Intercontinental del Mediterráneo
The Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve of the Mediterranean has been considered a model of management and cooperation. The area is traversed by the migratory routes of birds which cross continents, and marine organisms which cross oceans. People and cultures also flow between the countries of the biosphere reserve, accumulating a richness of diversity that blurs the physical divisions of the territory.
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Andalusí culture
Centuries of Muslim history in Andalusia have resulted in exchanges across the Mediterranean, giving rise to the shared and multi-faceted Andalusí culture. Examples of this culture include the use of irrigation systems for terraced agriculture and hydraulic mill systems.
First transcontinental biosphere reserve
The Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve of the Mediterranean was designated in October 2006, making it the first biosphere reserve to span two countries on two continents separated by a sea within its boundaries.
More than 1,000 birds per hour
The Strait is a passage of vital importance for African and European birdlife. More than 1,000 birds have been recorded crossing every hour, as well as other species such as monk seals and dolphins. The Strait is also renowned for the coral structures found on the sea floor.
Three marine eco-provinces
Three marine eco-provinces converge at the Strait of Gibraltar: the Lusitanian, Macaronesian and Mediterranean. This convergence results in a high level of biodiversity, including more than 1,900 species of marine flora and fauna, with the Strait functiong as a migration hub for many species, such as the bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus).
Over 500,000 people
More than half a million inhabitants (126,859 Andalusian and 402,227 Moroccan) are distributed between 61 municipalities in the Spanish provinces of Cadiz and Malaga and 45 municipalities in the Moroccan provinces of Tetouan, Larache, Tangier and Chefchaouen.
