Context

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C H A P T E R F O U R CONTEXT

ANDALUCIA

ANDALUCIA-CADIZ

SEVILLA

UTRERA

LAS CABEZAS

C ÁDIZ

CHIPIONA

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA

CADIZ

CONIL DE LA FRONTARA

ROADS AND NATIONAL PARKS This slide shows us the general otlook of the region divided in the different municipalities. Later we will focus on the province if Cadiz, located on the coast line ate the extreme west of the coast. In this case we want to highlight this cities even if it´s not the capital of the region. The most important city ( econoomically and politically speaking) is Sevilla, a huge town located in the innerland. By the way the most famous cities are places along the shores. The province of Cadiz is located in the south-west coast of Spain. In our cut, we have also the cities of Puerto de Santa Maria, Rota and Chipiona on the north, and San Fernando, Chiclana de La Frontera and Santi Petri on the south. The main big cities of the region are Cadiz, Jerez, and the big city of Sevilla on the near. The cities along the coastline are not so expressive in terms of population, Cadiz has only 118 thousend inhabitants. Even so, It is one of the the most important cities of the region, playing a big economic role because of it´s Harbour. Close but separated from the coast, there is Jerez, with a population of 213 thousand, and the next big city is Sevilla, with almoast 700 thousand inhabitants. Andalusia is further divided into 774 municipalities , which are the basic territorial entity of Andalusia, each of which has legal personhood and autonomy in many aspects of its internal affairs. At the municipal level, representation, government and administration is performed by the ayuntamiento (municipal government), which has competency for urban planning, community social services, supply and treatment of water, collection and treatment of waste, and promotion of tourism, culture, and sports.

MAIN CITIES AND RIVERS

AGRICOULTURE LIVESTOCK

AERONAUTICS AUTOMOTIVE

TOURIMS

SHIPBUILDING

ECONOMY

TOPOGRAPHY In the last years Spain has been forced to live within its means and state spending has been slashed to control the soaring budget deficit. Like many European countries, Spain has found that it can no longer afford to pay the high social security benefits that its citizens have become accustomed to in the last few decades and this continues to be one of the most pressing concerns of the current government – together with revamping the antiquated labour laws which stifle small business incentive. About economy, in this proper area, the motor that drives Andalucia’s excellence: tourism. The service sector dedicated to tourism is responsible for a high percentage of job creation and also accounts for a substantial part of the GDP of Andalucia. Whether it is sun and beach tourism, like the tourism dedicated to golf or rural tourism, this has made this economic sector the principal source of income for more and more families. The Bay of Cadiz used to be a shipbuilding centre, but since the 1990s economic activity has shifted to support services for the oil and gas industry. Situated on the bay are the Spanish-U.S. air and naval base at Rota, from which a pipeline carries oil to other U.S. bases in central Spain as well as to the nearby naval station at San Fernando. Oil is also carried to the arsenals, or dockyards, of La Carraca, just northeast of San Fernando, to San Carlos in Cádiz, and to Matagorda in Puerto Real. In this map we also highlied the main rivers: one fo them like Rio Guadalquivir and others are the most populose and can be also sailing by the boats from the ocean. Other ones, as for istance rio Iro or Rio Tinto are not so big but areimportant resources for fishing and torurism items.

ROADS AND NATIONAL PARKS

ECONOMY

TOPOGRAPHY

As we can see in the map, the road system connects the most important cities and the most important Harbours. Comming from the continent, crossing the land, the big cities and national parks, going till the coastline. Transport systems are an essential structural element of the functioning of Andalusia. The network facilitates territorial coordination, economic development and distribution, and intercity transportation. In urban transport, underdeveloped public transport systems put pedestrian traffic and other non-motorized traffic are at a disadvantage compared to the use of private vehicles. Several Andalusian capitals— Córdoba, Granada, Cadiz and Seville—have recently been trying to remedy this by strengthening their public transport systems and providing a better infrastructure for the use of bicycles There is a modern road system and the motorways, highways and roads of the region cover more than 24,000 kms. Andalucia is also known as “the bridge between two continents” or “the gateway to Europe”. It is the place where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean and the nearest meeting point of Europe and Africa .Fifty percent of Andalucia is mountainous with one-third above 600 metres and 46 peaks are higher than 1,000 metres. There is also a train line that connects the city of Sevilla to the Cadiz Harbour, transporting people and products. Andalusia has six public airports, all of which can legally handle international flights; however the Málaga Airport is dominant, handling 60.67 percent of passengers and 85 percent of its international traffic a nd the Jerez Airport 7.17 percent, so that these three airports account for 87.96 percent of traffic.

What about the tipography of the place? FAs we can see from the soil level maps this area has a complicated ground condction. Being located at the extreme border of Europe, doesn´t help. Placed between two continents this area has always suffered for geological items: tidal movements, the moving of the Europian, African and Atlantic plate under the ocean and consequently the numerous eartquakes. Mountain ranges affect climate, the network of rivers, soils and their erosion, bioregions, and even human economies insofar as they rely on natural resources. The Andalusian terrain offers a range of altitudes and slopes. Andalusia has the Iberian peninsula‘s highest mountains and nearly 15 percent of its terrain over 1,000 metres . The picture is similar for areas under 100 metres (with the Baetic Depression), and for the variety of slopes. Andalusia is home to the hottest and driest summers in Spain, but in the west, weather systems sweeping in from the Atlantic ensure that it is relatively wet in the winter, with some areas receiving copious amounts. Contrary to what many people think, as a whole, the region enjoys above average yearly rainfall in the context of Spain. The Atlantic coast is overwhelmingly beach and gradually sloping coasts; the Mediterranean coast has many cliffs, above all in the Malagan Axarquía and in Granada and Almería. This asymmetry divides the region naturally into Upper Andalusia (two mountainous areas) and Lower Andalusia (the broad basin of the Guadalquivir). Lower Andalusia, the Baetic Depression, the basin of the Guadalquivir, lies between these two mountainous areas. It is a nearly flat territory, open to the Gulf of Cádiz in the southeast. Throughout history, this has been the most populous part of Andalusia.

DEMOGRAPHY

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SETTLEMENTS

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The population is concentrated in the provincial capitals and along the coasts, so the level of urbanization is high. At the beginning of the 21st century, statistics show a slight increase in the birth rate, due in large part to the higher birth rate among immigrants.The result is that as of 2009, the trend toward rejuvenation of the population is among the strongest of any autonomous community of Spain, or of any comparable region in Europe 5.35 percent of the population of the area were born outside of Spain. This is a relatively low number for a Spanish region, the national average being three percentage points higher. The immigrants are not evenly distributed among the Andalusian provinces: Almería, with a 15.20 percent immigrant population, is third among all provinces in Spain, while at the other extreme Cadiz is only 2.07 percent immigrants and Córdoba 1.77 percent. The predominant nationalities among the immigrant populations are Moroccan and British (15.25 percent across the region The population of western Andalusia has traditionally been concentrated in the large rural towns from which agricultural labourers commute daily to work on the surrounding estates, or cortijos, but in modern times the population has been concentrated more in the provincial capitals. From the Baetic Cordillera eastward, small villages predominate wherever water is available. On the coast is possible to notice a seasonal increased of the population on the summer months, from June to August, when the number of tourists is higher because of the weather.

The population is concentrated in the provincial capitals and along the coasts, so the level of urbanization is high. According to a 2016 census estimate, the population of the city of Cádiz was 118.919 (the second most populated of the province after Jerez de la Frontera with 212.830 inhabitants), and that of its metropolitan area was 629,054. Cádiz is the seventeenth-largest Spanish city. In recent years, the city‘s population has steadily declined; it is the only municipality of the Bay of Cádiz (the comarca composed of Cádiz, Chiclana, El Puerto de Santa María, Puerto Real, and San Fernando), whose population has diminished. . mong the causes of this loss of population is the peculiar geography of Cádiz; the city lies on a narrow spit of land hemmed in by the sea. Consequently, there is a pronounced shortage of land to be developed.[citation needed] The city has very little vacant land, and a high proportion of its housing stock is relatively low in density.[citation needed. The older quarters of Cádiz are full of buildings that, because of their age and historical significance, are not eligible for urban renewa The population has traditionally been concentrated in the large rural towns from which agricultural labourers commute daily to work on the surrounding estates, or cortijos, but in modern times the population has been concentrated more in the provincial capitals. From the Baetic Cordillera eastward, small villages predominate wherever water is available. On the coast is possible to notice a seasonal increased of the population on the summer months, from June to August, when the number of tourists is higher because of the weather.

MAIN CITIES RIVERS

TOPOGRAPHY

DEMOGRAPHY Geogrphically talking the western coast of the region of Andalucia is really interesting. The main rivers that cross the region are the Guadalquivir River, which passes through the city of Sevilla and flows north of the city of Chipiona. The Guadalquivir is the only large navigable river in Spain. It involves a rich variety of plants and animal life, and its irrigation capacity supports the abundant agriculture of Andalusia. In an extension of 657 kilometers, ending in the Atlantic Ocean, it passes through Seville in the middle of its way, and becomes an attraction for local tourism, next to Donana National Park. Further south is the Guadalete River The Guadalete River is a river located in the Spanish province of Cadiz, rising in the mountains of Grazalema at an elevation of approximately 1000 m and flowing for more than 172 km to the bay of Cadiz in El Puerto de Santa María, south of the city of Cadiz. Another river on the south is the Barbate River. Is a coastal river in southern Spain. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Barbate (the town after which it is named) in the province of CádizThe Barbate begins in the northern foothills of the Sierra del Aljibe, at an elevation of 920 metres (3,020 ft) above sea level. By the way rivers are not only a natura, or geographical elemets, most of them in the area or cadiz can be used for tourism and sport activities. Follow the River Guadalquivir from Seville passing fields of cotton and rice and the Donana Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Sail along the coast to visit Cadiz, with its gold-domed Cathedral, and perhaps Jerez, renowned for its sherry, flamenco and dancing horse In the puicture abice we didn´t only select the main rivers but also some of the greater wetlends ( very important item in our project) appears.

SETTLEMENTS 290 190 110 50 30 20 0 meters of hight on the sea 290 190 110 50 30 20 0 meters of hight on the sea The Iberian Peninsula is separated from the rest of Europe by the Pyrenees, a mountain chain older than the Alps, with several three-thousanders, in former times hard to surmount. The area along Iberia‘s northern Atlantic coast, with the regions of Galicia, and the northern parts of Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country is known as Green Spain, because of its wet and temperate oceanic climate that fosters the growth of pastures and forests. The center of the Iberian Peninsula is dominated by a vast high plateau, the Meseta Central, with elevations from 600 to 760 m, which slopes gently to the west. In the center of the Meseta, running diagonal towers the Sistema Central, a system of mountain ranges, most prominent the Serra de Estrla, the Sierra de Guadarrama and the Sierra de Gredos. Highest mountain on the peninsula is Mount Mulhacén with 3,478 m, located in the Andalusian Sierra Nevada. Major rivers are the Guadalquivir, the Tejo/Tagus river, the Douro and the Ebro river The Bay of Cádiz is 7 miles (11 km) long and up to 5 miles (8 km) wide, indenting the coast of Cádiz province, in southwestern Spain. It receives the Guadalete River and is partially protected by the narrow Isle of León, on which the major port of Cádiz is located. Other ports along the bay include Rota to the north, El Puerto de Santa María to the northeast, Puerto Real to the east, and San Fernando to the south. The harbours along the bay thrive as commercial centres serving the rich agricultural hinterland; transoceanic vessels call mainly at Cádiz. Salt, obtained by evaporation of seawater, is used to prepare fish caught offshore for export. As the map shows, the topography is very flat on the coast region, around the natural parks and cities, as it moves into the land, there are some mountains, where the main Rivers are born. .64

RIVERS ZOOMS

BAHIA DE CADIZ is the entree that the sea makes in the coast next to Cadiz. The municipalities whose terms delimit the arch of the bay are Rota, El Puerto de Santa Maria, Puerto Real, San Fernando and Cadiz. In it flows the river Guadalete, the Iro and the river Salado de Rota. Much of the bay is protected under the legal figure of the Natural Park of the Bay of Cadiz. 111 km2 until Rota) 26km2 (hasta Puente Carranza)

LAS SALINAS Salt extraction has been, along with inshore fishing, the most traditional use of the Bay. The technique of salt production has remained almost intact for centuries: seawater driven by the tide enters through a system of feed pipes and gates through successive ponds until the warm winds of Levante and the fort Insolation causes intense evaporation and the crystallization of the salt in the salinas.

lLAGUNA DE JELI is located in the province of Provincia de Cádiz and the Andalucia region, in the southern part of the country, 500 km south of the capital Madrid. Laguna de Jeli is 47 meters above sea level. The highest point nearby is 87 meters above sea level, 1.1 km northeast of Laguna de Jeli. The area around Laguna de Jeli consists mostly of agricultural land.

RIO SAN PEDRO Paleocauce of the river Guadalete, is 25 km long separated of this by the hand of the man. It is located in the province of Cádiz. Crosses the north of the latter and then serves as a division between Puerto Real and El Puerto de Santa María until its mouth in the Bay of Cadiz, at the tip of the Saboneses. In its route it borders the neighborhood to which it gives name.

RIO GUADALETE pertaining to the Atlantic slope of Andalusia. It is born to the north of the Sierra de Grazalema (in the Peñón Grande1) and flows into El Puerto de Santa María, in the bay of Cadiz. its tributaries and its basin supply irrigation water to an extensive river and is also the source of drinking water for approximately one million people.

RIO IRO I t has a low slope, since it saves a height of less than 30 m in a course of more than 15 km. It is of saline character and it develops almost entirely in a vega of coluvial origin. Its name seems to be derived from the one of Liro or Tire, because the city by which it runs for the most part, was founded by Phoenician tyrios.

NATIONAL PARKS

Sancti Petri is an area of marshes located near the village and the beach of the same name in the municipality of Chiclana de la Frontera (Cádiz province), Spain. They belong to the whole of the Natural Park of the Bay of Cadiz. It is known that the marshes of that area comprised by what is now the natural park helped to restrain the French since they were not accustomed to move by them.The beach of Sancti Petri is in the municipality of Chiclana de la Frontera, in the province of Cádiz. In front of this beach you can see the castle of Sancti Petri, where it is said that there was the temple of Melkart or Hercules of Cadiz; And the tip of the Boquerón, both belonging to the neighboring municipality of San Fernando. At its back are the salt marshes of Sancti Petri and the village of the same name. This beach undergoes constant remodeling to preserve the natural heritage. Currently has the Q of Tourist Quality, which makes it a beach that meets the guarantees for the enjoyment of its visitors Bahía de Cádiz Natural Park (Parque Natural de la Bahía de Cádiz) is a 10,522-hectare (26,000-acre) natural park located in the province of Cádiz (Andalusia, Spain). It was established in 1989. Located at the mouth of the Guadalete river, it consists of marshland, beaches, reed and sand dunes. It has many types of shrubs and bushes, and ocean pine. Recreational activities include bird watching, sailing, windsurfing and hiking. It has been designated a Site of Community Importance.[4] Animals that can be found include solan goose, stork, cormorant, great crested grebe, seagull, flamingo, tern, sea eagle and avocet. The park is a Special Protection Area

The island of Trocadero is a small Spanish island located in the bay of Cadiz, in the province of Cadiz (autonomous community of Andalusia). It belongs to the municipal term of Puerto Real and has been protected since 1989 as a Natural Site. The island has been an important area of commercial traffic since ancient times. It was also used to repair ships. Finally, the Fort of San Luis, in the extreme south of the island, was part of the defenses of the Bay of Cadiz. The fort, now in ruins, was taken by French troops of the Holy Alliance on August 30, 1823, during the Battle of Trocadero, which gives name to the famous Trocadero Square and the Trocadero Gardens, which are located In the 16th arrondissement of Paris, on the banks of the River Seine and on the other side of the Eiffel Tower. With this name it tries to commemorate the French victory over the liberals, when taking the fort of San Luis, located in the mentioned Island of the Trocadero (Puerto Real), 31 of August of 1823.

MAIN CITIES

HARBOURS- NAVAL ROITS- FISHING PROTECTED AREAS

The main cities of the province of Cadiz, beside of Cadiz, itself, are Jerez, Chiclana, Puerto de Santa Maria and San Fernando. Jerez or Jerez de la Frontera, is the unofficial capital of the province. The city serves as the main hub of transport with regular train and bus services to cities across the country. There are also regular train and bus services to Jerez from Cadiz. Chiclana is located 20 kilometres from Cádiz, and borders the towns of San Fernando and Puerto Real to the north. El Puerto de Santa María is 10 km north east of Cádiz across the bay of Cádiz and was made famous for having been the port from which Columbus sailed on his second voyage to the Americas. People visit the town mainly because of the beaches, as well as the bullfights held at the arena during the summer. San Fernando is the next city after leaving Cadiz. The city also uses the name „La Isla“ (The Island), however, the city is no longer an island, but a peninsula, as it has been connected to the mainland. The people from San Fernando are locally known as „Cañaíllas“ or „Isleños“. A well as in this area the main industry is tourism, mainly from non-coastal Spanish cities, Germany and the UK. Its once-important shipbuilding industry is now in crisis due to competition from South Korea and China..The primary industry is related with the naval sector and the coatruczion of sherries. Not only industry bit mainly economy related with the seaside: The province of Cádiz has many kilometers of beaches and the highest number of Blue Flags of all coastal provinces in Europe. B Some of these beaches are relatively wild and far from big urban areas. One of the attractions of the area is its contrast to the mass tourism on the Mediterranean coast. There are extensive nature reserves in the region and the unspoilt feel of the area is heightened by the presence of wild animals including cows and horses on many stretches of beach.

The existence of port activity in the Bay of Cadiz dates back to 1104 A.C., . Since then the concept of the port and maritime traffic has greatly evolved, but the essence is still the same: a maritime fishing bay that was born and has grown rocked by the to-ing and fro-ing of the sea. El Puerto de la Bahía de Cádiz is a complex formed of 5 ports: Cádiz dock, Cabezuela-Puerto Real dock, the dock of Zona Franca (Cádiz) and the harbour’s dock of Santa María. Its privileged location, with a permanent connection with Tánger and the Canary Islands, turn it into one of the most referenced docks in Spain. Cadiz, Puerto Real and El Puerto de Santa María are the three municipal districts in which the four commercial docks and two fishing ports that rely on the Port Authority are located, and which are complemented by repair centres and naval construction, off-shore and aeronautics, as well as water sport complexes. Because of its geographical position, between the two great flows of European-African and American-Mediterranean sea traffic, the Port of the Bay of Cadiz has situated itself as the Southern Port of Europe. Connected to land by road and rail access, and only 40 kilometres from Jerez Airport, the port infrastructures of the Bay of Cadiz offer the best conditions as regards connectivity. Nowdays the area around Cadiz is the heart of the sherry country, and the famous sherry towns of Jerez and Sanlucar de Barrameda are within easy reach for those who wish to sample this typically Spanish aperitif. There are numerous options for cruising yachts seeking a sheltered berth along this coast, in the Rio Guadalete up to the modern, purpose-built yacht harbours of Puerto Sherry and Chipiona and the commercial harbours of Barbate and Algeciras.

NOVO SANCTI PETRI is a resort town in the municipality of Chiclana de la Frontera in the province of Cádiz, Andalusia, southwestern Spain. It lies along the Playa de la Barrosa to the south of the main town of Chiclana.[1] It is known for its high number of golf courses and hotels, covering an area of about 4000 hectares. The municipality contains the largest number of hotel beds in the province of Cadiz and the Costa de la Luz and has about 20 luxury hotels which are 4 or 5 star. Notable golf courses include the 36-hole Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri, Lomas de Sancti Petri. It also includes the Barceló and Sancti Petri Spa Resort.

CONIL DE LA FRONTERA onil is a small locality of 20000 inhabitants located between Chiclana de la Frontera and Vejer de la Frontera, in the Atlantic frame of the province of Cadiz.

It is a small fishing village that throughout its history since the time of the Phoenicians grew up in front of the sea. Fishing and tourism today are its main source of wealth. In recent years, tourism has given it another boost to the growth of Conil de la Frontera, thanks to its coastline with 16 km of different beaches and a wide range of different accommodation, and nowadays it has more than 350 bars and restaurants.

PUERTO DE SANTA MARIA is a municipality located in the autonomous community of Andalusia. El Puerto de Santa María is located on the banks of the Guadalete River in the province of Cadiz. The city of El Puerto de Santa María is located 10 km north of the regional capital of Cadiz and is known for being the port from which Colombo left for its second trip to the Americas. Jerez de la Frontera is in fact the center of the production of wines with "calificada" designation of origin. Andalusia produces about 10% of the wine produced in Spain

CADIZ the oldest continuously inhabited city in Spain and one of the oldest in western Europe, was founded by the Phoenicians. has been a principal home port of the Spanish Navy since the accession of the Spanish Bourbons in the 18th century. The older part of Cádiz within the remnants of the city walls is commonly referred to as the Old Town ). It is characterized by the antiquity of its various quarters (barrios), among them El Pópulo, La Viña, and Santa María, which present a marked contrast to the newer areas of town. While the Old City's street plan consists of narrow winding alleys connecting large plazas, newer areas of Cádiz typically have wide avenues and more modern buildings.

PUERTO REAL is a seaport in Andalusia, in the province of Cádiz. As of 2010, it had a population 40,667. The town is located on the northern shore of the inner lobe of the Bay of Cádiz, on the site of the ancient Roman settlement of Portus Gaditanus. An ancient trading post, it is probably the oldest settlement on the Bay of Cádiz. It owes its modern name to the fact that it was rebuilt in 1488 by Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. Puerto Real boasts public squares and broad streets; it also has a town-hall building and a 16th-century church, which was constructed in several styles (Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque).

CHIPIONA According to the 2012 census, the city has a population of 18,849 inhabitants, but this amount increases greatly during the summer holiday period. The town covers an area of 33 km². Being in the lower valley of the River Guadalquivir it is very flat with a maximum terrestrial height of 4 metres. It is bordered on the north-west by Sanlúcar de Barrameda and on the south-east by the port of Rota. It is the town of birth of singer Rocío Jurado and where her body now rests. Chipiona is also home to the tallest lighthouse in Spain and the third tallest lighthouse in Europe. The town is also well known for several varieties of Moscatel.

CHICHLANA DE LA FRONTERA . In 1877, the municipality's population was 11,677; n 2012, it was 81,473. It has a surface area is 203 square kilometres (78 sq mi) and a population density of 401 inhabitants / km². The average elevation is 11 metres above sea level. The economy depends largely upon modern industry, especially salt processing and tourism, and the municipality is known for its beaches such as the 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) long Playa de la Barrosa, hotels and golf courses in the resort of Novo Sancti Petri. The municipality contains the largest number of hotel beds in the Province of Cádiz and the Costa de la Luz.

SAN FERNANDO It is home to more than 97,500 inhabitants. The city also uses the name "La Isla" (The Island). The people from San Fernando are locally known as "Cañaíllas" or "Isleños". In history, the city played a paramount role when in 1810 during the French occupation led by Napoleon, San Fernando and Cádiz were the only parts of Spain which did not surrender to the French. The Cortes Generales met in the Comedy Theatre (nowadays known as the Real Teatro de las Cortes) and started the preparation for the first liberal constitution of Spain, which was approved in the neighbouring city of Cádiz in 1812.

ROTA It is located near the city of Jerez de la Frontera and is 36 kilometers away from the provincial capital, Cadiz. In the year 2009 had 28,516 inhabitants, with a density of 339.44 inhabitants / km ². and the Association of Municipalities of the Lower Guadalquivir that comprises municipalities of Northwest Coast of Andalusia. Located along the Bay of Cádiz in the Atlantic Ocean, it is halfway between Portugal and Gibraltar, is predominantly a tourist town, a vacation/holiday destination for travelers from all over Europe. During the low season, its main business activity is the fishing industry. In the municipality is located the Naval Station Rota, which is the largest source of employment to the municipality. It also served as a transoceanic abort landing site for the Space Shuttle program.

The project area we decide to focus on is closely rela- ted with the area of Cadiz. This big and old town is the main city of our cut, also with the area of Rota, Conil de la Frontera, Puerto Santa Maria and Jerez de la Fron- tera. Cádiz is a province of southern Spain, in the southwes- tern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is the southernmost part of mainland Spain, as well as the southernmost part of continental Europe. It is bordered by the Spanish provinces of Huelva, Se- ville, and Málaga, as well as the Atlantic Ocean, the Me- diterranean Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The province encom- passes 44 municipalities; besides its capital, other im- portant cities are Jerez and Algeciras. (See the list of municipalities in Cádiz.). There are officially six traditional or touristic comarcas (provincial areas or counties) in the Province of Cádiz: 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. One of the attractions of the area is its contrast to the mass tou- rism on the Mediterranean coast. There are extensive nature reserves in the region and the unspoilt feel of the area is heightened by the presence of wild animals including cows and horses on many stretches of beach. The main industry is tourism, mainly from non-coastal Spanish cities, Germany and the UK. Its once-impor- tant shipbuilding industry is now in crisis due to com- petition from South Korea and China. There are facto- ries of Airbus and Delphi. It also exports sherry as well as alimentary products. The Costa de la Luz has traditionally been a popular destination for Spaniards wanting to enjoy the beach while avoiding the stifling heat of the Mediterranean Coast, although until recently this largely unspoilt At- lantic coastline was little known to foreign visitors. One of the factors that brought the region to the attention of foreign holidaymakers was the growing realisation that its Southern reaches are one of the world‘s best locations for wind sports. Tarifa, located on the Strait of Gibraltar at the southern- most point of mainland Europe, has become Europe‘s foremost kitesurfing destination due to the area‘s unique wind phenomena, reliably sunny summer wea- ther and the variety of beaches at locations such as Los Canos de Meca, Bolonia, Punta Paloma and, most famously, Playa de Los Lances where in the summer months you will often see over 1,000 kites in the air. The local economy has benefited significantly from the wind sport explosion: there are more than 50 kite schools in Tarifa and hundreds of shops, bars and ho- tels serving the many thousands of kitesurfers who vi- sit every year. Not only tourism but also lot of natural areas. Some of these park are covering the largest sourfaces of the province.