Hoya of Baza facts for kids
The Hoya of Baza is a large valley located in southern Spain. You can find it in the northern part of Granada province, which is in the region of Andalusia. This valley gets its name from the town of Baza, Granada. It is one of several valleys that form a long line across this part of Spain.
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How the Hoya of Baza Formed
This valley was created during a time called the Alpine orogeny. This was a period when huge tectonic plates of the Earth's crust crashed into each other. These crashes pushed up mountains and shaped the land.
At first, the Hoya of Baza was a very big lake. Over millions of years, this lake slowly filled up with different materials. These materials came from ancient periods like the Paleogene, Neogene, and Quaternary eras.
The valley was once connected to the Mediterranean Sea. It had a path to the sea through the Almanzora River. But later, the movement of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates pushed the land upwards. This made the valley an endorheic basin. This means it became a lake without an outlet, or a way for water to flow out to the sea. Today, it sits about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) above sea level.
The word "hoya" actually means "trough" in Spanish. This name fits well because the area is like a big, enclosed bowl surrounded by mountains.
Mountains Around the Hoya
The Hoya of Baza is surrounded by many tall and impressive mountain ranges. Many of these mountains are over 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) high! Some of the important ranges include the Sierra de Baza, Sierra de la Sagra, Sierra de Cazorla, Sierra de Orce, and Sierra de las Estancias.
The Cerro Jabalcón is another mountain that helps separate the Hoya of Baza from a nearby valley called the Hoya of Guadix.
The Unique Landscape
Even though the Hoya of Baza is generally quite flat, it has a very interesting landscape. Many rivers and streams flow through it. Over time, these rivers have carved out a complex network of gullies and ravines. This creates a type of landscape known as badlands.
Plants of the Hoya
Most of the Hoya of Baza is a steppe environment. This means it's a dry, treeless plain. Only small shrubs and plants that can handle cold conditions grow here. However, there are also fertile plains and other areas where people have farmed the land.
See also
- Baza, Granada
- In Spanish: Hoya de Baza para niños
