Badajoz is part of Extremadura and is the capital of Badajoz province. The province borders on Portugal and covers an area of 21,657 square km. Badajoz is situated on the River Guadiana at the Portuguese frontier. The province is situated in an agricultural region, food processing being the main industry. Other industries include textiles, pottery, leather, and soap.

Originally a Celtic settlement, Badajoz was successively in the hands of the Romans and the Visigoths, and in 1031 became the capital of a Moorish kingdom. It became Portuguese in the 12th century, and was taken by Alfonso IX of Castile and Leon in 1229. During the Peninsular War, Badajoz surrendered to the French in 1811, but was recaptured by the Duke of Wellington's forces the following year.