Barcelona (
English /bɑrsɨˈloʊnə/,
Catalan: [bərsəˈɫonə],
Spanish: [barθeˈlona]) is the
capital of
Catalonia and the second largest city in
Spain, after
Madrid,
with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a
land area of 101.4 km
2 (39 sq mi). The urban area of
Barcelona extends beyond the administrative city limits with a
population of between 4,200,000
[1]
and 4,500,000
[2]
within an area of 803 km
2 (310 sq mi),
[1]
being the
sixth-most populous
urban area in the
European Union after
Paris,
London,
the Ruhr, Madrid and
Milan. About
five million
[3][4][5]
people live in the
Barcelona metropolitan area. It
is also Europe's largest metropolis on the
Mediterranean Sea. It is the main
component of an
administrative area of Greater
Barcelona, with a population of 3,218,071 in an area of 636 km²
(density 5,060 hab/km²). It is located on the
Mediterranean coast between the mouths of
the rivers
Llobregat and
Besòs and is bounded to the west by the
Serra de Collserola ridge (512 m/1,680 ft).
Founded as a Roman city, Barcelona became the capital of the
County of Barcelona. After merging
with the
Kingdom of Aragon, Barcelona became one of
the most important cities of the
Crown of Aragon. Besieged several times during its history,
Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important
cultural centre and a major tourist destination. Particularly renowned
are the architectural works of
Antoni Gaudí and
Lluís Domènech i Montaner, which
have been designated UNESCO
World Heritage Sites. The headquarters of the
Union for the Mediterranean is
located in Barcelona. The city is known for hosting the
1992 Summer Olympics as well as world-class
conferences and expositions, including the
1888 Exposición Universal de
Barcelona, the
1929 Barcelona
International Exposition (Expo 1929), the
2004 Universal Forum of
Cultures, and the
2004 World Urban Forum.
Barcelona is today one of the world's leading tourist, economic,
trade fair/exhibitions and cultural-sports centres, and its influence in
commerce, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the
arts all contribute to its status as one of the
world's
major global cities.
[6][7]
Indeed, it is a major cultural and economic centre in southwestern
Europe (
Iberian Peninsula), 26th in the world
(after
Moscow,
before
Dubai)
[8]
and a growing financial centre (
Diagonal Mar and
Gran Via). As of 2009 it was ranked Europe's
fourth best city for business.
[9]
One of Europe's principal Mediterranean ports can be found here as well
as
Barcelona international
airport, which handles above 34 million passengers per year. It also
boasts an extensive motorway network and is a hub of
high-speed rail, particularly that which is intended to link
Spain with France and the rest of Europe.
Barcelona is the 16th-most-visited city in the world and the fourth
most visited in Europe after Paris, London, and Rome, with several
million tourists every year.
[10]
Barcelona is the
14th most "livable city" in the
world according to lifestyle magazine
Monocle.
[11]
Similarly, according to Innovation Analysts 2thinknow, Barcelona
occupies 13th place in the world on
Innovation Cities™ Global Index.
[12]
It is the
fourth richest city by GDP in the
European Union and 35th in the world with an output amounting to €177
billion, a figure nonetheless smaller than alternative estimates.
[13]
Consequently, its GDP per capita output stands at €39,859 – some 44%
higher than the European Union average and GDP per head is €80,894
according to
Eurostat.
[14]
Similarly, the city of Barcelona stands in 29th place in a list of net
personal earnings headed by
Zurich.
[15]
As of 2009 the city was ranked Europe's third and one of the world's
most successful as a city brand.
[16]
Barcelona is the seventh most important
fashion capital in the world.
[17]
At the same time, the city was ranked Europe's fourth best business
city and fastest improving European city, with growth improved by 17%
per year.
[18]
Barcelona, among world centers of commerce takes second place in
economic stability.
[19]
As the capital of the autonomous community of
Catalonia,
Barcelona is the seat of the Catalan government, known as the
Generalitat de Catalunya; of
particular note are the
executive branch, the
parliament, and the
Supreme Court of
Catalonia.
The city is also the capital of the
Province of Barcelona and the
Barcelonès
comarca (district).
