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Template:Autonomous community

Valencia, Land of Valencia, Valencian Country or Region of Valencia (Comunitat Valenciana in Valencian; Comunidad Valenciana in Spanish) is an autonomous community located in eastern Spain. Its capital is the City of Valencia and it is divided in three provinces, from South to North: Alicante province, Valencia province and Castellón province.

It has 518 kilometers of coastline on the Mediterranean and covers 23,255 km² of land with almost 4.7 million inhabitants (ca. 2005). the Comunitat Valenciana also administers the tiny coastal Columbretes islands and Tabarca islet, together with an exclave called Rincón de Ademuz.

To a high degree, these borders reflect those of the historic Kingdom of Valencia.

Geography

Relief

The inland part of the territory is mountainous, being the highest peaks in the Valencia and Castellón provinces, as a part of the Iberic Range. Mountains in the Alicante province are in turn a part of the Subbetic range.

The most emblematic mountain is the Penyagolosa, in the Alcalatén area. It is popularly thought to be the highest peak with its 1,813 m. but, actually, the highest peak is the Calderón (1,839 m.) located in the Rincón de Ademuz which has three more peaks over 1,500 m. The most emblematic mountain in the south part of the territory is the Aitana (1,558 m.).

The rather thin coastal strip is a very fertile plain mainly free of remarkable mountains except those around the Cabo de la Nao area and the Irta area in the Castellón province. Typical of this coastal area are wetlands and marshlands such as La Albufera in Valencia,El Fondó in Elche, the Marjal in Pego or el Prat in Cabanes, also the former wetlands and now salt evaporation ponds in Santa Pola and Torrevieja. All of them are key RAMSAR sites which make the Valencian Autonomous Community of high relevance for both migratory and resident seabirds and waterbirds.

There are important coastal dunes in the Saler area near the Albufera and in the Guardamar area, both of them were planted with thousands of trees during the 19th century in order to fix the dunes, thus forming now protected areas of remarkable ecologic value.

Climate

The Valencian Autonomous Community has a generally mild climate, heavily influentiated by the neighbouring Mediterranean sea. Still, there are important differences between areas:

• Proper Mediterranean climate. It roughly goes along the coastal plain from the northernmost border through the Benidorm area (cities included here are, amongst others, Castelló de la Plana, Gandia and València). It reaches in various grades the lower inland areas. In this area, winters are cool, summers long, very dry and hot and rains occur mostly during spring and autumn, usually around 600mm. with a remarkably wetter micro climate in the Marina Alta and La Safor comarques right in the north side of Cabo la Nao, which accumulate an average of up to 1000mm. due to the Orographic lift phenomenon.

• Mediterranean to Continental climate transition zone. These are the innermost lands and some of those closer to the sea but at a higher elevation (cities included here are, amongst others, Alcoi, Morella, Requena, Villena). Here winters are cool to cold (a few days of snow are not unusual), summers mild to hot and rains more evenly distributed through the year.

• Mediterranean to Semiarid climate. It roughly goes along the coastal plain from Vila Joiosa through the southernmost border (cities included here are, amongst others, Alicante, Elx, Orihuela and Torrevieja). Summers are very long, hot to very hot and very dry, winters are cool to mild and its most prominent feature is very scarce precipitation, typically below 300mm. per year and most likely to happen during spring and autumn. The reasons for this lack of precipitation is mostly the marked Rain shadow effect caused by hills to the west of the Alicante province (and, to a lesser degree, those in the northern part of the province which, in turn, enhance the inverse Orographic lift effect around Cabo de la Nao).

Hydrography

There are only two major rivers: the Segura in the Alicante province (whose source is in Andalusia) and the Júcar in the Valencia province (whose source is in Castilla-La Mancha) both are subjected to very intense human regulation for cities, industries and -specially- agricultural consumption. The river Turia is the third largest and also has its source in Castilla La Mancha. Autochthonous rivers such as the Vinalopó are usually short, of little flow (due to agricultural usage, climatic reasons or both) and often completely dry during the summer.

History

The origins of the present day community date back to the former Kingdom of Valencia, which came into existence in the 13th century. The King of Aragon James I "the Conqueror" led Christian conquest and colonization of the existing Islamic taifas with Aragonese and Catalan people in 1208. In 1238 the Kingdom of Valencia was founded by this same king as a separate Kingdom within the Crown of Aragon.

In 1707 a new Spanish ruling dynasty, the House of Bourbon arrived as a result of the War of the Spanish Succession. Taking France as a model of a centralized state, Philip V took advantage of his military victories against supporters of the Austrian Heir to suppress the institutions, privileges, and the ancient fueros of almost all the areas that were formerly part of the Crown of Aragon. By means of the Nueva Planta decrees signed in the same year, they were abolished, amongst others, the institutions and laws created by Furs of Valencia, and it was forbidden the usage of Valencian in official instances, in religious preaching and education.

Valencia's Statute of Autonomy declares the official languages Spanish and Valencian. Although the Spanish Constitution of 1978 establishes the duty to know Spanish throughout Spain as the common language, the Statute grants Valencian special protected status referring to it as the "proper language" to the Valencian Autonomous Community (VAC) (llengua pròpia).

The official flag of the VAC is the same as of Valencia's City flag, which, in turn, is a historical derivation from the senyera, heraldric symbol of the Crown of Aragon, also used today with few variations in all the former Kingdoms and Counties of this late Crown (Aragón, Catalonia and Balearic Islands).

Demographics

The Valencian population traditionally concentrated in localities with fertile cultivation and growing lowlands by the most important rivers (Júcar, Turia, Segura, Vinalopó), also in harbor cities important to the agricultural trade.

The most important populations used to be, during the Roman times, Sagunto or Denia; later on in history, Valencia, Alicante, Játiva, Orihuela, Elche, Gandia, or Villarreal and, more recently, Alcira and Castellón de la Plana.

From this traditional distribution, originated by the orographic characteristics of the Valencian territory and the possibility to obtain irrigated land agriculture, derives that, also today, the density of population is higher in the central and Southern regions, and minor in Northern and inner ones. Demographics were also affected (being perhaps the exception to the mentioned distribution) by the great industrial activity and the commerce of agriculture derived products during XX century of noncoastal cities like Alcoy, Elda, Onteniente, Petrer, Villena, and Vall de Uxó.

In the last years, concentration in the great capitals and its metropolitan areas has augmented considerably (e.g. Torrent, Mislata, Paternal, Burjasot, San Vicente del Raspeig, etc.) and, specially, in all coastal cities and towns. Thus, traditionally small populations such as Benidorm or Torrevieja have undergone a considerable population increase (still more remarkable during summertime) due to tourists seasonal migrations.

Therefore, Valencian population is nowadays clearly urban and coastal, also influenced by tourism and second residence's seasonal stays.

Economics

The Valencian Autonomous Community conforms an elongated territory, with a rather steep and irregular orography that has made communications and the exploitation of the soil historically difficult, despite the soil being particularly fertile in the coastal plain. This coastal axis has facilitated connections with Europe, either by sea through the Mediterranean, or by land through Catalonia.

The natural resources of the Valencian territory are small with regard to minerals other than the important marble quarrying industry in the Alicante province.

As for hydric resources (see Geography above) there is a demand of water superior to the supply, being this imbalance specially serious in the Alicante province; in years when drought is particularly severe, the problem is mitigated, if necessary, with occasional nocturnal restrictions during Summer and water-bearing subterraneans exploitation. This remains a source of harsh controversy with neighbouring regions such as Castilla La Mancha and Catalonia, whose surplus river waters are claimed from the VAC to alleviate this deficit by means of transvasements. This is contested from the neighbouring regions alleging that the lion's share of whatever transvasement to be done would be used for new golf courses and, in general, real estate activity in the coast, which is deemed as unsustainable. The autonomous government denies this extent and a law was passed holding any new golf courses unless they have locally guaranteed their water supply by their own means.

Due to the secondary and tertiary sectors boom by the times of the Spanish miracle (1960s), the agricultural sector has seen its relative importance reduced over the time (not so the absolute figures), but it remains to be credited -under the form of citrus cultivation for the export market- for the first economic boom by the late 19th century after centuries of slow development if not decay. Castellón and Valencia provinces still have thousands of has. of citrus in production and it continues to be a major source of income in the countryside. In the Alicante province citrus is also present, but agriculture is more diversified with a higher presence of vegetables, specially in the Vega Baja del Segura area.

The high insolation rate and overall stable weather which during the Summer may pose a threat to water supplies either for agricultural or human consumption, conversely allow tourism to be the main economic industry with a very high density of residential housing along the coast occupied by locals, people from inland Spain and from other EU countries (mostly from Britain, Germany, Belgium and Norway) which seasonally boost population (and hydric demands) by summertime.

In 2002, the Valencian Autonomous Community generated the 10'5% of the Spanish GDP. In human resources, the rate of unemployment was located in 10'5%, being greater among women, and the rate of activity reached in 2002 a 56'8%. The characteristic Valencian business is the small and medium company model, mainly of family size, although there are some multinationals.

Additionally to tourism, the Valencian economy is characterized by a marked exporting dimension, being the second exporting Spanish autonomous community, with a 12% of total. Major exporting goods such as agricultural products, ceramic tiles, marble products and cars (Ford has an assembly line in Almussafes) amongst others make the port of Valencia the most busy in Spain.

In 2004, its GDP was 93.9% of the European Union average even though this figure may be statistically affected downwards by the important presence of foreign residents either from other regions of Europe or economic immigrants. Growth rates after 2004 have been significant in overall Spain and additional progress from present figures is going on as of 2007.

Valencian Symbols

The flag of the Valencian Autonomous Community is the traditional Valencian crowned Senyera, composed by four red bars on yellow background, crowned with blue strip next to the spear. The official Anthem is the Hymn of the Regional Exhibition of 1909, in whose composition the old hymn of the City of Valencia of the XVI century is included. The emblem of the Valencian Generalitat includes the seal of King Peter IV of Aragon, representative of the historical Kingdom of Valencia, whose shield is inclined towards the right, Or, four bars Gules.

Other symbols are used at different levels by the Valencian society, like the heraldic animals of rat-penat (bat) and drac alat (the winged dragon), the Senyera of the Crown of Aragon in different municipalities, or the music of muixeranga, among others.

Gastronomy

The Valencian gastronomy is of great variety, although their more international dishes are rice based, like the worldwide known Valencian paella. The rice is a basic ingredient in many of its typical dishes, like the "arrós (rice) a banda", the "arrós a la pedrera", "arrós negre", "arrós amb costra", "arrós caldòs", among many.

The Valencian Mediterranean climate favors the culture of citruses and vegetables, being very important the culture of the orange, one of the typical fruits of Valencian agriculture.

Drinks

The horchata, whose traditional nucleus of elaboration is Alboraia, is a typical drink, accompanied with "fartons". Also traditional is the production of coffee licor (typical of Alcoi), and mistela (in Marina Baixa y la Hoya de Buñol).

Desserts

The great majority has its origin in the Arab times and end being part of the local festive activities. Some, nowadays are internationally famous. Xixona is the place of traditional manufacture of turrón (a soft nougat) dessert very consumed in Christmas in Spain and the rest of the Hispanic world. In Xàtiva, the "Arnadí", a dessert elaborated with pumpkin. In Orihuela and its region the "almojábenas", and in Alcoi the "peladillas" (sugared almonds).

Provinces

Traditionally the land is divided into comarques, and in 1883 was, along with the rest of Spain, divided into provinces. There are 32 comarques, and three provinces: Castelló, València, and Alacant.

• València (Spanish Valencia), population 796,549, capital of the province of the same name, on the river Turia. Famous festival of the Fallas on March 19.
• Alacant (Spanish Alicante), population 319,380, capital of the province of the same name, in the Mediterranean coast. Famous for its hard nougat or turrón duro (Valencian torró dur) and Postiguet, Albufereta and San Joan Beaches. The famous festival of the Bonfires of Saint John is in June. Its city hall and the Santa Barbara Castle are historic monuments.
• Elx (Spanish Elche), population 215,137, famous for the wood of the palm tree called Palmeral, and for the Misteri d'Elx, two-day festival of singing and street drama that acts out the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, declared by UNESCO as part of all humankind's oral heritage.
• Castelló de la Plana (Spanish Castellón de la Plana), population 167,455, capital of the province of Castelló.
• Torrevieja (Valencian Torrevella), population 84,348, in the south, important tourist center with many hotels, apartments and tourist accommodations; includes La Mata Beach.
• Gandia, population 77,943, is another important tourist center, situated on the Costa del Azahar.
• Orihuela (Valencian Oriola), population 75,009, on the Segura River, historic city with palaces, churches and the Cathedral, on the "Vega Baja" (Valencian Baix Segura), a highly productive area for farm products such as oranges, lemons and the like.
• Benidorm, population 67,492, a major holiday resort, dubbed Beniyork because of its many skyscrapers, including Spain's tallest, the 52-story Gran Hotel Bali.
• Elda, population 55,571, important production center for shoes and wine in the Vinalopo area.
• Xixona (Spanish Jijona), population 7,494, near Alicante, famous for its soft nougat or torró de Xixona (Spanish turrón de Jijona).
• Villena, population 34.000, important production of shoes and wine, with many historical and monumental visits. Also, fiestas of "Moros y Cristianos", one of the most important in the Community
• Vila-real (Spanish Villarreal), population 46,696, important producer of ceramics and brick.
• Buñol (Valencian Bunyol), population 9,404, famous for the tomatina, a town-wide tomato fight held the last Wednesday of August.
• Ibi, population 23,059, a toy production center.

Major rivers:

• Turia River (Valencian Túria)
• Júcar River (Valencian Xúquer)
• Segura River

v t e Autonomous communities of Spain
Autonomous communities	Andalusia  Aragon  Asturias  Balearic Islands  Basque Country  Canary Islands  Cantabria  Castilla–La Mancha  Castile and León  Catalonia  Extremadura  Galicia  La Rioja  Community of Madrid  Murcia  Navarre  Valencian Community
Autonomous cities	Ceuta  Melilla
Plazas de soberanía	Alhucemas Chafarinas Vélez de la Gomera

Other articles

• Nationalities in Spain
• Seaports of Land of Valencia

External links

• http://www.avl.gva.es/ Language Valencian Academy
• http://www.comunitatvalenciana.com Official tourism webpage.
• Valencia on Wikitravel
• Travelturisme. Guide for professional tourism in the Region of Valencia with tourism news
• subway metropolitan area
• Valencia information in English
• Valencia search engine
• Datos y cifras de los municipios de la provincia de Alicante. Unidad de Documentación de la Diputación de Alicante Template:Es
• Web de la Diputación Provincial de Alicante Template:Es

References

1. http://www.iac2006.com/pdf/land_of_valencia.pdf
2. The growth of economic base in Valencian Country: Dynamic structural analysis, Madrid 1976. Edited: International Institute of Public Finance.
3. http://www.comunitatvalenciana.com/
4. http://www.gva.es/cidaj/cas/c-normas/5-1982.htm#N2
5. UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF LINGUISTIC RIGHTS, Article 1: "The term language proper to a territory refers to the language of the community historically established in such a space."
6. Eurostat GDP figures 2004

Template:Link FA

• Autonomous communities of Spain
• NUTS 2 Statistical Regions of Europe
• Valencia (autonomous community)