Province of Almería

The province of Almería (Spanish Provincia de Almería, Zip code 04xxx, former license plate AL) is one of the eight provinces of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia in southern Spain. It borders also Andalusian province of Granada, as well as to the region of Murcia and the Mediterranean Sea. The name of the capital city is also Almería.

Area and population

The area of ​​the province extends over 8774 km ², the population is 684,426 (as of 2009 ). The population density is 72 inhabitants / km ², which is significantly lower than the Spanish average.

Comarcas

Like all provinces of Andalusia, the province of Almería was divided into Comarcas with effect from 28 March 2003.

Larger towns

The following 12 municipalities had more than 10,000 inhabitants on 1 January 2013.

In addition, there were 10 municipalities with more than 5,000 to 10,000 inhabitants, 30 municipalities with more than 1,000 to 5,000 inhabitants and 50 municipalities with up to 1,000 inhabitants. Smallest municipality is Benitagla with 73 inhabitants.

History

Almería has a long history, which is marked by the presence of different civilizations. Even from the Paleolithic ( Old Stone Age ), there are, as well as from the Neolithic (New Stone Age ) tracks ( cave paintings ). The oldest finds are from the caves Cuesta del Rio Claro and Zájara I. Younger were made in the caves of Cueva de Ambrosio, Zájara II, Humosa, Serron and La Palica and in Carboneras. From 5000 BC, Neolithic traces found ( goods of cardial or Impressokultur ) of Cabecicos Negos (with Vera) and on the Cerro de los López. The Almeriakultur makes the transition to the metal time. The oldest "settlement " of the province, Los Millares, originated in the Chalcolithic period and had more than 1,000 inhabitants, whose culture was based on the copper processing. Pieces of this place spread during the 3rd millennium BC, a large part of the Iberian Peninsula.

In the Bronze Age ( 1700-1400 BC), the significant El- Argar culture spread in the Spanish Levant, to the Almería region belongs.

The colonies Baria (Villa Ricos ) and Abdera (Adra ) evidence of the Phoenician presence in the area. These were adopted by the Punic civilization ( the Carthaginians ), which spread in the western Mediterranean. The confrontation with the Roman Empire ended their presence.

In Adra and Almeria were found remains of Roman salt production sites. These are an indication of the flourishing trade, which was based on the production of garum, a sauce based on fish and aromatic herbs, which was at that time considered a delicacy.

After the Roman Empire was conquered by the Vandals in Almería, the Visigoths and the Byzantines. Undoubtedly, the Islamic civilization, which was then present over a period of eight centuries, the one that had the greatest impact on the province of Almería. At the beginning of the 8th century Arabs populated - essentially part Yemenis - and Berber territory of Almeria and began to develop a new type of agriculture, had the fundamental changes in the landscape result.

In 955 Abd ar -Rahman III ordered. the construction of a fortress (Spanish: Alcazaba ) to prevent the advance of the Fatimid Caliphate of their capital in Mahdia ( Tunisia ) from. This fort is 43,000 m², the largest in the Iberian peninsula, while the official birth of the city of Almería, which was the port district of Pechina up to this point. Later this place was the main port of the Caliphate of Córdoba and developed a brisk trade with the eastern Mediterranean and North Africa. During the 9th century, Almería led his wealth back to the import of silk.

During the era of the Taifa ( kingdoms ) of the province of Almería Banu al - Amiri ( 1012-1038 ) was dominated, then briefly annexed by Valencia ( 1038-1041 ). It was then placed from Granada to the Banu Sumadih dynasty until it was conquered in 1091 by the Almoravids.

During the Reconquista ( reconquest ) besieged Alfonso VII Almería with an army, which was supported by troops from Catalonia, Genoa, Pisa and the Frankish Empire; in 1147 the city was conquered. However, his reign lasted only ten years, after which the area of ​​the Arab dynasty of the Almohads was recaptured. However, the city never again reached its former glory.

In the 13th century the region became part of the Emirate of Granada, until it was finally conquered by the Catholic Monarchs in 1489 completely.

In the 16th century regular attacks by Berber pirates were held, which lasted until well into the 18th century. Mainly by residents of the coastal areas were kidnapped into slavery in North Africa.

On the far rich history also the symbol of the Indalo Almería province goes back, which can be found on houses, but will be sold as a lucky charm and also printed on T -shirts.

Economy

The most important economic factor is the agricultural production in greenhouses. Every year millions of tons exported in vegetables and fruit not only within Europe but also around the world. The intensive culture is also responsible for the term mar del plástico (Eng. plastic sea). It involves the world's largest concentration of intensive culture. These crops cover in Almeria 350 km ² and generate 80 % of the Spanish vegetable exports. The work in the heavily polluted with pesticides plants is made ​​primarily of North African migrants, mostly due to their uncertain legal illegal, inhumane living conditions and wage dumping. Due to the low wages and high EU subsidies under the European transit funding vegetables from Almería can undercut even in Africa, local production price.

The other economic source represents the tourism, thanks to the warm and sunny climate and the tourist resorts of Roquetas de Mar, Aguadulce, Vera or Cabo de Gata.

It is also known the trial site Plataforma Solar de Almería ( briefly also PSA) near the village of Tabernas north of Almería. There, research and development of concentrating solar technologies has been ongoing since 1980.

Geographical textures

Almería is one of the most mountainous provinces of Spain. 46% of the population live in the hill country, 34 % in hilly area and only 19% in the plains. From west to east several massive high mountain ranges run through the province that are part of Penibetischen System ( Sistema Penibético ) are. This unique arrangement of mountain ranges is mainly responsible for the historical foreclosure both with respect to the rest of Spain and the individual districts each other and leads to a specific deviating from the rest of Spain climate that is particularly in the winter of great advantage.

The desert-like climate of the province is responsible for the characteristic dry river beds that are to be found everywhere, but mainly in the nearby seaside regions. The smaller rivers are the largest part of the river water, but usually it seeps before it reaches the mouth of the sea. The main rivers are the Almanzora, the Andarax, the Grande de Adra, the Alías and the Río de Aguas. The latter is responsible for the Cretaceous Karst of Sorbas.

The highest mountain is the province's Chullo ( 2609 msnm ), which forms part of the Sierra Nevada. This mountain Almería shared with the province of Granada. Other important peaks are Almirez ( 2,518 m), the morrón ( 2,236 m) in the Sierra de Gádor, the Calar Alto ( 2,168 m) in the Sierra de los Filabres that the Tetica de Bacares ( 2,080 m ) in the same mountain range and Pico de María ( 2,045 m) in the same mountains.

The Almeria coast stretches over 219 km and has different geographic irregularities. The best known are the Gulf of Almeria, Cabo de Gata, Punta and Punta Estinas sabinar. Moreover, even the rocks and islands Terreros San Andrés; and the island of Alborán, an important enclave, which is important for nature, fishing and strategic reasons. The name is derived from the pirate Al Boran, who used it as a base.

There are also three reservoirs. The River Almanzora ( venue of the 15th Mediterranean Games ), the Benínar, in whose bed the village of the same name is located, and the Isabel II, who is one of the oldest in Spain: he was inaugurated in 1850 near Nijar.

The natural wealth of the province of Almería is found in several protected areas:

In addition, there are four other " natural areas " ( Parajes Naturales ):

And the Albufera de Adra. In addition, also the already mentioned further above Alborán Island will be explained together with their environment at a Paraje Natural.

Other treasures of nature in this region are the large olive tree of Aguamarga, possibly the largest ever and one of the oldest in Europe, and the Cretaceous - Geod Pulpí, including this one of the largest of the Earth.

Climate

In the province of Almería, there is desert-like, Mediterranean, warm and dry climate; the sky is usually cloudless and very bright, hot summers and mild winters. On the south coast most of the time blowing a strong westerly wind. The east wind makes on the other hand that the temperature in the capital city of Almería a few degrees higher in the rule.

The rainfall is low, Cabo de Gata is the place where it is least rain in Spain. At the same time Desierto de Tabernas is the only desert of the European continent; and because of the unique nature of nature found here in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, some filming Western movies instead of, for example, Bad and the Ugly or for a handful of dollars.