Difference between revisions of "Andalusia" - New World Encyclopedia

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[[Image:Malecón de La Caleta, Cádiz.JPG|thumb|[[Malecón]] of La Caleta, [[Cádiz]] ]]
 
[[Image:Malecón de La Caleta, Cádiz.JPG|thumb|[[Malecón]] of La Caleta, [[Cádiz]] ]]
  
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'''Andalusia''' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]]: ''Andalucía'')<!-- Arabic language is NOT official —> is an [[autonomous communities of Spain|autonomous community of Spain]]. Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest, in terms of its land area, of the seventeen autonomous communities of the [[Spain|Kingdom of Spain]]. Its capital is [[Seville]].
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Andalusia, located in the southern portion of Spain, is one of the seventeen autonomous regions of the country. In terms of land mass, Andalusia is the second largest of the autonomous regions of Spain, second only to the region of Castilla y Leon. Boasting the largest human population of any of the Spanish regions, Andalusia is a common tourist attraction for visitors, as it boasts the major metropolitan centers of Seville and Cordoba.
  
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Andalusia is bounded on the north by the autonomous communities of [[Extremadura]] and [[Castilla-La Mancha]]; on the east by the autonomous community of [[Murcia]] and the [[Mediterranean Sea]]; on the west by [[Portugal]] and the [[Atlantic Ocean]]; on the south by the [[Mediterranean Sea]], the [[Strait of Gibraltar]], which separates [[Spain]] from [[Morocco]], and the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. The [[British overseas territory]] of [[Gibraltar]] shares a three-quarter-mile land border with the Andalusian [[province of Cádiz]] at the eastern end of the [[Strait of Gibraltar]].
+
Andlusia lies to the south of Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha, meeting the Mediterranean Sea on its southern border. It's eastern neighbor is the autonomous community of Murcia, while the country of Portugal lies along its western border. Past Portugal to the west lies the Atlantic Ocean. Andulalusia also conveninently located along the strait og Gilbraltar, the passsage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The prime position along the strait was also recognized by Great Britain, who controls a small area of land bordering Andalsia.  
  
  
 
==Geography==
 
==Geography==
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The major lowland regions of [[Spain]] are the Andalusian Plain in the southwest, the Ebro Basin in the northeast, and the coastal plains. The Andalusian Plain is essentially a wide river valley through which the [[Río Guadalquivir]] flows. The [[river]] broadens out along its course, reaching its widest point at the Golfo de Cadiz. The Andalusian Plain is bounded on the north by the Sierra Morena and on the south by the Sistema Penibético; it narrows to an apex in the east where these two mountain chains meet. The Ebro Basin is formed by the Río Ebro valley, contained by mountains on three sides—the Sistema Ibérico to the south and west, the [[Pyrenees]] to the north and east, and their coastal extensions paralleling the shore to the east. Minor low-lying river valleys close to the Portuguese border are located on the Tagus and the Río Guadiana.
 
  
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==History==
+
The terrain of Andalusia varies greatly depending on the area of the region. Towards the coast the terrain descends into the famous beaches of Spain, notable for their fine sands and constant sun. The weather along the coast is also far more temperate than the interior of the region, another reason that attracts the tourists. The beach, however, is not the only the only reason toursits flock to Andalusia. The mountains are also spectacular, and they most a unique combination of plant life and wildlife.
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{{See|Al-Andalus}}
 
−
 
 
−
===Tartessians and Phoenicians===
 
−
[[Tartessos]], home of the once-powerful Tartessian civilization, was founded in Andalusia in pre-Roman times.  The [[Phoenicians]] colonized several areas on the Andalusian coast during the latter part of the second millennium B.C.E.. The most important settlement was [[Cadiz]] (Gdr or Gdz in Hebrew) around 1100 B.C.E.
 
−
 
 
−
===Carthaginians and Romans===
 
−
With the fall of the Phoenician cities, [[Carthage]] became the dominant sea power in the western Mediteranean and the most important trading partner for the [[Semitic]] towns along the Andalusian coast. Between the first and second Carthaginian wars, Carthage extended its control beyond Andalusia to include all of Iberia except the Basquelands. Andalusia was the major staging ground for the war vs Rome led by the Barkid [[Hannibal]]. The Romans defeated the Carthaginians and conquered Andalusia, the region being renamed [[Betica]].
 
−
 
 
−
===Vandals and Visigoths===
 
−
The [[Vandals]] moved briefly through the region during the [[5th century]] CE before settling in [[North Africa]], after which the region fell into the hands of the [[Visigoths|Kingdom of the Visigoths]] who had to face the Byzantine interests in the region.
 
  
−
===Arabs and Moors===
+
The main geographic feature of the region is the Andalusian Plain, which runs from the Sierra Morena in the north to the Sistema Penibetico in the south. The plain is fundamentally a large river valley that surrounds the Rio Guadlquivir, and it broadens whenever possible. The valley reaches its narrowest point where the Sierra Morena and the Sistema Penibetico meet int eh eastern portion of the region. Minor valley are also common in Andalusia, although none rival the breath and size of the Andalusian Plain.
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{{main|Al-Andalus}}
 
−
The [[Muslim conquests#Conquest of Hispania: 711-718|Umayyad Caliphate invasion]] of the [[Iberian peninsula]] in 711-718 marked the collapse of Visigothic rule. Andalucian culture was deeply influenced by half a millennium of Muslim rule during the [[Middle Ages]]. [[Córdoba, Spain|Córdoba]] became the largest and richest city in Western Europe and one of the largest in the world. The [[Moors]] established universities in Andalucia, and cultivated scholarship, bringing together the greatest achievements of all of the civilisations they had encountered. During that period Moorish and Jewish scholars played a major part in reviving and contributing to Western [[astronomy]], [[medicine]], [[philosophy]] and [[mathematics]]. With the fall of [[Seville]] in 1248 most of Andalucia came under [[Castilian]] control, leaving only the [[emirate]] of [[Granada]] under Muslim rule until it too was conquered by the [[Catholic monarchs]], [[Ferdinand]] and [[Isabella]] in 1492. The largest Arabic speaking population was in Andalucia, which also received Moors from other regions who were driven south by the [[Reconquista]], and although many either converted or left later, they gave the region its distinctive character till this day.  
 
−
 
 
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Andalucia is known for its [[Moors|Moorish]] and Moorish influenced architecture. Notable examples include the [[Alhambra]] in [[Granada]], the [[Mezquita]] in [[Córdoba, Spain|Córdoba]], the [[Torre del Oro]] and [[Giralda]] towers.  Other architectural styles include Mozarabic, such as the [[Reales Alcázares]] in [[Seville]], and the [[Alcazaba (Málaga)|Alcazaba]] in [[Málaga]]. Archaeological ruins include [[Medina Azahara]], near Córdoba, and the Roman city of [[Itálica]], near Seville, and at Palos, in the province of [[Huelva]], the Andalusian port from which Columbus's expedition of discovery was launched.  
 
  
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The [[Spanish language]] spoken in the [[Americas]] is largely descended from the [[Andalusian dialect]] of [[Spanish language|Spanish]].  Although, the Spanish spoken at the Canary Islands resembles more the Spanish spoken in the Caribbean.  This is due to the role played by [[Seville]] as the gateway to Spain's American territories during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
 
  
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Andalusia Day (in Spanish, ''Día de Andalucía'') is celebrated on [[February 28]], to commemorate the date of the successful referendum vote on [[autonomous communities of Spain|autonomy]].
 
  
  
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The Andalusians are an ethnic group or nation centered in the Andalusia region. They are often not considered an ethnically distinct people because they lack two of the most important markers of distinctiveness: their own language and an awareness of a presumed common origin, although the latter is debatable, Andalusia's own statute of autonomy, identifying the region as an "historic nationality" and granting it a high level of devolved political power. Nonetheless, the Andalusians have a distinct Andalusian dialect.  
 
The Andalusians are an ethnic group or nation centered in the Andalusia region. They are often not considered an ethnically distinct people because they lack two of the most important markers of distinctiveness: their own language and an awareness of a presumed common origin, although the latter is debatable, Andalusia's own statute of autonomy, identifying the region as an "historic nationality" and granting it a high level of devolved political power. Nonetheless, the Andalusians have a distinct Andalusian dialect.  
  
 +
==History==
 +
{{See|Al-Andalus}}
 +
 +
===Tartessians and Phoenicians===
 +
[[Tartessos]], home of the once-powerful Tartessian civilization, was founded in Andalusia in pre-Roman times.  The [[Phoenicians]] colonized several areas on the Andalusian coast during the latter part of the second millennium B.C.E. The most important settlement was [[Cadiz]] (Gdr or Gdz in Hebrew) around 1100 B.C.E.
 +
 +
===Carthaginians and Romans===
 +
With the fall of the Phoenician cities, [[Carthage]] became the dominant sea power in the western Mediteranean and the most important trading partner for the [[Semitic]] towns along the Andalusian coast. Between the first and second Carthaginian wars, Carthage extended its control beyond Andalusia to include all of Iberia except the Basquelands. Andalusia was the major staging ground for the war vs Rome led by the Barkid [[Hannibal]]. The Romans defeated the Carthaginians and conquered Andalusia, the region being renamed [[Betica]].
 +
 +
===Vandals and Visigoths===
 +
The [[Vandals]] moved briefly through the region during the [[5th century]] CE before settling in [[North Africa]], after which the region fell into the hands of the [[Visigoths|Kingdom of the Visigoths]] who had to face the Byzantine interests in the region.
 +
 +
===Arabs and Moors===
 +
{{main|Al-Andalus}}
 +
The [[Muslim conquests#Conquest of Hispania: 711-718|Umayyad Caliphate invasion]] of the [[Iberian peninsula]] in 711-718 marked the collapse of Visigothic rule. Andalucian culture was deeply influenced by half a millennium of Muslim rule during the [[Middle Ages]]. [[Córdoba, Spain|Córdoba]] became the largest and richest city in Western Europe and one of the largest in the world.  The [[Moors]] established universities in Andalucia, and cultivated scholarship, bringing together the greatest achievements of all of the civilisations they had encountered. During that period Moorish and Jewish scholars played a major part in reviving and contributing to Western [[astronomy]], [[medicine]], [[philosophy]] and [[mathematics]]. With the fall of [[Seville]] in 1248 most of Andalucia came under [[Castilian]] control, leaving only the [[emirate]] of [[Granada]] under Muslim rule until it too was conquered by the [[Catholic monarchs]], [[Ferdinand]] and [[Isabella]] in 1492. The largest Arabic speaking population was in Andalucia, which also received Moors from other regions who were driven south by the [[Reconquista]], and although many either converted or left later, they gave the region its distinctive character till this day.
 +
 
 +
Andalucia is known for its [[Moors|Moorish]] and Moorish influenced architecture. Notable examples include the [[Alhambra]] in [[Granada]], the [[Mezquita]] in [[Córdoba, Spain|Córdoba]], the [[Torre del Oro]] and [[Giralda]] towers.  Other architectural styles include Mozarabic, such as the [[Reales Alcázares]] in [[Seville]], and the [[Alcazaba (Málaga)|Alcazaba]] in [[Málaga]]. Archaeological ruins include [[Medina Azahara]], near Córdoba, and the Roman city of [[Itálica]], near Seville, and at Palos, in the province of [[Huelva]], the Andalusian port from which Columbus's expedition of discovery was launched.
 +
 +
The [[Spanish language]] spoken in the [[Americas]] is largely descended from the [[Andalusian dialect]] of [[Spanish language|Spanish]].  Although, the Spanish spoken at the Canary Islands resembles more the Spanish spoken in the Caribbean.  This is due to the role played by [[Seville]] as the gateway to Spain's American territories during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
 +
 +
Andalusia Day (in Spanish, ''Día de Andalucía'') is celebrated on [[February 28]], to commemorate the date of the successful referendum vote on [[autonomous communities of Spain|autonomy]].
  
 
== Culture ==
 
== Culture ==

Revision as of 00:57, 18 November 2007


Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía
Bandera de Andalucía.png 85px
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Andalucía por sí, para España y la humanidad
(Andalusia by herself, for Spain, and for humankind)
Anthem: La bandera blanca y verde
Localización de Andalucía.png
Capital EscudoSevilla3.jpg Seville
Official language(s) Spanish
Area
 – Total
 – % of Spain 		Ranked 2nd
 87,268 km²
 17.2%
Population
 – Total (2006)
 – % of Spain
 – Density 		Ranked 1st
 7,975,672
 17.84
 91.39/km²
Demonym
 – English
 – Spanish
 Andalusian
 Andaluz, andaluza
Statute of Autonomy December 30 1981[1]
Parliamentary
representation
 – Congress seats
 – Senate seats

 62
 40
President Manuel Chaves González (PSOE)
ISO 3166-2 AN
Junta de Andalucía
Alamillo Bridge, Seville designed by Santiago Calatrava
Malecón of La Caleta, Cádiz

Andalusia, located in the southern portion of Spain, is one of the seventeen autonomous regions of the country. In terms of land mass, Andalusia is the second largest of the autonomous regions of Spain, second only to the region of Castilla y Leon. Boasting the largest human population of any of the Spanish regions, Andalusia is a common tourist attraction for visitors, as it boasts the major metropolitan centers of Seville and Cordoba.

Andlusia lies to the south of Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha, meeting the Mediterranean Sea on its southern border. It's eastern neighbor is the autonomous community of Murcia, while the country of Portugal lies along its western border. Past Portugal to the west lies the Atlantic Ocean. Andulalusia also conveninently located along the strait og Gilbraltar, the passsage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The prime position along the strait was also recognized by Great Britain, who controls a small area of land bordering Andalsia.


Geography

The terrain of Andalusia varies greatly depending on the area of the region. Towards the coast the terrain descends into the famous beaches of Spain, notable for their fine sands and constant sun. The weather along the coast is also far more temperate than the interior of the region, another reason that attracts the tourists. The beach, however, is not the only the only reason toursits flock to Andalusia. The mountains are also spectacular, and they most a unique combination of plant life and wildlife.

The main geographic feature of the region is the Andalusian Plain, which runs from the Sierra Morena in the north to the Sistema Penibetico in the south. The plain is fundamentally a large river valley that surrounds the Rio Guadlquivir, and it broadens whenever possible. The valley reaches its narrowest point where the Sierra Morena and the Sistema Penibetico meet int eh eastern portion of the region. Minor valley are also common in Andalusia, although none rival the breath and size of the Andalusian Plain.


Administrative divisions

The Mezquita in Córdoba
Province Capital Population Density Municipalities
Almería Almería 635.850 72,47 hab./km² Municipalities
Cádiz Cádiz 1.180.817 158,80 hab./km² Municipalities
Córdoba Córdoba 788.287 72,47 hab./km² Municipalities
Granada Granada 882.184 68,70 hab./km² Municipalities
Huelva Huelva 483.792 47,67 hab./km² Municipalities
Jaén Jaén 662.751 49,09 hab./km² Municipalities
Málaga Málaga 1.491.287 204,06 hab./km² Municipalities
Seville Seville 1.813.908 129,23 hab./km² Municipalities
Provinces of Andalusia

Other important Andalusian cities are:

  • El Ejido, and Roquetas de Mar, Almería
  • La Línea de la Concepción, Algeciras, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Rota, San Fernando, Jerez, and El Puerto, Cádiz
  • Almuñécar, Guadix, Loja and Motril, Granada
  • Linares, Úbeda and Baeza, Jaén
  • Antequera, Ronda and Marbella, Málaga
  • Dos Hermanas, Lebrija, Osuna and Utrera, Sevilla

Economy

According to the Spanish Instituto Nacional de Estadística, the GDP per capita of Andalusia (17.251 €, 2006[citation needed]) is still one of the lowest in Spain. At the same time, the manufacturing and service sectors have grown at a higher rate than in Spain and the rest of the Eurozone. This growth rate is expected to continue.[citation needed]


Government and Politics

Historical nationalities (Spanish: Nacionalidades históricas) in Spain is the term most commonly used to refer to regions that are granted by the 1978 Constitution a special status as autonomous communities. Other terms may also be employed in the particular Statute of Autonomy of each autonomous community. These regions are: Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia and Andalusia, all of them officially recognized as nationalities. The other 13 autonomous communities were granted less devolved powers and became autonomous communities by the so-called slow track[2].

They were intended to recognize the regions that had their statutes of autonomy in an advanced stage during the Second Spanish Republic. The term nationality was a consensous solution trying to conciliate the centralist and old-regime positions, who consider this regions part of the indivisible unity of Spain, with the nationalists, who consider this territories as nations (see also "Nationality" vs. "nation").

Actually, only the Catalan statute was active before the Spanish Civil War. Andalusia statute of autonomy was drawn and submitted by Blas Infante at the same time [3], then approved by parliament in June 1936, to be voted in referendum in September 1936. However the start of the Civil War in July and the assassination of Infante by Franco's rebels in August of the same year put an end to the autonomist project for Andalusia.

The Basque statute was approved during the war and was effective only on the limited part of the region under the control of the Basque Government.

As of 2007, the autonomous communities which are defined in their statutes of autonomy as nationalities [4], therefore legally recognised as such are:

Andalucía (1981 and 2006 statutes), Aragón (1996), Canary islands (1996), Catalonia (1979 and 2006), Valencia (1982 and 2006), Galicia (1981) and Basque Country (1979).

The Autonomous Comunitie of Andalusia is administrated through the "Junta de Andalucia" and is one of the 4 historic Autonomous Communities of Spain. It has a local parliament and president.

Monuments

Andalusian People

The Andalusians are an ethnic group or nation centered in the Andalusia region. They are often not considered an ethnically distinct people because they lack two of the most important markers of distinctiveness: their own language and an awareness of a presumed common origin, although the latter is debatable, Andalusia's own statute of autonomy, identifying the region as an "historic nationality" and granting it a high level of devolved political power. Nonetheless, the Andalusians have a distinct Andalusian dialect.

History

Tartessians and Phoenicians

Tartessos, home of the once-powerful Tartessian civilization, was founded in Andalusia in pre-Roman times. The Phoenicians colonized several areas on the Andalusian coast during the latter part of the second millennium B.C.E. The most important settlement was Cadiz (Gdr or Gdz in Hebrew) around 1100 B.C.E.

Carthaginians and Romans

With the fall of the Phoenician cities, Carthage became the dominant sea power in the western Mediteranean and the most important trading partner for the Semitic towns along the Andalusian coast. Between the first and second Carthaginian wars, Carthage extended its control beyond Andalusia to include all of Iberia except the Basquelands. Andalusia was the major staging ground for the war vs Rome led by the Barkid Hannibal. The Romans defeated the Carthaginians and conquered Andalusia, the region being renamed Betica.

Vandals and Visigoths

The Vandals moved briefly through the region during the 5th century CE before settling in North Africa, after which the region fell into the hands of the Kingdom of the Visigoths who had to face the Byzantine interests in the region.

Arabs and Moors

The Umayyad Caliphate invasion of the Iberian peninsula in 711-718 marked the collapse of Visigothic rule. Andalucian culture was deeply influenced by half a millennium of Muslim rule during the Middle Ages. Córdoba became the largest and richest city in Western Europe and one of the largest in the world. The Moors established universities in Andalucia, and cultivated scholarship, bringing together the greatest achievements of all of the civilisations they had encountered. During that period Moorish and Jewish scholars played a major part in reviving and contributing to Western astronomy, medicine, philosophy and mathematics. With the fall of Seville in 1248 most of Andalucia came under Castilian control, leaving only the emirate of Granada under Muslim rule until it too was conquered by the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492. The largest Arabic speaking population was in Andalucia, which also received Moors from other regions who were driven south by the Reconquista, and although many either converted or left later, they gave the region its distinctive character till this day.

Andalucia is known for its Moorish and Moorish influenced architecture. Notable examples include the Alhambra in Granada, the Mezquita in Córdoba, the Torre del Oro and Giralda towers. Other architectural styles include Mozarabic, such as the Reales Alcázares in Seville, and the Alcazaba in Málaga. Archaeological ruins include Medina Azahara, near Córdoba, and the Roman city of Itálica, near Seville, and at Palos, in the province of Huelva, the Andalusian port from which Columbus's expedition of discovery was launched.

The Spanish language spoken in the Americas is largely descended from the Andalusian dialect of Spanish. Although, the Spanish spoken at the Canary Islands resembles more the Spanish spoken in the Caribbean. This is due to the role played by Seville as the gateway to Spain's American territories during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Andalusia Day (in Spanish, Día de Andalucía) is celebrated on February 28, to commemorate the date of the successful referendum vote on autonomy.

Culture

Andalusians have a rich culture which includes the famous flamenco style of music and dance. Flamenco is mostly performed by Gypsy people and popular throughout the world. Arab Muslims influence seems common, and more inherent than in the rest of Spain.

Improvised flamenco songs of ancient Andalusian origin are called cante jondo, and are characterized by a reduced tonal ambiance, a lack of rhythm, baroque ornamentation and repetition of notes. Cante jondo is sung by a single singer (Cantaor).


Notes

  1. ↑ The Statute of Autonomy for Andalusia was approved by "Ley Orgánica 6/1981, de 30 de diciembre, Estatuto de Autonomía para Andalucía", published in Boletín Oficial del Estado n. 9, 11 January 1982. As for "Decreto Ley 11/1978" a provisional Autonomous Government (Junta de Andalucía preautonómica) had already been created. The Statute of Autonomy has been reformed in 2006, and the amended text approved by the Senate of Spain and the Congress of Deputies of Spain. The new Statute will be voted on in a referendum in 2007.[1]
  2. ↑ Vía lenta in Spanish, referring to article 143 of the Spanish Constitution of 1978
  3. ↑ http://www.andalucia.com/history/people/blasinfante.htm
  4. ↑ (Spanish) Statutes of Autonomy of the Autonomous Communities of Spain

Sources and further reading

External links

Provinces of Andalusia
Flag es-andalucía 300px.png
Provinces: Almería · Cádiz · Córdoba · Granada · Huelva · Jaén · Málaga · Sevilla
Flag of Spain
Administrative divisions of Spain

Autonomous communities
Andalusia · Aragon · Asturias · Balearic Islands · Basque Country · Canary Islands · Cantabria · Castile-La Mancha · Castile and León · Catalonia · Extremadura · Galicia · Madrid · Murcia · Navarre · La Rioja · Valencian Community

Autonomous cities | Plazas de soberanía
Ceuta · Melilla |  Islas Chafarinas · Peñón de Alhucemas · Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera · Isla de Alborán

Flag of Spain

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