La Mancha
La Mancha | |
|---|---|
Natural region | |
La Mancha's traditional windmills like these, still standing at Campo de Criptana, were immortalized in the novel Don Quixote. | |
In red, location of the natural region of La Mancha. In dark gray, present-day Castilla–La Mancha autonomous community territories not included in historical La Mancha. | |
| Coordinates: 39°24′04″N 3°00′54″W / 39.40111°N 3.01500°W | |
| Country | Spain |
| Elevation | 610 m (2,000 ft) |
La Mancha (Spanish pronunciation: [la ˈmantʃa]) is a natural region and comarca located in the autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha (Spain), covering parts of the provinces of Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca and Toledo. Its area varies according to authors: from 15,000 km2 to 30,000 km2 making it one of the most extensive natural plains on the Iberian Peninsula. It represents the center of the Southern Plateau, bordering the regions of Mesa de Ocaña, Montes de Toledo, Campo de Calatrava, Sierra Morena, Campo de Montiel, Campos de Hellín, Monte Ibérico-Corredor de Almansa, Manchuela, Serranía de Cuenca and La Alcarria.