la mancha

La Mancha is a historical and natural agricultural region in Spain to the south of Madrid, in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha and including parts of the provinces of Ciudad Real, Albacete, Cuenca, and Toledo. La Mancha proper is limited by the Sierra de Alcaraz, Sierra Morena, Montes de Toledo, and Serrana de Cuenca. The largest plain in the Iberian Peninsula, it is made up of plateaux averaging 500 to 600 metres in altitude, centring on the province of Ciudad Real. The region is watered by the Guadiana, Zncara, Cigela, and Jcar rivers. The subcomarcas of Campo de Montiel and Campo de Calatrava, to the south, are sometimes considered part of La Mancha. La Mancha has always been an important agricultural zone. The culture of the vine is important in Valdepeas and Manzanares. Other crops include cereals (whence the famous windmills) and saffron. Cattle are raised, providing the famous Manchego cheese. La Mancha includes the Lagunas de Ruidera and Parque Nacional de las Tablas de Daimiel. The climate is continental, with strong fluctuations. Miguel de Cervantes gave international fame to this land and its windmills when he wrote his novel Don Quixote de La Mancha, later made into the play Man of La Mancha. Spanish cinema director Pedro Almodovar was also born in this region.

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