Alicante (province)

Alicante or Alacant (in Catalan) is a province of eastern Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of Valencia. It is bordered by the provinces of Murcia on the southwest, Albacete on the west, Valencia on the north, and the Mediterranean Sea on the east. The capital is the city of Alicante.

Territory and resources

According to the 2003 census, Alicante ranks as the 5th most populous province in Spain, with 1,632,349 inhabitants. Cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants in the province are Alicante (305,911 inhab.), Elche (207,163 inhab.), Torrevieja (77,943 inhab.), Orihuela (67,731 inhab.), Benidorm (64,267 inhab.), Alcoy (60,036 inhab.), and Elda (54,086 inhab.). It has an area of 5.863 km², and so it has a population density of 278.4 hab/km².

The land is mountainous in the north and west, whereas it is flat in the south; the most elevated points in the province are Aitana (1,558 m), El Carche (1,371 m), Sierra de la Pila (1,264 m), Carrascal de Alcoy (1,200 m), Sierra de Crevillente (835 m) and El Mongó (753 m). The coast extends from Cabo de la Nao (Nao Cape) in the north to the Mar Menor (Minor Sea) in the south. With regard to water resources, there are many ramblas (dry rivers which fill in with water when it rains), and the most important rivers are Serpis, Vinalopó and Segura. The climate is Mediterranean, with tempered winters and dry hot summers. The mean temperature is 17.5ºC with scarce torrential rainfalls (355 mm³ a year). Frost and snow are unknown in the coastal areas. The predominant vegetation is bushy (thyme, esparto, juniper, etc.), although there are some particular areas with pines, grapevines, olive trees, almond trees, orange trees, lemon trees, carob trees and palm trees.

The main factors that generate wealth in Alicante province are: agriculture (fruits, vegetables and wines), fishing (sardines, mullets, etc.), industry (textile, footwear and toys), tourism and trade (by harbour). Apart from Alicante city, other important centers of economic activity are: Alcoy (textile, paper); Denia and Benidorm (seaside resorts); Elche and Elda (footwear); Crevillente (carpets); Jijona (turrón); Orihuela (kitchen garden); San Vicente del Raspeig (University); Torrevieja (tourism, salt); Altea, Calpe, Villajoyosa and Villena.

Historical divisions

Traditionally, the province of Alicante is divided into nine comarcas or comarques (in Catalan):

• El Comtat: 26,319 inhabitants; its capital is Cocentaina; textile industry and agriculture.
• L'Alcoià: It is subdivided into two clearly differentiated subcomarcas:
  • Valls d'Alcoi: 67,853 inhabitants; its capital is Alcoy; olive trees and textile industry; Moros y Cristianos festivals.
  • La Foia de Castalla: 39,380 inhabitants; its capital is Castalla; its most populous city is Ibi; industry of toys.
• La Marina Alta: 166,786 inhabitants; its capital is Denia; it is the most rainy comarca; tourism.
• La Marina Baixa: 154,939 inhabitants; its capital is Benidorm; eminently tourist; beautiful beaches and mountains.
• El Alto Vinalopó (or Alt Vinalopó): 50,870 inhabitants; its capital is Villena; agriculture and footwear; Moros y Cristianos festivals.
• El Vinalopó Mitjà: 158,932 inhabitants; its capital is Elda; footwear industry, marble, wines and grapes.
• El Baix Vinalopó: 255,676 inhabitants; its capital is Elche; agriculture, footwear and carpet industry, tourism; Misteri d'Elx festival.
• L'Alacantí: 420,561 inhabitants; its capital is Alicante; services and tourism; highly urbanised comarca; Fogueres de Sant Joan festival.
• La Vega Baja (or Baix Segura): 291,033 inhabitants; its capital is Orihuela; its most populous city is Torrevieja; agriculture and tourism.

History and Politics

Iberians, Carthaginians, Greeks and Romans settled cities like Contestana, Illice (now Elche), Hemerscopio or Akra Leuké (now Alicante) in the Alicantinian territory. From the 13th century, kings like Ferdinand III of Castile, James I of Aragon, Alfonso X of Castile, James II of Aragon and Alfonso IV of Aragon reconquered the cities that Moors occupied. Alicante was a strategic province in the War of the Spanish Succession and in the War of Spanish Independence.

Alicante contributes with 11 deputies in the Spanish Parliament and with 30 deputies in the Corts Valencianes, the regional Parliament of the Comunidad Valenciana.

See Also

• List of municipalities in Alicante

External Links

• Excma. Diputación Provincial de Alicante (http://www.dip-alicante.es/)

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