Getafe

Getafe (xeˈtafe) is a municipality and a city in Spain belonging to the Community of Madrid. , it has a population of 180,747, the region's sixth most populated municipality. Getafe is located 13 km south of Madrid's city centre, within a flat area of central Iberia's Meseta Central in the Manzanares River basin. The Cerro de los Ángeles hill, a site traditionally considered to be the geographical center of the Iberian Peninsula, also lies within the municipal limits. Getafe was a hamlet attached to the Madrid's sexmo of Villaverde during the late Middle Ages. Its proximity to Madrid fostered industrial development during the 20th and 21st centuries. Industrialisation was followed by an increase in population, reaching 170,115 in 2011. Due to its industrial and social networks, the majority of residents work or study within the city. New neighborhoods were developed towards the end of the 20th century. Getafe hosts an Airbus factory. It is home to the Getafe Air Base, one of the oldest Spanish military air bases, and to the main campus of the Charles III University of Madrid (UC3M). During the Middle Ages, a number of villages were located in the present-day area of Getafe. One of the main villages was Alarnes, which was very close to the current urban center. In 1326, the villagers united themselves into one town, situated on the royal road that linked Madrid with Toledo. This new town was called Xatafi, a name which came from the Arab word jata ("something long"). It is assumed that the name Xatafi referred to the royal road, which also served as the town's main street. The town's name evolved over time, from Xetafe to Jetafee to Jetaphe to Jetafe to Getafe. The history of Getafe can be split into three clearly defined eras. In the first era, which lasted from Prehistory until 1326, there existed distinct villages in the area, though Getafe itself did not exist as a municipality. The second era lasted from the 14th century until the 20th century, during which Getafe was established as a town and developed slowly.