Murcia

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Murcia Autonomous region in se Spain; the capital is Murcia. It was settled in c.225 bc by the Carthaginians, who founded the port of Cartagena and the city of Murcia. The Moors captured the region in the 8th century. In the 11th century, Murcia became an independent kingdom, but in the 13th century it fell to Castile. Murcia is an arid, rugged province with desert vegetation. Historically, the region has been associated with the production of silk, concentrated around the city of Murcia. Area: 11,317sq km (4368sq mi). Pop. (2000) 1,149,328.

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