 VALENCIA - Spain/España
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Valencia, Valencian Community, Valencian Country, Land of Valencia, or Region of Valencia (Comunitat Valenciana or País Valencià in Catalan, Comunidad Valenciana or País Valenciano in Spanish) is an autonomous community in eastern Spain. Between the Sénia and Segura rivers, it has 518 kilometers of coastline on the Mediterranean and covers 23,255 km² of land with 4.5 million inhabitants (ca. 2004). Valencia also administers the coastal Columbretes islands and Nova Tabarca. To a high degree, these borders reflect those of the historic Kingdom of Valencia.
Valencia's Statute of Autonomy declares the official languages Castilian (name given to Spanish) and Valencian (name given to Catalan). Although the Spanish Constitution of 1978 obligates citizens to know Spanish throughout Spain, the statute grants Valencian special protected status, referring to it as the autonomous community's "own language" (llengua pròpia).
 The origins of Valencia date back to the former Kingdom of Valencia, which came into existence in the 13th century. James I "the Conqueror" led Catalan and Aragonese colonization of the Islamic taifas of Valencia and Dénia. The first attempt to gain self-government for Valencian Country in modern-day Spain was during the 2nd Spanish Republic, in 1936 year, but the Civil War broke out and the Valencian autonomist project was suspended. Recently there has been bipartisn movement toward reforming the Valencian statute of autonomy to officially recognize Valencia as a nationality.
Traditionally the land is divided into comarques, and in 1883 was, along with the rest of Spain, divided into provinces. There are 32 comarques, and three provinces: Castelló, València, and Alacant.
POPULAR CITIES IN VALENCIA, SPAIN:
València (Spanish Valencia), population 796,549, capital of the province of the same name, on the river Turia. Famous festival of the Fallas on March 19.
Alacant (Spanish Alicante), population 319,380, capital of the province of the same name, in the Mediterranean coast. Famous for its hard nougat or turrón duro (Valencian torró dur) and Postiguet, Albufereta and San Juan Beaches. The famous festival of the Bonfires of Saint John is in June. Its city hall and the Santa Barbara Castle are historic monuments.
Elx (Spanish Elche), population 215,137, famous for the wood of the palm tree called Palmeral, and for the Misteri d'Elx, two-day festival of singing and street drama that acts out the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, declared by UNESCO as part of all humankind's oral heritage.
Castelló de la Plana (Spanish Castellón de la Plana), population 167,455, capital of the province of Castelló.
Torrevieja (Valencian Torrevella), population 84,348, in the south, important tourist center with many hotels, apartments and tourist accommodations; includes La Mata Beach.
Gandia, population 77,943, is another important tourist center, situated on the Costa del Azahar.
Orihuela (Valencian Oriola), population 75,009, on the Segura River, historic city with palaces, churches and the Cathedral, on the "Vega Baja" (Valencian Vega Baixa), a highly productive area for farm products such as oranges, lemons and the like.
Benidorm, population 67,492, a major holiday resort, dubbed Beniyork because of its many skyscrapers, including Spain's tallest, the 52-story Gran Hotel Bali.
Elda, population 55,571, important production center for shoes and wine in the Vinalopo area.
Xixona (Spanish Jijona), population 7,494, near Alicante, famous for its soft nougat or torró de Xixona (Spanish turrón de Jijona).
Vila-real (Spanish Villarreal), population 46,696, important producer of ceramics and brick.
Buñol (Valencian Bunyol), population 9,404, famous for the tomatina, a town-wide tomato fight held the last Wednesday of August.
Ibi, population 23,059, a toy production center.
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