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Murcia facts and figures

Thu, 27 November 10:00

Murcia facts and figures

The recently-restored Palacio Consistorial, in Car

In the past three editions we have learnt much about Murcia’s beaches, its towns and its monuments. Here, we break down some of the facts and figures of this fascinating region. Murcia is the capital city of the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia, on the river Segura in south-eastern Spain. The area has a generally rugged terrain, except along its coastal plain, and it is one of the hottest and driest regions of southern Europe, bearing more resemblance to North Africa in climate and vegetation. Murcia was founded under the Arab name, ‘Madina Mursiya’, in 825 AD, by the emir Al-Andalus Abderraman II. At that time, the Arab rulers developed a complex irrigation network around the Rio Segura, one factor that has made the Murcia region an important agricultural area to this day. In 1243, it became a vassal state of Castile which, in 1266, annexed it outright. In 1651 an estimated 1,000 people died when the Rio Segura flooded. However, Murcia flourished in the 18th century, mainly due to a boom in the silk industry. The region covers an area of 881 square kilometres and, in 2007, its population was recorded at 422,861, making it the region with the seventh largest population in Spain. Its budget for 2008 is 628 million euros. Given it’s proximity to the Mediterranean, Murcia enjoys a warm climate. Its winters are mild, although, up in the mountains, it can get very cold and its summers hot. At their lowest, temperatures drop to about four degrees centigrade in January, rising up to highs of 34 degrees at the height of the summer. Murcia averages 300 days of sunshine a year. The Mayor of Murcia is Miguel Angel Camara Botia, of the ‘Partido Popular’ (Popular Party), who has occupied this post since 1995. In the 2007 elections, the ‘Partido Popular’ won 61.28 per cent of the votes, followed by the ‘Partido Socialista’, with 29.71 per cent. Although Murcia City does not have its own airport, in 2003, plans were approved to build a new airport at Corvera, some 23 kilometres from the city centre. In the meantime, the nearest airports are Murcia-San Javier (47 kilometres south east from the city), followed by Alicante (70 kilometres away). Plans for high-speed train line connecting Murcia to Alicante are also under way. This will allow for a high-speed link via Alicante to Madrid and Almeria. Traditionally, Murcia relies heavily on agricultural produce like tomatoes, lettuce, and especially lemons and oranges. The export of these is an important component of the economy of the region. Murcia is also known for its wines, with about 100,000 acres of vineyards, most of them located in and around the town of Jumilla.
In recent years, due to an influx of European (mainly Norwegian) expatriates, it has become an area of growth.
With hundreds of miles of coastline and a property market that has not yet exploded, Murcia is, for many, a land of opportunities with an index of possibilities.

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