Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park
| Cabo de Gata-Níjar | |
|---|---|
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
Arrecife de las Sirenas | |
| Location | Almería Province, Andalusia, Spain |
| Nearest city | Almería |
| Coordinates | 36°47′00″N 02°06′00″W / 36.78333°N 2.10000°W |
| Area | 460 km2 |
| Established | 1997 |
| Visitors | 500,000 (in 1998) |
| Governing body | Junta de Andalucia |
| Official name | Salinas del Cabo de Gata |
| Designated | 5 December 1989 |
| Reference no. | 448 |
The Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park (Spanish: Parque natural del Cabo de Gata-Níjar) is a natural park located in Almería, Spain. It is the largest protected coastal area in Andalusia, featuring a rugged landscape. The park is located on the southeastern coast of Spain, the only region in Europe with a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification: BWh).
The eponymous mountain range of the Sierra del Cabo de Gata forms a volcanic rock formation with sharp peaks and crags. The highest peak on this mountain range is El Fraile (Sierra del Cabo de Gata). It falls steeply to the Mediterranean Sea, creating jagged 100-metre (330 ft) high cliffs divided by gullies, creating numerous small coves and white-sand beaches.
There are numerous small rocky islands and coral reefs in the area. In 1997, it was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. In 2001, it was included among the Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance. Due to the adsorptive properties and low permeability of its clays, the area was studied as a possible place for deep storage of sealed radioactive waste.