This area extends along the coast from the boundary of Castellón and Tarragona to Cape de Gata. Such arbitrary boundaries are taken purely for convenience, and do not always correspond with provincial boundaries. Inland the limit of the coastal area is marked by the hills and mountains of Gudar, Cuenca and the Sierra Nevada.
The region is one of quite large coastal, often alluvial, plains, separated by masses of highland which frequently extend to the sea as headlands. The main areas of lowland are those of Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, Cartagena and Vera. They are separated by the seaward extension of the highlands of Teruel, Murcia and the Sierra Nevada. A small, much eroded massif around the Moncabrer hills (4,540 feet) comes to the sea at Cape de la Nao, while a long line of hills, with the same west-south-west — east-north-east trend separates Murcia from Cartagena. Often the edges of these highlands are abrupt, giving rise to steep slopes and difficult terrain which form obstacles to communications inland. Many of these hills are of limestone which increases their aridity, and accentuates the difference between them and the greener and more fertile plains.
The numerous rivers of this area have much in common: they are all the precursors of the coastal alluvial plains; they all start in and highland; they all flow, often through cañons, over very hilly country as they cross the steep edge of the highland rim; because of irregular rainfall, they are all seasonal in character, noted for floods as well as for droughts. The most important are the Júcar, Cabriel, Segura, Palencia, Guadalaviar (or Turia) and the Sangonera with its tributaries. There is, in addition, the large lake of Albufera, now cut off from the sea by a sandspit.
The climate of this coast is almost completely Mediterranean in character, but winter and summer temperatures show a slight rise in the more southerly areas, the mean maximum of the hottest month at Valencia is 86° F., and at Alicante 91° F., and, while the mean minimum of the coldest month in each case is 40° F., the average winter temperature at Valencia is 48° F., and at Murcia (close to Alicante) 50° F. The leveche, a warm wet sea breeze, partially contributes to this rise in winter temperatures.
The rainfall of the whole area is extremely unreliable from day to day and from year to year, but as one progresses southwards drought becomes more pronounced in the summer. Valencia receives 117.8 inches annually, Alicante 17 inches, and Cartagena 13½ inches. Torrential downpours, of short duration but devastating effect, are frequent, especially in spring and autumn, and hailstones may do damage to some crops in summer. Irrigation works and dykes have an important use subsidiary to that of supplementing water resources, in diverting and stemming flood waters in times of emergency.
The Valencia region, endowed with a fertile alluvial soil, a beneficent climate and numerous irrigation works, is one of exceptional richness. In many places the system of irrigation dates back to Arab times, and several Spanish monarchs (e.g. James I of Aragón about A.D. 1239) tried to improve it. Important laws were made at the beginning of the eighteenth century and an intricate legal system has been evolved whereby, in most instances, specific water rights are given with tenure of land. This high degree of organization and system of ‘rationing’ ensures a fair distribution and a maximum benefit from available supplies.
The system of ‘canal and ditch’ irrigation is in general use, and this is supplemented to the north of Valencia by water from wells. To the north hundreds of wells tap water which has seeped through the underlying fissured limestones; this water irrigates the vegas of Vinaroz, Benicarló, Alcalá de Chivert and Torreblanca. River water is used more generally and there are many barrages; the river Mijares and water from the Maria Cristina dam (27 million cu. metres) irrigate much of Castellón, and conditions will be even better when the Sichar (40 million cu. metres), Bechi, Onda and other barrages have been built.
The river Turia fills the great Generalísimo barrage (250 million cu. metres) and irrigates a region to the north-west of Valencia; water conservation and distribution here will be completed with the construction of the Liria canal. The Júcar is the most important river, and its waters are distributed by a great network of canals covering much of the huerta of Valencia; the main barrages are those of Játiva, Énova, Meres and Cuatro Pueblos. On the river Magro, a tributary of the Júcar, the Forota barrage (proposed capacity of 30 million cu. metres) is under construction. The huerta of Gandía utilizes the water of the river Serpis which is stored behind the Beniarrés dam.
Agriculture is limited to the rich fertile lowlands, where often three or more crops a year can be raised from one piece of land. Small holdings are common, since a family can live on quite a small plot, but there are many large estates growing oranges and other cash crops.
Today the main crop of this area is the orange. Throughout the plain hundreds of groves extend in all directions, literally for miles. In winter oranges are so cheap as to be almost given away. In addition many lemons and limes are grown. The principal lemongrowing region is the vega of Segura, and the average yearly total is 8,800 tons. Blood oranges come from irrigated groves around Gandía, Oliva and Denia, pipless oranges (‘cadenera’ type) from Alcira and Carcagente. The bulk of the crop, however, is of the ordinary types of orange; export of all varieties continues throughout the spring season from major ports, particularly from Valencia.
Closer to the sea there are extensive ricefields, and the province of Valencia produces about 50 per cent of Spain’s total. The main centres are Cullera, Sueca, Sollana, Silla and Perelló. In addition to the major cash crops, vast amounts of vegetables are produced, and are often planted as cover crops between hazel and almond trees. Many patches of land are given up to vines; the Utiel region produces light table wines and the district around Cheste and Chiva is noted for its white wines. Hemp, saffron, peanuts and the chufa are grown on the lowlands, while the hills remain dry, barren, and fit only for olives, algorrabas and heath plants that support honey bees.
The Murcia–Alicante area presents a different picture. Intense summer drought and irregularity of rainfall make irrigation essential; there is a great contrast between the extremely dry, barren limestone hills and the luxuriant growth of the irrigated vegas and huertas of the flatter regions. The major barrages serving the region are as follows; Fuensanta, on the river Segura (233 million cu. metres), Talave, on the river Mundo (45 million cu. metres), Quipar, on the river of the same name (36 million cu. metres), Puente, the oldest barrage of Spain (22 million cu. metres) on the river Guadalentín, Camarilla (39 million cu. metres), Cenajo (400 million cu. metres) and Contraparada. There are several large aqueducts, for example those of Aljufia and Barreras, which distribute these waters, and subterranean sources are tapped by wells in the Cartagena and Alicante districts. In the latter region three small barrages of Tibi, Elda and Elche store well water for summer use.
Horticulture takes place along valley floors and the coastal plain. Lemons flourish in the vega of the lower Segura, and Murcia is the primary Spanish producer with about 14,500 tons a year. Oranges of blood, pipless, mandarin and ordinary types are found around the centres of Zurcena, Totana, Guadalentín, Elche Dolores, Orihuela and Callosa. Maize, pimento, peaches, apricots and almonds are grown on the well-irrigated lowlands, while drier plains around Cartagena and Lorca produce small crops of cotton.
Esparto grass grows on the more and highlands inland, while coastal hills are utilized for olive growing. The vine is cultivated throughout the region, intensively so in the inland area between Jumilla and Yecla, where the ‘Morastrell’ grape produces good wines of claret type. Dates flourish in the dry climate, and Elche is especially famous for its large groves.
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