Community of Madrid

The Community of Madrid is one of the seventeen autonomous communities and 50 provinces of Spain. It sits in the heart of the Iberian Peninsula and Central Plateau, with Madrid city as its capital and largest town. The Community of Madrid was formally created in 1983 to recognize the special role of Madrid as the capital of Spain.

With about 7 million people, the Community of Madrid is the third most populous area in Spain and the most crowded. It has both the largest total GDP and the highest GDP per person in the country. The area's economy is strong in services, logistics, and transportation.

Most of the Community of Madrid lies within the Tagus Basin, from the Central System mountains in the north to the Tagus River in the south. The climate is usually mild but can range from mediterranean to semi-arid. The region includes four World Heritage Sites, such as the Monastery and Royal Site of El Escorial and parts of Madrid city's famous Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro park.

Geography

The Community of Madrid has many natural landscapes even with a big city of nearly 7 million people. It features mountain peaks higher than 2,000 meters, areas with holm oak trees, and flat plains. The slopes of the Guadarrama mountain range have thick forests of Scots pine and Pyrenean oak. The Lozoya Valley is home to many black vultures, and the Park Regional del Suroeste has one of the last groups of Spanish imperial eagles in the world. Scientists think they might have found Iberian lynx between the Cofio and Alberche rivers.

The shape of Madrid province looks almost like a triangle, with Madrid city near the middle. It shares borders with the Sistema Central mountains on the west, follows the Tagus River on the south, and has a break in river basins on the east. Madrid lies in the Tagus River basin, and the river runs through the southern border on its way to the Atlantic Ocean. It also drains water from several smaller rivers like the Jarama, Lozoya, Guadalix, Manzanares, Henares, and Tajuña, as well as the Alberche and Guadarrama rivers.

Madrid includes a small area called Dehesa de la Cepeda, which is part of the town Santa María de la Alameda and sits between the provinces of Ávila and Segovia.

The province covers about 8,028 square kilometers, which is 1.6% of Spain’s total land. It lies between 600 and 1,000 meters above sea level, but heights range from Peñalara’s 2,428 meters to the Alberche River’s 430 meters. Famous peaks include Bola del Mundo in Navacerrada at 2,258 meters, Siete Picos in Cercedilla at 2,138 meters, and Peña Cebollera at 2,129 meters.

Fauna

Protected bird species in Madrid include the Spanish imperial eagle, golden eagle, Bonelli's eagle, cinereous vulture, peregrine falcon, and black stork.

The area has many non-native birds and animals such as red-eared sliders, monk parakeets, common snapping turtles, rose-ringed parakeets, American mink, and raccoons. Other birds moving into the region include black-headed gulls, lesser black-backed gulls, great cormorants, and Eurasian collared doves. The Iberian ibex, brought back to the area in 1990 after disappearing for about a century, is now found in La Pedriza.

Vegetation

Near the mountain peaks, plants like Agrostula truncatula, Armeria caespitosa, Festuca indigesta, Jasione crispa, Jurinea humilis, Minuartia recurva, Pilosella vahlii, Plantago holosteum, and Thymus praecox grow. Below the peaks, shrubs such as Cytisus oromediterraneus and common juniper, along with Scots pine, are common. There are also black pine and Pyrenean oak trees above the holm oak areas.

Eurosiberian plants like moor birch and silver birch are rare and found only in specific wet valleys. The main vegetation in the campiña area is holly oak. When holly oak forests are damaged, plants like sticky shrub, Retama sphaerocarpa, French lavender, Thymus mastichina, and Thymus zygis grow instead.

The lower parts of the Guadarrama Mountains have plants such as Juniperus thurifera, maritime pine, Portuguese oak, and stone pine. Only in the wetter western part near Alto del Mirlo are there chestnut tree forests.

About 54.4% of Madrid’s land is forested, with 27.7% already covered by trees. Efforts to plant more trees began in the late 19th century in the Lozoya Valley to improve drinking water, and after the Spanish Civil War, many conifer trees were planted successfully.

Climate

See also: Climate of Madrid

The Community of Madrid has a climate with dry summers. The temperature changes depending on how high up you are. Most places have a mix between a hot-summer Mediterranean climate and a cold semi-arid climate. This means they have dry summers and not much rain the rest of the year. In the capital, temperatures in summer can get above 22 °C, often reaching over 30 °C in July and August. In the western areas, the climate is more like the Mediterranean, while in the higher areas near the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains, it gets colder with more rain, especially in winter. Some of the highest peaks can even have temperatures below freezing in January and February. Madrid is the European capital with the least amount of rain each year.

History

Prehistory

The land that is now the Community of Madrid has been home to people since very early times. Many important discoveries have been made in the valleys between the Manzanares, Jarama, and Henares rivers.

Romans and Visigoths

When the Romans ruled this area, it was part of a big region called Citerior Tarraconese. Two major Roman roads passed through, linking important cities. Complutum, today known as Alcalá de Henares, grew to become a major city. Later, during the time of the Visigoths, the area lost much of its importance.

Al-Andalus

In the 11th century, Muslim rulers built many forts and towers to protect against Christian kingdoms from the north. The fortress of Mayrit, which later became Madrid, was built between 860 and 880 AD. In 1083 or 1085, Alfonso VI captured Madrid as part of his campaign to take Toledo.

Christian repopulation

After Christians took over the land, they began to settle and build new towns. In the 13th century, Madrid was one of the few towns that kept its own special rights. Around Madrid, an area called Tierra de Madrid was created, which later became the province of Madrid.

Early modern period

Madrid became an important city. In 1561, King Philip II chose Madrid as the capital of Spain. The city grew and became a center of culture and government. Many grand buildings were constructed during this time.

Province

In 1833, Spain was reorganized into provinces, and Madrid became its own province. Changes to its borders happened in the mid-1800s. In 1858, a new water system brought water from the Lozoya River to Madrid, helping the city grow.

Autonomous community

In 1983, the Community of Madrid was created as its own autonomous community. Over the next decades, it became one of Spain’s fastest-growing areas, known for its services, construction, and as a center for culture and science.

Government and politics

See also: Assembly of Madrid, President of the Community of Madrid, and Government of the Community of Madrid

The Community of Madrid, like other areas in Spain, uses a system where the leader, called the president, needs support from a group of elected representatives. These representatives make important decisions together.

The main law for Madrid is called the Statute of Autonomy. It works together with Spain’s bigger rules. This law helps decide how Madrid’s government works. There is a group called the Assembly of Madrid that represents the people. They meet to make laws and check on the government. The president leads the government and works with other leaders called ministers. The current president is Isabel Díaz Ayuso from the People’s Party.

Main article: List of municipalities in the Community of Madrid

Madrid is divided into smaller areas called municipalities. There are 179 of these, each with its own local leaders called mayors. These mayors are chosen by people who vote. There are also special areas for courts, with seats in different towns across Madrid.

Economy

Madrid has the highest income in Spain, with each person earning about €38,435 in 2022. This is more than other areas like the Basque Country, Navarra, and Catalonia. In 2018, Madrid’s total economy was worth €230.8 billion, making it the largest in Spain.

In 2005, Madrid received the most foreign investment in the country. The city is strong in services, construction, and industry. It also has many businesses in technology and research. The government has built many logistics centers, helping companies transport goods efficiently. In 2019, the unemployment rate was 10%, lower than the rest of the country.

Demographics

The Community of Madrid is very busy and full of people. As of early 2024, about 7 million people live there, making it one of the busiest places in Spain. Most people live in the city of Madrid and nearby towns like Móstoles, Alcalá de Henares, and Fuenlabrada.

Many people from other countries live in Madrid, especially from places like Romania, Morocco, and Venezuela. This makes the community very colorful and interesting. People in Madrid live longer than many others in Europe.

Population density by municipality
according to the Institute for Statistics of
the Community of Madrid (2017):

  ≥ 600/km²

  200–600/km²

  90–200/km²

  20–90/km²

  2

Foreign population

As of 2022, many people living in Madrid were born in other countries. The largest groups came from Romanian, Moroccan, Venezuelan, Colombian, Chinese, Peruvian, and Italian backgrounds.

Education

Main article: Education in Spain

In Spain, education is free and required for children from six to sixteen years old. The system is known as LOMLOE. Children aged three to five can choose to attend pre-school, which helps prepare them for primary school.

Primary school lasts six years, from six to twelve years old. This is followed by four years of compulsory secondary school, from twelve to sixteen. After that, students can choose to study for two more years in a program called Bachillerato, which helps them prepare for university or other types of further education.

Transportation

Air

Main article: Barajas International Airport

Madrid has a big airport called Barajas International Airport. It is very important because many people fly there to visit Spain. Lots of airplanes take off and land there every day, and it is one of the busiest airports in the world. The airport has grown a lot to handle even more travelers.

Commuter rail

Main article: Cercanías Madrid

Madrid has a train system called Cercanías Madrid that helps people travel around the city and nearby areas. These trains are very popular and carry many passengers every day. There are many stations and tracks all around Madrid to make it easy for everyone to get around.

High-speed rail

Main article: AVE

Spain has a special fast train called AVE that connects Madrid to many other cities. These trains can go very fast and help people travel long distances in a short time. Madrid is the center of this fast train network, making it easy to visit places far away.

Metro

Main article: Madrid Metro

Madrid also has an underground train system called the Madrid Metro. It is one of the biggest and most used metro systems in Europe. The metro has many lines that go all over the city, helping millions of people get around every day.

Culture

Symbols

The flag, coat of arms, and hymn of the Community of Madrid were set through regional Law 2/1983, published on December 24, 1983.

The flag is crimson red with seven silver five-pointed stars arranged in a row. It should be displayed next to the flag of Spain at public buildings.

The coat of arms features two castles with seven silver stars on top. The hymn exists but is not used often.

Cuisine

Madrid’s area outside the city provides ingredients for its own special foods, like cheese from Campo Real, strawberries from Aranjuez, and garlic from Chinchón. Popular dishes include cocido madrileño and tortilla de patatas. The region has many bars, coffee shops, and restaurants.

Religion

Most people in Madrid are Catholic. There are also smaller groups of evangelical Christians, Jews, Muslims, Orthodox Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, and others.

Feasts

The regional day is on May 2, remembering when people in Madrid stood up against French occupation in 1808. It became a public holiday in Madrid in 1984. On this day, leaders often give flowers to honor those who fought and give out special medals.

Sports

See also: Sport in Madrid

People in the Community of Madrid love sports. A study from 2010 showed that over half of the people aged 15 to 75 took part in some kind of sport. The most popular activities include fitness, football, swimming, cycling, jogging, and padel.

Football is especially loved in Spain. The Community of Madrid has two famous football teams: Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. Madrid also had a big stadium called "La Peineta" which was used for important sports events.

International relations

Twinning

The Community of Madrid has a partnership with Beijing, China, which began in 2005.