Illán de Vacas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Illán de Vacas
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 Illán de Vacas
Location in Spain
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| Country | Spain |
| Autonomous community | Castilla–La Mancha |
| Province | Toledo |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9.15 km2 (3.53 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 480 m (1,570 ft) |
| Population
(2018)
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| • Total | 5 |
| • Density | 0.55/km2 (1.42/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Illanero, ra |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code |
45681
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| Dialing code | 925 |
Illán de Vacas is a very small town in Spain. It is located in the province of Toledo, within the region of Castilla–La Mancha. This town is known for being one of the least populated places in Spain.
The area of Illán de Vacas is about 9 square kilometers (about 3.5 square miles). It is part of a larger area called the "comarca" of Torrijos. The town is surrounded by other small towns. To the north is Los Cerralbos, to the northwest is Otero, and to the east is Domingo Pérez. To the south, you'll find Cebolla, and to the west is Lucillos.
Illán de Vacas sits on a small hill, about 480 meters (1,575 feet) above sea level. It is located about 59 kilometers (37 miles) west of the city of Toledo. It is also about 35 kilometers (22 miles) east of Talavera de la Reina. The town is on the railway line that connects Talavera and Torrijos. Spain's capital, Madrid, is about 95 kilometers (59 miles) to the southwest.
The town has a church dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady. It is called Iglesia de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Illán comes from the Latin word Iulianus. This part of the name honors San Illán or San Julián, who was a saint. The word de simply means "of" in Spanish.
The last part of the name, Vacas, is interesting. In modern Spanish, "vacas" means "cows". However, this word actually comes from an Arabic word, Wakka. A document from the 1500s mentions that the town was called "Vacas". It also said that a lucky man named Illán lived there.
Who Leads the Town?
The leader of Illán de Vacas is called the Alcalde, which is like a mayor. As of 2007, the mayor was Julián Renilla Bru. He belongs to a political group called the Partido Popular.
How Many People Live Here?
Illán de Vacas is famous for having a very small population. It is one of the smallest towns in Spain by the number of people living there. For example, in 2011, only 5 people lived in Illán de Vacas. There was even a time in 1991 when no one lived there at all, making it a ghost town for a short period.
The table below shows how the population of Illán de Vacas has changed over many years:
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A Look Back in Time
In the past, Illán de Vacas was connected to the town of Los Cerralbos. It started out as a place where people worked. A document from 1512 mentions Illán de Vacas, saying that three soldiers were captured there.
In the 1600s, this small village, or hamlet, was settled again by 37 families. By the mid-1800s, the town had 22 houses. The town's budget was about 2,200 reales. A "real" was a type of money used in Spain a long time ago. About 800 reales from that budget were used to pay the town's secretary.
See also
In Spanish: Illán de Vacas para niños
