Our region is in southwest Spain and shares borders with Portugal on the one side and with the regions of Andalusia, Castile and León and Castile-La Mancha on the other. It is characterised by its extensive surface area (41,635km2) with a total of 1.1 million inhabitants, which means it has a low population density. Its setting is primarily rural, its provincial capitals, Badajoz and Cáceres, and the autonomous capital of Mérida, being the major cities in the region.
Our region is an exceptional tourist destination that combines natural and historical heritage. The Mediterranean forest is our hallmark, with its endless meadows that hide real natural jewels. The fauna of Extremadura itself, with special mention of its bird population, is worth a visit. Cradle of discoverers, Extremadura hides a piece of history around every corner and three of its cities are classified as World Heritage by UNESCO: Cáceres, Mérida and Guadalupe. Its cuisine is also worth mentioning with the unmistakable flavour of its Iberian ham, cheeses and wines, to name a few.
As for the economy, it is strongly linked to the tertiary sector, with a lower relevance of the construction and industrial sector, which is mainly related to the food industry. Extremadura has a clear leadership position in the traditional food, beverage, agribusiness, mining and energy sectors.
The regional development policy of Extremadura is based on the Research and Innovation Strategy for smart Specialisation, RIS 3, whose vision is to position the region as a space for innovation in sustainable management of natural resources for power generation and industrial uses, and for the application of technology to enhance the quality of life of the population.
To such end, it has the mission to increase the size, added value and global competitiveness of the socio-economic fabric of Extremadura, by means of policies that allow the use and development of technologies related to its sources of differentiation, mainly those based on the sustainable exploitation of natural and cultural resources and the capacity to generate quality of life in its demographic context, connected with the challenges of Europe 2020 and opportunity-generating global trends.
