Balearic Islands - Etymology, History of the Archipelago, Trivia

Local name Islas Baleares

Area 5014 km²/1935 sq mi population total (2000e) 712 000 Status Province of Spain Capital Palma de Mallorca Physical features Archipelago of five major islands and 11 islets in the Mediterranean, near the E coast of Spain; E group of islands consists of Mallorca (Majorca), Menorca, Cabrera; Ibiza and Formentera (W group); popular tourist resorts. Climate Continental; average annual temperatures 11°C (Jan), 25°C (Jul); average annual rainfall 347 mm/14 in. Currency 1 euro (EUR) = 100 cents (previous to February 2002, 1 Peseta (ESP) = 100 céntimos). Economy Tourism; fruit, wine, grain, cattle, fishing, textiles, chemicals, cork, timber. Comunidad Autónoma de las Illes Balears
Comunitat Autònoma de les Illes Balears

Flag Coat of Arms
Capital	Palma
Official language(s)	Spanish and Catalan
Area  – Total  – % of Spain	Ranked 17th  4,992 km²  1.0%
Population  – Total (2005)  – % of Spain  – Density	Ranked 14th  983,131  2.2%  196.94/km²
Demonym  – English  – Spanish  – Catalan	Balearic  balear  balear
Statute of Autonomy	March 1, 1983
Parliamentary representation  – Congress seats  – Senate seats	8  5
President	Jaume Matas Palou (PP)
ISO 3166-2	IB
Govern de les Illes Balears

The Balearic Islands /ˈbeɪ̯lɪˌæɹɪk ˈaɪ̯ləndz/ (Catalan: ''Illes Balears'' /ˈiʎəz bəɫəˈaː(r)s/, Spanish: Islas Baleares, /ˈiz·las·ba·leˈaː·res/, Greek: Gymnesiae – Γυμνησίαι, Βαλλιαρεῖς, Diod.

Etymology

There are various theories on the origins of the two ancient Greek and Latin names for the islands – Gymnasiae and Baleares. Majorca and Minorca are the Balearic Islands proper, while the other islands are included in the appelation as part of the Autonomous Community. The islands can be further grouped, with Majorca, Minorca, and Cabrera as the Gymnesian Islands, and Ibiza and Formentera as the Pine Islands.

History of the Archipelago

Ancient history

Of the earliest inhabitants of the islands, we have scant history but many legends.

At all events, the islands had a very mixed population, of whose habits several strange stories are told: that they went naked, or clothed only in sheep-skins — whence the name of the islands (an instance of folk etymology) — until the Phoenicians clothed them with broad-bordered tunics (Strabo);

In ancient times, the islanders of the Gymnesian Islands constructed talayots, and were famous for their skill with the sling. ad Lycophr.)

The Phoenicians took possession of the islands in very early times (Strabo iii. 466, Böcking.)

The two largest islands (the Balearic Islands, in their historical sense) had numerous excellent harbours, though rocky at their mouth, and requiring care in entering them (Strabo, Eustath.; § 9.)

Post Roman Empire

In the chaos surrounding the fall of the Roman Empire, the islands were conquered by the Vandals. The latter brutally settled the islands, mainly by Catalan population, virtually extinguishing the previous populations, and initially ruled the Balearics as the vassal Kingdom of Mallorca, but in 1344 this ceased to exist and it was directly incorporated into the Crown of Aragon, which was later united dynastically with Castile as a result of the marriage of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, and formally absorbed into Spain by the Nueva Planta decrees after the War of Spanish Succession.

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Trivia

In 1935, the islands served as a transit stop for Air France Lioré et Olivier LeO H.242 flying boat heading to Algiers from Marseilles.