The Prebaetic System ( 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 The Baetic System or Betic System () is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain. Located in the southern and eastern Iberian Peninsula, it is also known as the Cordilleras Béticas (Baetic Mountain Ranges) or Baetic Mountains. The n ...

in the southern

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...

Geography

Although it is sometimes referred to as ''Cordillera Prebética'', it is not a proper cordillera, or continuous alignment of ranges, but a broken system of mountain ranges. Unlike the other two subsystems of the Baetic System, it is not present in the western area, but begins west of the eastern edge of the

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 ...

near Martos. The Prebaetic System runs along eastern interior

Andalusia Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...

, across the

Region of Murcia The Region of 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 area and had a popul ...

, reaching the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...

shores in the southern

Valencian Community The Valencian Community is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid wit ...

. Its highest point is

La Sagra La Sagra is a region in central Spain lying between the cities of Madrid and Toledo. In a wider sense, it includes municipalities belonging to both the south of the Community of Madrid and the north of the province of Toledo. In a more restricted ...

, Sierra de la Sagra; other high ranges are Sierra de Segura and Sierra de Cazorla. The

Sierra de María Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" or "mountain chain" 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 ...

in northern Almeria Province runs across the Prebaetic and the Penibaetic System, overlapping with both.

Geology

Geologically Geology (). is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical objects, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Earth s ...

the Prebaetic System shares similar characteristics to its parent system, the

Subbaetic System The Subbaetic or Sub-Baetic System ( or ''Cordillera Subbética'') is one of the three systems of mountain ranges of the Baetic System in the southern Iberian Peninsula. Highest point high Peña de la Cruz in Sierra Arana. Its northern limit i ...

and it is considered its eastern offshoot. The materials that compose it were formed in a relatively shallow sea.Morfología kárstica del sector oriental del Prebético andaluz
/ref> The

Iberian System Iberian refers to Iberia. Most commonly Iberian refers to: *Someone or something originating in the Iberian Peninsula, namely from Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. The term ''Iberian'' is also used to refer to anything pertaining to the fo ...

rises north of the eastern part of the Prebaetic System.

Main mountain ranges

Some of the mountain ranges that make up the Prebaetic complex are, from west to east: *

, overlapping with the

Sistema Subbético The Subbaetic or Sub-Baetic System ( or ''Cordillera Subbética'') is one of the three systems of mountain ranges of the Baetic System in the southern Iberian Peninsula. Highest point high Peña de la Cruz in Sierra Arana. Its northern limit ...

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 def ...

* Sierra de la Sagra * Sierra de Cazorla * Sierra de Segura * Sierra de Alcaraz * Sierra de Castril * Sierra de Cabrilla * Sierra Seca * Sierra del Taibilla *

, overlapping with the Sistema Penibético. * Serra de Crevillent * Sierra de Orihuela * Sierra de Callosa * Serra Mariola * Serra del Ferrer * La Carrasqueta * Puig Campana * Aitana * Maigmó Massif * Serrella * Serra de la Xortà * Serra de la Penya-roja * Montgó Massif * Sierra de Bernia * Penyal d'Ifac

References

{{reflist

External links

Cuenca del GuadalquivirPast and present potential distribution of the Iberian Abies species: a phytogeographic approach using fossil pollen data and species distribution models
Baetic System Mountain ranges of Andalusia Mountain ranges of the Region of Murcia Mountain ranges of the Valencian Community

Geography

Geology

Main mountain ranges

See also

References

External links