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The Balearic Islands (; (カタルーニャ語、バレンシア語:Illes Balears) (:ˈiʎəz βəɫəˈas); Spanish: ''Islas Baleares'' (:ˈislas βaleˈaɾes)) are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The four largest islands are Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. There are many minor islands and islets in close proximity to the larger islands, including Cabrera, Dragonera and S'Espalmador. The islands have a Mediterranean Climate, and the four major islands are all popular tourist destinations. Ibiza in particular is known as an international party destination, attracting many of the world's most popular DJs to its nightclubs.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.vice.com/video/big-night-out-ibiza-clive-martin-229 )〕 The islands' culture and cuisine are similar to that of the rest of Spain. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain, with Palma de Mallorca as the capital. The co-official languages in the Balearic Islands are Catalan and Spanish. The current Statute of Autonomy declares the Balearic Islands as one ''nationality'' of Spain.〔Estatut d'Autonomia de les Illes Balears, Llei Orgànica 1/2007, article 1r〕 Though currently a part of Spain, throughout history the Balearic Islands have been under the rule of number of different kingdoms and countries. == Etymology == The official name of the Balearic Islands in Catalan is ''Illes Balears'', while in Spanish they are known as the ''Islas Baleares''. The term "Balearic" derives from Greek (/''Gymnesiae'' and /''Balliareis'').〔Diod. v. 17, Eustath. ad Dion. 457; Baliareis – , Baliarides – ', Steph. B.; Balearides – ', Strabo; Balliarides – ', Ptol. ii. 6. § 78; Baleariae – ' Agathem.〕 In Latin (''Baleares''). Of the various theories on the origins of the two ancient Greek and Latin names for the islands—''Gymnasiae'' and ''Baleares''—classical sources provide two. According to the Lycophron's ''Alexandra'' verses, the islands were called /''Gymnesiae'' (/''gymnos'', meaning naked in Greek) because its inhabitants were often nude, probably because of the year-round benevolent climate. The Greek and Roman writers generally derive the name of the people from their skill as slingers (/''baleareis'', from /''ballo'': ancient Greek meaning "to launch"), although Strabo regards the name as of Phoenician origin. He observed it was the Phoenician equivalent for lightly armoured soldiers the Greeks would have called /''gymnetas''.〔Strab. xiv. p. 654; Plin. l. c "The Rhodians, like the Baleares, were celebrated slingers" Sil. Ital. iii. 364, 365: "Jam cui Tlepolemus sator, et cui Lindus origo, Funda bella ferens Balearis et alite plumbo."〕 The root ''bal'' does point to a Phoenician origin; perhaps the islands were sacred to the god Baal and the resemblance to the Greek root ΒΑΛ (in /''ballo'') is accidental. Indeed, it was usual Greek practice to assimilate local names into their own language. But the common Greek name of the islands is not /''Baleareis'', but /''Gymnesiai''. The former was the name used by the natives, as well as by the Carthaginians and Romans,〔Plin.; Agathem.; Dion Cass. ap. Tzetz. ad Lycophr. 533; Eustath.〕 while the latter probably derives from the light equipment of the Balearic troops /''gymnetae''.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Balearic Islands」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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