Barcelona is one of the largest cotton-manu facturing centres of Spain. Its other important manufactures are woolen and silk fabrics. metal articles, paper, glass, leather, and chemicals. Barcelona's commercial importance dates from the Middle Ages. The shipping, including the coast traffic, exceeds 3.000,000 tons per annum. The total commerce of the port amounted in 1898 to 361,000,000 pesetas (over $69.000,000), of which 220.000,000 pesetas (more than $42,000, 000) represented imports.
The exports consist chiefly of wine, southern fruits, and manufactures. The imports are mostly grain from Russia and the United States, cotton from the United States, hemp, metal products, and foodstuffs. Barcelona has direct communication with Germany, Morocco, Great Britain, and the West Indies. It is the seat of a United States consulate, and has consular representatives from every country of impor tance. Municipal enterprise has improved the harbor considerably since 1880 by means of ex tensive moles and lighthouses.
In its administration Barcelona is the most autonomous municipality in Spain. It is gov erned by a council, elected by all citizens above the age of 25, who have resided not less than 2 years in the commune. The term of office is 4 years, and the council is presided over by an alealde, chosen by the members from their midst. The council has charge of all the departments of municipal administration, and even exercises supervision over private charitable institutions. The death-rate of Barcelona is below the average for the entire country, and its sanitary condi tions are improving rapidly. The city is lighted by gas and electricity, supplied by private corn panies. The general progress of Barcelona was accompanied by a corresponding increase of population during the last quarter of the Nine teenth Century. Population, in 1877. 249,000;
in 1887, 272,481; in 1897 (after large annexa tion of suburbs and manufacturing quarters), 510,000. Consult Montpalais, Hemorios Hist& rims de Barcelona (Madrid. 1779.92).
Barcelona was founded by the Phamicians, and is said to have derived its early name of Barcino from Ilamilear Barca, who made it one of the centres of Carthaginian power in the Peninsula. An important city under the Ro mans, Goths. and Saracens, Barcelona in the lat ter half of the Ninth Century became an inde pendent sovereignty, under a Christian chief of its own, whose descendants continued to govern it (being known as the Counts of Barcelona) until 1137, when Catalonia. by the marriage of its prince, Raymond Berengar, with the heiress to the crown of Aragon, became a part of that kingdom. During the Middle Ages, Barcelona became a flourishing seaport, rivaled in the Mediterranean by Genoa only. To its commer cial code, framed in the Thirteenth Century, much deference was paid by the whole of Europe. In 1640 Barcelona revolted from Philip IV., but in spite of the support of the French arms, it was forced to resume its allegiance in 1652. In 1705 the fortress of Monjuich was surprised and captured by Lord Peterborough (q.v.), and the city surrendered shortly afterwards. In 1714, after a most heroic defense, it was stormed by the Duke of Berwick, and given over to fire and sword. The French held it from 1808 to S14. During the Nineteenth Century Barcelona took an active share in the political dissensions of the Spanish nation. It was the centre both of reactionary and radical agitations, the scene of socialist and Carlist uprisings and of anar chist activity, and the stronghold of Separatism.