Madrid

MadridFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search This article is about the capital city of Spain. For the autonomous community, see Community of Madrid. For other uses, see Madrid (disambiguation).
Madrid
Villa de Madrid

Top left:Alcala Gate in Retiro area, Top middle:Campo del Moro Garden and Royal Palace in Bailen area, Top right:Madrid City Hall in Plaza deCibeles, 2nd View of Alacala and Gran Via street, 3rd left:Prado Museum, 3rd middle:Statue of Bear and Madrono in Puerta del Sol Square, 3rd right:Cervantes Institute Foundation Headquarter in Alcala area, Bottom:View of Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral

Flag
Coat of arms

Motto: «Fui sobre agua edificada,
mis muros de fuego son.
Esta es mi insignia y blasón»
("On water I was built,
mywalls are made of fire.
This is my ensign and escutcheon")[1][2]



Nickname(s) : La capital, La Conventual, La capital del reino, Villa y Corte, la Villa, Los Madriles, MAD, Madrid City, Madrid Capital.

MadridLocation of Madrid within Spain

MadridMap of Madrid
Coordinates: 40°23′N 3°43′W / 40.383°N 3.717°W / 40.383; -3.717
Country Spain
Region Community of MadridFounded IX Century[3]
Government
• Type Mayor-council
• Body Ayuntamiento de Madrid
• Mayor Ana Botella (PP)
Area
• City 605.77 km2 (233.89 sq mi)
Elevation 667 m (2,188 ft)
Population (2011)
• City 3,265,038
• Rank 1st
• Density 5,390/km2 (14,000/sq mi)
• Metro 6,489,680
Demonym Madrilenian
madrileño (m) madrileña (f)
matritense
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
• Summer(DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 28001–28080
Area code(s) 34 (Spain) + 91 (Madrid)
Patron Saints Isidore the Laborer
Virgin of Almudena
Website www.munimadrid.es

Madrid (English /məˈdrɪd/, Spanish: [maˈðɾið]) is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million[4] and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.5million. The population of the great Madrid is calculated in 7.2 million.[5] It is the third-largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the third-largest in the European Union after London and Paris.[6][7][8][9] The city spans a total of 604.3 km2 (233.3 sq mi).[10]

The city is located on the Manzanares river in the centre of both the country andthe Community of Madrid (which comprises the city of Madrid, its conurbation and extended suburbs and villages); this community is bordered by the autonomous communities of Castile and León and Castile-La Mancha.

As the capital city of Spain, seat of government, and residence of the Spanish monarch, Madrid is also the political centre of Spain.[11] The current mayor is Ana Botella from thePeople's Party (PP).

The Madrid urban agglomeration has the third-largest GDP[12] in the European Union and its influences in politics, education, entertainment, environment, media, fashion, science, culture, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities.[13][14] Due to its economic output, high standard of living, and market size, Madrid is considered themajor financial centre of Southern Europe[15][16] and the Iberian Peninsula; it hosts the head offices of the vast majority of the major Spanish companies, such as Telefónica, Iberia or Repsol. Madrid is the most touristic city of Spain, the third in the EU the fourth-most touristic of the continent and the seventh in the world according to Forbes. Is the 10th most livable city in the world accordingto Monocle magazine, in its 2010 index.[17][18] Madrid also ranks among the 12 greenest European cities in 2010.[19] Madrid is currently a Candidate City for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[20]

Madrid houses the headquarters of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), belonging to the United Nations Organization (UN), the SEGIB and the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI). It also hosts major...