San Sebastián or Donostia is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the Basque Country, on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 (2011), and its metropolitan area reaches 436,500 (2010). Locals call themselves donostiarras, in Spanish, and donostiarrak, in Basque.
The main economic activities are commerce and tourism, being one of the most famous tourist destinations in Spain. Despite the city’s small size, international events such as the San Sebastián International Film Festival have given it an international dimension. San Sebastián, along with Wrocław, Poland, will be the European Capital of Culture in 2016.
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Famous quotes containing the word san:
“The gold-digger in the ravines of the mountains is as much a gambler as his fellow in the saloons of San Francisco. What difference does it make whether you shake dirt or shake dice? If you win, society is the loser.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)