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Andalusia can be considered a bridge between Europe and Africa and connects the Mediterranean with the Atlantic Ocean. The most southern part of Spain with its 87.300 square kilometres (54.250 square miles) is also the largest one of the spanish Autonomous Regions.
The historic period that has affected Andalusia's culture the most, is the Moorish occupation in the years 711- 1492 BC. The Moslem Moors entered Spain from North Africa by the Strait of Gibraltar in 711 to challenge the 300-year rule of the Germanic Visigoths. It took the Moors less than four years to conquer the entire Iberian Peninsula, with the exception of the most northern regions of Spain. Although the acquisition of Spain came quite easy to the Moors, the Visigoths kept resisting the occupation. The first triumph for the Reconquista came in 722, when the Moors were defeated at Covadonga in Northern Spain. Eventually, the Moors were pushed back to Southern Spain, which they called the Al-Andalus, and settled mainly in the cities of Cordoba, Grenada and Sevilla for more than 800 years to come. In 1492, the king of the Moors finally capitulated and surrendered the region to the Catholic Monarchs King Fernando and Queen Isabel of Spain.
During the Moorish era, the region flourished culturally, intellectually as well as technologically. A great many buildings, such as mosques, schools and palaces, were constructed, and most of them remain as a grand cultural heritage of Andalusia today. Among the most eminent monuments are the Alhambra in Grenada, the Giralda in Sevilla and the Alcazaba fortress in Málaga.
Andalusia's economy is primarily based on tourism. Not surprisingly, since Andalusia has a lot to offer the visitor; a colorful culture with exceptional historical sights marked by the medieval Moorish influence, a spectacular geography for the most jaded naturalists and thrill-seeking adventurers, renowned friendly and hospitable people, and last but not least, a remarkably benign climate with more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year spreading its rays on the sandy-white beaches.
Getting around Andalusia is a smooth process by means of the fine motorway road system, which connects all the provincial capitals with each other and areas of tourist interest, and also run along most of the coast. The train service is well linked with the large inland and port cities, as well as with the Spanish capital of Madrid, which is also trafficked by the high-speed train (AVE) from several Andalusian cities.
Andalusia boasts a vast range of natural resources. The region spans more than 85,000 km2 and is bordered by mountains and forests inland and wide-stretched beaches along the coast. There are over 80 protected areas, covering more than 17% of the region's total surface. The protected areas are categorized as Nature Parks and Natural Areas & Reserves, of which the former are larger in size and generally more mountainous and forested than the latter.
Andalusia also hosts a National Park; the Doñana in the southwestern part of the region. The area's unique and internationally significant 50,000 hectares of mainly wetland has awarded it the classification of Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
The Andalusian coast is another splendid example of the region's versatile geography, featuring over 800 km of beautiful sandy beaches. The coastline expands from the Costa de Almería by the Mediterranean Sea in the east, to the Costa de la Luz by the Atlantic Ocean in western Andalusia. The most famous stretch of coastline would be the Costa de la Sol, a haven to sun-worshippers year-round.
The historic period that has affected Andalusia's culture the most, is the Moorish occupation in the years 711- 1492 BC. The Moslem Moors entered Spain from North Africa by the Strait of Gibraltar in 711 to challenge the 300-year rule of the Germanic Visigoths. It took the Moors less than four years to conquer the entire Iberian Peninsula, with the exception of the most northern regions of Spain. Although the acquisition of Spain came quite easy to the Moors, the Visigoths kept resisting the occupation. The first triumph for the Reconquista came in 722, when the Moors were defeated at Covadonga in Northern Spain. Eventually, the Moors were pushed back to Southern Spain, which they called the Al-Andalus, and settled mainly in the cities of Cordoba, Grenada and Sevilla for more than 800 years to come. In 1492, the king of the Moors finally capitulated and surrendered the region to the Catholic Monarchs King Fernando and Queen Isabel of Spain.
During the Moorish era, the region flourished culturally, intellectually as well as technologically. A great many buildings, such as mosques, schools and palaces, were constructed, and most of them remain as a grand cultural heritage of Andalusia today. Among the most eminent monuments are the Alhambra in Grenada, the Giralda in Sevilla and the Alcazaba fortress in Málaga.
Andalusia's economy is primarily based on tourism. Not surprisingly, since Andalusia has a lot to offer the visitor; a colorful culture with exceptional historical sights marked by the medieval Moorish influence, a spectacular geography for the most jaded naturalists and thrill-seeking adventurers, renowned friendly and hospitable people, and last but not least, a remarkably benign climate with more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year spreading its rays on the sandy-white beaches.
Getting around Andalusia is a smooth process by means of the fine motorway road system, which connects all the provincial capitals with each other and areas of tourist interest, and also run along most of the coast. The train service is well linked with the large inland and port cities, as well as with the Spanish capital of Madrid, which is also trafficked by the high-speed train (AVE) from several Andalusian cities.
Andalusia boasts a vast range of natural resources. The region spans more than 85,000 km2 and is bordered by mountains and forests inland and wide-stretched beaches along the coast. There are over 80 protected areas, covering more than 17% of the region's total surface. The protected areas are categorized as Nature Parks and Natural Areas & Reserves, of which the former are larger in size and generally more mountainous and forested than the latter.
Andalusia also hosts a National Park; the Doñana in the southwestern part of the region. The area's unique and internationally significant 50,000 hectares of mainly wetland has awarded it the classification of Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
The Andalusian coast is another splendid example of the region's versatile geography, featuring over 800 km of beautiful sandy beaches. The coastline expands from the Costa de Almería by the Mediterranean Sea in the east, to the Costa de la Luz by the Atlantic Ocean in western Andalusia. The most famous stretch of coastline would be the Costa de la Sol, a haven to sun-worshippers year-round.