Axarquía

Axarquía
Street in Frigiliana.
Location of Axarquía in Andalusia, Spain
Location of Axarquía in the province of Málaga
Country Spain
Autonomous community Andalucía
ProvinceMálaga
Area
  Total
1,023.6 km2 (395.2 sq mi)
Elevation
2,066 m (6,778 ft)
Population
 (2023)
  Total
228,556
  Density220/km2 (580/sq mi)

Axarquía (Spanish pronunciation: [axaɾˈki.a]) is a comarca in the province of Málaga, Andalusia in southern Spain. It is the wedge-shaped area east of Málaga. Its name is traced back to Arabic الشرقية (aš-Šarqiyya, meaning "the eastern [region]"). It extends along the coast and inland. Its coastal towns make up the Costa del Sol Oriental - one of the sunniest places in mainland Spain with the average of 320 sunny days a year. The natives of the region are called axárquicos.

The comarca is composed of 31 municipalities, of which the capital is Vélez-Málaga. The Vélez, Algarrobo and Torrox rivers all run through the region. Its highest mountain is La Maroma, highest point of the Sierra de Tejeda, Penibaetic System.

The Axarquía comarca is also known as Axarquía-Costa del Sol, for it includes the Costa del Sol Oriental sector of the Costa del Sol, east of Málaga city made up of Rincón de la Victoria, Vélez-Málaga, Algarrobo, Torrox and Nerja municipal terms. This comarca was established in 2003 by the Government of Andalusia.