Cádiz is part of the Andalucian Autonomous region. Cádiz is located in the South of Spain on the Atlantic coast. Its peculiar location at the end of a narrow peninsula lends added charm to this ancient city. Since the accession of the Spanish Bourbons in the 18th century, Cádiz has been a principal home port of the Spanish Navy.

Cádiz was founded about 1100 BC by the Phoenicians and is among the oldest settlements in Spain. In 501 the conquering Carthaginians landed. They were followed by the Romans in 206 B.C. Cádiz was to see other conquerors, notably the Visigoths and the Muslims.

Fishing, commerce and tourism provide Cadiz with its main resources. It's main ports are Cádiz, San Fernando, Puerto Real, Puerto de Santa María, Chiclana and Algeciras. Cádiz is also a big fishing center, and also a major departure point for ships sailing to the Canary Islands, a Spanish possession. There is also an American air and nuclear submarine base on the north side of the bay, called "Rota". Cadiz has an exceptional geographical position and it has many beautiful places like: Costa de la Luz, El Puerto de Santa María, Puerto Real or Chiclana de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda (one of the entrances to the Doñana Natural Park, a World Heritage Site). Furthermore, Cádiz has beautiful beaches as well, like: "Playa de la Caleta", "Playa de la Victoria", "Playa de Santa María del Mar" or "Playita de las Mujeres", and so on.

Today, Cádiz is a melting pot of Americans, Africans, and Europeans who are docking or passing through. What the visitor confronts today is an industrial hub of activity with one of the busiest ports in Spain. Despite its vibrancy and diverse influences, however, Cádiz isn't of major interest for most visitors.

SOME STATISTICS
City area	12.30 km² (4.7 sq mi)
Population	Province: 629,054 hab. (2004) City: 133,242 hab. (2004)
Density	10.716/km² (27.8/sq mi)
Distances	122km (76 miles) S of Seville, 625km (388 miles) SW of Madrid, 32km (20 miles) SW of Jerez de la Frontera

The City of Cadiz

Nowadays, Cadiz, with a population of about 164,000 inhabitants, is a small, white and blue coloured coastal city. The 3000-year-old city, being the oldest city in Europe, is located at the Costa de la Luz and is almost completely surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. Cádiz is divided into two sections which are separated by the walls of Tierra Gate.