hernmost promontory of the European
mainland. The [v.04 p.0929] most conspicuous feature of the east coast is
Algeciras Bay, overlooked by the rock and fortress of Gibraltar. The river
Guadiaro, which drains the eastern highlands, enters the Mediterranean
close to the frontier of Malaga. In the interior there is a striking
contrast between the comparatively level western half of Cadiz and the very
picturesque mountain ranges of the eastern half, which are well wooded and
abound in game. The whole region known as the Campo de Gibraltar is of this
character; but it is in the north-east that the summits are most closely
massed together, and attain their greatest altitudes in the Cerro de San
Cristobal (5630 ft.) and the Sierra del Pinar (5413 ft.).

The climate is generally mild and temperate, some parts of the coast only
being unhealthy owing to a marshy soil. Severe drought is not unusual, and
it was largely this cause, together with want of capital, and the
dependence of the peasantry on farming and fishing, that brought about the
distress so prevalent early in the 20th century. The manufactures are
insignificant compared with the importance of the natural products of the
soil, especially wines and olives. Jerez de la Frontera (Xeres) is famous
for the manufacture and export of sherry. The fisheries furnish about 2500
tons of fish per annum, one-fifth part of which is salted for export and
the rest consumed in Spain. There are no important mines, but a
considerable amount of salt is obtained by evaporation of sea-water in pans
near Cadiz, San Fernando, Puerto Real and Santa Maria. The railway from
Seville passes through Jerez de la Frontera to Cadiz and San Fernando, and
another line, from Granada, terminates at Algeciras; but at the beginning
of the 20th century, although it was proposed to construct railways from
Jerez inland to Grazalema and coastwise from San Fernando to Tarifa,
travellers who wished to visit these places were compelled to use the
old-fashioned diligence, over indifferent roads, or to go by sea. The
principal seaports are, after Cadiz the capital (pop. 1900, 69,382),
Algeciras (13,302), La Linea (31,862), Puerto de Santa Maria (20,120),
Puerto Real (10,535), the naval station of San Fernando (29,635), San Lucar
(23,883) and Tarifa (11,723); the principal inland towns are Arcos de la
Frontera (13,926), Chiclana (10,868), Jerez de la Frontera (63,473), Medina
Sidonia (11,040), and Vejer de la Frontera (