Almería is a city and municipality of Spain, located in Andalusia. It is the capital of the province of the same name. It lies in southeastern Iberia on the Mediterranean Sea. Caliph Abd al-Rahman III founded the city in 955. The city grew wealthy during the Islamic era, becoming a world city throughout the 11th and 12th centuries. It enjoyed an active port that traded silk, oil, and raisins. Being adjacent to a small desert, Almería has an exceptionally dry climate by European standards.