Province of Cádiz

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Cádiz


Flag

Location

Location of Cádiz province

Time Zone:

General information

Native name

Cádiz (Spanish)

Spanish name

Cádiz

Nickname

Gaditano/Gaditana

Postal code

Website

http://www.dipucadiz.es/

Administration

Country

Spain

Autonomous Community

Andalusia

Municipalities

Geography

Land Area

7.436 km²

- rank in Spain:

34º

Population

Population

1.180.817 (2007)

- rank in Spain:

8º

Density

158,80 hab./km² (2007)

Cádiz is a province of southern Spain, in the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia, the southernmost part of continental Western Europe.

It is bordered by the Spanish provinces of Huelva, Sevilla, and Málaga, as well as the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar and the British possession of Gibraltar. Its area is 7,442 square kilometers.

Its capital is the city of Cádiz. The province had a population is 1,194,062 (as of 2006), of whom about 600,000 live in the Bay of Cádiz area. Its population density is 160.45 per square kilometer.

Map of the distinct areas that comprise the Province of Cádiz

1 Political and traditional subdivisions (comarcas)
2 Economy
- 2.1 Primary sector
- 2.2 Major industrial facilities
3 Tourism
4 Transportation
5 Notable sports teams
6 External links

[edit] Political and traditional subdivisions (comarcas)

The province encompasses 44 municipalities; besides its capital, other important cities are Jerez and Algeciras. (See the list of municipalities in Cádiz.) According to a roster developed by the Council of Tourism and Sport of Andalusia on 27 March 2003, there are officially six traditional or touristic comarcas (provincial areas or counties) in the Province of Cádiz:

Bahía de Cádiz (Bay of Cádiz)
Campiña de Jerez (Countryside of Jerez)
Campo de Gibraltar (Countryside of Gibraltar)
Bajo Guadalquivir (Lower Guadalquivir, or Northwest Coast)
La Janda
Sierra de Cádiz (Cádiz Mountains)

Spring fair at El Puerto

The Grand Theatre Falla

The bullring at El Puerto

The cathedral at Cádiz

[edit] Bay of Cádiz (Bahía de Cádiz)

This area is comprised by towns and cities on the shores of the Bay of Cádiz on the west-central coast of the province:

Octogonal tower in the Alcázar at Jerez

A sherry solera

[edit] Campiña de Jerez (Countryside of Jerez; also called Marco de Jerez)

This fertile area only includes two municipalities, both large in area:

View of La Línea from the Rock of Gibraltar

The Rock, from the west

High plaza at Algeciras

Chapel of Our Lady of Europe

[edit] Campo de Gibraltar (Countryside of Gibraltar)

The towns that extend into the rural hinterlands north of Gibraltar are:

The castle of Santiago in Sanlucár de Barrameda

Salt mine at Sanlucár

Las Covachas

El Cárcel (now a conservatory)

[edit] Bajo Guadalquivir (Northwest Coast; also called Costa Noroeste)

The towns of this area called the "Bajo Guadalquivir" (lower Guadalquivir valley), are:

Casa Consistorial, Medina Sidonia

La Breña

The white houses of Alcalá de los Gazules

Vejer de la Frontera

[edit] La Janda

Towns included in La Janda, an area in the southwestern part of the province, are:

View of the Sierra de Grazalema

Arcos de la Frontera

Zahara de la Sierra

Griffon vultures are common in Alcalá del Valle

[edit] Sierra de Cádiz (Cádiz Mountains)

Towns included in the Cádiz Mountains area, in the northeastern part of the province, include:

[edit] Economy

Wikisource has an original article from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica about:

Cadiz (province)

[edit] Primary sector

Sherry Vineyards
John Harvey & Sons in Jerez
Gonzalez Byass
olive groves
Fishing Ports, as in Cádiz and Algeciras.

[edit] Major industrial facilities

The main industry is tourism, mainly from other non-coastal Spanish cities, Germany and the UK.

It was once important its shipbuilding industry (Astilleros), now in crisis due to competition from South Korea and China.

There are factories of Airbus and Delphi

It also exports sherry as well as alimentary products.

Sector	Main activities	% GDP
1º	Agriculture, Animal husbandry and fishing.	4 %
2º	Industry (energy, industry and construction)	28 %
3º	Services (tourism, hostelery and public administration)	67 %

[edit] Tourism

[edit] Beaches

The province of Cádiz has many kilometers of beaches and (as of 2005) the highest number of Blue Flags of all coastal provinces in Europe.

Sunset in Cádiz

Baelo Claudia

Some of these beaches are relatively wild and far from big urban areas due to the closeness of natural reserves. Being that one of its attractives in contrast to the mass tourism of other areas in the Mediterranean coast.

The area near Tarifa is known to be an important windsurf area and similar sports due to the almost permanent wind near the Strait of Gibraltar.

Notable beaches:

Playa La Barrosa in Chiclana de la Frontera
Playa La Victoria in Cádiz
Playa de Levante in El Puerto de Santa María
Playa de Bolonia in Tarifa
Playa de Camposoto in San Fernando

[edit] Culture

Carnival of Cádiz
Feria de Jerez
Semana Santa in all municipalities of the Province
Horse racing in Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Circuito Permanente de Jerez
White Towns of Andalusia
Ruta del Toro

[edit] Nature

[edit] Doñana National Park

Doñana National Park is one of two national parks in the autonomous community of Andalusia.

[edit] Natural Parks

[edit] Bahía de Cádiz Natural Park

10,000 hectares, located at the mouth of the Guadalete river, consists of marshland, beaches, reed and sand dunes.

Bird watching. Sailing, Windsurfing, Hiking.

(Ocean) Pine. Many types of shrubs and bushes.

Gannet Solan Goose, Storch, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, (Sea)Gull, Flamingo, Tern, Sea Eagle, Avocet.

[edit] La Breña y Marismas del Barbate Natural Park

3,797 hectares, high cliff rock formations covered by pine trees.

Bird watching, archaeological and botanical excursions, Diving, Windsurfing, Sailing, Hiking.

Strandpinie, Black Juniper tree, Black Spruce, Juniper, Small Palm tree, Rosemary.

Herring Gull, Chatfinch, Greenfinch, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Crested Tit, Woodpecker, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon.

[edit] La Doñana Natural Park

This natural park is shared by three provinces, Cádiz, Huelva, and Sevilla. It is an area to the east and northeast of the national park.

[edit] Los Alcornocales Natural Park

Information center in Alcalá de los Gazules; Visitors centers in Algeciras and Cortes de la Frontera (Málaga)

170,025 hectares in area

Low mountain range, densely covered by cork oak trees ("Alcornoques")

Bird watching, archaeological and botanical excursions, Hiking, Mountainbiking, Speleology.

Cork Oak, Olive tree, Gall Oak, Pink Rock Rose, Small Palm tree, Alder, Rhododendron, Holly, Bracken (Fern), Cherry tree, Laurel.

Sparrow Hawk, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Booted Eagle, Goshawk, Eagle Owl, Tawny Owl, Vulture, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Wild Boar, Deer, Weasel, (Sea)Otter, Wildcat, Mongoose.

[edit] Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park

Administration in El Bosque; Visitors center in Benamahoma

51,695 hectares in area

Limestone formation, transformed to ravines, declines and caves. Large colonies of Spanish Fir ("pinsapo").

Bird watching, archaeological and botanical excursions.

Hiking, Climbing, Mountainbiking, Speleology, Paragliding.

Spanish Fir, Cork Oak, Holm Oak, Gall Oak, Carob, Oleaster.

Imperial Eagle, Golden Eagle, Fish Hawk, Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Mountain Goat, Deer, Mongoose, (Sea)Otter, Fox.

[edit] Straits of Gibraltar Natural Park

[edit] Natural Reserves

There are eight natural reserves in the province: Complejo Endorreico de Chiclana, Complejo Endorreico de Espera, Complejo Endorreico de Puerto Real, Complejo Endorreico del Puerto de Santa María, Laguna de Medina, Lagunas de las Canteras y el Tejón, Laguna de la Paja, and Peñón de Zaframagón (which straddles the border with the province of Sevilla.)

[edit] Natural Sites

There are seven natural sites in the province: Cola del Embalse de Arcos, Cola del Embalse de Bornos, Estuario del Río Guadiaro, Isla del Trocadero, Marismas de Sancti Petri, Marismas del Río Palmones, and Playa de Los Lances.

Parques Periurbanos: Pinares y Dunas de San Antón La Suara La Barrosa

[edit] Natural Monuments

There are five natural monuments in the province: Corrales de Rota, Duna de Bolonia, Punta del Boquerón, Tómbolo de Trafalgar, and Escarpes del Río Trejo en Setenil.