Málaga

The port city of Málaga is located in Andalusia in the south of Spain and has a population of just over 575,000 inhabitants. It is the sixth biggest city in Spain and the southernmost large city in Europe. It is considered to be the capital of the Costa del Sol metropolitan area, which has a population of around 1.1 million people. Founded by the Phoenicians in about 770 BC, it is one of the oldest cities in the world. It remains an important centre due to its strategic location between Europe and North Africa.

Málaga has attracted a large influx of investment, businesses and people in the last twenty years. It has a good infrastructure including an airport, a high-speed train link to Madrid and Barcelona, and a port. It also has the Andalusia Technology Park, founded in 1992, which hosts companies focusing on IT, telecommunications and research and development. It is the financial and economic centre of the south of Spain, and is the country’s fourth economic power, after Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia.

The mainstay of Málaga’s economy is tourism (84%), and its international airport brings millions of foreign tourists every year, especially from northern Europe. They are drawn by its beaches and mild climate, as well as the region’s culture and traditions. The construction industry, agriculture and manufacturing are also important in the local economy. Hit by the economic crisis in Spain, in 2011 Málaga registered the highest rate of unemployment in the country, of up to 30%. Some of its more deprived communities live in sub-standard high-rise tower blocks that are now being studied for redevelopment by the city authorities.