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A Corua (Galician name, also known in English as Corunna; in Spanish as La Corua) is a Galician city, in north-western Spain at 43 22? 0? N 8 22? 60? W. It is the capital of A Corua province.
Historical and modern A Corua
As of the 2003 census, the population of the city of A Corua was 243,902, and of the entire urban area estimated at 388,692. It is a busy port on the Atlantic Ocean and provides a distribution point for agricultural goods from the region. The industry of the province is based on shipyards, metalworks, an oil refinery, and glass and ceramic plants. It is also a centre for ocean-going fishing.
The city is the site of the Roman Tower of Hercules, which is a lighthouse in continuous operation for nearly 2,000 years. It is also well-known for its characteristic glazed window balconies, called galeras.
During the Middle Ages, the city was an important port and center for manufacturing of textiles. In 1588, the Spanish Armada [1] sailed from the bay of the Naval Station of El Ferrol [2] (Province of A Corua). In 1598, the city was sacked by an English fleet under Francis Drake. It was the site of battle during the Peninsular War, on 16 January 1809, to cover embarkation of British troops after their retreat and in which Sir John Moore was killed. During the 19th century, the city was the centre of antimonarchist sentiment. See also: Battle of Corunna.
Alcal de Henares is a Spanish city. Located in the autonomous community of Madrid, 30 km northeast of the city of Madrid, it has a population of around 200,000.
The city is of Roman origin – the only Roman town in the Madrid region – its Latin name being Complutum. It was refounded in 1083 by the Moors, who built a castle or al-qalat on a nearby hill, today known as Alcal la Vieja (Old Alcal). Its Christian conquerors preferred the Burgo de Santiuste (“Saint Just’s borough”) on the original Roman site. The city was ceded to the Bishopric of Toledo, Spain. The present name literally means “castle on the [river] Henares”. Under Christian rule, the city sported both a Jewish and a Moorish quarter.
At some time in the 1480s Christopher Columbus had his first meeting here with the Reyes Catlicos, Ferdinand and Isabella. In 1496, Cardinal Cisneros founded the Universidad Complutense, which became famous as a centre of learning during the Renaissance. It was moved to Madrid in 1836 (under the name Universidad Central de Madrid). A new university was founded in the old buildings as the Universidad de Alcal de Henares in 1977. The city suffered severe damage during the Spanish Civil War.
Albacete is a city in southeastern Spain, 173 miles southeast of Madrid, the capital of the province of Albacete in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha. The municipality had a population of 152,115 in 2002.
The settlement was named Al-Basit, “the plain,” by the Moors. The city has been known as a center for the manufacture of fine daggers, scissors, and knives.
Albacete is not known as a tourist destination, but its sights include the new cathedral and the Museo de Albacete.
During the Spanish Civil War, it was the headquarters and training camp of the International Brigades.
Albacete is home to the football team Albacete Balompie, commonly known simply as Albacete.
Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, near the city of Gibraltar, slightly to the north than Tarifa, which is the southernmost town of the country (36 7? 39? N 5 27? 14? W). Both cities are situated on the Strait of Gibraltar; Algeciras also faces the Mediterranean.
The name Algeciras is derived from the Arabic al-jazeera (“the peninsula”, from which Algiers and Al Jazeera are also derived).
The modern harbour of Algeciras is one of the busiest in the world, with much traffic to and from Africa. There is a regular ferry service to Tangiers (Morocco) and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Because many people who pass through stay the night at Algeciras, there are many hotels and hostals. Around the beginning of August, cars with families of Moroccan immigrants living in Europe mass in the haven waiting to embark the ferry to spend their holidays in Morocco.
An important industry is the Cepsa refinery serving tankers in the Algeciras bay. Then the tankers take the fuel to Gibraltar waters to sell it with cheaper taxes.
Alicante (Castillian Spanish) or Alacant (Valencian Catalan) is the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of the Alacant, in the southern part of the Land of Valencia, Spain, a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 316,000, estimated as of 2004, of the entire urban area, 405,000. Population of the metropolitan area (including satellite towns) was 680,000 as of 2004 estimates, ranking as the eighth-largest metropolitan area of Spain.
Alicante is one of the fastest-growing cities in Spain. Its economy is based upon tourism in the beaches from Costa Blanca coast, wine production, services and administration. It exports wine, olive oil, and fruit, and has light industries, including food-processing, leather, textiles, and pottery. turrones (torrons in Catalan) a honey and almond nougatis a food specialty of Alicante.
The city has regular ferry services to the Balearic Islands, and an international airport is nearby. It is strongly fortified, with a spacious harbor. Amongst the most notable features of the city is its castle, the “Castillo de Santa Barbara”, which sits high above the city upon a cliff. The most important festival, the Bonfires of Saint John, takes place at the time of the summer solstice, and they are declared of international touristic interest. Another well-known festival is Moros y Cristianos in any quarter of the city, such as Altozano or Saint Blase.
The city is the headquarters of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market.
Almera (2003 pop. 176,338) is the capital of the province of Almera (Pop. 604,903) in Spain. It is located in southeastern Spain on the Mediterranean Sea and all its area is an important Mediterranean resort.
The name “Almera” stems from al-Meraya (Arabic, “the watchtower”), because of its magnificent Moorish castle, Alcazaba: among the Muslim fortresses of Andalusia, only Alhambra is larger. The city was founded by Abd ar-Rahman III of Cordoba in 955 as a principal harbour in his extensive domain, to strengthen his Mediterranean defenses against the Fatimid caliphate in Tunisia. In this period, the port city of Almera reached its historical peak, continuing, after the fragmentation of the Caliphate of Cordoba, under powerful local muslim taifa emirs like Jairan, the first independent Emir of Almera and Cartagena and Almotacin the poet emir, both fearless warriors but also patrons of the arts. A silk industry, based upon plantings of mulberry trees in the hot dry landscape supported Almera in the 11th century and made its strategic harbour an even more valuable prize. Contested by the emirs of Granada and Valencia, Almera suffered many sieges, and one especially fierce when Christians, called to the Second Crusade by Pope Eugenius III, were also encouraged to fall upon the Muslim infidel on a more familiar coast. On that occasion Alfonso VII, at the head of mixed forces of Catalans, Genoese, Pisans and Franks led a crusade against the rich city, and Almera was occupied in October 1147. Within a decade it had passed to the control of the puritannical Almoravid emirs, and though its glorious culture was diminished, not until the late 15th century did it fell permanently into Christian hands, surrendered to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, December 26, 1489.
Altea is a coastal town located in the province of Alicante, Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea. It has an area of 34.4 km2 and, according to the 2002 census, a total population of 17,608 inhabitants.
At present, the more important economic factor of Altea is tourism, which started to grow in the 50s because of its good weather, beaches and the beauty of its streets.
The town was settled by Iberians and Romans. In 1244 it was reconquered by James I of Aragon. One of its places of tourist interest is the church of La Mare de Du del Consol, easily identifiable by its picturesque blue domes.
Altea shares a campus of University Miguel Hernndez.
Aranjuez is a town in the southern part of Autonomous Community of Madrid in central Spain and is the southernmost, and 48 km south of the city of Madrid. It is located at the confluence of the Tagus and Jarama rivers. The municipality of Aranjuez has a population of 46,891 (2004), 22,897 are males and 23,994 are females. It is also located 48 km from Toledo.
Aranjuez is known for the Palacio Real de Aranjuez, a royal residence, and its vast gardens. The strawberries of Aranjuez are also famous throughout Spain; they are shipped by the carload to Madrid every day during their season.
Transportation
A4 (old NIV) (Madrid – Cadiz)
N400
Aranjuez is served by Renfe commuter trains to Atocha station in Madrid.
vila is a town in the south of Old Castile, the capital of the province of the same name, now part of the autonomous community of Castile and Lon, Spain.
It is renowned for Teresa of Avila, the Carmelite reformer, who lived there, the vila city wall and the Cathedral.
Avils is the 3rd most important city of Asturias. Situated in the estuary of Avils west of Peas Cape, it has an important national seaport and an important industry.
History
In the last of 19th century, Avils began to received the impact of industrialization, but only in middle 20th century it began to transformed. The Spanish Glassworks Company (Cristalera Espaola) established in Avils in 1940 and in 1946 was established the first plant of aluminium in San Juan de Nieva and later other plant in Avils. The great steel plant of Aboo, ENSIDESA (now Aceralia), was the culmination of this process of industrialization.
In the last of 20th century other chemical plant established in the region: Du Pont. In the last ten years of this century, the population of Avils was decreased because of the crisis and the restructuring in the steel sector.
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