Guadalajara (province)
| Guadalajara | |||
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| Province | |||
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 Map of Spain with Guadalajara highlighted |
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| Coordinates: 40°50′N 2°30′W / 40.833°N 2.500°WCoordinates: 40°50′N 2°30′W / 40.833°N 2.500°W | |||
| Country | Spain | ||
| Autonomous community | Castile–La Mancha | ||
| Capital | Guadalajara | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 12,167 km2 (4,698 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | Ranked 17th | ||
| Population (2013) | |||
| • Total | 257,723 | ||
| • Rank | Ranked 42nd | ||
| • Density | 21/km2 (55/sq mi) | ||
| 0.52% of Spain | |||
| Demonym(s) | Guadalajareño / Guadalajareña | ||
| Official language(s) | Spanish | ||
| Parliament | Cortes Generales | ||
Guadalajara (pronounced: [ɡwaðalaˈxaɾa] from Arabic wādi al-ħajāra (وادي الحجارة), "streambed/valley of stones") is a province of central/north-central Spain, in the northern part of the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. As of 2013 it had a population of 257,723 people. The population of the province has grown in the last 10 years.
The province has been inhabited since the Paleolithic as evidenced by stone tools found on the banks of the Henares and Linares rivers. There are also numerous prehistoric cave paintings in the Cueva de los Casares in Riba de Saelices while Megalithic tombs from the 4th millennium B.C. have been found at various sites in the province including Alcolea del Pinar. There are remains of several bronze age settlements along the river banks in the area, notably that in Loma del Lomo in Cogolludo as well as a late bronze age settlement in Mojares.
The Celtiberians civilized the territory during the late Iron Age between the 6th and 3rd centuries B.C., various tribes establishing themselves in Sigüenza, Atienza and Termancia in the north and further south around Molina. In addition to raising livestock and breeding horses, they created many fortified towns and villages as well as castles. Between 143 and 133 B.C., the Romans initiated their battles to conquer Spain which continued until 94 B.C. They brought agriculture, mining and commerce to the region, facilitating communications with roads and bridges. The most important Roman city was Segontia (Sigüenza) although they built a town wall around Luzaga where there were large public buildings.
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Wikipedia