Campo de Cartagena is a natural region (comarca) located in the Region of Murcia, in Spain. For administrative purposes, it is also known as Comarca del Campo de Cartagena or Comarca de Cartagena. It is located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, forming a plain which extends from the Sierra de Carrascoy to the Mediterranean. The capital city is Cartagena, the most important Naval Base of the Spanish Navy in the Mediterranean Sea.
The comarca contains 393,598 inhabitants (2019)Estimate at 1 January 2019: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Madrid. in an area of 1,481.8 km2, making up the metropolitan area of Cartagena, a center for tourism, culture, industry and nature, with more than 18,500 protected hectares, among places like the Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas y Peña del Águila Natural Park; the Sierra de la Muela, Cabo Tiñoso and Roldán Natural Park; Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar or Islas e Islotes del Litoral Mediterráneo (Islands and Islets of the Mediterranean Shore), among others. Beside those places, it must be added much of the marine environment, highlighting the Mar Menor, the Marine Reserve of Cabo de Palos e Islas Hormigas, and the Cape Tiñoso surroundings.
Municipalities The comarca is composed of eight municipalities, listed below with their areas and populations:
NameArea(km2)Population(2001)Census at 1 November 2001: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Madrid.Population(2011)Census at 1 November 2011: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Madrid.Population(2020)Estimate at 1 January 2020: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Madrid. Cartagena558.0184,686215,757216,108 La Unión24.814,54118,96520,538 Torre-Pacheco189.424,33233,41936,464 Los Alcázares19.88,47015,62816,590 San Javier75.120,12531,90133,129 San Pedro del Pinatar22.316,67823,98125,932 Fuente Álamo de Murcia273.511,58316,11716,787 Mazarrón318.920,84134,42232,839 Totals 1,481.80 301,256 390,190 398,387
History
The Campo de Cartagena has valuable remains of its ancient past. In the city of Cartagena can be seen numerous monuments, museums and archaeological remains.
An attempt was made during the First Spanish Republic, on July 12 of 1873 to establish a canton in the Cartagena area. The insurgency took the name Cantonal Revolution and in the following days it spread through many other regions.El Imparcial. Madrid. 26 July 1873, p. 3El Imparcial. Madrid. 22 December 1873, p. 2 Following the revolt the city of Cartagena endured for several months the attack of the troops sent by Nicolás Salmerón to restore order.
Geography
There are some mountain ranges in this region such as Sierra Minera de Cartagena-La Unión, which is located at the South-East, Sierra de la Muela Cabo Tiñoso y Roldán, that is located at the South-West of Cartagena, Sierra de la Fausilla, that is located in the South of Cartagena, Sierras de las Victorias and Cabezo del Pericón, that are located on the North-West of the municipality, and part of the south of Sierra de Carrascoy, in the North of Fuente Álamo de Murcia. No rivers or water beds with permanent course can be found in this region, but there are several water beds with occasional water courses (specially after rains) named creeks or arroyos. The main ones are Rambla del Albujón and Rambla de Benipila. Some noteworhty mountains are Cabezo Gordo, in Torre-Pacheco, Morra del Pino in the north of Fuente Álamo, that is 830 metres above the sea, Peñas Blancas in Cartagena, that is 625 metres high, La Muela in Cartagena, that is 546 metres and Pico Roldán also in Cartagena, which height is 489.
See also Comarcas of Spain Sierra minera de Cartagena-La Unión Mar Menor El Carmolí Capparis zoharyi Narcissus tortifolius, varica de San José.
References
External links
Ayuntamiento de Cartagena Ayuntamiento de Fuente Álamo Aprovechamientos Forestales en la Comarca del Campo de Cartagena durante la Edad Media Los Tribunales Sacrales en el Campo de Cartagena