The New Student's Reference Work/Balearic Isles

Bal′ear′ic Isles (băl′ē-ăr′ǐk), a group of islands lying off the Mediterranean coast of Spain. They are Majorca or Mallorca, Minorca, Iviza, Formentera, Cabrera and several islets. From 1232 to 1344 they formed the kingdom of Mallorca, but in 1349 were united with the kingdom of Aragon. They now form a Spanish province, Balleares, with an area of 1,935 square miles, where vines, olives and fruit trees are abundant. Port Mahon, in Minorca, is one of the finest harbors in Europe. The Phœnicians and Greeks visited the islands in early times. Later they were subject to Carthage, but were added to the Roman empire in 123 B. C. The natives were famous slingers and their name, Baleares, comes from the Greek word meaning "to throw." Population, 311,649.