Tarifa

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Tarifa
Coat of arms of Tarifa
Coat of Arms
Location

Location of Tarifa
Coordinates : 36º28' N -6º12' W
Time zone : CEST
General information
Native name Tarifa (Spanish)
Spanish name Tarifa
Demonym tarifeño/a
Postal code 11380
Website http://www.aytotarifa.com/
Administration
Country Spain
Autonomous Community Andalusia
Province Cádiz
Comarca Campo de Gibraltar
Neighborhoods Tarifa, Bolonia, Casas de Porro,
El Cuartón, Facinas, Tahivilla, La Zarzuela
Mayor Miguel Manella Guerrero (PSOE)
Geography
Land Area 419 km²
Altitude 7 m AMSL
Population
Population 17,199 (2005)
Density 41.05 hab./km² (2005)
Tarifa, Spain
Flag of Tarifa, Spain
Flag
Official seal of Tarifa, Spain
Seal
Location of Tarifa within the Province of Cádiz
Location of Tarifa within the Province of Cádiz
Municipality Cádiz
Government
 - Mayor Miguel Manella Guerrero
Area
 - Total 419 km² (161.8 sq mi)
 - Land 419 km² (161.8 sq mi)
 - Water 0.00 km² (0 sq mi)
Population (2005)
 - Total 17,199
 - Density 41.0/km² (106.2/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Website: http://www.aytotarifa.com/

Tarifa is a small town on the southernmost coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is part of the province of Cádiz, which, in turn, is part of the Andalusia region. The town is located on the Costa de la Luz ("coast of light") and across the Straits of Gibraltar from Morocco, from which the lights of Tarifa are visible at night. The municipality includes Punta de Tarifa, the southernmost point in continental Europe. there are five smaller villages who depend economically on Tarifa. They are Tahivilla, Facinas, Bolonia and Zahara de los Atunes.

Puerta de Jerez, the traditional entrance to the old part of Tarifa.
Puerta de Jerez, the traditional entrance to the old part of Tarifa.

There are regular ferries between Tarifa and Tangier and bus services between Tarifa and Algeciras, about 20 km to the northeast, and Seville about 200km to the north. There is frequent illegal immigration of Africans to the coast near Tarifa.

Tarifa is well known for its buzzing night life and many locals struggle to wake before 11am.

Near the port of Tarifa there is a well-preserved castle, the Castillo de Guzman. The coast of Tarifa is also popular with windsurfers and kitesurfers due to the strong winds of the straits. For this reason Tarifa is also dotted with hundreds of wind turbines. Tarifa is an excellent place to watch migrating birds, in particular the storks which cross the Straits of Gibraltar in spring and autumn. Also whale and dolphin watching can be done on the 14 kilometer wide Straits. Like the name Costa de la Luz suggests, Tarifa enjoys many hours of sunlight each year.

A statue of the Sancho IV, king of Castile and León from 1284 to 1295, in front of the Castillo de Guzmán.
A statue of the Sancho IV, king of Castile and León from 1284 to 1295, in front of the Castillo de Guzmán.

Tarifa is sometimes credited with being the origin of the word, tariff, since it was the first port in history to charge merchants for the use of its docks, but other sources[1] point to the Arabic word, ta'rïf, as the origin. The name "Tarifa" itself is derived from the name of the Berber warrior, Tarif ibn Malik.

[edit] Demographics

Demographic evolution of Tarifa between 1999 and 2005

1999

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

15,344

15,481 15,764 16,058 16,392 16,743 17,199

Source: INE (Spain)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Chambers Dictionary of Etymology, New York, 1997, ISBN 0-550-14230-4

[edit] External links

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Coordinates: 36°01′N, 5°36′W