The Sierra Alpujata is a mountain range in southern
Spain, part of the coastal mountain range that lies behind the
Costa del Sol Occidental
Costa del Sol Occidental (English: "Western Coast of the Sun") is a Comarcas of Spain, ''comarca'' (county) in Andalusia, southern Spain.
It occupies a narrow coastal strip delimited by the cordillera Penibética (Sierra de Mijas, Sierra Alpujat ...
, in
Andalusia. It is situated between the
Sierra Blanca and the
Sierra de Mijas.
geography and geology
The highest point is the
Cerro Castillejos
Cerro is Spanish for "hill" or "mountain".
Toponyms
;Bolivia:
* Cerro Rico, the "Rich Mountain" containing silver ore near Potosi, Bolivia
;Brazil:
*Cerro Branco, a municipality of Rio Grande do Sul
*Cerro Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, a municipa ...
, at 1,074 metres. Geologically it is located in the
Penibaetic System. Due to its mineral constitution, vegetation is very sparse, despite several attempts at restocking
pines and
eucalyptus trees. The predominant vegetation consists of
juniper
Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' () of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arcti ...
and
shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It m ...
.
Geologically the range is the relic of an ancient submarine
stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a conical volcano built up by many layers (strata) of hardened lava and tephra. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile with a summit crater and per ...
, which formed at the same time than the Sierra Blanca and the Sierra de Mijas. The large crater is recognizable from aerial photos. It is predominantly made of
peridotite
Peridotite ( ) is a dense, coarse-grained igneous rock consisting mostly of the silicate minerals olivine and pyroxene. Peridotite is ultramafic, as the rock contains less than 45% silica. It is high in magnesium (Mg2+), reflecting the high prop ...
.
Sources
*
External links
Sierra Alpujata, (Malaga), Andalucia, Spain
Alpujata
Alpujata
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