Comarcas of Region of Murcia


There is not consensus and agreement in the demarkation of the comarcas of the region and some of them varies largely depending on the comarcas proposal. According to La Verdad newspapers’ Region of Murcia Atlas, there are three main divisions corresponding to three different authors.

Most agreed ''comarcas''

The following comarcas are the most agreed in regards to its size and demarkation. They are accepted to be in a same way by most authors or itheir changes depending the versions are minor.

Altiplano

It is located in the north and is 1,580 km2 in area. It includes the municipalities of Yecla and Jumilla. In regards to landforms, what are present mainly in the area are mountain ranges such as Sierra del Carche, Sierra del Buey, Sierra Larga and Sierra del Molar.

Alto Guadalentín or Comarca de Lorca

This territory is located in the southeast and has an area of 2,071.8 km2. The municipalities of Lorca, Águilas and Puerto Lumbreras belong to this comarca. There is a remarkable water landform in the area: Guadalentín River. Another river that is present is the Luchena River. Other notheworthy landforms that occupy Alto Guadalentín are the mountain ranges Sierra de la Almenara, Sierra de la Carrasquilla, Sierra de Cantar, Sierra de la Torrecilla, Sierra de En medio, and Sierra del Cambrón.

Noroeste

This comarca is located in the northwest of Region of Murcia, hence its name which meaning is “northwest”. The municipalities of Moratalla, Caravaca de la Cruz, and Cehegín are agreed to be included in this area in all the proposals. However, the municipalities of Calasparra and Bullas only belong to the comarca undewr a more limited definition. If all five municipalities were included, the territory has an area of 2,386.9 km2. However, if the smaller definition is taken as true, the comarca is 2,119.2 km2 in area. Some remarkable landforms in the region are a mountain range named Sierra de Moratalla, that occupies part of the north of Noroeste; a mountain range named Sierra de la Muela, that is also placed in the north; Revolcadores, which is montanious area that occurs in the east of Noroeste and a river which name is Quípar that is present in the western half of the comarca.

Cuenca de Mula

It includes the municipalities of Mula, Pliego, Albudeite and Campos del Río. According to University of Murcia proposal, Bullas would also belong to this comarca. In this region there are two rivers. Part of mountain ranges are also present in the area – the north of Sierra Espuaña occupies little part of the south of Cuenca de Mula and the east of Sierra de Cambrón occupies little part of the south east of this comarca.

More varying ''comarcas''

Bajo Guadalentín

According to its largest version, it includes five municipalities: Aledo, Lorca, Alhama de Murcia, Librilla and Mazarrón and has an area of 1,024.7 km2. If the a smaller version is adopted, the only municipality that doesn't belong to this territory is Mazarrón and has an extension of 706 km2. An important landform of the comarca is Guadalentín river – a stretch of it traverses the territory, hence its name. Part of Sierra Espuña, one of the most important mountain ranges in Region of Murcia, is located in the northwest of Bajo Guadalentín.

[Campo de Cartagena]

This territory is located in the southeast of the province of Murcia. In regards to mountain reliefs, in this territory there are two/three main mountain reliefs: Sierra Minera Cartagena- La Unión, Sierra de la Muela and Cabezo Gordo. There are no water basins with a permanent water flow, but there are several arroyos or ramblas; the most important are Rambla del Albujón and Rambla de Benipila.
There is more debate and less agreement about the nature of the comarca where Murcia is included – its size and municipalities that are included.

Huerta de Murcia

This is the smallest demarcation about the comarca of Murcia municipality and includes four municipalities: the city of Murcia, Santomera, Beniel and Alcantarilla. Another comarca that is proposed is Vega Media del Segura. It covers the same municipalities as the previous version but additionally includes Fortuna and Abanilla. According to Atlas Global de la Region de Murcia of La Verdad newspaper, the four municipalities of Huerta de Murcia would be part of a larger comarca called the Área metropolitana de Murcia, and Molina de Segura, Las Torres de Cotillas and Alguazas would also belong to it. Important landforms of the area are the mountain range Sierra de Carracoy, which eastern half occupies part of the west of the region and Segura River.

Comarca Oriental

Atlas Global de la Región de Murcia considers that a northern-eastern comarca which includes the municipalities of Abanilla and Fortuna exists. The reasons for the statement of this comarca are topographichal and geohydrographical. It covers and area of 385.1 km2.
In regards to landforms, there are seven mountain ranges and a river in this territory. Some of the spots are a mountain range called Sierra de La Pila, which eastern area occupies the northwest of the comarca; another mountain range named Sierra de Quibas, that occurs in the noreast of the region; Sierra del Corque; and Sierra de Abanilla, that is placed in the southeastern quarter. The river is called Río Chícamo and traverses the southeast of the comarca.

Comarca demarcation proposals