La Línea de la Concepción (, more often referred to as La Línea) is a municipality of Spain belonging to the province of Cádiz, Andalusia. The city lies on the sandy isthmus which is part of the eastern flank of the Bay of Gibraltar, and it limits with the Gibraltar–Spain border to the south. La Línea has close economic and social links with the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The first dwellings, which date back to the 18th century, were behind the Spanish lines, being part of the municipality of San Roque until 1870, when La Línea became a standalone municipality. The people of La Línea have traditionally found work in Gibraltar, from the days in the 18th century when Gibraltar was an important naval port. This stopped with the total closure of the border by the Spanish government between 9 June 1969 and 15 December 1982 as a result of the dispute between Spain and Britain regarding the sovereignty of Gibraltar. The border was fully reopened on 5 February 1985. La Línea is a major supplier of fruit and vegetables to Gibraltar; other industries include the manufacture of cork, liquor, and fish paste. It also had an important military garrison with substantial fortifications and a port. Name The town derives its name firstly from the or boundary line separating Spain from Gibraltar, and secondly from the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Its people are called in Spanish . History The War of Spanish Succession and the British occupation of Gibraltar When Charles II died in 1700 without an heir to the Crown of Spain, the War of the Spanish Succession broke out between the two main pretenders to the Spanish throne: Philip of Anjou and Charles, Archduke of Austria (later Charles VI of the Holy Roman Empire). Philip was the grandson of Louis XIV of France, and had the support of France. Austria, England, and the Netherlands feared a possible alliance and/or a hypothetical union between the French and Spanish royal houses, and so favoured the Habsburg Charles. In November 1700, Philip was declared king. The Grand Alliance captured Gibraltar on 3 August 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession after abortive attempts elsewhere. It was selected for its strategic value, weak garrison and to encourage the rejection of Philip V (the Bourbon Claimant) in favour of Charles III (the Hapsburg claimant). Following orders to