Province of Cádiz
Cádiz | |||
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Province | |||
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Map of Spain with Cádiz highlighted | |||
Coordinates: 36°30′N 5°45′W / 36.500°N 5.750°WCoordinates: 36°30′N 5°45′W / 36.500°N 5.750°W | |||
Autonomous community | Andalusia | ||
Capital | Cádiz | ||
Government | |||
• President | José Loaiza García (PP) | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 7,385 km2 (2,851 sq mi) | ||
Area rank | Ranked 34th | ||
1.47% of Spain | |||
Population (1 January 2014) | |||
• Total | 1,240,175 | ||
• Rank | Ranked 8th | ||
• Density | 170/km2 (430/sq mi) | ||
2.68% of Spain | |||
Demonym(s) | Spanish: gaditano | ||
Official language(s) | Spanish | ||
Parliament | Cortes Generales | ||
Website | dipucadiz.es |
Cádiz is a province of southern Spain, in the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia, the southernmost part of continental Western Europe as well as of the entire continent.
It is bordered by the Spanish provinces of Huelva, Seville, and Málaga, as well as the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. Its area is 7,385 square kilometers.
Its capital is the city of Cádiz, which has a population of more than 128,000. The largest city is Jerez de la Frontera with 208,896 inhabitants (as of 2010), and another important city is Algeciras with just over 114,000 inhabitants. The entire province had a population of 1,240,175 (as of 2014), of whom about 600,000 live in the Bay of Cádiz area. Its population density is 167.93 per square kilometer.
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, Costa Noroeste)
- La Janda
- Sierra de Cádiz (Cádiz Mountains)
Bay of Cádiz (Bahía de Cádiz)
This area comprises towns and cities on the shores of the Bay of Cádiz on the west-central coast of the province:
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Panteón de Marinos Ilustres
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The bullring at El Puerto
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The cathedral at Cádiz
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Sancti Petri beach
Campiña de Jerez (Countryside of Jerez)
This fertile area only includes two municipalities, both large in area:
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Octagonal tower in the Alcázar of Jerez de la Frontera
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A sherry solera
Campo de Gibraltar (Countryside of Gibraltar)
The towns that extend into the rural hinterlands north of Gibraltar are:
- Algeciras
- Jimena de la Frontera
- Castellar de la Frontera
- San Roque
- La Línea de la Concepción
- Los Barrios
- Tarifa
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View of La Línea from the Rock of Gibraltar
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High plaza at Algeciras
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Chapel of Our Lady of Europe
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Hozgarganta river
Bajo Guadalquivir (Northwest Coast; also called Costa Noroeste)
The towns of this area called the "Bajo Guadalquivir" (lower Guadalquivir valley), are:
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The castle of Santiago in Sanlúcar de Barrameda
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Salt mine at Sanlúcar
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Las Covachas
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La Cárcel (now a conservatory)
La Janda
Towns included in La Janda, an area in the southwestern part of the province, are:
- Alcalá de los Gazules
- Barbate
- Benalup-Casas Viejas
- Conil de la Frontera
- Medina Sidonia
- Paterna de Rivera
- Vejer de la Frontera
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Casa Consistorial, Medina Sidonia
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La Breña
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Vejer de la Frontera
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Beaches
Sierra de Cádiz (Cádiz Mountains)
Towns included in the Cádiz Mountains area, in the northeastern part of the province, include:
- Alcalá del Valle
- Algar
- Algodonales
- Arcos de la Frontera
- Benaocaz
- Bornos
- El Bosque
- El Gastor
- Espera
- Grazalema
- Olvera
- Prado del Rey
- Puerto Serrano
- Setenil de las Bodegas
- Torre Alháquime
- Ubrique
- Villaluenga del Rosario
- Villamartín
- Zahara de la Sierra
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Setenil
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Zahara de la Sierra
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Griffon vultures are common in Alcalá del Valle
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Grazalema from Endrinal mountains
Climate
The entire province of Cádiz has a mediterranean climate, but with large differences in summer temperatures between the three official stations in Cádiz, Jerez and Tarifa depending on position relative to the coastline. Tarifa is exceptionally cool for such a southerly parallel in Europe, but winter temperatures are mild throughout the province with less difference between localities than in summer. Average yearly rainfall is 521 millimetres (20.5 in) in Cádiz, 573 millimetres (22.6 in) in Jerez and 603 millimetres (23.7 in) in Tarifa.[1] This is comparable to much cloudier climates further north in Europe, in spite of the high number of sunshine hours in the province. The Cádiz region is also much wetter than the arid Almería province further east in Andalusia.
Location | Coldest month | April | Warmest month | October |
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Cádiz | 16.0 °C (60.8 °F)/ 9.4 °C (48.9 °F) | 19.9 °C (67.8 °F)/ 13.7 °C (56.7 °F) | 27.9 °C (82.2 °F)/ 22.0 °C (71.6 °F) | 23.4 °C (74.1 °F)/ 17.3 °C (63.1 °F) |
Jerez | 16.2 °C (61.2 °F)/ 5.2 °C (41.4 °F) | 22.2 °C (72.0 °F)/ 9.8 °C (49.6 °F) | 33.5 °C (92.3 °F)/ 18.7 °C (65.7 °F) | 25.5 °C (77.9 °F)/ 13.7 °C (56.7 °F) |
Tarifa | 15.1 °C (59.2 °F)/ 10.9 °C (51.6 °F) | 17.3 °C (63.1 °F)/ 13.0 °C (55.4 °F) | 24.5 °C (76.1 °F)/ 20.0 °C (68.0 °F) | 20.6 °C (69.1 °F)/ 16.7 °C (62.1 °F) |
Economy
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Cadiz (province). |
Primary sector
- Sherry Vineyards
- John Harvey & Sons in Jerez de la Frontera
- Gonzalez Byass
- Olive groves
- Fishing Ports, as in Cádiz and Algeciras.
- Cork products from the Alcornocales cork-oak forests
Major industrial facilities
The main industry is tourism, mainly from non-coastal Spanish cities, Germany and the UK.
Its once-important shipbuilding industry (Astilleros) is 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.
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1° | Agriculture, Animal husbandry and fishing. | 4% |
2° | Industry (energy, industry and construction) | 28% |
3° | Services (tourism, hostelery and public administration) | 67% |
Tourism
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.
Some of these beaches are relatively wild and far from big urban areas due to the closeness of natural reserves. One of the attractions of the area is the contrast to the mass tourism of other areas on 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
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
Nature
Doñana National Park
Doñana National Park is one of two national parks in the autonomous community of Andalusia. A small area of the park extends into Cadiz Province, just north of Sanlucar de Barrameda and on the south bank of the Rio Guadalquivir. This area is primarily marismas. The public have access to a recreational area and a short walking trail. There is no direct access to the bulk of the park that lies on the north bank of the river in the provinces of Seville and Huelva.
Natural parks
Bahía de Cádiz Natural Park
- 100 km², 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.
La Breña y Marismas del Barbate Natural Park
- 37.97 km², high cliff rock formations covered by pine trees.
- Bird watching, archaeological and botanical excursions, diving, windsurfing, sailing, hiking.
- Strandpine, black juniper tree, black spruce, juniper, small palm tree, rosemary.
- Herring gull, chatfinch, greenfinch, cattle egret, little egret, crested tit, woodpecker, kestrel, peregrine falcon.
La Doñana Natural Park
- This natural park is shared by three provinces, Cádiz, Huelva and Seville. It is an area to the east and northeast of the national park.
- Home of the Iberian lynx, a protected species.
Los Alcornocales Natural Park
- Information center in Alcalá de los Gazules; visitors centers in Algeciras and Cortes de la Frontera (Málaga).
- 1,700.25 km² 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, culture, kestrel, peregrine falcon, wild boar, deer, weasel, (sea)otter, wildcat, mongoose.
Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park
- Administration in El Bosque; visitors' center in El Bosque.
- 516.95 km² 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.
Straits of Gibraltar Natural Park
- Is the most meridional national park of Europe.
- Its location at the southernmost point of mainland Spain, and of mainland Europe, at the point where the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea meet in the Strait of Gibraltar, places it on the migratory route for many birds.
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 Seville.)
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
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.
Transportation
Roads
Airports
Railroads
- Cádiz-Seville Line
- Cercanías Cádiz
- Algeciras-Granada Line
Ports
- Port of Algeciras
- Port of Cádiz
The main ways to enter the province are by road from Seville or Malaga and by the Jerez Airport.
Notable sports teams
Football
- Xerez CD in the Segunda División.
- Cádiz CF in the Segunda División B.
- Racing Club Portuense in the Segunda División B.
- Algeciras CF in the Tercera División.
- CD San Fernando in the Segunda División B.
- Real Balompédica Linense in the Segunda División B.
Rugby Union
Notes and references
- ↑ "Standard Climate Values for Andalucía". Aemet.es. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ↑ "Standard Climate Values, Andalucía". Aemet.es. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
See also
External links
- Grazalema Natural Park tourist information in Spanish, English, French and German
- Excma. Diputación Provincial de Cádiz
- Official Website of Tourism in the Province of Cádiz
- Libro de Estilo de Canal Sur (anexo 4, pg. 417, comarcas andaluzas). Listado comarcal definido por la Consejería de Turismo y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía.
- (Spanish) Bahía de Cádiz Natural Park
- (Spanish) Del Estrecho Natural Park
- (Spanish) Doñana Natural Park
- (Spanish) La Breña y Marismas del Barbate Natural Park
- (Spanish) Los Alcornocales Natural Park
- (Spanish) Grazalema Natural Park
- bajoguadalquivir.org
- Google Maps satellite view
- YasHan Gallery More photos of Cádiz.
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