Lecrin Valley

Valley of Lecrin. Valle Lecrín. Is the collective name given to an area of 460 Km2 Population 20,017 (2006) which includes administrative areas : Albuñuelas, Dúrcal, El Valle, Lecrín, Padul, Pinar, Nigúelas & Villamena. However, these areas comprises the following towns & villages: Acequias, Albunuelas, Beznar, Chite, Conchar, Cozvijar, Durcal, Melegis, Mondujar, Murchas, Niguelas, Padul, Pinos of the Valley, Restabal, Saleres, Tablate & Talara There is evidence of constant habitation in the area from the Palaeolithic era.Lecrín derived from Arabic ‘ Iqlim ‘ signifying a gateway, refers to a small area of land situated between the villages of Mondújar & Talará. which controlled access to the vast coastal areas of sugar production in Moorish times. In all but Dúrcal & Padul agriculture & subsistence farming remain the principal occupation with pine, citrus, almond, olive & grape as the main crops. The odd villager may still be seen using a mule but the ubiquitous bulldozer & TNT has now rendered most areas accessible for planting olives.It is an area frequent earthquakes and tremors of varying magnitude but usually small. On December 25th 1884 an earthquake of Mb 6 • 5 on the Richter Scale (estimated) caused 750 to 900 deaths & 1800 injuries in the provinces of Granada and Malaga. The 1994 'quake of Mb 5 • 6 caused no damage in the valley.The [GR 7] (Spain to Greece) |E 4] passes through the valley.Weather ranges from dry + 40/46º in the summer to frost/ snow -6/9º in winter.

Municipalities

* Albuñuelas
* Dúrcal
* Lecrín
* Nigüelas
* El Padul
* El Pinar
* El Valle
* Villamena