Majorca Overview

The island has a registered population of 846,210 inhabitants (2008), almost half of them live in its capital, Palma (396,570) (1^st of January, 2008, INE). The municipalities that follow Palma in terms of population density are Calviá (50,777), Manacor (37,963), Inca (29,450), Llucmajor (35,092), Marratxí (32,380), Alcudia (18,327), Felanitx (17,969) and Pollensa (16,997) (data of the INE,1^st of January 2008). The metropolitan area of the capital, which extends towards the towns of Palma, Calvia, Marratxí and Llucmajor is located in the Bay of Palma and counts more than 500,000 inhabitants. On the contrary, the least populated municipality is that of Escorca (276), situated in the Sierra de Tramuntana.

Mallorca receives about 12 million visitors each year mainly due to tourism, which is the most important activity of the island. This influx of visitors makes that in summer the population of the cities is multiplied.Noteworthy is the presence of a large number of foreign residents.

The Mallorcan relief is formed by the Sierra de Tramuntana, with its highest mountains being the Sierra de Levante, and with its more modest elevations, amongst other smaller mounts. The Sierra de Tramuntana, forms rocky coves and towering cliffs in the north-west , which form a contrast with the sandy beaches of the rest of the coastline. The "Pla" is the fertile central plain. West of this plain and in the centre of the bay of Palma lies the capital, Palma.

The mountains are:

Sierra de Tramuntana: Puig Major (1445 m), Massanella (1364 m), Puig Tomir (1102 m), Puig de l'Ofre (1090 m), Puig d'es Teix (1064 m) and Puig de Galatzó (1027 m).
Sierra de Levante: Puig Morella (562 m), Bec de Ferrutx (519 m) and Puig de Sant Salvador (510 m).
Apart from the Sierras mentioned , there is also the Puig de Randa (543 m) and the Puig de Galdent (420 m).

Climate

The Majorcan climate is typically Mediterranean, with high temperatures in the summer (over 30 ° C) and moderately low temperatures in the winter (rarely less than 5 ° C). Snowfalls are common in the winter on the highest peaks of the Serra de Tramuntana, but exceptional in the plain and in the capital. Being an island, the humidity level is very high.

Mallorca (from Latin: “insula maior”, later “Maiorica isla mayor”) is the largest island in the Balearic archipelago, which forms a uni-provincial autonomous community , the most easterly of Spain. Like the Balearic Islands Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera, Mallorca is an important tourist destination. It has an area surface of 3625.75 km ˛ and counts 846,210 inhabitants according to the census of 2008 (population density: 233.39 inhabitants / km ˛). It is also called the island of tranquillity because of its peaceful environment.

The capital of the island, and also the capital of the autonomous community, is Palma, followed in importance by Calviá and Inca. The island of Cabrera and all its islets belong administratively to the municipality of Palma.