Flix

Flix
Municipality

Flag
Coat of arms
Flix
Location in Catalonia
Coordinates: 41°14′02″N 0°33′22″E / 41.234°N 0.556°E / 41.234; 0.556Coordinates: 41°14′02″N 0°33′22″E / 41.234°N 0.556°E / 41.234; 0.556
Country  Spain
Community  Catalonia
Province Tarragona
Comarca Ribera d'Ebre
Government
 • Mayor Marc Mur Bages (2015)[1]
Area[2]
 • Total 116.9 km2 (45.1 sq mi)
Elevation 48 m (157 ft)
Population (2014)[1]
 • Total 3,795
 • Density 32/km2 (84/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Flixenc
Website flix.cat

Flix (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈfliʃ]) is a town in the comarca of Ribera d'Ebre, Catalonia, Spain.[3] Situated on a promontory by the Ebro river, the town occupied an important strategic position. Situated on the Madrid–Barcelona railway line, it expanded in the early twentieth century with the construction of a hydroelectric power station and a large chemical plant, Electroquímica de Flix.

There is excellent fishing in the horseshoe-shaped bend in the river (day ticket). Every year there is a large international fishing competition at Flix.

History

The Flix reservoir and the controversial chemical plant

Flix was the site of a battle in the Spanish Civil War in 1938. The Battle of the Iron Bridge was fought between the International Brigades and the Fascists[4] as part of the Battle of the Ebro. The operation was initially a success for the republicans with the construction of the iron bridge nearly complete by the 3rd Division.[5] However at the end they had lost 3,000 soldiers and the battle. Today there is a memorial to this battle at Flix.

In 2005 the existence of a vast polluted area on the shores of the Flix Reservoir was disclosed. The environmental disaster involving large quantities of toxic waste was caused by the Ercros chemical factory, located by the shore of the artificial lake.[6] Following this disclosure an ambitious plan to clean up the area has been drawn.[7] This plan involves the building of containment barriers and the removal and treatment of the hazardous chemical waste.[8]

Demography

The population of Flix has grown since 1900 and peaked in the 1980s.[9]

1900 1930 1950 1970 1986 2008
2516 3374 4272 5116 5003 4054

References

  1. 1 2 "Ajuntament de Flix". Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
  2. ↑ "El municipi en xifres: Flix". Statistical Institute of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  3. ↑ Panareda Clopés, Josep Maria; Rios Calvet, Jaume; Rabella Vives, Josep Maria (1989). Guia de Catalunya, Barcelona:Caixa de Catalunya. ISBN 84-87135-01-3 (Spanish). ISBN 84-87135-02-1 (Catalan).
  4. ↑ El Pais, 22 August 2009, page 1 of supplement
  5. ↑ Ebro Offensive, accessed August 2009
  6. ↑ El Síndic vol la neteja del pantà de Flix
  7. ↑ Els pous de la discòrdia
  8. ↑ Comencen les obres de col·locació de la barrera que aïllarà els llots tòxics del pantà de Flix durant la descontaminació
  9. ↑ Statistical information - Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya, accessed August 2009 (in Catalan)


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