Huerta de Murcia | |
|---|---|
Comarca | |
 Interactive map of Huerta de Murcia | |
| Country | Spain |
| Autonomous community | Region of Murcia |
| Area | |
• Total | 952 km2 (368 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 529,483 |
TheHuerta de Murcia is an administrative division (comarca) inMurcia,Spain. This natural region encompasses the lands irrigated by theSegura River and its various canals, from theContraparada weir to the boundary of the Region of Murcia with theValencian Community. Its principal city isMurcia.
As of 2020, the comarca consists of the following municipalities:
| Municipality | Population | Area (km²) | Density (per km²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murcia | 459,403 | 881.86 | 520.95 |
| Alcantarilla | 42,345 | 16.24 | 2607.45 |
| Santomera | 16,270 | 44.2 | 368.10 |
| Beniel | 11,465 | 10 | 1146.5 |
The natural comarca of Huerta de Murcia is flanked to the north and south by two mountain ranges that border the Segura River's floodplain and its tributary, theGuadalentín, locally known asEl Reguerón.[1]
The comarca extends across the entire municipalities ofAlcantarilla,Santomera, andBeniel, as well as most ofMurcia. Several outlying districts of Murcia belong to theCampo de Murcia rather than the Huerta.
The division of the Region of Murcia into comarcas was anticipated in theStatute of Autonomy of the Region of Murcia (1982),[2] but no official comarca subdivision has been legally established yet.
The most commonly proposed administrative comarca includes the entirety ofAlcantarilla,Murcia,Santomera, andBeniel.
The territory of Huerta de Murcia is further subdivided into seven sub-comarcas:
| Municipality | Population | Area (km²) | Density (per km²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcantarilla | 41,084 | 16.24 | 2529.8 |
| Beniel | 10,933 | 10.06 | 1093.3 |
| Murcia | 436,870 | 881.86 | 495.4 |
| Santomera | 15,319 | 44.2 | 346.58 |
| Total | 504,206 | 952.36 | 529.42 |
The fertile valley of the Huerta de Murcia was formed by the sediments of theQuaternary era, deposited by theSegura River and theGuadalentín.
Although theRomans cultivated in the Huerta, the most significant development came with theMuslims, who drained marshlands and built an efficient irrigation system based on theContraparada.
Following theChristian conquest of Murcia (1265-1266), much of the land was abandoned as many Muslims fled. Later, settlers arrived mainly from theCrown of Aragon (72%) andCrown of Castile (23%), with others fromNavarre,France,Italy, andPortugal.[3]
The irrigation network of the Huerta de Murcia dates back to the Muslim era and is among the oldest in Spain. Key features include: