At the close of the 19th century the area had 3,770 inhabitants, of whom half were farmers and the remainder fishermen and artisans. Some families prospered despite local poverty, becoming wealthy through dealings in land. A new middle class of administrators of country estates, entrepreneurs, mine owners, moneylenders and farmers emerged. Settlement of the area known today as Santiago de la Ribera began in 1888. A Naval Flying School was founded in San Javier in 1932. In 1943, the San Javier General Air Force Academy (Academia General del Aire) was established, founding a new neighbourhood, Ciudad del Aire. Administrative divisions The administrative perimeter of the municipality includes the town and ten smaller villages. Of these, the last two in the list are located on the coast: El Mirador La Grajuela Roda Los Sáez de Tarquinales Pozo Aledo Los Pinos Lo Llerena La Calavera Santiago de la Ribera La Manga del Mar Menor Climate Aerodrome A military aerodrome was built in Santiago de la Ribera before the Spanish Civil War. Its Bomber School (Escuela de Vuelo de Alta Velocidad) and Multi-Engine Aircraft School (Escuela de polimotores) were used by the Spanish Republican Air Force to train military pilots. After the Civil War, the airfield was used by the Spanish Air Force as an occasional landing facility. Currently it is the location of Murcia–San Javier Airport, which was to August 2018 the largest in the Region of Murcia. Notable people Antonio Cañadas, footballer See also El Carmolí References External links Ayuntamiento de San Javier (In Spanish) San Javier - Región de Murcia Digital (In Spanish) Imágenes de personal de las Fuerzas Aéreas republicanas Municipalities in the Region of Murcia Populated coastal places in Spain