Mallorca

Mallorca: see Majorca.

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Majorca

 Spanish Mallorca ancient Balearis Major

Island, Balearic Islands (Baleares) autonomous community, Spain. The largest of the Balearic Islands, it lies in the western Mediterranean Sea and occupies an area of 1,405 sq mi (3,640 sq km). Palma, the capital of the autonomous community, is located on the island. The kingdom of Majorca was established by James I of Aragon in the 13th century and was united with Aragon in the 14th century. During the Spanish Civil War (1936–39), it was a base for Italian aid to the Nationalists. Now a popular tourist centre, it was a favourite destination of Frédéric Chopin, who wrote some of his finest mazurkas and preludes there.

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Mallorca 

(Majorca), a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea; the largest of the Balearic Islands. Area, 3,640 sq km. The island’s principal topographical feature is a hilly plain; in the northwest there are mountains with heights up to 1,445 m. The northeastern and southwestern coasts are broken by large bays. Mediterranean landscapes abound. The principal occupations are fishing and the cultivation of fruits (citrus, grapes, olives). There are numerous health resorts (Palma); tourism is an important business.