Murcia is the capital city of the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia, located at the river Segura in south-eastern Spain. Its population is 433,850 (2008), and the population of its metropolitan area is 743,326 ranking as the twelfth-largest metropolitan area of Spain. Since 1995, the mayor has been Miguel Ángel Cámara Botía (PP). Murcia is built nearly in the centre of a low-lying fertile plain known as the huerta (orchard or vineyard) of Murcia, which includes the valleys of the Segura and its right-hand tributary, the Guadalentín or river Sangonera. The Segura is one of the most highly polluted rivers in Europe. The Region is surrounded by the Sierra de Orihuela and Cresta de Gallo mountains. Despite the proximity of the sea, the climate is subject to great variations: the summer heat is severe while frosts are occasionally experienced in the capital during the winter. Precipitation in Murcia is scarce with less than 200 mm (7.9 inches) registered in the hydrological year October 2004 through September 2005.

Murcia-San Javier Airport (MJV) is located on the edge of the Mar Menor close to the towns of San Javier and Santiago de la Ribera, 45 kilometres (28 mi) southeast of Murcia. The airport at Alicante is frequently used by travellers to Murcia as well.

Geography

The city extends approximately 882 square kilometres (341 sq mi) and is divided from east to west in two parts separated by a series of mountain ranges (Carrascoy, El Puerto, Villares, Columbares, Altaona, and Escalona). These two zones are called Field of Murcia and Orchard of Murcia. The city is located at 43 m.a.s.l. in the medium alluvial plain of the Segura river (Vega Media del Segura), and the river crosses the city from west to east. It is a river with Mediterranean pluvial system, little volume but with strong swellings, like those of 1946, 1948, 1973 or 1989 that flooded the Murcian capital. The most well-known and significant landscape of the municipal area is its orchard, which dominates in great part the municipality. It is a plain territory but with hills that surround the ample valley of the River Segura, one of the most polluted rivers in Europe, where the mountain ranges of the south (Cordillera Sur) and the steep hill of Monteagudo in the middle of the plain can be emphasized. In addition to the orchard and urban zones, the great expanse of the municipal area is made up of different landscapes: badlands, the pine groves of Carrasco pine in the precoastal mountain ranges and, pass these towards the south, semi-steppe surroundings. Also a part of the natural space of Carrascoy and the Valley (Carrascoy y el Valle), a Regional Park, is inside the municipality of Murcia.

Districts

The 881.86-square-kilometre (340.49 sq mi) territory of the municipality of Murcia is made up of 54 pedanías (suburban districts) and 28 barrios (city neighbourhood districts). The barrios make up the 12.86-square-kilometre (4.97 sq mi) urban section, the main city. The "centre" of the city, the old quarter, is approximately 1.5 kilometres (0.9 mi) across with approximately 3 square kilometres (1 sq mi) of area.

Climate

Given its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, Murcia enjoys a Mediterranean climate, of semi-arid type, with smooth winters and warm summers. It has more than 300 days of sun in the year with few days of precipitation. The water is considered very good in the region in addition to the great orchard diversity that characterizes the zone. Sometimes it undergoes heavy rainfall where the entire year's precipitation is concentrated into a few days. The temperature fluctuates between 16°C and 4°C in January and between 29°C and 19°C in August, although 36°C is surpassed during many summers. The 20th century record high temperature for Spain was 47.2 °C (117.0 °F) in Murcia on July 4, 1994.