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Comunitat Autònoma de les
Illes Balears
Comunidad Autónoma de las Illes Balears

Capital	Palma de Mallorca
Official languages	Catalan and Spanish
Area  – Total  – % of Spain	Ranked 17th  4 992 km²  1,0%
Population  – Total (2003)  – % of Spain  – Density	Ranked 14th  916 968  2,2%  183,69/km²
Demonym  – English  – Catalan  – Spanish	Balearic balear balear
Statute of Autonomy	March 1, 1983
ISO 3166-2	IB
Parliamentary representation  Congress seats  Senate seats	8  5
President	Jaume Matas Palou (PP)
Govern de les Illes Balears

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The Balearic Islands (Illes Balears Catalan official name, Islas Baleares in Spanish) are an archipelago in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the coast of Spain. They form one of the Autonomous Communities of Spain, the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands. The Community's capital city is Palma de Mallorca. Its only province is Palma de Mallorca Province.

The official languages are Catalan and Spanish.

The Balearic Islands are one of the catalan-speaking teritories designed by the cultural term of Catalan Countries.

The main islands are Majorca (Mallorca), Minorca (Menorca), Ibiza (Eivissa), and Formentera, all popular tourist destinations.

Among the minor islands is Cabrera, which is the location of the Parque Nacional del Archipiélago de Cabrera.

Majorca and Minorca are the Balearic Islands proper, while the other islands are included in the appelation as part of the Autonomous Community. The islands can be further grouped, with Majorca, Minorca, and Cabrera as the Illes Gimnesias, and Ibiza and Formentera as the Illes Pitiüses.

In ancient times, the islanders constructed talayots, and were famous for their skill with the sling. Historically they have been invaded by the Romans, the Vandals, the Byzantines, the Arabs, and the Catalan-Aragonese. The latter initially ruled the Balearics as the vassal Kingdom of Mallorca, but in 1344 this ceased to exist and it was directly incorporated into the Aragonese Crown, which was later absorbed into Spain.

Minorca was a British dependency in the 18th century.

Illes Balears sponsors a professional cycling team in the UCI ProTour.

See also

Baleric Food:

• Emsaimadas
• Sobrasada
• Guisados de pescado

• List of municipalities in the Balearic Islands

Administrative structure of Spain
Autonomous Communities: Andalusia | Aragon | Asturias | Balearic Islands | Basque Country | Canary Islands | Cantabria | Castile–La Mancha | Castile–Leon | Catalonia | Extremadura | Galicia | Madrid | Murcia | Navarre | La Rioja | Valencia
Autonomous Cities: Ceuta | Melilla
Plazas de soberanía menores: Islas Chafarinas | Peñón de Alhucemas | Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera

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