Bilbao

Industrial port and capital of Vizcaya province in the Basque Country, northern Spain; it is surrounded by mountains, and situated on an inlet of the Bay of Biscay, and on the Nervion River; population (2003 est) 342,800. Bilbao is a commercial centre and one of the chief ports in Spain; industries include iron and steel production, shipbuilding, chemicals, cement, and food-processing. Much of the city's heavy industries declined during the 1980s and 1990s, causing it to take steps to modernize its infrastructure and attract more tourism.

Bilbao was founded in the 13th century, and became prosperous with the growth of the Spanish empire. It has been the centre of an iron- and steel-producing region since medieval times. The old town, with its churches and monasteries, is situated on the right bank of the Nervion River, and is connected by bridges to the new town. During the Spanish civil war, Bilbao was the seat of the short-lived Basque autonomous government from 1936 until its capture by the Nationalists in 1937. Bilbao has a university and several museums, including the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (opened in 1997), which houses a permanent collection of modern art.