Marbella

Marbella is a city andmunicipality in southernSpainand belongs to theprovince of Malaga. It isintegrated into the region of theCosta del Soland is the headquarters of the Association of Municipalities and the head ofthe judicial district with the same name.

Marbella is located on theshores of the Mediterranean, betweenMalaga andtheStrait of Gibraltar, and the slopes of the SierraBlanca. The municipality covers an area of 117 km² and is crossed by thehighway and the Mediterranean Motorway, which are main entrances to the city.

With 130,549 inhabitants, according to thecensus of 2008,Marbella is the secondmunicipality in theprovince of Andalusia and theeighth in population. Furthermore, it is one of the most important touristtowns on the Costa del Sol and, throughoutmost of the year, is the center of attraction for international tourism mainlybecause of its climate and tourist infrastructure

However, although less known, the city also has significantarchaeology, six museums and scenic areas, and a busy cultural calendar, withevents ranging from reggae to the opera.

A pioneer of the Spanish steel industry during the 19thcentury, Marbellaexperienced a continuous expansion and growth throughout the last decades ofthe 20th century, developing an economy based on construction and tourism tovisitors and temporary residents of medium and high purchasing power.

The development of the tourism industry and the prosperityderived from it (the town is between 7 and 10% of GDP in Spain, according tosome sources) have attracted a diverse population but have also increased theactivity of international organized crime, which, together with theinstitutional corruption scandals, have marked the contemporary image of Marbella.