Madrid

I

Introduction

Madrid, autonomous region, central Spain. It is bounded by the regions of Castile-León to the north and Castile-La Mancha to the south. The region is coterminous with Madrid Province and has an area of 8,028 sq km (3,100 sq mi).

II

Physical Geography

Madrid is located on a high central plateau—the city of Madrid lies 646 m (2,120 ft) above sea level. The Guadarrama Mountains, which span across the north and west of the region, contain both winter and summer resorts and substantial pine forests. The mountain passes of Navacerrada in the north-west and Somo in the north-east provide important links to the cities of Segovia and Burgos respectively. Among the region’s mountain rivers are the Jarama, Manzanares, and Henares, which provide valuable irrigation and generate hydroelectric power.

III

Population

Madrid has 6,081,689 inhabitants (2007), with an average population density of 712 people per sq km (1,844 per sq mi). Its main city is the national capital Madrid (population, 2007, 3,132,463); other large cities in the region include Móstoles (2007, 204,535); Fuenlabrada (2007, 194,142); Alcalá des Henares (2007, 198,723); Leganés (2007, 182,431); and Alcorcón (2007, 166,553).

Several prominent institutions of higher education are located in the region, and are mainly sited in the city of Madrid. These include the University of Madrid (1499), the Pontifical University (1892), the Autonomous University of Madrid (1968), the Polytechnic University of Madrid (1971), the Open University (1972), and the Royal Academy of Music (1830). The university and Old Town of Alcalá were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. The large granite Monastery of El Escorial, a short distance from the city of Madrid, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1984, while the monuments and cultural landscape of the southern town of Aranjuez were added to the list in 2001.

IV

Economy

Agriculture is the traditional activity of the region, with wheat, grapes, and olives grown; poultry and pigs are raised. In the north, quartz is quarried, while in the south there are clay deposits. The city of Madrid and its environs provide the region’s economic force, with strong industry, banking, commerce, and tourism sectors. The region is the hub of the country’s railways.