Andalusia

Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía

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
Capital	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
Parliamentary representation  – Congress seats  – Senate seats	62  40
President	Manuel Chaves González (PSOE)
ISO 3166-2	AN
Junta de Andalucía

Andalusia, located in the southern portion of Spain, is one of the seventeen autonomous regions of the country. It contains eight distinct provinces, all with individual cultural traditions and identity. With eight provinces ( Almeria, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaen, Malaga,and Seville ) , Andalusia boasts the largest population of any of the autonomous Spanish states. 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.

Andalusia lies to the south of Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha, meeting the Mediterranean Sea on its southern border. Its 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. Andalusia also conveniently located along the strait of Gibraltar, the passage 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 Andalusia.

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 sunshine. 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 tourists flock to Andalusia. The mountains are also spectacular, and they host a unique combination of plant and animal life.

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 wherever possible. The valley reaches its narrowest point where the Sierra Morena and the Sistema Penibetico meet in the eastern portion of the region. Minor valleys are also common in Andalusia, although none rival the breath and size of the Andalusian Plain.

History

Alamillo Bridge, Seville designed by Santiago Calatrava.

The earliest records of settled civilization in Andalusia describe colonial occupation in Pre-Roman times. In the early 12th century B.C.E. the Phoenician empire formed colonies along the coast to help with trade. The settlement founded by the Phoenicians was called Tartessos, which later rose to become a major political force in the region.

The colonies of the Phoenicians eventually declined in power following the dissolution of the Phoenician empire. The next major political force to emerge in the region was the city of Carthage, whose emphasis on trade gave the straits of Gibraltar and the Andalusia region economic importance. As a trading center, Carthage saw the economic value of controlling the strait, and began a campaign to gain control of the region. Between the first and second Carthaginian wars, Carthage extended its power over Andalusia, using the coast to launch many of its invasions into Roman territory. Carthage, however, was unsuccessful in its campaign against Rome. With the decline of Carthage, Andalusia remained, for a brief period, without a strong political identity. Rome stepped in to fill the power vacuum, renaming the area Betica.

Roman control over the area did not last long, with the area briefly falling under the control of the Vandals. As the Vandals passed through the region on their way to North Africa, they took control of Andalusia. Following their brief occupation, the Visigoths took control, only to be replaced by Muslim rule in the early 8th century C.E. The Muslim invasion proved to be an extremely influential action in the formation of a distinct Andalusian identity.

During the half millennium of Muslim rule during the Middle Ages, Andalusia became an extremely wealthy and influential political force that actively cultivated scholarship and advances in many areas. 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 civilizations 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.

The Mezquita Mosque in Córdoba.

In 1248 Seville fell to Castilian rule. After the fall of Seville, the Andalusia region began to experience a large influx of Moors who were fleeing the Reconquista. The Moorish influx contributed significantly to the distinctive Andalusian culture that is apparent today. Moorish influences were particularly strong in architecture, with prominent examples found at the Alhambra and the Giralda towers.

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 today 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.

Government

Andalusia began its own distinct political force in 1978, when the Spanish constitution established historical nationalities. Historical nationalities in Spain, like Andalusia, were granted a special, autonomous status that was based on the idea that the area contained a specific nationality. Another major idea behind historical nationalities was their supposed independence from Spain as a whole. Under this idea Historical Nationalities were areas that were considered culturally independent prior to the second Spanish War. Andalusia is one of only four such regions in Spain, with the other historical nationalities found in Catalonia, Basque, and Galicia. Many other communities in Spain were recognized as a result of the constitution, but other communities were not granted the political and cultural independence of historical nationalities.

Administrative divisions

Provinces of Andalusia

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

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

Andalusia is particularly rich in natural resources, but despite this fact, Andalusia continues to have one of the lowest GDP per capita in Spain. The economic difficulties of the region are commonly attributed to poor soil conditions. With rocky soil throughout the state and a subtropical climate, Andalusia is agriculturally comparable to North Africa. Major agricultural products of the region include olive oil and wine, whose production levels are gradually increasing with increased mechanization. The natural wealth of the region is found in its mineral deposits, particularly copper, iron, zinc, and lead. These minerals have been drawn from the region since Phoenician and Roman times.

While the agricultural portions of the economy continue to struggle, the service sector is becoming a significant part of the national product of Andalusia. Manufacturing and service sectors are growing exponentially, with the growth rates in Andalusia exceeding those found elsewhere in Spain. High growth rates in the service sector are expected to continue, especially as tourism becomes more prominent in the area.

Malecón of La Caleta, Cádiz.

Culture

The modern day culture of Andalusia draws heavily on its Moorish history. It is considered to be one of the most colorful regions of Spain, with ornamentation playing a large role in clothing. Dance and music are also vital to the culture of Andalusia, with the most popular performance dance being the flamenco. Flamenco, while most often performed by Roma gypsies has gained popularity around the globe. Two distinct types of flamenco exist in Andalusia, those which are choreographed, and those which are not. Unchoreographed flamenco dance is referred to as cante jondo, and has a less structured musical rhythm than choreographed flamenco.

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Lewis, Brenda Ralph. 2002. Great Civilizations. Parragon Publishing, Bath. ISBN 0-75256-141-3
• Costantino, Maria. 2001. The Illustrated Flag Handbook. Gramercy Books, New York. ISBN 0-517-21810-0
• Noble, John. 2007. Lonely Planet Andalucia. Lonely Planet Publications. ISBN 174059973X

External links

• Official Tourism Website of Andalusia Retrieved November 18, 2007.
• History of the Andalusian Flag Retrieved November 18, 2007.
• Andalucia Photo and History Pages Retrieved November 18, 2007.
• Fairs and Festivals in Andalusia Retrieved November 18, 2007.
• Andalusia Retrieved November 18, 2007.

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