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MAJORCA (Mallorca)

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Originally appearing in Volume V17, Page 451 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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MAJORCA (Mallorca) , the largest of the See also:group of See also:Spanish islands in the Mediterranean See also:Sea known as the Balearic Islands (q.v.). Pop. (1900), 248,191; See also:area, 430 sq. m. Majorca has the shape of a trapezoid, with the angles directed to the See also:cardinal points; and its See also:diagonal, from Cape Grozer in the See also:west to Cape Pera in the See also:east, is about 6o m. On the See also:north-west the See also:coast is precipitous, but on the other sides it is See also:low and sloping. On the north-east there are several considerable bays, of which the,See also:chief are those of Alcudia and Pollensa; while on the See also:south-west is the still more important See also:bay of See also:Palma. No fewer than twelve ports or harbours are enumerated See also:round the See also:island, of which may be mentioned Andraitx and Soller. In the north-west Majorca is traversed by a See also:chain of mountains See also:running parallel with the coast, and attaining its highest See also:elevation in Silla de Torrellas (5154 ft.). Towards the south and east the See also:surface is comparatively level, though broken by isolated peaks of considerable height. The See also:northern mountains afford See also:great See also:protection to the See also:rest of the island from the violent See also:gales to which it would otherwise be exposed, and render the See also:climate remarkably mild and pleasant. The scenery of Majorca has all the picturesqueness of outline that usually belongs to a See also:limestone formation. Some of the valleys, such as those of Valdemosa and Soller, with their luxuriant vegetation, are delightful resorts.

There are quarries of See also:

marble of various grains and See also:colours—those near Santany, in the See also:district of See also:Manacor, being especially celebrated; while See also:lead, See also:iron and See also:cinnabar have also been obtained. See also:Coal of a See also:jet-like See also:character is found at Benisalem, where it was first worked in 1836; at Selva, where it has been See also:mined since 1851; near See also:Santa Maria and elsewhere. It is used in the See also:industrial establishments of Palma, and in the manufacture of See also:lime, See also:plaster and bricks near the mines. A considerable quantity is also exported to See also:Barcelona. The inhabitants are principally devoted to See also:agriculture, and most of the arable See also:land is cultivated. The mountains are ter-raced; and the old See also:pine See also:woods have in many places given way to the See also:olive, the See also:vine and the See also:almond See also:tree, to See also:fields of See also:wheat and See also:flax, or to orchards of See also:figs and oranges. For the last-mentioned fruits the valley of S611er.is one of the most important districts, the produce being largely transmitted to See also:France. The yield of oil is very considerable, and Inca is the centre of the oil district. The wines are See also:light but excellent, especially the Muscadel and Montona. During the summer there is often great scarcity of See also:water; but, according to a See also:system handed down by the See also:Moors, the rains of autumn and See also:winter are collected in enormous reservoirs, which contain sufficient water to last through the dry See also:season; and on the See also:payment of a certain See also:rate, each land-holder has his fields flooded at certain intervals. Mules are used in the agriculture and See also:traffic of the island. The See also:cattle are small, but the See also:sheep are large and well fleeced.

Pigs are reared for export to Barcelona, and there is abundance of poultry and small See also:

game. See also:Brandy is made and exported in large quantities. Excellent woollen and See also:linen cloths are See also:woven; the See also:silk-See also:worm is reared and its produce manufactured; and See also:canvas, rope and See also:cord are largely made, from both native and See also:foreign materials. The roads are excellent, the four See also:principal being those from Alcudia, Manacor, S611er and Andraitx to the See also:capital. See also:Forty-eight See also:miles of railway were open at the beginning of the loth See also:century. The See also:main See also:line runs from Palma to Manacor and Alcudia. The telegraphic system is fairly See also:complete, and there is See also:regular See also:steam communication with Barcelona and See also:Alicante. The principal towns include—besides Palma (63937), Felanitx (11,294) and Manacor (12,408), which are described in See also:separate articles—Andraitx (6516), Inca (7579), Llummayor (8859), Pollensa (8308), Santany (6692) and S611er (8026).

End of Article: MAJORCA (Mallorca)

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