Extremadura

Index

1. Introduction....................................................................................... 3

2. Geographic characteristics............................................................... 4

2.1. Predominant relief in Extremadura..................................... 4
2.2. Climate................................................................................ 5
2.3.Hydrography......................................................................... 5
2.4. Vegetation........................................................................... 6

3. Protected natural areas as tourist resource (PNA)........................... 7

3.1. Introduction and general presentation of PNA in
The ComunidadAutónoma......................................................... 7
3.2. Most important areas (greatest tourist demand)................. 7
3.3. Inventory form of one of the PNA........................................ 9

4. “Comarca” and tourist resources...................................................... 14

4.1. General characteristics of tourism in the CCAA.................. 14
4.2. Most important touristresources......................................... 15

5. Conclusion........................................................................................ 18

6. Bibliography...................................................................................... 19

7. Annex…………………………………………………………………….. 20

1. INTRODUCTION

Extremadura, which is one of the 17 Comunidades Autónomas of Spain, is composed of twoprovinces: Cáceres and Badajoz, north to south and located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The capital of the Comunidad Autónoma is Merida.

Extremadura borders with Portugal to the west, with Castile and León to the north (provinces of Salamanca and Ávila), with Andalusia to the south (provinces of Huelva, Seville, and Córdoba) and to the east it borders with Castile-La Mancha (provinces ofToledo and Ciudad Real).

Extremadura is located in the Southern Plateau (a subdivision of the Central Plateau), and it is the 5th largest of the Spanish autonomous regions.

It is one of the European regions with the less damaged natural system of the continent, even though the quality and the quantity of the protective dispositions are clearly insufficient. Extremadura has three importantparks: Monfragüe, Cornalvo and Tagus River Natural Park. It is considered one of the most important wildlife areas, and one of its natural parks, Monfragüe, was designated National Park in 2007.

This community has a varied relief, with hills, plains, prairies, valleys and fertile plains.

The predominant climate is the Mediterranean climate, except in the north where it is continental.

Theusual temperatures are between 16 and 17 º C.

Rainfall is between 450 and 500 liters per square meter per year in low areas and is very abundant in the northern regions, especially in the Vera.

In relation to Extremadura’s hydrography, all of its rivers belong to the Atlantic slope and the most part of them belong to the basins of the Tajo and Guadiana, which are the two great rivers thatrun through our region from east to west.

Extremadura has a ecological variety of vegetation, although most of the region falls within the Mediterranean forest.

2. GEOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

2.1. PREDOMINANT RELIEF IN EXTREMADURA

Extremadura is located in the western part of southern sub-plateau, occupying a peneplain quite high (200-600 meters) and gently sloping from east to west.Extremadura has a varied relief, with hills, plains, praires, valleys and fertiles plains.

The mountains appear in the northern and southern boundaries of the region and also in the downtown area.

The mountains of the Extremadura’s northern part: They are Central System’s members and also the highest in the whole community. In there we can find the Calvitero peak, which is the highest with...