Barcelona has a population of 1.6 thousand.
Barcelona -LRB- -LSB- bɑrsəˈloʊnə -RSB- , -LSB- bəɾsəˈlonə -RSB- , -LSB- barθeˈlona -RSB- -RRB- is the capital city of the autonomous community of Catalonia in the Kingdom of Spain , as well as the country 's second most populous municipality , with a population of 1.6 million within city limits .. Spain. Spain. Catalonia. Catalonia. Barcelona. Province of Barcelona. autonomous community. Autonomous communities of Spain. Kingdom of Spain. Spain. second most populous municipality. List of municipalities of Spain. Its urban area extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of around 4.7 million people , being the sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris , London , Madrid , the Ruhr area and Milan .. urban area. urban area. sixth-most populous urban area. Largest urban areas of the European Union. European Union. European Union. Paris. Paris. London. London. Madrid. Madrid. Ruhr area. Ruhr. Milan. Milan. It is the largest metropolis on the Mediterranean Sea , located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besos , and bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range , the tallest peak of which is 512 m high .. Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean Sea. Llobregat. Llobregat. Besos. Besos ( river ). Serra de Collserola. Serra de Collserola. Founded as a Roman city , in the Middle Ages Barcelona became the capital of the County of Barcelona .. Barcelona. Province of Barcelona. County of Barcelona. County of Barcelona. After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon , Barcelona continued to be an important city in the Crown of Aragon as an economic and administrative centre of this Crown and the capital of the Principality of Catalonia .. Catalonia. Catalonia. Barcelona. Province of Barcelona. Kingdom of Aragon. Kingdom of Aragon. Crown of Aragon. Crown of Aragon. Principality of Catalonia. Principality of Catalonia. Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination .. Barcelona. Province of Barcelona. Particularly renowned are the architectural works of Antoni Gaudi and Lluis Domenech i Montaner , which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites .. Antoni Gaudi. Antoni Gaudi. Lluis Domenech i Montaner. Lluis Domenech i Montaner. The headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean is located in Barcelona .. Barcelona. Province of Barcelona. Union for the Mediterranean. Union for the Mediterranean. The city is known for hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as world-class conferences and expositions and also many international sport tournaments .. 1992 Summer Olympics. 1992 Summer Olympics. conferences and expositions. Barcelona#Trade fair and exhibitions. international sport tournaments. Sport in Barcelona#International tournaments. Barcelona is one of the world 's leading tourist , economic , trade fair and cultural centres , and its influence in commerce , education , entertainment , media , fashion , science , and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world 's major global cities .. Barcelona. Province of Barcelona. It is a major cultural and economic centre in southwestern Europe , 24th in the world -LRB- before Zurich , after Frankfurt -RRB- and a financial centre .. southwestern Europe. Iberian Peninsula. Zurich. Zurich. Frankfurt. Frankfurt. In 2008 it was the fourth most economically powerful city by GDP in the European Union and 35th in the world with GDP amounting to $ 177 billion .. European Union. European Union. fourth most economically powerful city by GDP. List of cities by GDP#Top 10 cities in the European Union. In 2012 Barcelona had a GDP of $ 170 billion ; it is leading Spain in both employment rate and GDP per capita change .. Spain. Spain. Barcelona. Province of Barcelona. employment rate. employment rate. In 2009 the city was ranked Europe 's third and one of the world 's most successful as a city brand .. In the same year the city was ranked Europe 's fourth best city for business and fastest improving European city , with growth improved by 17 % per year , and the city has been experiencing strong and renewed growth for the past three years .. Since 2011 Barcelona has been a leading smart city in Europe .. Barcelona. Province of Barcelona. smart city. smart city. Barcelona is a transport hub , with the Port of Barcelona being one of Europe 's principal seaports and busiest European passenger port , an international airport , Barcelona -- El Prat Airport , which handles over 40 million passengers per year , an extensive motorway network , and a high-speed rail line with a link to France and the rest of Europe .. Barcelona. Province of Barcelona. transport hub. transport hub. Port of Barcelona. Port of Barcelona. extensive motorway network. Barcelona#Roads and highways. high-speed rail. high-speed rail