Madrid is the capital and most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union, and its monocentric metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU. The municipality covers 604.3 km² geographical area. Madrid lies on the River Manzanares in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula at about 650 meters above mean sea level. The capital city of both Spain and the surrounding autonomous community of Madrid, it is also the political, economic, and cultural centre of the country. The primitive core of Madrid, a walled military outpost, dates back to the late 9th century, under the Emirate of Córdoba. Conquered by Christians in 1083 or 1085, it consolidated in the Late Middle Ages as a sizeable town of the Crown of Castile. The development of Madrid as administrative centre fostered after 1561, as it became the permanent seat of the court of the Hispanic Monarchy. In the 21st-century, Madrid has experienced rampant income inequality and socio-economic segregation.
Country: Spain
Founded: 9th century
Elevation: 650 m (2,130 ft)
Area code: +34 (ES) + 91 (M)
Autonomous community: Community of Madrid
Demonym(s): Madrilenian, Madrilene · madrileño, -ña; matritense · gato, -a
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