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Sierra Nevada (Spain)

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Template:Short description Template:Other uses Template:Infobox mountain Sierra Nevada (Template:IPA; meaning "snow-covered mountain range") is a mountain range in the Andalusian province of Granada in Spain. It contains the highest point of continental Spain:<ref name="mainland" group="note">The highest peak in Spanish territory is Teide on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, which is outside of continental Spain.</ref> Mulhacén, at Template:Convert above sea level.

It is a popular tourist destination, as its high peaks make skiing possible in one of Europe's most southerly ski resorts, in an area along the Mediterranean Sea predominantly known for its high temperatures and abundant sunshine. At its foothills is found the city of Granada, and a little further south, Almería and Motril.

Parts of the range have been included in the Sierra Nevada National Park. The range has also been declared a biosphere reserve. The Sierra Nevada Observatory, the Calar Alto Observatory, and the IRAM 30m telescope are located on the northern slopes at an elevation of Template:Convert.

Formation

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Sierra Nevada was formed during the Alpine Orogeny, a mountain-building event that also formed the European Alps to the east and the Atlas Mountains of northern Africa across the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The Sierra as observed today formed during the Paleogene and Neogene Periods (66 to 1.8 million years ago) from the collision of the African and Eurasian continental plates.

Geography

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Template:Wide image Central to the mountain range is a ridge running broadly west-south-west - east-north-east. For a substantial distance, the watershed stays consistently above Template:Convert. This is sufficient altitude for the peaks to be consistently snow-covered.<ref name="EB1911">Template:Cite EB1911</ref>

On the southern side of the range, several long, narrow river valleys lead off towards the south-west, separated by a number of subsidiary ridges. On the steeper and craggier northern side, the valleys have less regular orientations. This side is dominated by the Rio Genil which starts near Mulhacén and into which many of the other rivers flow.

Geologically, the range is composed chiefly of soft micaceous schists, sloping steeply to the north, but more gradually to the south and south-east.<ref name="EB1911"/>

Highest peaks

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Highest peaks of Sierra Nevada
Peak (> 3,000m) Height (m)
Mulhacén 3,479
Veleta 3,398
Alcazaba 3,371
Cerro los Machos 3,324
Puntal de Siete Lagunas 3,248
Puntal de la Caldera 3,226
Pico de Elorrieta 3,206
Crestones Río Seco 3,198
Loma Pelada 3,187
Cerro Pelado 3,179
Tajos de la Virgen 3,160
Tosal del Cartujo 3,152
Pico de La Atalaya 3,148
Puntal de Vacares 3,143
Cerro Rasero 3,139
Tajos del Nevero 3,120
Raspones Río Seco 3,120
Tajos Altos 3,111
Picón de Jeres 3,090
Tajo de los Machos 3,088
Cerrillo Redondo 3,058
Juego de Bolos 3,018
Pico del Caballo 3,011

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Climate

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According to the Köppen climate classification, Sierra Nevada has a Mediterranean climate (Csa/Csb), with different variations depending on the altitude. Above Template:Convert the climate is subarctic (Dsc), due to the location's high elevation and low summer precipitation. With June and September being around the threshold of Template:Convert in mean temperature to avoid the subarctic classification, the climate at a slightly lower elevation is humid continental (Dsa/Dsb). At an elevation slightly lower than that classification area; where February means average above Template:Convert; it falls into the normal cool-summer mediterranean classification transitioning with the hot-summer variety in surrounding lowland areas. This renders Sierra Nevada's climate a highland cooled-down variety of a typical mediterranean climate. Summer and winter daytime temperatures are some 12 °C lower than found in Granada, differences that are even greater in spring as Sierra Nevada takes longer to approach the short summers. In May daytime highs in Sierra Nevada are around Template:Convert with Granada having an average of Template:Convert. The yearly temperature of Template:Convert at the ski station of Pradollano is in stark contrast to Granada's Template:Convert and coastal Málaga's Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Weather box

Sport

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In Media

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The British Electronic-Duo The KLF filmed a portion of their unreleased 1989 Road Film "The White Room" around and on Sierra Nevada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref>

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See also

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Notes

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References

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Bibliography

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  • Francisco Pérez Raya, Joaquín Molero Mesa, Francisco Valle Tendero, 1992: "Parque Natural de Sierra Nevada. Paisaje, fauna, flora, itinerarios". Ed. Rueda. Madrid. Template:ISBN (Spanish)
  • "Flora de la Tundra de Sierra Nevada". Pablo Prieto Fernández, Ed. Universidad de Granada. Template:ISBN (Spanish)
  • "Sierra Nevada: Guía de Montaña". Aurelio del Castillo y Antonio del Castillo. Ed. Penibética, 2003. Template:ISBN (Spanish)

Further reading

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