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 Martos is a city and municipality of Spain belonging to the province of Jaén in the autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of over 24,000 people, Martos is the fifth largest municipality in the province and the second in Jaén ...

. 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 Sierra de Segura is a mountain range of the Prebaetic System in the province of Jaén 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 Ban ...

and

Sierra de Cazorla Sierra de Cazorla is a mountain range of the Prebaetic System in the Jaén Province in southern 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 betwee ...

. 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 Alcaraz The Sierra de Alcaraz is a mountain range of the Cordillera Prebética located in Albacete Province, southeast Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North A ...

Sierra de Castril 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 ...

* Sierra de Cabrilla * Sierra Seca * Sierra del Taibilla *

, overlapping with the

Sistema Penibético The Penibaetic System ( 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, 3,478 m high Mulhacén i ...

. *

Serra de Crevillent The Serra de Crevillent () is a mountain range in the Baetic System, southern Spain. It spans the region of Murcia and the province of Alicante. The highest peak is Sant Gaietà at 835 metres, near the town of Crevillent. The Serra de Crevillen ...

* Sierra de Orihuela *

Sierra de Callosa Sierra de Callosa ()Vicenç M. Rosselló i Verger, ''Toponímia, geografia i cartografia'' is a long mountain range in the Vega Baja del Segura () comarca, Valencian Community, Spain. Its highest point is Águila (572 m). This range is named afte ...

* Serra Mariola * Serra del Ferrer * La Carrasqueta *

Puig Campana Puig Campana (; ; literally translated in English language, English as "Bell Peak") is a mountain forming part of the Prebaetic System in the southeast of Spain. With an altitude of , it is the second-highest peak in the province of Alicante. ...

* Aitana * Maigmó Massif * Serrella * Serra de la Xortà * Serra de la Penya-roja *

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 ...

* Sierra de Bernia *

Penyal d'Ifac Penyal d'Ifac Natural Park (, ) is a natural park situated in Calpe, in the Valencian Community, Spain. The Penyal d'Ifac is a massive limestone outcrop emerging from the sea and linked to the shore by an isthmus of rock debris. It is home to ...

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