Baix Vinalopó

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Baix Vinalopó

Capital	Elche/Elx
Population	274,368
Surface	488.78 km²
Density:	561 hab./km²

More important cities by:

Population	Elche/Elx
Surface	Elche/Elx
Density:	Elche/Elx

Municipalities of the comarca

Municipality	Population	km²	Hab/km²
Elche/Elx	215.137	326,1	659,7
Crevillent	27.323	104,6	261'2
Santa Pola	25.494	58,2	438
Totales	267.954	488,9	548,07

The Baix Vinalopó (in Valencian) or Bajo Vinalopó (in Spanish) is a comarca in the province of Alicante (Valencian Community, Spain). It is bordered by the comarques of Vinalopó Mitjà and Alacantí on the north and Vega Baja del Segura on the south. Its capital is the city of Elche/Elx, which has a total population of around 200,000 people. The other major towns in the comarca are Crevillent and Santa Pola.

Vinalopó river flows through this comarca giving its name to it ("Baix Vinalopó" is Valencian for "Lower Vinalopó"), even though nowadays is just a tiny stream more than a proper river. The territory is mostly flat except for some of the last ranges belonging to the Baetic Cordillera which appear here near the border with the neighbouring comarcas Vinalopó Medio, following a general southwest-northeast trend. The highest peaks are found in the Sierra de Crevillente, a mountain range close to Crevillente, being its highest the Sant Gaietà with its 816 metres, a local hiking attraction.

Its climate is dry, with scarce rainfalls—below the Mediterranean climate threshold—which happen mostly in Autumn and Spring amounting an average of 250–300 mm per year and showing relatively warm mean temperatures. Among the herbaceous species, esparto and shrub deserve to be mentioned due to their industrial value in the past. Some important natural places are the swamps in the lower part of the comarca known as Natural Park of Fondó and the Natural Park of Las Salinas de Santa Pola, both RAMSAR sites.

Old Tower in the Natural Park of Las Salinas de Santa Pola

The comarca is highly industrial, especially in its capital, Elche/Elx, and also in the town of Crevillente. Agriculture is also an important activity in the area. In the coastline around Santa Pola the main activity is tourism, fisheries and sea salt.