About Alicante
Alicante is one of the three provinces within the Region of Valencia, and, according to various social and economic indicators, it ranks fourth or fifth among the 52 Spanish provinces. The province represents 3.2% of the Spanish GNP; services contributing 60% and transformation industry 22%.
It has a population of 1.8 million, including 80,000 residents from the 15 European Union member states before its recent expansion. The city's level of education is reflected in the fact that 26,000 students are enrolled at the University of Alicante.
This province is decidedly international, as it is both a great exporting region and a leading tourist resort not only in Spain but also within the whole of the Mediterranean area. 9 million passengers pass through Alicante airport every year. Its appeal as a top tourist destination is equally shared by its coastline (Costa Blanca) and its inland areas, with fantastic landscapes that sweep up from sea-level along its beaches up to almost 1,600 metres in the Sierra Aitana Mountains. It has 9 natural parks and 2 natural reserves. The average temperature is 18ºC and between 2,500 and 3,000 hours of sunshine are recorded annually. The city of Benidorm has been named as the Spanish coast's tourism capital due to the range of services and attractions on offer.
The province of Alicante's cultural heritage includes such valuable treasures as the "Misterio de Elche", a truly unique medieval religious performance, as well as important archaeological sites inherited from a long tradition of settlements which span Mediterranean history from prehistoric times. As capital city of the province of the same name, Alicante is a pleasant town with 320,000 inhabitants and long, popular beaches and a particularly lively old quarter. There is a University of Alicante Annexe Centre in the heart of Alicante whilst the main University campus is just on the outskirts.
