Almería

:For the municipality in the Philippines, see Almeria, Biliran.

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Almer?a (2003 pop. 176,338) is the capital of the province of Almer?a (Pop. 604,903) in Spain. It is located in southeastern Spain on the Mediterranean Sea and all its area is an important Mediterranean resort.

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The name "Almer?a" stems from al-Meraya (Arabic, "the watchtower"), because of its magnificent Moorish castle, Alcazaba: among the Muslim fortresses of Andalusia, only Alhambra is larger. The city was founded by Abd ar-Rahman III of Cordoba in 955 as a principal harbour in his extensive domain, to strengthen his Mediterranean defenses against the Fatimid caliphate in Tunisia. In this period, the port city of Almer?a reached its historical peak, continuing, after the fragmentation of the Caliphate of Cordoba, under powerful local muslim taifa emirs like Jairan, the first independent Emir of Almer?a and Cartagena and Almotacin the poet emir, both fearless warriors but also patrons of the arts. A silk industry, based upon plantings of mulberry trees in the hot dry landscape supported Almer?a in the 11th century and made its strategic harbour an even more valuable prize. Contested by the emirs of Granada and Valencia, Almer?a suffered many sieges, and one especially fierce when Christians, called to the Second Crusade by Pope Eugenius III, were also encouraged to fall upon the Muslim infidel on a more familiar coast. On that occasion Alfonso VII, at the head of mixed forces of Catalans, Genoese, Pisans and Franks led a crusade against the rich city, and Almer?a was occupied in October 1147. Within a decade it had passed to the control of the puritanical Almoravid emirs, and though its glorious culture was diminished, not until the late 15th century did it fell permanently into Christian hands, surrendered to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, December 26 1489.

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See: List of Almer?a Kings

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The 16th century was for Almer?a a century of natural and human catastrophes, for there were at least four earthquake— of which the one in 1522 was especially violent— devastating the city. The people who had remained Muslim were expelled from Almer?a after the War of Las Alpujarras in 1568 and scattered across Spain. Landings and attacks by Berber pirates were also frequent in that century, and continued until the early 18th century. In that time, huge iron mines were discovered and French and British companies came to settle in the area, bringing renewed prosperity and bringing Almer?a back to a relative importance within Spain.

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In the second half of the 20th century, Almer?a witnessed spectacular economic growth due to tourism and especially to its intensive agriculture with a world wide repuation, which has made Almer?a products familiar in any quality European market.

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From the political point of view, there is a strong populist desire to achieve the status of an "autonomous region" in Spain, in spite of the great efforts of the Andalusian government to disuade the voters.

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Famous natives of Almer?a include Nicol?s Salmer?n, who in 1873 was the third president of the First Spanish Republic, and several musicians, like the popular folk singer Manolo Escobar, reputed Flamenco guitar player Jos? Tom?s "Tomatito" or Grammy Award winner David Bisbal, record-breaker album seller in America and Spain.

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Almer?a hosted the Mediterranean Games in 2005.

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Almer?a has the largest naturist beach in Europe (also surrounded by naturist accommodations) called El Playazo despite current attempts to reduce the naturist extent of it.

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2003: 2003(MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. It was designated the:...

Spain: The Kingdom of Spain or Spain (Spanish and Galician: Reino de Espa?a or Espa?a; Catalan: Regne d'Espanya; Basque: Espainiako Erresuma; Asturian: Reinu d'Espa?a or Espa?a) is a country located in the southwest of Europe. It shares the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. To the nor...

Mediterranean Sea: The Mediterranean Sea is a part of the Atlantic Ocean almost completely enclosed by land, on the north by Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by Asia. It covers an approximate area of 2.5 million km² (965 000 mi²). It is also called the Eurafrican Mediterranean Sea or th...