Where Is Ibiza Located?

Are you fascinated by different countries in the world, and have you ever wondered where Ibiza is located? It’s a great country that most people don’t know that much about. However, Ibiza is rich in culture and beauty and a fascinating place to visit.

Ibiza is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is seventy-nine kilometers off the coast of the city Valencia. Valencia is located in the Iberian Peninsula, in Spain.

It’s part of a group of western Balearic archipelago called the Pine Islands (Pitusas in the native language). This western group of the islands includes Ibiza, as well as Formentera. Overall, the Pine Islands contain over fifty different islands.

The Pine Islands are located one hundred kilometers southwest of the Majorca, and eighty kilometers east of the Cap de la Nau.

Official Languages of Ibiza

The official languages of the island are Catalan and Spanish. However, a dialect of Catalan has developed, which is called Evissenc (also known as Ibicenco). Due to the large amount of tourism on the island, languages such as English, French, German, and Italian are also frequently spoken.

Visiting Ibiza

Those considering visiting Ibiza may know that the island is known for its parties and summer night clubs. In fact, Ibiza is the home of some of the world’s most famous nightclubs.

Some of these clubs that are popular during the summer include: Space, Pacha, Café del Mar, Amnesia, and Privilege. The summer season of parties and nightclubs usually begins around June and ends the first week of October. During the season, famous disc jockeys often perform at the various clubs.

There are also other attractions to see on Ibiza. A number of areas on Ibiza are registered as United Nation’s World Heritage Sites. This means that they are protected from commercialization or expansion from major cities. For example, “God’s Finger”  in the Benirras Bay is considered a World Heritage Site. This protects some of the most beautiful areas of the island from being converted or modernized.

History of Ibiza

The island also has an interesting and storied history. It was first discovered in 654 BC by Phoenician settlers. It was used as a port, and it was named Ibossim. This name evolved into “Ebusus” to the Romans. It was the Greeks that first called the island by the name that it is known by today.

After the Assyrian invasions of Phoenicia, Ibiza fell to the control of Carthage. The island stayed loyal to Carthage for a considerable amount of time, even throughout the Second Punic War. Eventually, however, the island was used as an imperial outpost for the Roman Empire.

After the Roman Empire fell, the island was turned over to the control of the Moors. In the spring of 1110, the island was invaded by Sigurd I of Norway as he travelled to Jerusalem. By 1235, the country was reclaimed for Christianity by King James the First, an Aragon King.

After this period, the island had several different types of self government. However, King Philip V of Spain abolished the island’s government in 1715. Today, however, the island is part of the Balearic Autonomous Community. The other countries within this community include Majorca, Minorca, and Formentera.

Ibiza Population

Since Ibizi is considered a tourist location, it has an interesting and diverse population. Although exact numbers are hard to estimate, there are approximately one hundred thousand individuals that live on the island as of 2010. This figure does not include tourists that are merely visiting the island as a vacation. The continual moving of people onto and off the island makes it hard to calculate population.

Approximately fifty-five percent of these residents were actually born on the island. The remaining residents are a collection of different backgrounds. For example, the largest majority are from Spain, while the rest are from throughout the world.

Ibiza is a fascinating and beautiful place. Now that you know where is Ibiza located, you can book your next trip to visit!