Velez

The municipality includes a significant area of thesurrounding countryside and other settlements, including Torre del Mar itself. The entire area of the municipality is 156.36 km², and its population at the 2002 census was 57,458 28,462 males and 28,995 females; however, population isgrowing quickly.

The transportation infrastructure is currently being expanded to deal with the extensive growth. The train runs approximately everyhalf hour from Velez to Torre del Mar, which has many shops and restaurants Velez lacks. Along The Rail are the state-of-the-art Velez hospital and a majorshopping mall, El Ingenio.

Velez-Malaga is a municipality and the capital of theAxarquia district in the province of Malaga in the Spanish autonomous communityof Andalusia. Locally, it is referred to as Velez. The municipality forms partof the Costa del Sol region.

City and Municipality

Velez-Malaga itself is a market city, 4 km inland from Torredel Mar but not unlike the coastal resort dominated by the tourist industry. Notable sites include the remains of the castle on the hill above the town, thechurches of Santa Maria la Mayor, Nuestra Senora de la Encarnacion, thesixteenth-century Palacio del Marques Beniel, and San Juan Bautista, the childhood home of Don Miguel de Cervantes.

Location and Communication

Neighboring municipalities are:

La Vinuela and Canillas de Aceituno to the north

Sedella and Arenas the northeast

Algarrobo to the east

The Mediterranean Sea to the south

The Rincon de la Victoria, Macharaviaya, Benamocarra, and Iznateto the west

Almachar and Benamargosa to the northwest

The bus terminal is also being expanded, with servicethrough Torre, Maria Zambrano, and all the way to the Malaga Airport. Buses and trains to the larger cities of Spainare also available from Velez through the transportation infrastructure.

Geography

The municipalitys boundaries include some 25 km ofcoastline. The Velez River is the significant watercourse.

Demographics

Velez is currently growing rapidly, with expatriates andimmigrants from other parts of Spain appearing in every part of the municipality.

Ethnic minority groups include Gypsies, a small Chinese community, Islamic groups (especially Moroccans), sub-Saharan Africans, and expatriates from other European Union countries, especially Germanyand the United Kingdom. In 2003 there were 2743 residents who did not have Spanish nationality.

Since 1990 there has been a movement with its own politicalparty to separate from Torre del Mar Velez.

Culture

The most important event of the year is the San Miguel Royalfestival, held each year at the end of September and the beginning of October.Other festivals celebrated include the Veladilla Carmen, Santiago (St. James), and Santa Ana. There is also a Holy Week procession, one of the most remarkablein Andalusia.

Velez-Malaga is one of the last places in Europe wherepublic cock fighting is conducted.

The town came under the Spanish crown after Moorish rule in1487.

The city also includes an enclave, Lagos, which is bordered to the north by Sayalonga, to the east by Torrox, to the south by the Mediterranean, and to the west by Algarrobo.

Velez-Malaga has an airport (Axarquia Airport) and a fishingport. The highway crosses the Mediterranean through the middle of its territory, with a junction to the national highway 340.

Districts

Almayate, Benajarafe, Cajiz, Caleta de Velez, Chilches, ElCapitan, Lagos, Los Puertas, Los Pepones, Mezquitilla, Trapiche, Triana, Torredel Mar, Valle-Niza.

Urban Districts

Barrio del Pilar, La Villa, Pueblo Nuevo de la Axarquia Carabanchel,La Gloria, Capuchinos, Barrio Barcelona, Carretera de Arenas, Camino de Algarrobo, Camino Viejo de Malaga, and San Francisco.