Ibiza

Ibiza (Catalan: Eivissa [jvis])[p] is an island in the Mediterranean Sea, 79 kilometres (49
miles) off the coast of the city of Valencia, in eastern Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic
Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. Its largest cities are Ibiza Town (Catalan: Vila
d'Eivissa, or simply Vila), Santa Eulria des Riu, and Sant Antoni de Portmany. Its highest point,
called Sa Talaiassa (or Sa Talaia), is 475 metres (1,558 feet) above sea level.
While it is one-sixth the size of nearby Majorca, Ibiza is over five times the size of Mykonos
(Greece), or ten times the size of Manhattan Island. Ibiza has become famous for the association
with nightlife and the electronic music that originated on the island. It is well known for its
summer club scene which attracts very large numbers of tourists, though the island's government
and the Spanish Tourist Office have controversially been working to promote more familyoriented tourism.
Ibiza is the home of the noted port in Ibiza Town, a popular stop for many tourists and now a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ibiza and the nearby island of Formentera to its south are called the Pine Islands, or "Pityuses".

History
History of Ibiza

Old city of Ibiza Town.

Ancient Greek aryballoi found in the necropolis of Puig des Molins. Museo de Puig des Molins,
Ibiza.
In 654 BC, Phoenician settlers founded a port in the Balearic Islands, as Ibossim (from the
Phoenician "iboshim" dedicated to the Egyptian god of music and dance Bes).It was later known
to Romans as "Ebusus". The Greeks called the two islands of Ibiza and Formentera the Pityssai
(Greek: , "pine-covered islands"). With the decline of Phoenicia after the Assyrian
invasions, Ibiza came under the control of Carthage, also a former Phoenician colony. The island
produced dye, salt, fish sauce (garum), and wool.
A shrine with offerings to the goddess Tanit was established in the cave at Es Cuieram, and the
rest of the Balearic Islands entered Eivissa's commercial orbit after 400 BC. Ibiza was a major
trading post along the Mediterranean routes. Ibiza began establishing its own trading stations
along the nearby Balearic island of Majorca, such as Na Guardis, where numerous Balearic
mercenaries hired on, no doubt as slingers to fight for Carthage.
During the Second Punic War, the island was assaulted by the two Scipio brothers in 209 BC but
remained loyal to Carthage. With the Carthaginian military failing on the Iberian mainland, Ibiza
was last used by the fleeing Carthaginian General Mago to gather supplies and men before
sailing to Minorca and then to Liguria. Ibiza negotiated a favorable treaty with the Romans,
which spared Ibiza from further destruction and allowed it to continue its Carthaginian-Punic
institutions well into the Empire days, when it became an official Roman municipality. For this
reason, Ibiza today contains excellent examples of late Carthaginian-Punic civilization. During
the Roman Empire, the island became a quiet imperial outpost, removed from the important
trading routes of the time.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire and a brief period of first Vandal and then Byzantine
rule, the island was conquered by the Moors in 990, the few remaining locals converted to Islam
and Berber settlers came in. Under Islamic rule, Ibiza came in close contact with the city of
Dniathe closest port in the nearby Iberian peninsula, located in the Valencian Community
and the two areas were administered jointly by the Taifa of Dnia.
Ibiza together with the islands of Formentera and Minorca were invaded by the Norwegian king
Sigurd I of Norway in the spring of 1110 on his crusade to Jerusalem. The king had previously
conquered the cities of Sintra, Lisbon, and Alccer do Sal and given them over to Christian
rulers, in an effort to weaken the Muslim grip on the Iberian peninsula. King Sigurd continued to
Sicily where he visited King Roger II of Sicily.

The island was conquered by Aragonese King James I in 1235. The local Muslim population got
deported as was the case with neighboring Majorca and elsewhere, and Christians arrived from
Girona. The island maintained its own self-government in several forms until 1715, when King
Philip V of Spain abolished the local government's autonomy. The arrival of democracy in the
late 1970s led to the Statute of Autonomy of the Balearic Islands. Today, the island is part of the
Balearic Autonomous Community, along with Majorca, Minorca, and Formentera.

Toponymy
The official name of the island is in Catalan "Eivissa" (pronounced: [jvis]). Its name in Spanish
is Ibiza (pronounced: [iia]). In British English, the name is usually pronounced in an
approximation of the Spanish /bi vi/,whereas in American English the pronunciation is
more anglicized, or closer to Latin American Spanish (/biz/,[6] /ibis/).
The origin of the name of the island is in the Phoenician language Yibosim.
In the 18th and 19th centuries the island was known to the Royal Navy as Ivica.

Geography
See also: Pine Islands

Satellite photo (2013) showing terrain and towns as lighter areas: Ibiza Town (bottom central
bay), Sant Antoni (upper left bay) and Santa Eulria (lower right). Airport runways cross the
southern point.

The 5 municipalities
Ibiza is a rock island covering an area of 572.56 square kilometres (221.07 sq mi), almost six
times smaller than Majorca, but over five times larger than Mykonos (in the Greek Isles) or 10
times larger than Manhattan in New York City.
Ibiza is the larger of a group of the western Balearic archipelago called the "Pityuses" or "Pine
Islands" composed of itself and Formentera. The Balearic island chain includes over 50 islands,
many of which are uninhabited. The highest point of the island is Sa Talaiassa, at 475 metres
(1,558 ft).

Administration
Ibiza is administratively part of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands, whose
capital is Palma, on the island of Majorca. Ibiza comprises 5 of the community's 67
municipalities. Clockwise from the south coast, these are:

Sant Josep de sa Talaia (Spanish: San Jos)

Sant Antoni de Portmany (San Antonio Abad)

Sant Joan de Labritja (San Juan Bautista)

Santa Eulria des Riu (Santa Eulalia del Ro)

Vila d'Eivissa ("Ibiza Town"; known simply as Vila, "Town")

Municipality

Sant Josep de sa Talaia

Sant Antoni de Portmany
Sant Joan de Labritja
Santa Eulria des Riu
Vila d'Eivissa (Ibiza)
Totals

Area in
square km
159.4
126.8
121.7
153.6
11.1
572.6

Census population
1 November 2001
14,267
15,081
4,094
19,808
34,826
88,076

Estimated population
1 January 2010
22,871
22,136
5,477
32,637
49,516
132,637

At the 2001 census these municipalities had a total population of 88,076 inhabitants, which had
risen to an estimated 132,637 by the start of 2010, and have a land area of 572.56 km2
(221.07 sq mi).

Climate

The summer climate of Ibiza typically ranges in the upper 20s C (70s-80s F), often reaching
30.0 C (86 F), with overnight lows below 22.2 C (72 F). The winter, off-season temperature
reaches lows of 8.114.2 C (46.657.6 F), with highs in the upper-teens C (60s F).

Climate data for Eivissa Airport 6m (1981-2010)

Month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year

Average high 15.7 15.9 17.7 19.7 22.7 26.8 29.7 30.3 27.7 24.0 19.6 16.7 22.2
C (F)
(60.3) (60.6) (63.9) (67.5) (72.9) (80.2) (85.5) (86.5) (81.9) (75.2) (67.3) (62.1) (72)

Daily mean C 11.9 12.1 13.7 15.6 18.6 22.6 25.6 26.3 23.8 20.2 15.9 13.1 18.3
(F)
(53.4) (53.8) (56.7) (60.1) (65.5) (72.7) (78.1) (79.3) (74.8) (68.4) (60.6) (55.6) (64.9)

Average low C 8.1 8.3 9.6 11.4 14.6 18.4 21.4 22.2 19.9 16.5 12.3 9.5 14.3
(F)
(46.6) (46.9) (49.3) (52.5) (58.3) (65.1) (70.5) (72) (67.8) (61.7) (54.1) (49.1) (57.7)

Average
37
36
27
31
27
11
5
18
57
58
53
52
413
precipitation
(1.46) (1.42) (1.06) (1.22) (1.06) (0.43) (0.2) (0.71) (2.24) (2.28) (2.09) (2.05) (16.26)
mm (inches)

Avg.
precipitation
days ( 1 mm)

45

Mean monthly
sunshine hours

162

166

211

246

272

299

334

305

236

205

157

151

2,744

Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorologa[10]

People

Demographically, Ibiza displays a very peculiar configuration, as census agencies diverge on

exact figures. According to the 2001 national census, Ibiza had 88,076 inhabitants (against
76,000 in 1991, 64,000 in 1981, 45,000 in 1971, and 38,000 in 1961). However, two years later,
this figure jumped to 108,000 (Govern de les Illes Balears - IBAE 2004), and by the start of 2010
had reached 132,637. This rapid growth stems from the amnesty which incorporated a number of
unregistered foreign migrants. In terms of origin, about 55 percent of island residents were born
in Ibiza, 35 percent are domestic migrants from mainland Spain (mostly working-class families
from Andalusia, and the remainder from Catalonia, Valencia and Castile), and the remaining 10
to 15 percent are foreign, dual and multi-national citizens of the EU and abroad (Govern de les
Illes Balears - IBAE 1996). In decreasing order, foreigners are Germans, British, Latin
Americans, French, Italians, Dutch, in addition to a myriad of other nationalities. This mosaic
reflects the fluidity of foreigners living and moving across the island, in ways that render
impossible to exactly quantify the expatriate population (Rozenberg 1990).
The Spanish composer and music theorist Miguel Roig-Francol was born in Ibiza,as was the
politician and Spain's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abel Matutes. Notable former residents
of Ibiza include: English punk musician John Simon Ritchie (Sid Vicious),[13] the psychedelic
rock band Philiac, comic actor Terry-Thomas,Hungarian master forger Elmyr de Hory, American
fraudster Clifford Irving, and film director/actor Orson Welles.

Language
Eivissenc is the native dialect of Catalan that is spoken on Ibiza and nearby Formentera. Catalan
shares co-official status with Spanish. Additionally, because of the influence of tourism and
expatriates living in or maintaining residences on the island, other languages like German,
English and Italian, are widely spoken. Polylinguality is the norm, not the exception.

Tourism
Nightlife

Sant Antoni, West End

Sunset at Caf del Mar, Sant Antoni de Portmany

Ibiza is considered to be a popular tourist destination, especially due to its legendary and at times
riotous nightlife centred on two areas: Ibiza Town, the island's capital on the southern shore and
Sant Antoni to the West.Well-known nightclubs are Privilege, Amnesia, Space, Pacha, Es Parads
and DC10.During the summer, the top producers and DJs in dance come to the island and play at
the various clubs, in between touring to other international destinations. Some of the most
famous DJs run their own weekly nights around the island. Many of these DJs use Ibiza as an
outlet for presenting new songs within the house, trance and techno genres of electronic dance
music. The city has achieved renowned worldwide fame as a cultural center for house and trance
in particular, with its name often being used as a partial metonym for the particular flavor of
electronic music originating there, much like Goa in India.
Since 2005, the live music event Ibiza Rocks has helped to redefine the Ibiza party landscape.
Bands such as Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, The Prodigy, and the Kaiser Chiefs have played in the
courtyard of the Ibiza Rocks Hotel.
Elsewhere on the island, underground music parties are common and enjoyed by the many
international musicians, artists, and travelers that are drawn to the unique creative environment
of Ibiza.
The season traditionally begins at the start of June with Space and DC10's opening parties and
finishes on the first weekend of October with the Closing Parties. A typical schedule for clubbers
going to Ibiza includes waking at noon, early evening naps, late night clubbing, and "disco
sunrises." Due to Ibiza's notable tolerance toward misbehaviour from young adult tourists, it has
acquired the sobriquet "Gomorrah of the Med." Also well-known is Caf del Mar, a longstanding bar where many tourists traditionally view the sunset made famous by Jos Padilla, who
has released more than a dozen eponymous album compilations of ambient music played at the
location. That and other bars nearby have become an increasingly popular venue for club preparties after sunset, hosting popular DJ performers.
The island's government is trying to encourage a more cultured and quieter tourism scene,
passing rules including the closing of all nightclubs by 6 a.m. at the latest, and requiring all new
hotels to be 5-star.The administration wants to attract a more international mixture of tourists.

World Heritage Site

Though primarily known for its party scene, large portions of the island are registered as
UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and thus protected from the development and commercialization
of the main cities. A notable example includes "God's Finger" in the Benirrs Bay as well as
some of the more traditional Ibizan cultural sites such as the remains of the first Phoenicians
settlement at Sa Caleta. Other sites are still under threat from the developers, such as Ses Feixes
Wetlands, but this site has now been recognised as a threatened environment, and it is expected
that steps will be taken to preserve this wetland.
Because of its rustic beauty, companies and artists alike frequently use the island for
photographic and film shoots. A monument ("The Egg") erected in honour of Christopher
Columbus can be found in Sant Antoni; Ibiza is one of several places purporting to be his
birthplace.

Development
Since the early days of mass tourism on the island, there have been a large number of
development projects ranging from successful ventures, such as the super clubs at Space and
Privilege, to failed development projects, such as Josep Llus Sert's abandoned hotel complex at
Cala D'en Serra,the half-completed and now demolished "Idea" nightclub in Sant Antoni, and the
ruins of a huge restaurant/nightclub in the hills near Sant Josep called "Festival Club" that only
operated for three summer seasons in the early 1970s.In 2013, Ibiza property prices generally
remained above market value, and many of the development projects on the island have now
been completed or continue, as well as some new projects announced at the end of 2012. Since
2009, Ibiza has seen an increase in tourist numbers every year, with nearly 6 million people
traveling through Ibiza Airport in 2012. The summer season has become concentrated between
June and September, focusing on the "clubbing calendar"which is currently booming. In recent
years, the luxury market has dramatically improved, with new restaurants, clubs, and
improvements to the marina in Ibiza Town.

Transport

Map of roads and Ibiza Airport (on southern point) and water routes (right-click map to enlarge).
Ibiza is served by Ibiza Airport, which has many international flights during the summer tourist
season, especially from the European Union.
There are also ferries from the harbour of Sant Antoni and Ibiza Town to Barcelona, Majorca,
Dnia, and Valencia. There are also ferries to Formentera leaving Sant Antoni Harbour (normally
every Wednesday), and daily from Ibiza Town, Santa Eulria, and FigueretesPlatja d'en Bossa.
Several public busses also travel between Sant Antoni and Ibiza Townevery 15 minutes in
summer and every half hour in winter. In addition, there are buses from Sant Antoni to Cala
Bassa, Cala Conta and Cala Tarida, and to the Airport. From Ibiza there are buses to the Platja
d'en Bossa, Ses Salines, the Airport, and Santa Eulria.

Cuisine
Ibiza's local cuisine is typically Mediterranean. Of the most common culinary products of the
island are sweets known as flaons. Other savory dishes include sofrit pags, bullit de peix (fish
stew), arrs de matana (rice with pork) and arrs a la marinera.
This article appears to contain trivial, minor, or unrelated references to popular culture.
Please reorganize this content to explain the subject's impact on popular culture rather than
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(April 2015)

Pacha, a nightclub in Ibiza

A number of novels and other books have been written using Ibiza as the setting, including
Joshua Then and Now by Mordecai Richler, Soma Blues by Robert Sheckley,Vacation in Ibiza
by Lawrence Schimel,A Short Life on a Sunny Isle: An Alphonse Dantan Mystery by Hannah
Blank, They Are Ruining Ibiza by A. C. Greene, and The Python Project by Victor Canning.[31]
The 1960 novel Out of the Red into the Blue, by the English novelist Barbara Comyns Carr, is
based on the island. Part of The Shell Seekers by Rosamund Pilcher takes place on Ibiza. Crucial
'coming of age' sections of New Zealand writer Janet Frame's autobiography An Angel at My
Table are set in an unspoiled but impoverished Ibiza of the late 1950s.
The song "We're Going to Ibiza" by Vengaboys also featured the island's notorious nightlife as
the ideal location for vacations. In Jennifer Lopez's song "On the Floor", the lyrics include,
"Brazil, Morocco, London to Ibiza". In LCD Soundsystem's song "Losing My Edge" the lyrics
say "I woke up naked on the beach in Ibiza in 1988". In JoJo's song "Sexy to Me" the lyrics state,
"We gon rock the party like we up in Ibiza". Also the song "One Night In Ibiza" (by Mike
Candys) gives the island a central role. Swedish House Mafia has a song called "Miami 2 Ibiza".
Approaching Nirvana has a song named "I Dream of Ibiza". The Midnight Beast put out a song
about Ibiza called "Pizza in Ibiza". The 1969 film More was filmed on location in Ibiza, and the
soundtrack by Pink Floyd features a song titled "Ibiza Bar". The 2004 film It's All Gone Pete
Tong was filmed in Ibiza. Also the 2000 film Kevin and Perry Go Large was filmed on location
in Ibiza. In addition there is the 1995 French hit Mlissa, mtisse d'Ibiza by Julien Clerc. The
2011 video game Test Drive Unlimited 2 is set upon two islands: Ibiza and Oahu (one of the
Hawaiian Islands). Both islands have been modeled mostly accurate by using satellite data but
Ibiza in the game has a desert added to it to replace cropland north-west of Ibiza Town. "The
Cool Kids" member Chuck Inglish references the island in the song "Gas Station". British-Irish
boy band The Wanted filmed the video for the hit single "Glad You Came" in and around Ibiza.
German luxury fashion house Escada had a fragrance called Ibiza Hippie (in 2003 but now
discontinued).Pop superstar Christina Aguilera mentioned the island of Ibiza in her song
"Around the World" from her album Lotus stating, "We're making love worldwide, Brazil to
Ibiza, baby just wanna please you". Rap superstar Nicki Minaj also makes reference to the island
of Ibiza in her song "Pound the Alarm" stating, "Skeezer please I'm in Ibiza, Giuseppe Zanotti
my own sneaker".

In the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises, Selina Kyle mentions Ibiza and Bruce Wayne corrects
her on the pronunciation (although the correction is still wrong). In The Dark Knight Rises
soundtrack, there is a bonus song called "Bombers over Ibiza".
One of Ibiza's arguably biggest contributors to the lavish club scene came in mid-2007, from
world-renowned electronic artist Tiesto