Baetic System

The Baetic System is a major mountain complex in southern Spain that runs roughly east-west across Andalusia and into neighbouring regions. It forms the southern edge of the Iberian Plate and includes some of Spain’s highest ranges.

The system includes high alpine terrain, steep ridges and deep valleys; the most prominent massif is the Sierra Nevada where the highest mainland Iberian summit reaches 3,479 m. The ranges host hiking trails, ski resorts and multiple protected areas.

The ranges were formed during the Alpine orogeny and have a complex geological structure with carbonate massifs, metamorphic cores and folded sedimentary belts. Human land use ranges from agriculture in the lower valleys to tourism and conservation at higher elevations.

Geographically the Baetic System occupies much of Andalusia and extends eastward into Murcia and pockets of eastern Spain, separating the southern coastal plains from the central plateau.

• Highest peak: Contains Mulhacén at 3,479 m, the highest point on mainland Iberia and a focal point for alpine hiking and skiing.
• Climate and land use: Includes distinct climatic zones from near-Mediterranean lowlands to high alpine terrain, supporting ski resorts and protected natural parks.

What to See #

• Sierra Nevada: A high mountain group in southern Spain that contains the Sierra Nevada massif where the highest mainland peak of the Iberian Peninsula reaches 3,479 m.
• Subbaetic and Prebaetic sectors: A system of ranges and foothills stretching across Andalusia into Murcia and eastern Spain that forms the larger Baetic mountain arc running roughly east-west along the southern edge of the Iberian Plate.