Balearic Islands

The Balearic Islands (/ˌbæliˈærɪk/ BAL-ee-ARR-ik or /bəˈlɪərɪk/ bə-LEER-ik; Catalan: Illes Balears [ˈiʎəz bəleˈas]; Spanish: Islas Baleares [ˈizlaz βaleˈaɾes]) are an archipelago in the Balearic Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago is an autonomous community and a province of Spain; its capital is Palma. The 2007 Statute of Autonomy designates the Balearic Islands as one of the nationalities of Spain. The official languages of the Balearic Islands are Catalan and Spanish.

Its four largest islands are Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera. Many of its minor islands and islets are close to the larger islands, including Cabrera, Dragonera, and S’Espalmador. The islands have a Mediterranean climate, and the four major islands are all popular tourist destinations. Ibiza, in particular, is known as an international party destination, attracting many of the world’s most popular DJs to its nightclubs. The islands’ culture and cuisine are similar to those of the rest of Spain but have their own distinctive features.

Balearic Islands Geology

The Balearic Islands are on a raised platform called the Balearic Promontory and were formed by uplift. They are cut by a network of northwest to southeast faults.

Balearic Islands Geography and hydrography

The main islands of the autonomous community are Majorca (Mallorca), Menorca/Minorca (Menorca), Ibiza (Eivissa/Ibiza), and Formentera, all popular tourist destinations. Amongst the minor islands is Cabrera, the location of the Cabrera Archipelago Maritime-Terrestrial National Park. Neighbours: Algeria (south), Spain's Catalonia and Valencian Community (west), France's South (north), and France's Corsica as well as Italy's Sardinia...

Balearic Islands Modern period

In 1469, Ferdinand II of Aragon (king of Aragon) and Isabella I of Castile (queen of Castile) were married. After their deaths, their respective territories (until then governed separately) were governed jointly, in the person of their grandson, the Emperor Charles V. This can be considered the foundation of the modern Spanish state, albeit a...

Balearic Islands Culture

Balearic Islands Demographics

Island Population % Islands Density Majorca (Mallorca/Mallorca) 777,821 79.12%214.84Ibiza (Eivissa/Ibiza) 111,107 11.30% 193.22Menorca (Menorca/Menorca) 86,697 8.82%124.85Formentera (Formentera/Formentera) 7,506 0.76%90.17 Circa 2017 there were 1,115,999 residents of the Balearics; 16.7% of the islands' population were foreign (non-Spanish). At that time the islands had 23,919 Moroccans, 19,209 Germans, 16,877 Italians, and 14,981 British registered in town...

Balearic Islands Administration

Each one of the three main islands is administered, along with its surrounding minor islands and islets, by an insular council (consell insular in Catalan) of the same name. These four insular councils are the first level of subdivision in the autonomous community (and province) of the Baleares. Before administrative reform in 1977, Ibiza and...

Balearic Islands Wildlife

At the time of human arrival, the only terrestrial mammals native to the Balearic Islands were the dwarf goat-antelope Myotragus, the giant dormouse Hypnomys, and the shrew Nesiotites hidalgo which were found on Mallorca and Menorca, which became extinct shortly after human arrival. The only other terrestrial vertebrates native to the islands are Lilford's wall...

Balearic Islands Economy

The gross domestic product (GDP) of the autonomous community was 32.5 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 2.7% of Spanish economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 29,700 euros or 98% of the EU27 average in the same year.