MINORCA, (Sp. MENORCA, mi niWka), an island in the Mediterranean, be longing to Spain, the second largest of the Balearic group; greatest length, northwest to southeast, 35 miles; average breadth, about 10 miles; area, 260 square miles, and with depend ent islands 293 square miles. It is situated northeast of Majorca, from which it is sepa rated strait of 27 miles broad. The coast is much indented on all sides except the south, and generally presents a succession of bold headlands, enclosing small creeks and hays, of which several form good harbors. Of these the best and most frequented is Port Mahon, the capital of the island. The coasts are rug ged, and the surface broken and mountainous. Mount El Toro in the centre attains a height of 1,207 feet. The soil is not generally fertile; still, in good seasons the quantity of wheat and barley grown is sometimes equal to the con sumption. The other principal products are oil, wine, hemp, flax, oranges and lemons. Some
good cheese is made, and considerable atten tion is paid to the rearing of bees. There i3 an abundance of small game on the island. Iron, copper, lead, marble, porphyry and ala baster abound in several districts. The in habitants make excellent sailors, but generally are indolent, ignorant and bigoted. At an early period Minorca was under the Carthagin ians, who drew from it a number of excellent clingers, who distinguished themselves during Hannibal's wars in Italy. It afterward passed successively into the hands of the Romans, the Vandals and the Moors. The last were ex pelled in 1285 by the Spaniards. During the greater part of the 18th century it belonged to the British, who finally ceded it to Spain at the Peace of Amiens (1802). Its exchange with Great Britain for Gibraltar has been frequently discussed. Pop. about 41,939 Consult Mark ham, Sir C. R., The Story of Majorca and Minorca' (London 1908).