior local populace, there were not enough laborers to cultivate the land. In 1230 a set of privileges called the Franquezas de Mallorca were granted in order to attract new settlers to cultivate the countryside. Most of these new settlers of Mallorca came from Catalonia, more specifically the northeast and, within the east, from Ampurdán. As a result, the dialect spoken today (Mallorquí) is an eastern Catalan dialect.
Since 1248, Calvià has had its own parish
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
church, Sante Ihoannes Caviano, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
. In 1285, during the reign of 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...
, second son of James I, it gained the status of a villa. This meant it would have its own mayor, named by the king or governor. The mayor would execute orders from higher levels of government and would also maintain public order and administer justice. Nonetheless, he did not have the power to administer the villa, which fell within the purview of the jurados de prohombre, (a medieval office that was essentially a district overseer).
In the Middle Ages, various watchtowers were built to defend against Mediterranean piracy.
To sustain the parish and its clerics, the king and the tenured landowners
Land tenure
Land tenure is the name given, particularly in common law systems, to the legal regime in which land is owned by an individual, who is said to "hold" the land . The sovereign monarch, known as The Crown, held land in its own right. All private owners are either its tenants or sub-tenants...
of the jurisdiction ceded one fourth of the diezmo
Diezmo
The diezmo was a compulsory ecclesiastical tithe collected in Spain and its empire from the Middle Ages until the reign of Isabella II in the mid-19th century.-History:...
s paid to them by those who cultivated the land. This was, in turn, divided into four parts, three of which were granted to the rector of the parish and the fourth to the parish priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
or vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
.
James II of Majorca
James II of Majorca
James II was King of Majorca and Lord of Montpellier from 1276 until his death. He was the second son of James I of Aragon and his wife Violant, daughter of Andrew II of Hungary...
reigned over the islands for more than two decades and made great efforts to guarantee the viability of his kingdom. He undertook a broad policy of agrarian colonization, with the creation of rural nuclei; increased the royal revenue; favored the creation of consulates in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and in the kingdom of Granada
Kingdom of Granada (Crown of Castile)
The Kingdom of Granada was a territorial jurisdiction of the Crown of Castile from the conclusion of the Reconquista in 1492 until Javier de Burgos' provincial division of Spain in 1833. This was a "kingdom" in the second sense given by the Diccionario de la lengua española de la Real Academia...
; created a new monetary system for the kingdom; promoted the creation of textile industries; increased royal power relative to that of the nobility and Church; and promoted the construction of palaces and castles such as the Royal Palace of La Almudaina
Royal Palace of La Almudaina
The Royal Palace of La Almudaina is the Alcázar of Palma, the capital city of the Island of Majorca, Spain. It is the royal summer official residence and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional.- External links :*...
, the La Seu
La Seu
The Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma, more commonly referred to as La Seu, is a Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral located in Palma, Majorca, Spain, built on the site of a pre-existing Arab mosque. It is 121 metres long, 55 metres wide and its nave is 44 metres tall...
Cathedral in Palma, and the Bellver Castle
Bellver Castle
Bellver Castle is a Gothic style castle on a hill 3 km northwest of Palma on the Island of Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. It was built in the 14th century for King James II of Majorca, and is one of the few circular castles in Europe...
. The opening of the trials of the Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
and the later suppression of the order allowed the Crown to take over their revenues in the islands.
The health system consisted mainly of physicians of Jewish
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
origins, so-called Xueta
Xueta
The Xuetes , were a social group on the island of Majorca, descendants of Majorcan Jews who either converted to Christianity or were forced to keep their religion hidden...
s, descendants of Mallorcan Jews who had converted to Christianity
Converso
A converso and its feminine form conversa was a Jew or Muslim—or a descendant of Jews or Muslims—who converted to Catholicism in Spain or Portugal, particularly during the 14th and 15th centuries. Mass conversions once took place under significant government pressure...
, but continued to form a largely endogamous
Endogamy
Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such basis as being unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. A Greek Orthodox Christian endogamist, for example, would require that a marriage be only with another...
community. The nearest hospital to Calvià was in Sant Elm, founded in 1303 by Jaime II. Fundamentally it was dedicated to merchants and sailors of the ships that were heading from Palma to Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. They also used it as a refuge in bad weather.
Modern era
From the 13th century to the mid-20th century, the region was almost entirely agricultural. The first area to be cultivated was along the banks of the Bay of Santa Ponsa; at the time, the area was referred to as the término de Santa Ponsa; the expression término de Calviá came far later. Despite the long coast, people turned their backs to the sea, deriving their living from the dry and none-too-fertile land.Agriculture was based on latifundia—large estates—from the 14th century into the 20th. Most of the land was owned by a small number of nobles. In 1863, continuing a longstanding pattern 66.3% of the land was owned by four proprietors. At a slightly earlier date, Pedro Caro, 3rd Marquis of la Romana owned 2516 hectares (6,217.2 acre), including all of Bendinat
Bendinat
Bendinat is a seaside village in the municipality of Calvià on the west coast of the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is located at the foot of the Serra de Na Burguesa. Much of Bendinat is a residential area, and it is situated next to the...
, Paguera, as well as an additional 990 hectares (2,446.3 acre) in the municipality of Andraitx. The Marquis of Bellpuig owned 4376 hectares (10,813.3 acre) in Santa Ponsa, the largest latifundium in Mallorca at the beginning of the 19th century. On the other hand, there was a small group of peasants known as els roters, to whom the nobility had ceded land near the sea. These roters cultivated cereals, and lived in miserable conditions.
In the 16th century, Calvià itself largely escaped the plague that decimated the population elsewhere, although other nearby municipalities such as Andraitx suffered the scourge of the epidemic. Still, the population suffered other epidemics associated with the era and their way of life, particularly malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
which only a few escaped, such as the priest or the few artisans who did not work in Ses Rotes. The daily wage of a farm laborer was between four and six sous (a dozen eggs cost one-and-a-half sous). In that era there were also Arab slaves
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, although not in the maritime zones, where they were seen as liable to escape or to collaborate with pirates. In the 18th century a severe drought and bad cereal harvest led to a long period of famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
. On 28 November 1715, Philip V of Spain
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
abolished the fuero
Fuero
Fuero , Furs , Foro and Foru is a Spanish legal term and concept.The word comes from Latin forum, an open space used as market, tribunal and meeting place...
s and privileges of the Balearics, as the Nueva Planta decrees
Nueva Planta decrees
The Nueva Planta decrees were a number of decrees signed between 1707 and 1716 by Philip V—the first Bourbon king of Spain—during and shortly after the end of the War of the Spanish Succession which he won....
extended the administrative organization of the Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
, prohibited the Catalan language, and required the use of Castilian Spanish
Castilian Spanish
Castilian Spanish is a term related to the Spanish language, but its exact meaning can vary even in that language. In English Castilian Spanish usually refers to the variety of European Spanish spoken in north and central Spain or as the language standard for radio and TV speakers...
in the islands. In 1748 the wretchedness of the municipality had become so severe that chronicler Pere Xamena Fiol described it as follows:
The economic system rooted in latifundia underlay the Caciquism that made moot the theoretically democratic Spanish constitutions the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century. In Restoration Spain
Spain under the Restoration
The Restoration was the name given to the period that began on December 29, 1874 after the First Spanish Republic ended with the restoration of Alfonso XII to the throne after a coup d'état by Martinez Campos, and ended on April 14, 1931 with the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic.After...
the power of the dominant classes remained intact. Both major political parties of the time, the Conservative Party led by Canovas del Castillo and the Liberal Party led by Sagasta
Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
Práxedes Mariano Mateo Sagasta y Escolar was a Spanish politician who served as Prime Minister on eight occasions between 1870 and 1902—always in charge of the Liberal Party—as part of the turno pacifico, alternating with the Liberal-Conservative leader Antonio Cánovas...
relied on a system where day laborers and smallholders beholden to the caciques and voted accordingly, producing an orderly alternation of the two parties in power, the turno pacífico
Turno
After almost a whole century of political instability and many civil wars, the aim of the Restoration was to ensure political stability in Spain. Under this plan, El Turno Pacífico was a system put in place by Antonio Cánovas del Castillo whereby the two "official" parties of the Cánovas...
. In the late 19th century, hunger and poverty sparked emigration to the Americas, especially to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, as well as to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
.
Calviá at this time lacked industrial establishments, other than the manufacture of cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
and plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
. The system of latifundia was largely an impoverished agrarian autarky
Autarky
Autarky is the quality of being self-sufficient. Usually the term is applied to political states or their economic policies. Autarky exists whenever an entity can survive or continue its activities without external assistance. Autarky is not necessarily economic. For example, a military autarky...
. In 1923 the Federació Obrera Calvianera ("Federation of Calvian Workers") was founded as a member of the socialist Unión General de Trabajadores
Unión General de Trabajadores
The Unión General de Trabajadores is a major Spanish trade union, historically affiliated with the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party .-History:...
, followed by the Unió Agrària de Calvià (Calvian Agrarian Union) and La Fraternal. On 30 September 1923, Spain's socialist party, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
, inaugurated a Casa del pueblo
Casa del pueblo
In Spain, a Casa del Pueblo refers to a typical local branch office of both the PSOE and the Unión General de Trabajadores. Historically, the term has been used to describe clearing houses of information for Spanish employees and workers....
(a cultural and service center), which represented an investment of half a million Spanish peseta
Spanish peseta
The peseta was the currency of Spain between 1869 and 2002. Along with the French franc, it was also a de facto currency used in Andorra .- Etymology :...
s. The labor movement and socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
played and important part in politics during the Second Spanish Republic
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
, but were squashed during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.
Contemporary era
The first seed of the modern tourism-based economy came when steamboatSteamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
service from Barcelona to Palma began in 1838. This made travel to Mallorca easier for travelers from the Iberian peninsula and beyond. Some came to visit the municipality's coves and beaches. At this time Mallorca drew visitors who were motivated by the desire for adventure, an interest in exploring a different world and society than the one they knew, but also those who came to the island for therapeutic reasons. Among this last group was the composer Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
. Works published by travelers, learned people, artists and geographer
Geographer
A geographer is a scholar whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society.Although geographers are historically known as people who make maps, map making is actually the field of study of cartography, a subset of geography...
s increasingly promoted Mallorca as a preferred destination.
In 1962, Calvià had four butcher shops, three bakeries, a dairy, ten grocery shops, three cafés, two haberdasher's, five carpenter's shops, two blacksmiths, a bicycle shop, and one bus line. Its scant industry consisted of five master masons, various concerns in shipping and transport, two cement and plaster factories, a trader in nuts and dried fruit, a machine for shucking almond
Almond
The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree...
s, a flour mill, a carob crusher, a wood dealer, and an oil press.
The first urban nuclei in the municipality began development in 1920, built on failed agricultural land sold well below its potential value. By 1960, changes in ownership had been so fundamental as to facilitate immediate development. Three quarters of the coast was rapidly developed, including all of the most desirable areas. Through their real estate affiliates, some of the last large landowners, such as Miguel Nigorra Oliver, president of the Banco de Crédito Balear, came to control nearly all of the development of Santa Ponsa. By 1986, the municipality had 10,000 of the dwellings locally known as chalés ("chalet
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
s").
On 30 July 2009, around two in the afternoon, the Palmanova neighborhood suffered a bombing attack
2009 Palma Nova bombing
The 2009 Palma Nova bombing occurred on July 30, 2009 when a limpet bomb went off outside a Civil Guard barracks in the town of Palma Nova, Majorca, Spain. The bomb was placed under a patrol car and two Civil Guard officers died as a result of the explosion. A second device was found under another...
by ETA
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
. Two members of the Civil Guard
Civil Guard (Spain)
The Civil Guard is the Spanish gendarmerie. It has foreign peace-keeping missions and maintains military status and is the equivalent of a federal military-status police force. As a police force, the Guardia Civil is comparable today to the French Gendarmerie, the Italian Carabinieri and the...
were killed by a bomb placed under a patrol car outside their barracks; a second similar bomb was successfully discovered and defused.
Location
Estellencs
Estellencs is a small municipality to the west of Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands, Spain.It lies between the Tramuntana mountain range, on the slopes of Mount Galatzo , and the Mediterranean sea.-External links:*...
, Palma de Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
(Palma), the island's capital to the east, Andratx
Andratx
Andratx is a municipality on Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands, along the Mediterranean east coast of Spain. It is located on the southwest tip of the island.-History:...
to the west and to the south by 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...
.
The highest point of the municipality is the Puig de Galatzó at 1026 m (3,366.1 ft) above sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
. The second is 926 metres above sea level, the Mola del Esclop, an area which consists of many valleys and ravines, between the hills of Puig Batiat and Penya Blanca.
The peninsula on which the municipality is located is marked by the presence of wetlands to the east and west, at Magalluf, Palma Nova and Santa Ponsa, that lead to a narrowing similar to an isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
to the north.
The urban area has expanded around its coastline, becoming several villages on the main beaches. The coast extends from Cape Andritxol, until the area of Cas Català Ses Illetas. It is 54 km (33.6 mi) long and very rocky, but still has 34 beaches and coves. There is 35.5 kilometres of rocky shores, 4.5 kilometres of sandy beaches, 10 islets and 7,000 hecatres of coast, with a maximum depth of 5 m (16.4 ft). Islets include El Sec, Sa Porrassa, D'en Sales, Ses Illetes, D'estenedor and Sa Caleta. The most important though, ecologically, are the Malgrats and El Toro, having been designated as marine reserves and a special protection area for birds.
Localities
The municipality contains eighteen settlements. The most important are the resorts. Palma NovaPalma Nova
Palma Nova is a town on the Spanish Balearic island of Majorca, in the municipality of Calvià.Palma Nova was one of the first purpose-built tourist destinations on the island, catering for all tastes. The town is frequented by a range of socio-economic groups due to the proximity with both the...
was one of the first tourist resorts to be built on the island within the grounds of an old farm called Ses Planes and began as a project intended to build a residential type Garden City, but due to the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, this idea was discarded. In 2009, it is considered one of the most important tourist areas of Majorca. It is bounded on the west by the busy town of Magalluf which contains the largest hotel and greatest infrastructural services of the municipality to accommodate the many tourists. Another of the localities, Santa Ponsa
Santa Ponsa
Santa Ponsa is a holiday resort in the south-west of Majorca. Located in the municipality of Calvià, it is 18 kilometres from the capital Palma.- History :...
, has historical significance as the place that James I of Aragon landed. The town of Portals Nous is also a renowned meeting point for businessmen, celebrities, high society figures and members of the Spanish Royal Family
Spanish Royal Family
The Royal Family of the Kingdom of Spain consists of the current king, Juan Carlos, his spouse, Queen Sofia of Spain and their direct descendants. The Spanish royal family belongs to the House of Borbón...
during their summer stays in the Marivent Palace. Another of its main tourist areas is Paguera, where many residents spend their summer holidays, as well as a number of German tourists.. Similarly, the urbanized residential areas of El Toro, which has a marina and a small beach, and Son Ferrer, are of note.
| Settlement | Population | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| Calvià Vila | 2434 | 39°33′50.33"N 2°30′16.31"E |
| Es Capdellà Es Capdellà thumb|right|Street view of Es Capdellà.thumb|right|The parish church of Nuestra señora del Carmen in Es Capdellà.Es Capdellà is a village in the municipality of Calvià on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands... |
1012 | 39°34′44.19"N 2°28′10.37"E |
| Peguera Peguera Peguera is a tourist town in the municipality of Calvià on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It has three large beaches and hundreds of hotels, hostels and apartments. The population is approximately 3,988 inhabitants... |
3988 | 39°32′15.47"N 2°27′1.69"E |
| Santa Ponsa Santa Ponsa Santa Ponsa is a holiday resort in the south-west of Majorca. Located in the municipality of Calvià, it is 18 kilometres from the capital Palma.- History :... |
10736 | 39°31′0.56"N 2°28′52.30"E |
| Galatzó Galatzó Galatzó is a settlement in the municipality of Calvià on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is located in Pillo and neighbors Santa Ponsa, Paguera, and Son Ferrer.... |
1598 | 39°31′25.42"N 2°29′53.09"E |
| El Toro El Toro (Majorca) thumb|right|An El Toro beach.El Toro is a neighborhood in the municipality of Calvià on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is located in an area known as Ses Penyes Rotges. El Toro is adjacent to the Santa Ponsa Golf II, to the north, the... |
2321 | 39°29′20.73"N 2°28′51.29"E |
| Portals Vells Portals Vells thumb|right|Caves of Portals Vells.Portals Vells is a small village in the municipality of Calvià on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is adjacent to El Toro to the west, La Porrassa the east, Son Ferrer north, and the sea to the south. It... |
32 | 39°29′44.57"N 2°28′19.36"E |
| Son Ferrer Son Ferrer thumb|right|Chalets of Son Ferrer.thumb|right|Archaeological burial site in Son Ferrer.Son Ferrer is a new village in the municipality of Calvià on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. Son Ferrer is located about from the capital, Palma de Mallorca... |
5666 | 39°29′41.24"N 2°30′7.24"E |
| La Porrassa La Porrassa La Porrassa is a small farm town in the municipality of Calvià on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is adjacent to Son Ferrer to the west and Magaluf on the south. The municipality's promenade, the Paseo Calvia, winds through La Porrassa... |
128 | 39°30′2.21"N 2°30′59.32"E |
| Sol de Mallorca | 589 | 39°28′55.10"N 2°31′36.50"E |
| Magalluf | 3981 | 39°30′29.97"N 2°32′6.33"E |
| Palma Nova Palma Nova Palma Nova is a town on the Spanish Balearic island of Majorca, in the municipality of Calvià.Palma Nova was one of the first purpose-built tourist destinations on the island, catering for all tastes. The town is frequented by a range of socio-economic groups due to the proximity with both the... |
6906 | 39°31′14.03"N 2°32′10.34"E |
| Portals Nous Portals Nous Portals Nous is a neighborhood in the municipality of Calvià on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It includes the residential neighborhood of Bendinat, and it is adjacent to El Toro to the west, La Porrassa the east, Son Ferrer north, and the... |
2650 | 39°31′59.68"N 2°34′12.08"E |
| Castell de Bendinat Bendinat Bendinat is a seaside village in the municipality of Calvià on the west coast of the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is located at the foot of the Serra de Na Burguesa. Much of Bendinat is a residential area, and it is situated next to the... |
521 | 39°32′0"N 2°32′10.08"E |
| Cas Català Ses Illetes | 3533 | 39°32′27.04"N 2°35′36.18"E |
| Badia de Palma | 754 | |
| Costa de la Calma | 1623 | |
| Costa de Blanes | 2094 | |
Geology and relief
The topography is marked by the contrast between the mountains in the north and the rest of the municipality, where the features are flatter.The main mountain range is called Serra de Na Burguesa
Serra de Na Burguesa
Serra de Na Burguesa is a well-defined mountain on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is the southernmost portion of the Serra de Tramuntana range, terminating in the Mediterranean Sea at Bay of Palma. Na Burguesa is located approximately...
, situated between Son Falconer and Son Vida en Palma. It is the southernmost range of the Serra de Tramuntana
Serra de Tramuntana
The Serra de Tramuntana is a mountain range running southwest-northeast which forms the northern backbone of the Spanish island of Majorca. It is also the name given to the comarca of the same area...
. It was formerly known as Portopí or d'en Bou. It has an average height of 500 meters and is covered by large formations of Mediterranean pine forest and scrubland. The hills are composed of Triassic and Jurassic materials, mainly limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and dolomite
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
, with marl
Marl
Marl or marlstone is a calcium carbonate or lime-rich mud or mudstone which contains variable amounts of clays and aragonite. Marl was originally an old term loosely applied to a variety of materials, most of which occur as loose, earthy deposits consisting chiefly of an intimate mixture of clay...
and gypsum
Gypsum
Gypsum is a very soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. It is found in alabaster, a decorative stone used in Ancient Egypt. It is the second softest mineral on the Mohs Hardness Scale...
present as well. The hills have a complex tectonic structure, forming a relief fold with many faults. The karst nature of the Tramontana causes numerous caves and sinkholes, etc.
The rest of the municipality is relatively flat, with broad valleys filled by quaternary and tertiary materials and small hills, with Mesozoic materials surfacing occasionally. This area contains a number of cavities divided between the area of Es Coll des Pastors and around the Puig Gros de Bendinat, Son Boronat, Benatiga Nou and Valldurgent. The depression of Puig Gros de Bendinat contains abundant Late Jurassic and Cretaceous sediments. Its coastline is composed of calcareous materials.
Climate
Calvià has a mild Mediterranean climateMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
with an average annual temperature of 19 °C and an average annual rainfall of 410 mm (16.1 in). It is influenced by two types of atmospheric circulation manifested in two distinct seasons: a hot, dry summer with little pressure gradient and occasional rainfall, as opposed to a cool, wet winter. The coldest month is January, with 15.1 / 3.5 °C and the hottest is August, with 31.0 / 18.2 °C. Rainfall averages 51 days a year and there are approximately 2,756 hours of sunshine. The average temperature in the summer is 27 °C, and 14 °C in winter. The driest month is July, at an average of 7.8 l / m² , while the wettest is December with an average of 81.1 l / m². The area is sheltered from the wind Nordic Tramuntana by mountains that are over a thousand feet high.
The thermal variation of the water has a range of around 15 °C. During the winter, it drops down to about 13 °C. In the late spring, warming occurs, raising the temperature one degree each week. During the summer, a 25 cm deep water layer reaches temperatures above 25 °C.(something of a thermocline
Thermocline
A thermocline is a thin but distinct layer in a large body of fluid , in which temperature changes more rapidly with depth than it does in the layers above or below...
).
Hydrology
According to the Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME), the area receives 4900000 cubic metres (6,408,958 cu yd) of rain per year, plus 100000 cubic metres (130,795.1 cu yd) runoff from irrigation and 200000 cubic metres (261,590.1 cu yd) infiltration of treated wastewater. 6700000 cubic metres (8,763,269.1 cu yd) is pumped annually for the water supply, but the current Balearic Hydrological Plan intends to reduce this to 4100000 cubic metres (5,362,597.5 cu yd).Ravines
Because of the torrential rains in October and November, Mallorca has many ravineRavine
A ravine is a landform narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streamcutting erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. A ravine is generally a fluvial slope landform of relatively steep sides, on the order of twenty to...
s, narrow channels that bring the rainwater to the sea. Among these are the Torrente (ravine) des Gorg, which rises in Es Capdellà and enters the sea at Peguera. The Torrente Vial, rises on the outskirts of the village of Vial and runs to the Cala (cove) de Santa Ponsa; it receives the water of hundreds of smaller ravines, among which are the Barranco des Cobaix and the Barranco des Pas de la Mula. Among the longest is the Torrente de Galatzó, running 23 kilometres (14.3 mi) and draining a basin of 72 square kilometres (27.8 sq mi). It begins on the west slope of the Puig de Galatzó and reaches the sea at the Bay of Santa Ponsa (Santa Ponça).
Flora and fauna
More than 49% of Calvià's 14552 hectares (35,958.7 acre) consists of woods and garrigueGarrigue
Garrigue or phrygana is a type of low, soft-leaved scrubland ecoregion and plant community in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome. It is found on limestone soils around the Mediterranean Basin, generally near the seacoast, where the climate is ameliorated, but where annual summer...
s (low, soft-leaved scrubland), with pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
s as the dominant trees, although there has been some deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
in recent decades. Cultivable land amounts to about 32% of the municipality; the main crops are almond
Almond
The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree...
s, carob (Ceratonia siliqua), olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
s and, to a lesser extent, fig
Common fig
The Common fig is a deciduous tree growing to heights of up to 6 m in the genus Ficus from the family Moraceae known as Common fig tree. It is a temperate species native to the Middle East.-Description:...
s. There is also still some farming of cereals and grains.
Because the area has a harsh climate with few natural resources, but is also densely populated by humans, there are relatively few populations of wild animals. The most notable zones for fauna are the rocky shore and the islands of Cala Figuera (Figuera Cove), such as El Toro, el islet of Refeubetx and the group of islets known as the Malgrats. This area has international recognition by the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
as a Special Protection Area
Special Protection Area
A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds.Together with Special...
for birds. In 2008, a diver in this reserve sighted and photographed a monk seal (Monachus monachus); it is believed that no more than 500 monk seals survive in the entire world. The Balearic government has studied the possibility of reintroducing monk seals to the islands.
Local native plant species include Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) and various pine species. There are over 1,000 animal species; notable among them are the seabirds Cory's Shearwater
Cory's Shearwater
The Cory's Shearwater is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae.This species breeds on islands and cliffs in the Mediterranean, with the odd outpost on the Atlantic coast of Iberia. The nest is on open ground or among rocks or less often in a burrow where one white egg is laid,...
(Calonectris diomedea, various cormorant
Cormorant
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...
s (Phalacrocorax), the Common Swift
Common Swift
The Common Swift is a small bird, superficially similar to the Barn Swallow or House Martin. It is, however, completely unrelated to those passerine species, since swifts are in the separate order Apodiformes...
(Apus apus), and the Puffin
Puffin
Puffins are any of three small species of auk in the bird genus Fratercula with a brightly coloured beak during the breeding season. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crevices among...
(Puffinus puffinus) as well as numerous reptiles, such as the endemic Lilford's Wall Lizard
Lilford's Wall Lizard
The Lilford's Wall Lizard is a species of lizard in the Lacertidae family.It is endemic to the Balearic Islands, Spain.Its natural habitats are temperate Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, and rocky shores...
(Podarcis lilfordi) found on several of the islets of the archipelago. The islets are also home to one of Spain's few colonies of Hermann's Tortoise (Testudo hermanni; other colonies are in Murcia
Murcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
and Almería).
Although the vegetation on the cliffs is sparse, it merits special interest as a habitat for endemic plant species such as the perennial herb Hippocrepis balearica, and Dianthus alpinus
Dianthus alpinus
Dianthus alpinus is a species belonging to the Caryophyllaceae family....
, whose Spanish-language names variously designate it as the "cliff carnation
Caryophyllaceae
The Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactaceae and Polygonaceae...
", "forest carnation" or "Mediterranean carnation". The cliff also provides a habitat for birds, especially raptors
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
such as Eleonora's Falcon
Eleonora's Falcon
Eleonora's Falcon is a medium-sized falcon. It belongs to the hobby group, a rather close-knit number of similar falcons often considered a subgenus Hypotriorchis. The Sooty Falcon is sometimes considered its closest relative, but while they certainly belong to the same lineage, they do not seem...
(Falco eleonorae) and Osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
(Pandion haliaetus) as well as the world's only remaining insular Cinereous Vultures (Black Vulture, Aegypius monachus). Also worthy of mention, if only for gastronomical reasons, are two species of snail
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
, Helix aspersa
Helix aspersa
Helix aspersa, known by the common name garden snail, is a species of land snail, a pulmonate gastropod that is one of the best-known of all terrestrial molluscs. The species has been placed in the genus Helix, in all sources between 1774 and 1988 and in most sources until recently...
and Helix pomatia
Helix pomatia
Helix pomatia, common names the Burgundy snail, Roman snail, edible snail or escargot, is a species of large, edible, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Helicidae...
.
Among the fungi
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
, the autumn rains bring out the reproductive structures of the mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
s. Of particular note is Lactarius sangifluus, known locally as esclata-sang. This Lactarius
Lactarius
Lactarius is a genus of mushroom-producing fungi. The genus, collectively known commonly as milk-caps, are characterized by the fact that they exude a milky fluid if cut or damaged...
is much appreciated for its singular flavor, and figures prominently in the local cuisine.
The forest plants of the region can be divided into four groups:
- Herbaceous plantHerbaceous plantA herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
s: the most common of these are nettleNettleNettles constitute between 24 and 39 species of flowering plants of the genus Urtica in the family Urticaceae, with a cosmopolitan though mainly temperate distribution. They are mostly herbaceous perennial plants, but some are annual and a few are shrubby...
s, Fiddle Dock (Rumex pulcherRumex pulcherRumex pulcher is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common name fiddle dock. It is native to Eurasia and North Africa and it can be found elsewhere, including parts of North America, as an introduced species and a roadside weed. Europe...
), and fennelFennelFennel is a plant species in the genus Foeniculum . It is a member of the family Apiaceae . It is a hardy, perennial, umbelliferous herb, with yellow flowers and feathery leaves...
(Foeniculum vulgare); heather(Calluna vulgaris) can also be found. Five endemic species of Limonium have evolved in the salty soils of Magalluf. In the garrigue of Santa Ponsa are several varieties of orchid (Orchis collina).
- ShrubShrubA shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s: the most common shrub is the Mediterranean buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternusRhamnus alaternusRhamnus alaternus is a species of flowering plant in the buckthorn family known by the common name of Italian Buckthorn or Mediterranean Buckthorn.-Etymology:...
), but there are also rosemaryRosemaryRosemary, , is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs, and is one of two species in the genus Rosmarinus...
(Rosmarinus officinalis), thymeThymeThyme 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...
, a species of rock roseCistaceaeThe Cistaceae is a small family of plants known for its beautiful shrubs, which are profusely covered by flowers at the time of blossom...
(Cistus albidus) several species of asparagusAsparagusAsparagus officinalis is a spring vegetable, a flowering perennialplant species in the genus Asparagus. It was once classified in the lily family, like its Allium cousins, onions and garlic, but the Liliaceae have been split and the onion-like plants are now in the family Amaryllidaceae and...
(Asparagus acutifoliusAsparagus acutifoliusAsparagus acutifolius, common name Wild Asparagus, is an evergreen perennial plant belonging to the genus Asparagus of the Liliaceae family...
, Asparagus albus, Asparagus officinalis), and Common Ivy (Hedera helixHedera helixHedera helix is a species of ivy native to most of Europe and western Asia. It is labeled as an invasive species in a number of areas where it has been introduced.-Description:...
). Protected species include Mediterranean Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis), myrtleMyrtleMyrtus is a genus of one or two species of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae, native to southern Europe and north Africa. The plant is an evergreen shrub or small tree, growing to 5 m tall. The leaf is entire, 3–5 cm long, with a fragrant essential oil. The star-like flower has five...
s, and Phoenicean Juniper (Juniperus phoeniceaJuniperus phoeniceaJuniperus phoenicea, the Phoenicean Juniper or Arâr, is a juniper found throughout the Mediterranean region, from Morocco and Portugal east to Italy, Turkey and Egypt, south on the mountains of Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and in western Saudi Arabia near the Red Sea, and also on Madeira and the Canary...
).
- FernFernA fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s: ferns of the PolypodiumPolypodiumPolypodium is a genus of 75–100 species of true ferns, widely distributed throughout the world, with the highest species diversity in the tropics. The name is derived from Ancient Greek poly "many" + podion "little foot", on account of the foot-like appearance of the rhizome and its branches...
genus can be found in cooler or more shaded areas.
- Trees: the most common tree in the region's forests is Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis). These are plagued by a moth known as the Pine ProcessionaryPine ProcessionaryThe Pine Processionary is a moth of the family Thaumetopoeidae. It is sometimes placed in the genus Traumatocampa. It is an abundant species of pine woods in central and southern Europe....
(Thaumetopoea pityocampa). A special brigade targets this moth, setting traps and destroying their nests. In the northern part of the province, although in lesser measure, ther is Holm Oak (Quercus ilex), White Poplar (Populus alba), Narrow-leafed Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia), and Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo L.).
Demographics
Most of the people are either Spaniards from the mainland—mainly from AndalusiaAndalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
—or their descendants, who reached the island in the early 1960s, or they are foreign immigrants. According to the 2008 census, the municipality has a population of 50,777 inhabitants, of whom 25,548 were males and 25,229 were women ( 50.31% versus 49.69%). The municipality has the second highest population in the Balearic Islands, second only to the capital, Palma de Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
.
Population pyramid
Analysis of the population pyramidPopulation pyramid
A population pyramid, also called an age structure diagram, is a graphical illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population , which forms the shape of a pyramid when the population is growing...
shows that:
- 21% of the population is under the age of 20.
- 32% of the population is aged 20–39 years.
- 32% of the population is aged 40–59 years.
- 15% of the population is 60 or older.
This structure is typical of the modern demographic regime seen in much of Western Europe, with a population slowly aging as the birth rate
Birth rate
Crude birth rate is the nativity or childbirths per 1,000 people per year . Another word used interchangeably with "birth rate" is "natality". When the crude birth rate is subtracted from the crude death rate, it reveals the rate of natural increase...
diminishes.
Tourism
The area contains many of Majorca's major tourismTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
hotspots, with the localities of Magaluf
Magaluf
Magaluf is a major holiday resort on the Spanish island of Majorca, primarily catering for the British, German and Scandinavian package holiday market. Magaluf is in the municipality of Calvià and is situated within a group of towns, primarily Torrenova and Palma Nova...
(3,865), Santa Ponsa
Santa Ponsa
Santa Ponsa is a holiday resort in the south-west of Majorca. Located in the municipality of Calvià, it is 18 kilometres from the capital Palma.- History :...
(8,188), El Toro
El Toro (Menorca)
El Toro in Catalan or Monte Toro in Spanish is the tallest hill of the island of Minorca with of altitude.The mountain is home to a rather famous church which remains silent for most of the year, as well as a cafe which serves light snacks, lunches, and cold drinks which are great for a Spanish...
(2,002), Paguera (3,400), Illetas (3,286), Portals Nous
Portals Nous
Portals Nous is a neighborhood in the municipality of Calvià on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It includes the residential neighborhood of Bendinat, and it is adjacent to El Toro to the west, La Porrassa the east, Son Ferrer north, and the...
(2,395) and Palma Nova
Palma Nova
Palma Nova is a town on the Spanish Balearic island of Majorca, in the municipality of Calvià.Palma Nova was one of the first purpose-built tourist destinations on the island, catering for all tastes. The town is frequented by a range of socio-economic groups due to the proximity with both the...
(5,975). There are 14 beaches and 4 sport ports. The proximity of Palma with major road connections means that it can be take as little as 15 minutes to reach the city centre. With massive tourism, estimated at 1.6 million visits per year and with a resident population that itself includes many expatriates, it is impossible to evaluate municipal income or expenditure as it relates only to the residents. What one can say is that Calvià appears to be one of the wealthiest municipalities in Europe, based on per capita public investment. There is also a huge inflow of money into property from Britain, Germany, and increasingly, Russia.
In the early 1960s, Calvià began building a complete infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
for massive tourism, such as rapid construction of hotels. Later, more touristic features were added which included four professional golf courses (Club de Golf Poniente, Golf Sta Ponça I, Golf Sta Ponça II, Golf Sta Ponça III and Golf Bendinat), water parks, a modern promenade called Paseig Calvià and the Gran Casino Mallorca located in Sol de Mallorca, about 10 minutes from Magaluf. The 2004 World Chess Olympiad
Chess Olympiad
The Chess Olympiad is a biennial chess tournament in which teams from all over the world compete against each other. The event is organised by FIDE, which selects the host nation.-Birth of the Olympiad:The first Olympiad was unofficial...
was held in Calvià.