The Bay of Cádiz, shipyards and industry over the second half of the 20th century

Cádiz is the southernmost province of the Iberian Peninsula. This province is home to the city of Tarifa, the southernmost point of continental Europe, separated from the coast of Morocco by 14.4 kilometres. It is a strategic border area, acting as the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea. The US military base located in the Rota municipality and the continued existence of the British territory of Gibraltar serve as evidence of the province's strategic nature.

The capital of the province is the city of Cádiz, which, in 2022, was home to 114,000 inhabitants, the third largest municipality of the province, followed by Jerez de la Frontera (212,000) and Algeciras (122,000). Cádiz is located on an isthmus at one end of the Bay of Cádiz. Several cities of the Bay, situated very close to one another, come together to create a region with a highly interconnected economy, society and culture, forming a metropolitan area. The metropolitan area of the Bay of Cádiz is formed by the municipalities of Cádiz, San Fernando, Chiclana, Puerto Real and El Puerto de Santa María (Figure 2.1). Together, these cities reached a total of 636,000 inhabitants in 2023 and they have close relations with nearby municipalities such as Jerez de la Frontera, Rota and Sanlúcar.

The coastal nature of this conurbation has been historically influenced by its economic activity. Fishing, salt production and port trade have traditionally been of great importance. Shipbuilding has also been very influential since the 19th century, forming the backbone of the area's industry, along with the tobacco and aeronautical industries.