page_title: Region of Murcia
section_title: Seas
hierarchical_section_title: Region of Murcia / Physical environment / Hydrography / Seas
caption_attribution_description: English: Photo of Mar Menor as seen from International Space Station Español: Vista por ISS del Mar Menor
context_page_description: The Region of Murcia, is an autonomous community of Spain located in the southeast of the state, bordered by Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha and the Valencian Community, on the Mediterranean coast.
  The autonomous community consists of a single province, unlike most autonomous communities, which have several provinces within the same territory. Because of this, the autonomous community and the province are operated as one unit of government. The city of Murcia is the capital of the region and seat of government organs, except for the parliament, the Regional Assembly of Murcia, which is located in Cartagena. The autonomous community and province is subdivided into municipalities.
  The Region of Murcia is bordered by Andalusia, Castile–La Mancha, the Valencian Community, and the Mediterranean Sea. The community covers 11,313 km² in area and has a population of 1.4 million. About one-third of its population lives in the capital. The highest peak of the region is Los Obispos Peak, in the Massif of Revolcadores, with 2,014 m. altitude.
context_section_description: The greatest natural lake of Spain can be found in the region: the Mar Menor (Small Sea) lagoon. It is a salt water lagoon, adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea. Its special ecological and natural characteristics make the Mar Menor a unique natural place and the largest saltwater lake in Europe. With a semicircular shape, it is separated from the Mediterranean Sea by a sand strip 22 km (14 mi) in length and between 100 and 1200 m wide, known as La Manga del Mar Menor (the Minor Sea's Sandbar). The lagoon has been designated by the United Nations as a Specially Protected Zone of Importance for the Mediterranean. Its coastal perimeter accounts for 73 km (45 mi) of coast in which beaches follow one another with crystal clear shallow water (the maximum depth does not exceed 7m).  The lake has an area of 170 square kilometers.
caption: Satellite view of the Mar Menor
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