![Tajos del Sabar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Tajos_del_Sabar.jpg)
The Baetic System or Betic System ( es, Sistema Bético) is one of the main systems of
mountain range
A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...
s in
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
. Located in the southern and eastern
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, def ...
, it is also known as the Cordilleras Béticas (Baetic Mountain Ranges) or Baetic Mountains. The name of the mountain system derives from the
ancient Roman region of
Baetica
Hispania Baetica, often abbreviated Baetica, was one of three Roman provinces in Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula). Baetica was bordered to the west by Lusitania, and to the northeast by Hispania Tarraconensis. Baetica remained one of the basi ...
, one of the Imperial
Roman provinces
The Roman provinces (Latin: ''provincia'', pl. ''provinciae'') were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome outside Roman Italy that were controlled by the Romans under the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Each province was ruled ...
of ancient
Hispania
Hispania ( la, Hispānia , ; nearly identically pronounced in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, and Italian) was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula and its provinces. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two provinces: Hisp ...
.
Geography
The Baetic System is made up of multiple mountain ranges that reach from western
Andalusia
Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a "historical nationality". The t ...
to the
Region of Murcia
The Region of Murcia (, ; es, Región de Murcia ), is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain located in the southeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast. The region is in ...
, southern
Castile-La Mancha and the
Land of Valencia
The Valencian Community ( ca-valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, es, Comunidad Valenciana) is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid with ...
. To the north, the Baetic Ranges are separated from the
Meseta Central
The ''Meseta Central'' (, sometimes referred to in English as Inner Plateau) is one of the basic geographical units of the Iberian Peninsula. It consists of a plateau covering a large part of the latter's interior.
Developed during the 19th cent ...
and the
Sierra Morena
The Sierra Morena is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain. It stretches for 450 kilometres from east to west across the south of the Iberian Peninsula, forming the southern border of the ''Meseta Central'' plateau and providi ...
by the basin of the
Guadalquivir
The Guadalquivir (, also , , ) is the fifth-longest river in the Iberian Peninsula and the second-longest river with its entire length in Spain. The Guadalquivir is the only major navigable river in Spain. Currently it is navigable from the Gul ...
. The Iberian System rises north of the eastern part of the
Prebaetic System
The Prebaetic System ( es, Sistemas Prebéticos or ''Sistema Prebético'', also often referred to simply as ''Prebético'') is a system of mountain ranges that forms the northeasternmost prolongation of the Baetic System in the southern Iberian P ...
, the northernmost prolongation of the Baetic System. Generally the mountain ranges that are part of this system are aligned in a southwest-northeast direction.
The most well-known range of the Baetic System is the
Sierra Nevada, where the
Mulhacén
Mulhacén (), with an elevation of , is the highest mountain in peninsular Spain and in all of the Iberian Peninsula. It is part of the Sierra Nevada range in the Cordillera Penibética. It is named after Abu l-Hasan Ali, known as ''Muley Hac ...
, the highest mountain in continental Spain and in the
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, def ...
is found.
The
Rock of Gibraltar is also considered to be part of the Baetic System, but not the
Cabo de Gata area further east which includes rocks of
volcanic
A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface.
On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates a ...
origin.
Geology
The Baetic System as a geological feature belongs to a larger
orogeny usually called the
Gibraltar Arc
The Gibraltar Arc is a geological region corresponding to an arcuate orogen surrounding the Alboran Sea, between the Iberian Peninsula and Africa. It consists of the Betic Cordillera (south Spain), and the Rif (North Morocco). The Gibraltar Arc i ...
, which represents the westernmost edge of the
Alpine Orogeny. The
geodynamic
Geodynamics is a subfield of geophysics dealing with dynamics of the Earth. It applies physics, chemistry and mathematics to the understanding of how mantle convection leads to plate tectonics and geologic phenomena such as seafloor spreading, mo ...
mechanisms responsible for its formation are so far relatively unknown.
Geologically the
Rif
The Rif or Riff (, ), also called Rif Mountains, is a geographic region in northern Morocco. This mountainous and fertile area is bordered by Cape Spartel and Tangier to the west, by Berkane and the Moulouya River to the east, by the Mediterrane ...
mountains in
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
and the
Serra de Tramuntana in the island of
Majorca are extensions of the Baetic System.
Dan Davis, ''Commercial Navigation in the Greek and Roman World''
/ref>
The Gibraltar Arc geological region follows the Moroccan coast from Oujda in the east to Tangier
Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the capi ...
in the west, then crosses the Strait of Gibraltar and goes east again from Cádiz
Cádiz (, , ) is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the Province of Cádiz, one of eight that make up the autonomous community of Andalusia.
Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, ...
to Valencia
Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area al ...
and the Balearic Islands.
Ecology
The Baetic System is home to a number of Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub plant communities, including shrublands, oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
woodlands, broadleaf forest
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...
s, and coniferous forests, which vary with elevation, soils, and topography.
The Baetic System, together with the Rif Mountains
The Rif or Riff (, ), also called Rif Mountains, is a geographic region in northern Morocco. This mountainous and fertile area is bordered by Cape Spartel and Tangier to the west, by Berkane and the Moulouya River to the east, by the Mediterrane ...
of Morocco, which face the Baetic Ranges across the Alboran Sea, is one of the Mediterranean basin's ten biodiversity hotspot
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened by human habitation. Norman Myers wrote about the concept in two articles in ''The Environmentalist'' in 1988 and 1990, after which the c ...
s, known to ecologists as the Baetic-Rifan complex. The Baetic mountains are home to a rich assemblage of Mediterranean plants, including a number of relict
A relict is a surviving remnant of a natural phenomenon.
Biology
A relict (or relic) is an organism that at an earlier time was abundant in a large area but now occurs at only one or a few small areas.
Geology and geomorphology
In geology, a r ...
species from the ancient laurel forests, which covered much of the Mediterranean basin millions of years ago when it was more humid.
Subdivision
The Baetic System is divided into the following sub-chains:
Penibaetic System
The Penibaetic System
The Penibaetic System ( es, Sistema Penibético or ''Cordillera Penibética'') is the southernmost of the three systems of mountain ranges of the Baetic System in the southern Iberian Peninsula. It includes the highest point in the peninsula, 3 ...
includes the highest point in the peninsula, the 3,478 m high Mulhacén
Mulhacén (), with an elevation of , is the highest mountain in peninsular Spain and in all of the Iberian Peninsula. It is part of the Sierra Nevada range in the Cordillera Penibética. It is named after Abu l-Hasan Ali, known as ''Muley Hac ...
in the Sierra Nevada; other ranges and features are:
*Serranía de Ronda
The Serranía de Ronda is a comarca in the western part of the province of Málaga, Andalusia, Spain. As is currently (as of 2009) the norm in Andalusia, it has no formal status. The 2007 Statute of Autonomy of Andalusia, unlike its 1981 predecess ...
* Rock of Gibraltar
*Sierra de las Nieves
Sierra de las Nieves is a mountain range of the Penibaetic System in Málaga Province, Andalusia, Spain with its highest point being La Torrecilla (1,919 m)
Sierra de las Nieves is also the name of an administrative area, the ''comarca''.
The S ...
* Sierra Blanca
* Cordillera Antequerana
*Sierra de Tejeda
Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following:
Places Mountains and mountain ranges
* Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico
* Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range i ...
*Sierra de Almijara
The Sierra de Almijara is a mountain range in the provinces of Granada and Málaga in southern Spain.
The rocks are mainly marble, giving a white or gray color to the narrow ridges and deep ravines.
The range is mostly protected by the Sierras ...
*Sierra de Alhama
Sierra de Alhama is a mountain range of the Penibaetic System in Málaga and Granada provinces, Andalusia, Spain. Its highest point is the 1,500 m high Pico de la Torca. Other notable summits are Hoyo del Toro, 1,353 m, Cerro de Marchamonas, ...
* Sierra Nevada
* Sierra de Lújar
*Sierra de la Contraviesa
Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following:
Places Mountains and mountain ranges
* Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico
* Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range i ...
* Sierra de Cogollos
* Sierra de Gádor
*Sierra de Baza
Sierra de Baza is a mountain range near the city of Baza in the Granada province in Spain. It is named after the town of Baza and its highest point is the 2,269 m high Calar de Santa Bárbara.
It is located between the Sierra Nevada and the Si ...
*Sierra de los Filabres
Sierra de Los Filabres is the largest mountain range in Almería Province, Andalusia, Spain, measuring in length.
Its highest point, the Calar Alto is also the highest peak in the province of Almería and hosts an important astronomical observ ...
*Sierra de Alhamilla
Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following:
Places Mountains and mountain ranges
* Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico
* Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range i ...
* Sierra Espuña
*Sierra Cabrera
Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following:
Places Mountains and mountain ranges
* Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico
* Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range i ...
*Sierra de las Estancias
Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following:
Places Mountains and mountain ranges
* Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico
* Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range i ...
*The Surco Intrabético
The Intrabaetic Basin ( es, Surco Intrabético or ''Depresión Intrabética'') is a discontinuous series of valleys in the Baetic System of Andalusia, Spain.
Description
The Intrabaetic Basin is a series of intermontane basins that separate the ...
comprises a series of valleys and depressions separating the Penibaetic from the Subbaetic System
Subbaetic System
The Subbaetic System occupies a central position within the Baetic System. Highest point high Peña de la Cruz
Peña, meaning "rocky outcrop" or "rocky summit" in the Spanish language (Aragonese: ''Penya'', Catalan: ''Penya''). It may refer to:
Mountains
*Peña Montañesa, a mountain in the Pre-Pyrenees, Aragon, Spain
*Peña de los Enamorados, a mountain ...
in Sierra Arana.
*Sierra del Aljibe
Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following:
Places Mountains and mountain ranges
* Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico
* Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range i ...
, includes the Alcornocales Natural Park
* Sierra de Grazalema
Grazalema is a village located in the northeastern part of the province of Cádiz, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Situated in the foothills of the Sierra del Pinar mountain range (Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park), Grazalema ...
* Sierra de Gibalbín
* Sierras Subbéticas de Córdoba
* Sierra Elvira
* Sierra de Loja
* Sierra de Arana
* Sierra de Cogollos
* Sierra de la Alfaguara
The Sierra de la Alfaguara is a mountain range in the Cordillera Subbética, beside the Sierra de Huétor in southern Spain.
It lies within the Parque Natural de la Sierra de Huétor y la Alfaguara.
Location
The mountain range rises above the tow ...
* Sierra de Huétor
The Sierra de Huétor is a mountain range of the Baetic System in Granada Province, Andalusia, Spain.
The range is located to the northeast of Granada city. The altitude of the summits ranges between and almost displaying a variety of differen ...
* Sierra Sur de Jaén
The Sierra Sur de Jaén (Southern Range of Jaén) is a mountain range that is part of the central belt of the Baetic System, Andalusia, Spain. Its name derives from its location in the southwestern part of Jaén Province. The highest summit in th ...
overlapping with the Prebaetic System
Prebaetic System
The Prebaetic System
The Prebaetic System ( es, Sistemas Prebéticos or ''Sistema Prebético'', also often referred to simply as ''Prebético'') is a system of mountain ranges that forms the northeasternmost prolongation of the Baetic System in the southern Iberian P ...
is the northernmost feature of the whole Baetic System. Highest point 2,382 m high La Sagra
La Sagra is a Castilian comarca delineated by natural formations but not legally recognized. The comarca includes localities belonging to both the province of Madrid and the province of Toledo. La Sagra covers an area of 1322 km2, and is bordered ...
.
*Sierra Mágina
The Sierra Mágina is a massif mostly in the province of Jaén (southern Spain), part of the Cordillera Subbética. The highest peak is the Pico Mágina, with an elevation of 2,164 m.
Geography
The boundaries of the massif are grossly defi ...
* Sierra de la Sagra
*Sierra de Cazorla
Sierra de Cazorla is a mountain range of the Prebaetic System in the Jaén Province in Spain. It is named after the town of Cazorla. Its highest point is the 1,847 m high Gilillo peak.
Geography
This mountain range is located between the Sierr ...
*Sierra de Segura
Sierra de Segura is a mountain range of the Prebaetic System in the Jaén Province in Spain. It is named after the ancient town of Segura de la Sierra and it gives its name to the Segura River. Its highest point is the 1,993 m high Las Banderil ...
*Sierra de Alcaraz
The Sierra de Alcaraz is a mountain range of the Cordillera Prebética located in Albacete Province, southeast Spain. Its highest peak is the ''Pico Almenara'' with an elevation of 1796 m.
See also
*Baetic System
The Baetic System or Betic ...
*Sierra de Castril
Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following:
Places Mountains and mountain ranges
* Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico
* Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range i ...
* Sierra de la Sagra
* Sierra del Taibilla
*Sierra de María
Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following:
Places Mountains and mountain ranges
* Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico
* Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range i ...
, overlapping with the Penibaetic System
*Serra Mariola
The Serra Mariola Natural Park (, es, Parque Natural de la Sierra de Mariola) is a mountain range in the Valencian Community, Spain, one of the most peripheral offsprings of the Baetic System. Most of its territory is included in a natural park f ...
*Montgó Massif
Montgó () is a mountain in Alicante Province, Spain, which rises to . It is the last spur on the Cordillera Prebética Mountain Range and is located in the Marina Alta region in the north of Alicante between the towns of Dénia and Xàbia. The m ...
* Sierra de Bernia
* Penyal d'Ifac
See also
*Geography of Spain
Spain is a country located in southwestern Europe occupying most (about 82 percent) of the Iberian Peninsula. It also includes a small exclave inside France called Llívia, as well as the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Isla ...
*Geology of the Iberian Peninsula
The geology of the Iberian Peninsula consists of the study of the rock formations on the Iberian Peninsula, which includes Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and Gibraltar. The peninsula contains rocks from every geological period from the Ediacaran to t ...
*Baetic Depression
The Baetic Depression ( es, Depresión Bética or ''Depresión del Guadalquivir'') is an alluvial plain in the lower valley of the Guadalquivir in Andalusia, Spain.
It is a large triangular-shaped area in the Guadalquivir basin oriented roughly ...
*Tabernas Desert
The Tabernas Desert ( es, Desierto de Tabernas) is one of Spain's semi-arid deserts, located within Spain's south-eastern province of Almería. It is in the interior, about north of the provincial capital Almería, in the Tabernas municipalit ...
References
External links
Sierra Nevada Natural Park
* ttp://aguas.igme.es/igme/publica/libro20/pdf/lib20/c_guadal_1.pdf Cuenca del Guadalquivir
{{Authority control
Physiographic provinces
Environment of the Mediterranean
Mountain ranges of Andalusia
Mountain ranges of the Region of Murcia
Mountain ranges of Castilla–La Mancha
Mountain ranges of the Valencian Community