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Andalusia

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For other uses, see Andalusia (disambiguation).
Comunidad Autónoma de
Andalucía
File:Flag es-andalucía 300px.png Escudo de Andalucía
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: Dominator Hercules Fundator

Andalucía por sí, para España y la humanidad
(Andalusia for herself, for Spain, and for humanity)

Capital Seville
Area
 – Total
 – % of Spain 		Ranked 2nd
 87 268 km²
 17,2%
Population
 – Total (2005)
 – % of Spain
 – Density 		Ranked 1st
 7.849.799
 17,9%
 89,95/km²
Demonym
 – English
 – Spanish
 Andalusian
 andaluz, andaluza
Statute of Autonomy January 11, 1982
Parliamentary
representation
 – Congress seats
 – Senate seats 		 62
 8
President Manuel Chaves González (PSOE)
Junta de Andalucía

Andalusia (Spanish: Andalucía) is a region of Spain. Andalusia is the most populated and second largest of the seventeen autonomous communities that constitute Spain. Its capital is Seville. Andalusia is bounded on the north by Extremadura and Castile-La Mancha, on the east by Murcia, on the south Morroco and the Strait of Gibraltar, and on the west by southern Portugal.

The name Andalusia is derived from the Arabic name "Al Andalus", which referred to the parts of the Iberian peninsula which were under Muslim rule. The Islamic history of Muslim Spain can be found in the entry al-Andalus. Tartessos, the capital of a once great and powerful Tartessian Civilization, was located in Andalusia, and was known in the Bible by the name of Tarshish. More information about this region can be found in the entry Hispania Baetica, the name of the Roman province that corresponds to the region.

Andalusian culture has been deeply marked by the eight centuries of Muslim rule over the region, which ended in 1492 with the conquest of Granada by the Catholic monarchs.

The Spanish spoken in the Americas is largely descended from the Andalusian dialect of Castilian Spanish due to the role played by Seville as the gateway to Spain's American territories in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Andalusia is known for its moorish architecture. Famous monuments include the Alhambra in Granada, the Mezquita in Córdoba and the Torre del Oro and Giralda towers in Seville and the Reales Alcázares in Seville. Archaeological remains include Medina Azahara, near Córdoba and Itálica, near Seville.

Andalusian cuisine is known for its use of fish and shellfish, its desserts, and its world-famous sherry.

Andalusia is divided into eight provinces named after the capital cities of these provinces:

Other Andalusian towns are:


Andalusia is the home of flamenco music and of bullfighting.

Day of Andalusia is celebrated on February 28.

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