The Catalan Mediterranean System, also known as Mediterranean System, Transversal Ibero-Pyrenaean System, and Catalanid System, [1] is a wide coastal geographical region in Catalonia. It is made up of a double system of coastal mountain chains: The Catalan Coastal Range and the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range, as well as the Catalan Coastal Depression and other coastal and pre-coastal plains located among those mountain ranges.
Geologically the Catalan Mediterranean System is the result of a tectonic uplift, about 300 km long and roughly 50 km wide.
Transversally the system can be divided in three zones:
Spain is a country located in southwestern Europe occupying most of the Iberian Peninsula. It also includes a small exclave inside France called Llívia, as well as the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean 108 km (67 mi) off northwest Africa, and five places of sovereignty on and off the coast of North Africa: Ceuta, Melilla, Islas Chafarinas, Peñón de Alhucemas, and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera.
Barcelona is a province of eastern Spain, in the center of the autonomous community of Catalonia. The province is bordered by the provinces of Tarragona, Lleida, and Girona, and by the Mediterranean Sea. Its area is 7,726 km2 (2,983 sq mi). 5,743,402 people live in the province, of whom about 29% (1,664,182) live within the administrative limits of the city of Barcelona, which itself is contained in the Barcelona metropolitan area.
Priorat is a comarca (county) in Catalonia, Spain. The central part of the comarca, "Priorat històric," produces the highly regarded wines that are certified under the DOQ Priorat. Wines from elsewhere in the comarca are certified as DO Montsant although this region also has a small segment of the neighboring comarca, Ribera d'Ebre as well. However, galena mining was the main activity since prehistoric times until 1972, when the last galeana mine closed.
Berguedà is an inland comarca (county) in Catalonia, Spain, lying partly in the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, and partly in the Catalan Central Depression.
Conca de Barberà is a comarca (county) in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. Its total area is 650.24 km2 (251.1 sq mi). At its creation in 1936, it contained 23 municipalities, but in 1990, several of these were amalgamated; Rojals was combined with Montblanc, and Montbrió de la Marca was amalgamated with Sarral. Also in 1990, Vallfogona de Riucorb was moved from the Segarra comarca. This resulted in the current total of 22 municipalities.
Osona is a comarca situated in Catalonia, Northeast Spain. Its capital is Vic. Its population in 2001 was 129,543. Osona covers roughly the same area as the historic Catalan county of Osona. The name Osona comes from Ausetans, a group of Iberian people who had their capital in Ausa ; the Romans called the area Ausone or Ausona. While most of the comarca is within the province of Barcelona, the municipalities of Espinelves, Vidrà and Viladrau form part of the province of Girona.
Vallès Occidental is a comarca (county) in Catalonia, Spain. Sabadell and Terrassa are the comarcal capitals. Along with Vallès Oriental it forms the grand comarca of Vallès.
Eix Transversal, labelled C-25, is a primary highway in Catalonia, Spain. It crosses the Catalan Transversal Range mountainous region, connecting the northern end of the Catalan Coastal Depression with the Catalan Central Depression.
Penedès is a natural and historical region of Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the south of the Principality of Catalonia between the pre-coastal mountain range and the Mediterranean Sea. The comarcal division of the Generalitat de Catalunya in 1936 and 1987, divided Penedès into three administrative comarques: Alt Penedès, Baix Penedès and Garraf, and their capitals are Vilafranca del Penedès, el Vendrell and Vilanova i la Geltrú.
The Iberian System, is one of the major systems of mountain ranges in Spain. It consists of a vast and complex area of mostly relatively high and rugged mountain chains and massifs located in the central region of the Iberian Peninsula, but reaching almost the Mediterranean coast in the Valencian Community in the east.
Ports de Tortosa-Beseit, also known as Ports de Beseit, or simply as Els Ports[əls ˈpɔɾts] or Lo Port[lu ˈpɔɾt] by locals, is a limestone mountain massif located at the north-eastern end of the Sistema Ibérico, a complex system of mountain ranges and massifs in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula. Its highest point is Mont Caro, 1,441 m. Rivers such as the Matarranya and the Sénia have their source in these mountains.
Serra del Montsià is a 14.5 km long mountain range in Catalonia. It gives its name to the Montsià, the southernmost comarca (county) of Catalonia. Its highest point is 764 m high La Torreta.
The Catalan Pre-Coastal Range is a system of mountain ranges running parallel to the Mediterranean Sea coast in Catalonia. It is part of the Catalan Mediterranean System. Its main axis runs between the Catalan Transversal Range and the Serra de l'Espina, which connects with the Ports de Tortosa-Beseit, part of the Iberian System. The highest point is 1.706,7 m at the Montseny Massif.
The Catalan Coastal Depression, Catalan: Depressió Litoral Catalana, is a natural depression between the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range and the Mediterranean Sea. It is part of the Catalan Mediterranean System.
The Catalan Transversal Range is a system of minor mountain ranges at the eastern end of the Pre-Pyrenees, between the Osona and Garrotxa comarques. The existence of the Catalan Transversal Range has made communications in the northern areas of Catalonia difficult in the past, especially between Northeastern Catalonia and Western Catalonia, a problem that has been partly solved with the development of the Eix Transversal.
The Plain of Vic is a 30 km long depression located at the eastern end of the Catalan Central Depression in the Osona comarca. It is named after the town of Vic, an important and ancient urban center in this natural region that lies in the midst of the plain. Other significant towns in the plain are Manlleu and Tona.
Serra dels Pesells is a mountain chain located near the southern end of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range between Bot and Arenys de Lledó. The ridge's highest point is 541,3 m. This smooth range runs in a NNE - SSW direction and divides the basins of the Canaletes and Algars rivers. It is one of the isolated hills of the Catalan Central Depression and it is located at its southwestern end.
The Catalan Central Depression is a natural depression between the Pre-Pyrenees and the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range in Spain. It widens towards the west, linking with the Ebro Depression, Catalan: Depressió de l'Ebre, of which it could be considered an eastern extension. The Catalan Central Depression is about 180 km long with an average width of 50 km.
The Cardó Massif, also known as Cardó-Boix Massif, is a mountain massif in the Baix Ebre comarca, in Catalonia, Spain. This massif is composed of a number of mountain ranges located on the left side of the Ebro river near Tortosa. The massive calcareous cliffs of the Serra de Cardó form the eastern side of the spectacular gorges through which the Ebro River winds its way in the final stage of its course, separating the Ebro Valley from the Mediterranean coastal area.
Coordinates: 41°41′21.56″N2°34′39.6″E / 41.6893222°N 2.577667°E