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Alicante ( Catalan: Alacant, Spanish: Alicante) is the capital city of the province of Alicante, in the south of the Valencian Country, Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea. Alicante is an important Seaport. As of the 2003 census, the population of the city of Alicante proper was 316,178, and the population of the entire urban area was estimated to be 676,237 inhabitants, ranking as the eighth-largest urban area of Spain.

Alicante is one of the fastest growing cities in Spain. Its economy is based upon tourism, wine production, services and administration. It exports wine, olive oil, and fruit, and has light industries, including food-processing, leather, textiles, and pottery. The area's food specialty are turrones - honey and almond nougats.

It has regular ferry services to the Balearic Islands, and an international airport is nearby. Amongst the most notable features of the city is its castle, the "Castillo de Santa Barbara", which sits high above the city upon a cliff. An important festival takes place there in June, at the time of the Summer Solstice, the Bonfires of Saint John.

The city is the headquarters of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal MarketThe Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs), or OHIM is the trademark and industrial designs registry for the European Union. It administers all Community Trade Marks and Community Designs and is generally involved in any.

History

Alicante was founded in 324 BCCenturies: 5th century BC 4th century BC 3rd century BC Decades: 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 329 BC 328 BC 327 BC 326 BC 325 BC 324 BC 323 BC 322 BC 321 BC 320 BC 319 BC Births Antiochus I Soter, by the GreeksAncient Greece is the term used to describe the Greek-speaking world in ancient times. It refers not only to the territory of the present Greek state, but also to those areas settled in ancient times by Greeks: Cyprus, the Aegean coast of Turkey (then kno who named it Akra Leuke (White Peak). In 201 BCCenturies: 4th century BC 3rd century BC 2nd century BC Decades: 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC Years: 206 BC 205 BC 204 BC 203 BC 202 BC 201 BC 200 BC 199 BC 198 BC 197 BC 196 BC Events Philip V of it was captured by the Romans60 and 400 with major cities. During this time only Dacia and Mesopotamia were added to the Empire but were lost before 300. The Roman Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman state in the centuries following its reorganization under t who called it Lucentum, and HannibalHannibal Barca ( 247 BC- 182 BC) was a military commander of ancient Carthage, best known for his achievements in the Second Punic War in marching an army from Spain over the Pyrenees and the Alps into northern Italy and defeating the Romans at the Battle is said to have unloaded his famous war elephantIndian war elephant, relief at Mathura, 2nd century BC War elephants were important, although not widespread, weapons in ancient military history. Their main use was in charges, to trample the enemy and/or break their ranks. War elephants were exclusivelys here. Between 718Events Pelayo established the Kingdom of Asturias in Spain. This is considered to be the beginning of the Reconquista Emperor Leo III defeats Arab forces besieging Constantinople End of Tervel's reign as monarch of Bulgaria Saint Boniface sets out for Fri and 1249, the city was ruled by the Moors. In 1265 it was retaken by Alfonso X of Castile and incorporated into the kingdom of Castile. In 1304 it was incorporated into the kingdom of Valencia, in the Aragon Crown.

The city was besieged by the French in 1709 and 1812, and later by the Federalists of Cartagena in 1873. In the Spanish Civil War, Alicante was one of the last cities to fall to Franco.