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Catral
—  Municipality  —
Flag
Location Catral on the Valencian Community
Catral Location in Spain
Coordinates: 38°09′34″N 0°48′18″W / 38.15944°N 0.805°W / 38.15944; -0.805Coordinates: 38°09′34″N 0°48′18″W / 38.15944°N 0.805°W / 38.15944; -0.805
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Valencian Community
Province	Alicante
Comarca	Vega Baja del Segura
Judicial district	Callosa de Segura
Government
- Mayor	Aurelio David Albero García (2007) (PP)
Area
- Total	19.24 km2 (7.4 sq mi)
Elevation	12 m (39 ft)
Population (2009)
- Total	9,200
- Density	478.2/km2 (1,238.5/sq mi)
- Demonym	Catralense
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	03158; and 3349 (road to San Isidro)
Dialing code	+34 (Spain) + 96 (Alicante)
Official language(s)	Spanish
Website	http://www.ayuntamientocatral.com/municipio.php

Catral is a town in the Valencian Community, Spain. Located in the south of the province of Alicante, in the region of Vega Baja del Segura. It has 8,105 inhabitants ([National Statistics Institute of Spain|INE] 2007).

History

Catral's origins are uncertain, as is the origin of the name. Shuffle three theories: that the name is of Iberian origin (Kal turlthe, meaning "double peak", which would make reference tocloseCabezos of Albatera), which be of Hispanic origin (ofCastrum Altum,Villa fortified "in Latin) and Arab (Al-Qatrullät). In any case, the middle of thirteenth century ended the Muslim rule of Catral.

Conquered by the infant Alfonso for the Crown of Castile, he was awarded the Order of Santiago Catral sites and Callosa in 1255. However, the Castilian king reinstated the crown as in 1264. From 1296, Catral, like the southern half of the province, would go to the Crown of Aragon within the Attorney General Orihuela.

The town's farmland has increased significantly during the first two decades of eighteenth century due to draining of wetlands, promoted by the Cardinal Belluga. In 1741, the 152 inhabitants of Catral paid 12,499 pounds for the title of Villa and his independence from Orihuela. In 1829, was spared the devastating effects of an earthquake that destroyed much of the population of the region. Since then, it makes an annual rogation San Emigdio, patron saint against earthquakes, as a token of thanks to his intercession.

Economy

Agriculture, citrus s, artichoke s, cereals and olive trees produce much of the wealth a bit of cattle and sheep and growing industry in the fields of furniture, [ [textile]], construction, food and skin complement the local economy.cultivated in orchards that are irrigated by canals which carry water from the Segura river. Now, the landscape is very altered by a "building fever", caused by the demand of houses by a lot of foreign residents (mostly, British).

Demographics

Catral has presented a significant population growth since the 90. According to the census of 2008, the municipality has 8629 inhabitants.

Gobernment

Climate

Weather exceeds 10 degrees temperature in January and 26 degrees in July.

Notes and references

• Flag image by Eduardo Gomez and extracted, with the consent of your website Vexilla Hispánica, http://www.vexilologia.es.
• Web site Town Hall of Catral, http://www.ayuntamientocatral.com/municipio.php

Municipalities of Vega Baja del Segura Albatera · Algorfa · Almoradí · Benejúzar · Benferri · Benijófar · Bigastro · Callosa de Segura · Catral · Cox · Daya Nueva · Daya Vieja · Dolores · Formentera del Segura · Granja de Rocamora · Guardamar del Segura · Jacarilla · Los Montesinos · Orihuela · Pilar de la Horadada · Rafal · Redován · Rojales · San Fulgencio · San Isidro · San Miguel de Salinas · Torrevieja