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A Coruña (Spanish: La Coruña; also Corunna in English, and archaically The Groyne*) is a major city in Galicia in north-western Spain, and is the capital of A Coruña province. A Coruña is a busy port on the Atlantic Ocean and provides a distribution point for agricultural goods from the region. Although much of the heavy industry is based on the shipyards and metalworks of the neighbouring city of Ferrol, there is an oil refinery in A Coruña itself.
Geography The climate of A Coruña is temperate maritime and heavily moderated by the Atlantic Ocean, however it does display characteristics of a Mediterranean climate. Autumn and winter are often unsettled and unpredictable with strong winds and abundant rainfall, coming from Atlantic depressions and it is often overcast. The ocean keeps temperatures mild and frost is rare. In summer, it is quite dry and sunny with only occasional rainfall, temperatures are warm but rarely uncomfortably hot due to the sea's cooling influence during the day. Spring is usually cool and fairly calm. History The Romans came to region in the 2nd century BC, and the colonisers made the most of the strategic position and soon the city became quite important in sea trade. In 62 BC Julius Caesar came to the city (known at the time as Brigantium) in search of the metal trade, establishing commerce with France, England and Portugal. The city is the site of the Roman Tower of Hercules, which is a lighthouse in continuous operation for nearly 2,000 years. The city is also well-known for its characteristic glazed window balconies, called galerías. During the Middle Ages, the city was an important port and center for manufacturing of textiles. In 1598, the city was sacked by an English fleet under Francis Drake during Anglo-Spanish War It was the site of battle during the Peninsular War, on 16 January 1809, to cover embarkation of British troops after their retreat and in which Sir John Moore was killed. During the 19th century, the city was the centre of antimonarchist sentiment. See also: Battle of Corunna. Modern history There have been various changes in the city's structure over the last few decades — it now shares some administrative functions with the nearby city of Ferrol. Companies have grown, especially in sectors such as finance, communication, planning, sales, manufacturing and technical services. The port itself unloads large amounts of fresh fish, and with the increase in other port activities like crude oil and solid bulk, make up 75% of Galician port traffic. Over the last few years, emphasis has been placed upon better access and infrastructure, especially cultural, sporting, leisure and scientific areas. Following a spectacular oil spill when the ''Aegean Sea'' wrecked and exploded, considerable resources have been used in the recovery of the shoreline and strengthening the tourist sector. All this has reaffirmed the city's existing character as a centre for administration, sales, port activities, culture and tourism. The city is served by a regional airport which operates services by Iberia, Spanair and Portugalia to Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and most recently London. The city has a football club in Spain's top division, Deportivo de La Coruña. Francisco Vázquez Vázquez was mayor of the city from 1983, however he became the Spanish ambassador to Vatican and was replaced by Javier Losada on February 10 2006. Notable people Etymology and linguistic issues The toponym derives from Crunia, of unknown origin and meaning. At the time of Ferdinand II of Leon (12th century) the name Crunia is documented for the first time. As usual in Galician-Portuguese (but not in Spanish), the cluster ni naturally evolved into the sound {{IPA|/ɲ/}}, written nn, further abbreviated to ñ in Spanish spelling, and nh in Portuguese one. Currently, the only official form of the name is the Galician one.. Nonetheless, the Spanish form La Coruña is still widespread. Sister cities | ||||||||
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