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.

Campo de Cartagena
View of the Campo de Cartagena plain from the Collado Roldán.
View of the Campo de Cartagena plain from the Collado Roldán.
Location of the Campo de Cartagena in the Region of Murcia
Location of the Campo de Cartagena in the Region of Murcia
CountrySpain
Area
 • Total1,855 km2 (716 sq mi)
Elevation
10 m (30 ft)
Population
 • Total418,686
 • Density230/km2 (580/sq mi)
Typical windmill from Campo de Cartagena
La Manga del Mar Menor is a 21km seaside spit separating the Mar Menor (right) from the Mediterranean (left)

The comarca contains 393,598 inhabitants (2019)[2] 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

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The comarca is composed of eight municipalities, listed below with their areas and populations:

Name Area
(km2)
Population
(2001)[3]
Population
(2011)[4]
Population
(2020)[5]
Cartagena 558.0 184,686 215,757 216,108
La Unión 24.8 14,541 18,965 20,538
Torre-Pacheco 189.4 24,332 33,419 36,464
Los Alcázares 19.8 8,470 15,628 16,590
San Javier 75.1 20,125 31,901 33,129
San Pedro del Pinatar 22.3 16,678 23,981 25,932
Fuente Álamo de Murcia 273.5 11,583 16,117 16,787
Mazarrón 318.9 20,841 34,422 32,839
Totals 1,481.80 301,256 390,190 398,387
 
Natural protected zones in Campo de Cartagena

History

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Cartagena's port, a major port in the Iberian Peninsula, for more than 3000 years
 
Roman theatre of Cartagena

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.[6][7] Following the revolt the city of Cartagena endured for several months the attack of the troops sent by Nicolás Salmerón to restore order.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Population on 1 January by age groups and sex - functional urban areas. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  2. ^ Estimate at 1 January 2019: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Madrid.
  3. ^ Census at 1 November 2001: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Madrid.
  4. ^ Census at 1 November 2011: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Madrid.
  5. ^ Estimate at 1 January 2020: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Madrid.
  6. ^ El Imparcial. Madrid. 26 July 1873, p. 3
  7. ^ El Imparcial. Madrid. 22 December 1873, p. 2
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37°37′N 00°59′W / 37.617°N 0.983°W / 37.617; -0.983