Málaga

Province of southern Spain in Andalusia autonomous community; area 7,275 sq km/2,809 sq mi; population (2001 est) 1,257,400. The capital is Málaga. The province is mountainous, reaching 2,100 m/6,890 ft at some points. The lowlands, particularly the coastal plain, are very fertile, and produce includes oranges, olives, melons, pomegranates, sugar cane, Málaga wine, and cotton. The southern coastline, the Costa del Sol, is on the Mediterranean Sea, and has become a highly developed tourist area. Other towns in the province include Ronda, Marbella, and Torremolinos.

The area has had a succession of invaders and settlers, most notably the Phoenicians in about 1000 BC, the Greeks in about 600 BC, and the Romans in 218 BC. The Moors invaded in AD 711, maintaining their control over Málaga until it was lost to the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand II and Isabella I, in 1487. Although the Moors were expelled from Spain, they left behind an enduring cultural legacy in the province, especially in their architecture.