Area: 79,463 kms²
Population: 1.76 million
Capital: Toledo
The Autonomous Region of Castilla-La Mancha covers much of the southern half of
the Iberian Peninsula. It is located on the southern meseta, bordering
Madrid and Castilla y León, to the north, Aragon and the Valencia Region to the
east, Murcia and Andalusia to the south, and Extremadura to the west. The
region includes five provinces: Toledo, Cuenca, Ciudad Real, Albacete, and
Guadalajara. The overall climate is Mediterranean, with certain
continental characteristics. The mountainous areas are quite rainy, and
with precipitation falling in the form of snow at high altitudes. As in
the northern meseta, there is a central area where annual rainfall drops to
300-400 mm. Geographically, the region is clearly divided into two
zones. One is the meseta, a great plain interrupted by the low Toledo
Mountains, whose highest peaks are Las Villuercas (1601 m) and Rocigalgo (1447
m). The other is more mountainous, running around the perimeter of the
region, with different ranges such as the Central System, the Iberian System,
and the Sierra Morena. Some of the most important Iberian rivers run through
Castilla-La Mancha, including the Tagus, the Guadiana, and the Júcar. The
Cuenca Range is especially striking, with such rock formations as La Ciudad
Encantada, Los Callejones de las Majadas, and Las Torcas, all created by
erosion.
Castilla-La Mancha also boasts magnificent historic monuments, some of them on
the UNESCO World Heritage List, including the cities of Toledo and Cuenca, and
charming towns like Almagro, Ocaña, Sigüenza, Alcalá de Júcar and Ciudad Real,
and palaces such as the Alcázar in Toledo.
For more information:
Castilla-La Mancha tourism website