Hoya of Antequera
Encyclopedia
The Hoya of Antequera is a sedimentary basin
located in the northern part of the province
of Málaga, Andalusia
, Spain
. It takes its name from the city of Antequera
, located within the depression.
It is located in the Baetic Cordillera
, with the Cordilleras Subbéticas to its north and the Cordillera Penibética to its south. It is one of the series of valleys forming the Surco Intrabético
. In the east a narrow pass
connects it to the Depression of Granada
. In the west, the Serranía de Ronda
separates it from the Depression of Ronda
.
The term hoya literally means "trough" and refers to the boxed in character of the area. The plain composes most of the Comarca de Antequera
.
Running through the Hoya of Antequera is the upper portion of the Guadalhorce
, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea
near the city of Málaga
. The plain consists of rolling fields dotted with hills. Water is abundant. Rainfall, unable to form streams on this uneven terrain, accululates in the center, forming lagoons such as the Campillos Lagoons, Archidona Lagoons, Ratosa Laguna, and the largest, the Fuente de Piedra Lagoon
, birthplace to thousands of flamingo
es every year.
Because of its central location in Andalusia
, it is a principal node for that region's land routes.
Sedimentary basin
The term sedimentary basin is used to refer to any geographical feature exhibiting subsidence and consequent infilling by sedimentation. As the sediments are buried, they are subjected to increasing pressure and begin the process of lithification...
located in the northern part of the province
Provinces of Spain
Spain and its autonomous communities are divided into fifty provinces .In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian , sing. província.*Galician , sing. provincia.*Basque |Galicia]] — are not also the capitals of provinces...
of Málaga, Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It takes its name from the city of Antequera
Antequera
Antequera is a city and municipality in the province of Málaga, part of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia. It is known as "the heart of Andalusia" because of its central location among Málaga, Granada, Córdoba, and Seville...
, located within the depression.
It is located in the Baetic Cordillera
Baetic Cordillera
The Baetic System is the main system of mountain ranges in Spain. Located in southern and eastern Spain, it is also known as the Baetic Cordillera, Baetic Ranges or Baetic Mountains...
, with the Cordilleras Subbéticas to its north and the Cordillera Penibética to its south. It is one of the series of valleys forming the Surco Intrabético
Surco Intrabético
The Surco Intrabético is a discontinuous series of valleys in the Baetic Cordillera of Andalusia, Spain, which separate the Cordillera Penibética to its south from the Cordillera Subbética to its north. These valleys run more or less parallel to the Mediterranean coast...
. In the east a narrow pass
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
connects it to the Depression of Granada
Depression of Granada
The Depression of Granada or Granada Depression is a totally enclosed valley in Andalusia, Spain. The river Genil runst through the valley upon exiting from the Sierra Nevada until it passes through the Infiernos de Loja...
. In the west, the Serranía de Ronda
Serranía de Ronda
The Serranía de Ronda is a comarca in the western part of province of Málaga, Andalusia, Spain. As is currently the norm in Andalusia, it has no formal status...
separates it from the Depression of Ronda
Depression of Ronda
The Depression of Ronda is a sedimentary basin in the form of a plateau located within the Cordillera Penibética, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. It is one of the series of valleys forming the Surco Intrabético....
.
The term hoya literally means "trough" and refers to the boxed in character of the area. The plain composes most of the Comarca de Antequera
Comarca de Antequera
The Comarca de Antequera is a comarca in Andalusia, southern Spain.It is located in the area of the Surco Intrabético range, on the boundary with the province of Córdoba. The landscape is largely plain , run by the higher valley of the Guadalhorce river.-References:...
.
Running through the Hoya of Antequera is the upper portion of the Guadalhorce
Guadalhorce
The Guadalhorce River is the principal river of the Province of Málaga, southern Spain....
, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
near the city of Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
. The plain consists of rolling fields dotted with hills. Water is abundant. Rainfall, unable to form streams on this uneven terrain, accululates in the center, forming lagoons such as the Campillos Lagoons, Archidona Lagoons, Ratosa Laguna, and the largest, the Fuente de Piedra Lagoon
Fuente de Piedra Lagoon
Fuente de Piedra Lagoon is a wetland situated in the Málaga province of Spain. It is used by the pink flamingo for its annual reproduction cycle, constituting the largest colony on the Iberian Peninsula of this beautiful and delicate bird...
, birthplace to thousands of flamingo
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus , the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae...
es every year.
Because of its central location in Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, it is a principal node for that region's land routes.