Chiclana de la Frontera () is a town and municipality in southwestern Spain, in the province of Cádiz, Andalucía, near the Gulf of Cádiz. It belongs to the association of municipalities of the Bay of Cádiz (Bahía de Cádiz), the provincial capital of Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera, San Fernando, El Puerto de Santa María, Puerto Real and Rota which form the third largest metropolitan area in Andalusia, behind Seville and Málaga, and the twelfth largest in Spain. It is located south-east from Cádiz, and borders the municipalities of San Fernando and Puerto Real to the north. In 1877, the municipality's population was 11,677; in 2012, it was 81,473. It has a surface area is and a population density of 401 inhabitants / km2. The average elevation is above sea level. The economy depends largely upon modern industry, especially salt processing and tourism, and the municipality is known for its beaches such as the long Playa de la Barrosa, hotels and golf courses in the resort of Novo Sancti Petri. The municipality contains the largest number of hotel beds in the Province of Cádiz and the Costa de la Luz. The town's newspaper, Chiclana Información, is distributed on Saturday mornings.
History
Human presence in the area dates back to Paleolithic times. Several Neolithic era villages have been unearthed in the area including that of La Mesa. During the 1st century, the Phoenicians settled near the town, particularly in the small island, Islote de Sancti Petri, founding a temple dedicated to their God, Melqart. When the Romans arrived they dedicated the temple to Hercules. A marble statue of a Roman emperor deified during the 2nd century was found in the waters of Sancti Petri in 1905. An ancient stronghold of the Phoenicians, remains from the Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans unearthed in Chiclana are in the Museum of Cádiz.
The Christians led by Alonso Pérez de Guzmán (1256–1309) entered the town in 1303 after the moor, who have settled in Southern Spain since the 8th century, had deserted it. Guzman claimed these territories for the crown of Castille, and his possessions in Southern Spain eventually led to the foundation of the dukedom of Medina-Sidonia. The Battle of Barrosa, a French defeat by the Anglo-Spanish army, took place south of Chiclana on 5 March 1811. During the Spanish War of Independence came the Battle of Chiclana, which took place in the town between the French and an Anglo-Spanish alliance. In 1900, tenders were invited by the municipal authorities, Le Secretariat del Ayuntamienti de Chiclana de la Frontera, for an electric lighting concession of the town. In the early 20th century, seasonal Algarvian migration brought workers to Chiclana's cereal fields. Sancti Petri was visited in 1930 by Manuel de Falla, seeking inspiration.
Geography and climate
Chiclana de la Frontera is located on the Costa de la Luz of the southern coast of Spain, in lower Andalusia on the southwest coast of the province of Cádiz. The municipality borders Puerto Real to the north, San Fernando to the north-northwest and Conil de la Frontera to the south-southeast. The town itself is located about from the city of Cádiz which lies to the northwest and is about west of Algeciras by the A-390 road through the mainland and passing through Medina-Sidonia, which lies about east of the town of Chiclana. Villages in the municipality include La Coquina, Los Gallos Cerromolinos, Pinar de los Guisos, Llano de las Maravillas, Las Veguetas, La Barrosa, Novo Sancti Petri, Melilla, Campano, El Olivar, Torre del Puerco, El Colorado, Barrio Nuevo, Hozanejos and Pago del Humo and Las Veguetas, although it is difficult to distinguish the exact boundaries of many of the settlements as many of the villages are joined.
The Chiclana channel opens approximately from the bar of the Sancti Petri. It continues southeastward to the town, east of the river at the base of mount Santa Anna. The coastline is characterized by extensive beaches including the Sancti Petri, the long La Barrosa (most important) and El Puerco. It has an average elevation of , its highest point being Cerro del Aguila at above sea level. Another high point and landmark is Cerro de Santa Ana, located at . There are numerous hills to the northeast of the municipality. The municipality and town of Chiclana is crossed by the River Iro which rises in Lago Salado and empties into the small Bay of Sancti Petri. The relief of the land in the municipality is irregular but smooth, with slight undulations.