Gorafe Desert

The Granada Geopark was declared a UNESCO Global Geopark on July 10, 2020 and was included in the European Geoparks Network on July 10, 2021.

It is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, in Spain, with an area of 4,722 km². It is characterized by its geological, geomorphological and paleontological Quaternary richness, a time when it had the existence of a river and a lake. The subsequent erosion of the Quaternary sediments created the particular landscapes of the Geopark, characterized by valleys and depressions. This territory is one of the best records of continental sediments and fossils from the last five million years of the Earth's history, especially from the Quaternary period, including 72 Sites of Geological Interest (SGO).

The main protagonists of this record were the Paleo-Fardes and the Paleolago de Baza, which were active during a stage in which the rivers of the territory of the Geopark of Granada had no outlet to the sea.

Half a million years ago a new stage began with the birth of the Guadiana Menor. Since then, the erosive processes have generated the impressive landscape of badlands that characterizes the territory of the Geopark of Granada, and that also allow us to see and study the Quaternary fossils.