Andalusia, dubbed variously as the “bridge between two continents", “gateway to Europe", "melting pot of cultures" and "meeting point of two seas" answers happily to any of these. It is the direct link between Europe and Africa and the place where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean, and Andalusia has been fought over by different cultures since civilisation’s earliest times, having first been one of the areas our pre-historic ancestors settled.
Contrasts are the norm in Andalusia. The diversity of the region’s landscapes offer a spectrum that goes from the warm Guadalquivir valley to leafy low mountain areas; and from volcanic landscapes like the Tabernas Desert to the snowclad peaks of the Sierra Nevada.
Its topology and Mediterranean climate determine the region’s heterogeneous landscape and vegetation. Andalusia can boast olive groves, farmland, vineyards, irrigation lands, open fields, hills, meadows, pastures, forests and steep mountains. Although its weather is Mediterranean, Andalusia is considered a transition area between typically warm and subtropical climates.
As a region, Andalusia is of crucial demographic and territorial importance within Spain as a whole: it has the largest population (almost 8 million inhabitants) and is the second largest region in terms of surface area, with its 87,597 SqKm accounting for 17.3% of Spanish territory.
Andalusia has become a host region for immigration, a relativity new element of a region that has traditionally been a land of immigration. Thanks to the regional development the emigration process has turned into the arrival of people from different cultures and origins that make Andalusia more diverse.
All these parameters also make the region exceptional within the European context: Andalusia has a larger surface area than 14 of the European Union’s 27 member states and has higher population than 11of them.
Andalusia was the fourth region to become part of Spain's autonomous map. With the ratification of the Autonomous Statute, which was established by the National Law 6/1981, Andalusia’s historical identity and its right to self government was recognised. The Autonomy Statute, now under modification, gives to the Regional government a very high level of competences in important matters as health, education or economic development.
The Regional Government, which is made up of the President of the Andalusian Regional Government, Mr. Manuel Chaves Gonzalez, and his counselors, is the main body in charge of executive and administrative matters. The Andalusian Parliament is the democratic representative body in charge of writing and approving all regional laws. Finally, the Andalusian Supreme Court is the highest court within the Autonomous Community.
The region consists of eight provinces – Almeria, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Jaen, Huelva, Malaga and Sevilla – and a total of 770 municipalities.
From an economic point of view, Andalusia is an ideal location for investment thanks to its geo-strategic situation, its diversity, the unique qualities of the territory, the potential of its human resources, its infrastructure and its economic strengths, especially in technology and innovation.
The social, legal and fiscal stability of Andalusia, together with many other complementary factors, help to encourage and sustain economic activity making the region an ideal setting for business development. Its human resources; diverse geographical areas with huge tracts of land available for locating businesses, from a wide range of sectors; its system of incentives; its economic dynamism and the quality of life, are all valuable assets.
Andalusia’s network of public and private universities, business schools and over 300 non-university technical training centres, provides a large, diverse and well qualified pool of labour. Companies are therefore able to satisfy their human resource requirements at highly competitive costs compared to other regions of Spain and to Europe as a whole.
Dispersed throughout Andalusia, there is a network of technology parks, industrial parks, chemical poles and logistical centres which attract many different types of production or services activity at very competitive prices.
Andalusia’s current economic structure is based on the co-existence of traditional and emergent sectors. The Regional Government is devoting greater efforts than ever to the promotion and development of these growth sectors.
Variety is one of the main characteristics of Andalusia’s economy. Traditionally, Andalusia has been linked to agriculture and tourism, but today it is much more than that, as is demonstrated by its industrial diversity and dynamism. The region has metal and non-metal mineral resources, agricultural potential, infrastructure, human resources and a climate that is of its most important natural resources.
Andalusia is both a European and World reference in terms of tourism. It is one the most important economic resources for Andalusia. Its people, landscape, traditions, gastronomy, etc. are widely appreciated by the millions of tourists that enjoy their holidays in the region every year. Andalusia is a modern region, equipped with a great infrastructure that knows how to welcome its visitors, and which, despite being conscious of moving with the times, takes great pains to maintain its roots and to look after its important cultural and monumental patrimony
Andalusia is a world reference point for intensive agriculture technologies carried out under plastic, and for the subsequent processing of the produce. In particular, this involves genetic engineering of seeds and plants, integral water cycle technologies for agricultural use, hydroponic cultivation, greenhouse equipment and agricultural plastics.
Based very largely much on its origins within the arable and livestock farming sector, biotechnology has become diversified, focusing particularly on health sciences. The region has been a pioneer in instigating mother cell research. The biotechnology sector’s business activities are focused on agricultural production (60%), health and genetic sciences (30%) and the improvement of processes (10%).
Andalusia is the only region of Spain in which the production of engineering components and aircraft assembly have been such longtime activities, and this is emphasised by its participation in such up-to-date programmes as the Airbus A380 and the new Airbus military transport aircraft, the A400M.
With its climatic characteristics, and its innovative thrust in the renewable energies like photovoltaic, wind power, thermal and biomass, Andalusia is also a world reference point in the use of such energy sources, and in the equipment technology and installations used in their production.
Finally, the location of an important number of national and international companies in Andalusia, along with the number of R&D centres dedicated to the development of ICT software and hardware, is testimony to the sector’s dynamism in the region.
And ever-present is the background of Andalusia’s history which has produced such an extraordinary artistic legacy. The Alhambra in Granada, the Mosque in Cordoba and the Giralda and the old quarter of Seville are all monumental landmarks in the history of mankind. Elsewhere, in more of Andalusia’s cities and towns than not, we can find examples of the finest moments of the region’s artistic history.
The brilliant Islamic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture of Andalusia’s most important buildings, castles, fortresses and monasteries constitute a patrimony of immense significance. The homeland of Velázquez, Murillo and Picasso has paintings, sculptures, jewels, and archaeological remains on show at its cathedrals, museums, churches, convents, and palaces. And the variety of festivals and celebrations in Andalusia is as generous as the region itself. The Andalusian calendar reads like an encyclopedia of the arts, customs and joy of living of its people.
More information
www.juntadeandalucia.es
www.andalucia.org
www.agenciaidea.es