Parcent

Infobox Settlement
settlement_type =Village
official_name=Parcent




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image_city_

time_zone=CET (GMT +1)
time_zone_summer=CEST (GMT +2)
language=Valencian
community=Valencian Community
community_link=Valencia (autonomous community)
subdivision_name1=Alicante
province_link=Alicante (province)
subdivision_name2=Marina Alta
comarca_link=Alacantí
area_total_km2=11.8
elevation_m=295
population_total=1019
population_as_of=2006
population_density_km2=86.36

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flag_size =150px
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seal_size =
image_shield =
website =http://www.parcent.es/
postal_code = 03792
subdivision_name2 = Dénia
leader_name = Mari Carmen López
footnotes= festivals = Fiestas of San Antonio Abad, which features a pilgrimmage and blessing of the animals, in January; Carnival, in February; San Vicente Ferrer Festival, in April; San Lorenzo Festival, in August
map_caption1= Location in the Valencian Community, Spain |dot_map_caption=Location in the comarca Marina Alta|mapsize= 120px |mapsize1= 100px |dot_mapsize=200px|subdivision_type= Country |subdivision_name = Spain |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_type2 = Comarca |leader_title =Mayor |population_blank1_title=Demonym |population_blank1 = Parcent(Spanish)
Parcent(Catalan) |population_blank2_title =Language |population_blank2 =Spanish|postal_code_type =Postcode|blank_name=Market Days |blank_info=Monday |latd=38 |latm=44 |lats= |latNS=N |longd=00 |longm=03 |longs= |longEW=E

Parcent is a small Spanish village in the Pop Valley [It has become common to refer to the Pop Valley as Jalon Valley in English, after the largest town in the valley.] of La Marina Alta in the Alicante Province, which is located in the Valencian region of Spain. Parcent has a population of about 1100 and is about one hour's drive north of the city of Alicante.

It features the small but beautiful Holy Virgin church, and is surrounded by rolling hills and mountains. Writer Gabriel Miró (1879-1930) was a resident of Parcent and called it a "paradise between the mountains".

It is also close to Jalon (written as Xaló in Catalan), which is famous for its excellent wine production and markets. The traditional economy of Parcent relies on almond and orange farming in the surrounding area.

History

The name "Parcent" is of Latin origin. Later, it was a Moorish town until the forces of James I of Aragon conquered it in 1256 CE.

There was a major outbreak of leprosy in Parcent in 1850 and by 1887 20% of the residents of Parcent were afflicted. ["On the Origin and Spread of Leprosy in Parcent, Spain", George Thin, Lancet, p. 134, January 16th, 1892.] This apparently motivated the inclusion of passages about the disease in Miró's two so-called "Oleza" novels. [ [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0026-7937(197510)70%3A4%3C786%3ATBAIGM%3E2.0.CO%3B2-C "The Biblical Allusions in Gabriel Miro's Oleza Novels"] , G. G. Brown, The Modern Language Review, Vol. 70, No. 4 (Oct., 1975), pp. 786-794]

Demographics

The 2006 census revealed that Parcent's population was 1,019 inhabitants. It was also found that about 35.10% of the population of Parcent were not Spanish citizens, but most of these foreigners were from the European Union.

Controversy

Many Europeans from other areas have built retirement or second homes in Parcent, enjoying the sunshine and proximity to the beaches. However, Parcent and the surrounding valley are suffering growing pains as development quickens. [ [http://www.veinsdeparcent.info/archive_english/washington.htm "In Spain, a Tide Of Development: Land Laws on the Mediterranean Coast Enable a Boom but Bring Corruption"] , John Ward Anderson, Washington Post Foreign Service, Wednesday, October 25, 2006]

References