Valencian Community

The Valencian Community is in Spain.

It sits by the blue sea.

Many people live there. It has three parts. These are Castellón, Valencia, and Alicante.

The city of Valencia is the capital. It is a very big city. People there talk in two ways. They speak Spanish and Valencian.

Long ago, many groups lived here. Romans and Arabs lived in the land. This shaped how the place looks today.

It is a special place with a long story. Do you want to see it?

The Valencian Community is a part of Spain.

It sits on the east side of the Iberian Peninsula. The blue Mediterranean Sea is to its east.

It shares land with Catalonia, Aragon, Castilla–La Mancha, and Murcia.

This area is split into three provinces. These are Castellón, Valencia, and Alicante.

More than 5 million people live here. The city of Valencia is the capital. It is the third largest city in Spain. People in this region speak two official languages. They speak Spanish and Valencian.

The land has a very long history. Many groups lived here in the past. The Romans founded the city of Valencia. Later, the Arabs ruled the area. This left a mark on the land and culture. In the 13th century, a new kingdom began. It was called the Kingdom of Valencia. During the 15th century, it had a Golden Age. It was a rich place for trade. Today, it is a modern place with its own government.

The Valencian Community is a large part of Spain.

It sits on the east side of the Iberian Peninsula. The blue Mediterranean Sea is right next to its coast.

To the north is Catalonia, and to the south is Murcia. Aragon and Castilla–La Mancha sit along its western border.

The area is divided into three provinces: Castellón, Valencia, and Alicante. More than 5 million people live in this region. This means it holds about 10.9% of all people in Spain.

The region has two official languages. People speak Spanish and Valencian. The name "Valencia" has a long and interesting history. The Romans founded the city of Valentia in 138 BC. The name likely means "strength" or "valour."

Later, the name changed during the time of the Muslim Taifa of Valencia. Today, the region uses the name Valencian Community. This name helps people avoid arguments about other older names. Some people still prefer to call it the Valencian Country.

Many different groups have shaped this land over a long time. First, the Iberians lived here in different groups. Then, the Greeks set up colonies in coastal towns.

After the Romans, the Visigoths ruled for a while. In 711, the Arabs arrived and stayed for many years.

Their time there left a lasting mark on the local culture. Later, James the Conqueror led a Christian conquest in 1238. This led to the start of the Kingdom of Valencia.

The Kingdom of Valencia was very important in the past. It reached a Golden Age during the 15th century. During this time, it was a major center for money and trade. The silk trade helped the kingdom grow very wealthy. However, things changed after the Spanish War of Succession in 1707. The king abolished the kingdom and its special laws. This was a difficult time for the local institutions.

Today, the Valencian Community has its own way to govern itself. This system is called the Generalitat Valenciana.

It was officially set up in 1982 after a big change in Spain. The people here have a strong sense of their own identity. They call themselves a "historical nationality." You can see this pride in their modern cities and traditions. It is a place where old history meets a new, modern life.

The Valencian Community is an autonomous community located in Spain.

It sits along the Mediterranean coast on the eastern side of the Iberian Peninsula. To its north lies Catalonia, while Murcia borders it to the south. Aragon and Castilla–La Mancha are located to its west. To the east, across the sea, are the Balearic Islands.

The region is divided into three distinct provinces: Castellón, Valencia, and Alicante. It is a highly populated area, housing more than 5 million inhabitants. This represents approximately 10.9% of the total population of Spain.

The region has two official languages: Spanish and Valencian. Valencian is the traditional name for the romance language also known as Catalan. The name of the capital city, Valencia, has deep etymological roots. The Romans founded the city as Valentia in 138 BC. The name likely translates to "strength" or "valour." It was originally known as the "strength of the Edetani."

Later, during the Al-Andalus period, the name evolved into the Muslim Taifa of Valencia. Today, the region uses the official name "Valencian Community." This specific term was adopted after the democratic transition to resolve naming disputes. It serves as a middle ground between "Valencian Country" and the "Former Kingdom of Valencia."

History in the region began with the indigenous Iberian people. They were divided into groups like the Edetani and the Ilercavones.

Greek colonists established towns at Saguntum and Dianium during the 5th century BC. Later, the Carthaginians occupied the region before it was incorporated into the Roman Empire. Following the fall of Rome, the Visigoths ruled the land. In 711, the arrival of the Arabs brought significant changes to the landscape and culture.

This era included the establishment of independent taifas, such as the Taifa of Valencia and the Taifa of Dénia.

The modern identity of the region traces back to the 13th century. In 1238, James the Conqueror led a Christian conquest of the existing Islamic taifas. This event founded the Kingdom of Valencia as a component of the Crown of Aragon. The kingdom possessed its own legal entity and administrative institutions. These were governed under the Furs of Valencia. During the 15th century, the region experienced a Golden Age. It became the economic capital of the Crown, largely due to the lucrative silk trade. This era saw great political power and the rise of the Valencian House of Borja in Rome.

However, the kingdom's prosperity faced several major challenges. In 1609, the expulsion of the Moriscos caused a massive loss of population. This event removed up to one third of the kingdom's people. It also took away the primary agricultural labor force. Later, the Spanish War of Succession changed the region's legal status forever. In 1707, King Philip V abolished the Kingdom of Valencia. He suspended the local institutions and the Furs. The region was then subordinated to the laws and customs of the Kingdom of Castile. This led to a more centralized and absolutist government under the House of Bourbon.

In the modern era, the Valencian people have reclaimed their right to self-government. After the dictatorship of Franco, the region began a process of partial autonomy in 1977. This led to the creation of the Council of the Valencian Country. Finally, in 1982, the Statute of Autonomy established the current self-government system. This institution is known as the Generalitat Valenciana.

The statute recognizes the Valencian people as a "historical nationality." This modern conception of autonomy connects the historical Kingdom of Valencia to the contemporary region. It ensures that local traditions and the Valencian language are preserved within the Spanish state.

Today, the Valencian Community is a vibrant part of the Spanish Mediterranean. It balances deep historical roots with modern economic life. The capital, Valencia, is the third-largest city and metropolitan area in Spain.

The region is known for its diverse geography, ranging from coastal areas to mountainous terrain.

From the busy ports to the historic city centers, the area remains a significant cultural hub. It continues to be a place where the legacy of the Crown of Aragon meets modern European life.