Cantabria

Santander: Magdalena Palace

Cantabria, formerly Santander, provincia (province) in Cantabria comunidad autónoma (autonomous community), northern Spain, bordering the Bay of Biscay. It is popularly known as La Montaña (“The Mountain”) for its highlands that increase in elevation toward the south. Principal towns in Cantabria include Santander, the provincial capital; Torrelavega, an industrial and mining (iron, zinc, and lead) centre; Reinosa, a steel-manufacturing centre; and the fishing ports of Santoña, Laredo, and Castro-Urdiales. Area 2,054 square miles (5,321 square km). Pop. (2007 est.) 572,824.