Sierra Morena
Elevation	1,324 m (4,344 ft)
Location
Location	Provinces of Ciudad Real, ( Castile-La Mancha) and Córdoba, Jaén, Sevilla and Huelva ( Andalusia)
Coordinates	38°22′N 3°50′W / 38.367°N 3.833°W / 38.367; -3.833Coordinates: 38°22′N 3°50′W / 38.367°N 3.833°W / 38.367; -3.833
Geology
Type	Variscan orogeny
Climbing
Easiest route	Drive from Puertollano

Pass to Sierra Morena; Calatrava la Nueva.

The Sierra Morena is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain. It stretches for 400 kilometres East-West across southern Spain, forming the southern border of the Meseta Central plateau of the Iberian Peninsula, and providing the watershed between the valleys of the Guadiana to the north and the Guadalquivir to the south.

Description[link]

The Sierra Morena is the result of uplift produced by the pressure of the northward-moving African Plate. It has valuable deposits of lead, silver, mercury, and other metals, some of which have been exploited since prehistoric times. The ancient Iberians used their mountain passes as a passage between the high plateau in the north and the Guadalquivir basin.^[1]

Situated within the province of Jaén, the Despeñaperros, an abrupt canyon created by the Despeñaperros River, with sheer walls over 500 metres high, is the natural path for crossing the Sierra Morena into Andalusia from the north of the peninsula.

In literature[link]

The Sierra Morena mountains were notorious in former times for being a haunt of bandits and highwaymen.^[2] It has been referenced in the novel Don Quixote, wherein Sancho Panza suggests it to be a refuge from the Holy Brotherhood after Don Quixote frees a group of galley slaves. In Voltaire's satire Candide, the main characters stop there on their escape from Lisbon (chapter 9-10). Nikolay Karamzin's 1793 prose "Sierra-Morena", where the Russian writer tells of a love story between the author and young Elvira, is also dedicated to the mountain range. The Sierra Morena was also the setting for the majority of Jan Potocki's "The Manuscript Found in Saragossa". The famous song "Cielito Lindo" mentions the Sierra Morena.

Ecology[link]

The Sierra Morena at Despeñaperros

Much of Sierra Morena's natural beauty is now protected in natural parks, such as Despeñaperros, Sierra de Andújar (Jaén), Sierra de Cardeña-Montoro, Sierra de Hornachuelos, Sierra Madrona, Sierra Norte de Sevilla and Sierra de Aracena, in Huelva. The Sierra Morena is a habitat of the endangered Iberian Lynx.

Other uses[link]

The name "Sierra Morena" is also applied to the highest point on Kings Mountain in San Mateo County, California in the U.S., as identified by the U.S. Geological Survey.

See also[link]

• Despeñaperros

References[link]

• Wes Gibbons & Teresa Moreno, The geology of Spain. Geological Society of London, 2003

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sierra Morena

• Physical geography and geology of Spain
• Virtual Cadastral
• Ordovician -Dobrotivian (Llandeillian Stage) to Ashgill- Crinoids from the Montes de Toledo and Sierra Morena

Morena
—  city  —
Morena Location of Morena in Madhya Pradesh and India
Coordinates	26°30′N 78°00′E / 26.5°N 78.0°E / 26.5; 78.0Coordinates: 26°30′N 78°00′E / 26.5°N 78.0°E / 26.5; 78.0
Country	India
State	Madhya Pradesh
District(s)	Morena
Population	200,506[1] (2011[update])
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	• 177 metres (581 ft)
Codes • Pincode • 476001 • Telephone • +07532 • Vehicle • MP 06

Morena is a city and a municipality in Morena district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is also known as Muraina and is the administrative headquarters of Morena District and of Chambal Division. It is 39 km away from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. Morena is often mentioned in the popular Indian television series Miley Jab Hum Tum, as the place the two female protagonists hail from. Paan Singh Tomar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paan_Singh_Tomar) was born and lived in Bhidausa, Morena; the fact highlighted in the famous movie Paan Singh Tomar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paan_Singh_Tomar_(film)).

Geography[link]

Morena is located at 26°30′N 78°00′E / 26.5°N 78.0°E / 26.5; 78.0.^[2] It has an average elevation of 177 metres (580 feet).

It is connected by rail and national highway with Gwalior and Agra. Oilseed milling and cotton weaving are the chief industries. The city has three colleges affiliated with Jiwaji University. The surrounding region was formerly occupied by Sheopur and Tonwarghar princely states. The lower Chambal River basin consists of an alluvial tract in the north, cut by numerous ravines, and a forested area toward the south. Wheat and oilseeds are the main crops; building stone is quarried. Morena is known for peacocks (150,959 in 2001).

Demographics[link]

As of 2011^[update] census, Morena had a population of 200,506.^[1] It had a sex ratio of 850 and 13.2% of the population were under six years old.^[1] Effective literacy was 80.38%; male literacy was 89.08% and female literacy was 70.22%.^[1]

Neighboring towns[link]

This section may be confusing or unclear to readers. Please help clarify the section; suggestions may be found on the talk page. (October 2011)

Near this Rajasthan starts with a town Dholpur: 28 km and Karauli(Rajasthan): 120 km. and in Madhya pradesh nearest city is Gwalior

Transport[link]

Road[link]

The roadway connects all the parts of the state and nearby states such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh with the city. The City has mofussil (city-to-city) bus services with connections to nearby towns and villages. One can get buses from Morena to cities like Agra, New Delhi, Gwalior, Indore etc.

Distances from other major cities by road

Railways[link]

Morena is well connected by train services to all parts of the country including metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Indore and other major cities, direct connectivity by train are available to these cities . Express train such as the Bhopal Express, Taj Express and Bhopal Shatabdi and many more stop at Morena. Morena is located in between Delhi Bhopal Railway route, it takes 4 hours to reach Delhi and 6 hours to reach Bhopal from Morena by train.

Air[link]

Nearest airports to the city are;

• Gwalior Airport (40 km)

References[link]

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