Jaén is a city in south-central Spain, the capital of the province of Jaén in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Jaén is the center of a large province framed by mountains: the Sierra Morena to the north, the Segura and Cazorla ranges to the east, and those of Huelma, Noalejo, and Valdepeñas to the south. Jaén is also known as the World Capital of Olive oil, because it's the biggest producer of this liquid gold (as the locals refer to it).

The province of Jaén comprises three well-defined districts: the Sierra de Cazorla; the plains of Bailén, Ajona, and Arjonilla; and the valleys of the tributaries of the Guadalquivir. Jaén is located between Córdoba and Granada and has always been a gateway between Castile and Andalusia. This city lies east of Córdoba and can be reached from that city in less than an hour. In the last years it has had a great increase of cultural tourism. In the same way, Jaén is the administrative and industrial centre for the province. Industrial establishments in the city include chemical works, tanneries, distilleries, cookies factories and textile factories.

In its old quarter, Jaén conserves some of what must have been a spectacular city. A hilltop castle, now the Parador de Turismo, dominates the city. From this castle, you have a great view of the city and the Guadalquivir valley and, on a clear day, you can see the snow-covered peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Additional attractions of this city are the 11th century Moorish baths and the Renaissance cathedral. The nearby Sierra de Cazorla is an outstanding natural preserve. Jaén is also home to the world's largest collection of Iberian objects. A unique collection of sculptures dating from about 500 BC were discovered in the 1970s and they are now proudly exhibited in the city's main museum.

SOME STATISTICS
Land Area	422 km²
Elevation	573 m AMSL
Population	117,540 (2005)
Density	274 hab./km² (2005)