Geographical Information about Menorca

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Menorca is the most easterly island of the Balearics, it is nearly 50 kilometres long and 16 kilometres wide with a surface area of approximately 700 kilometres square. The population in 1995 when it was last recorded was 68.981 people. Menorca has three natural harbours Mahón, Fornells and Ciudadela. The landscape is relatively flat and open to winds as a result, each wind has been named by the Menorcans depending on which direction it comes from:

Tramontana Is the strong north wind and comes often to Menorca throughout the year, usually staying for several days. It often gusts up to 100 kilometres per hour, evidence of which can be seen from the trees on the north coast, which grow bent towards the south.
Mestral Is the Northwest wind.
Ponent comes in from the west.
Llebeig Is the Southwest wind, which comes across Italy from Libya.
Migjorn comes in directly from the South.
Xaloc Is the Southeast wind, known in other countries as the "Sirocco".
Llevant Is the Easterly wind.
Gregal comes in over Italy from Greece.

Menorca has a contrasting landscape due to its two well-defined geographical zones, the north and south. The north is more mountainous and green with the beaches having a redder coloured sand. The south more level and has rich red soil, its coastline varying from coastal cliffs, pine trees and golden beaches.
Monte Toro is the highest point on the island, 357 metres and almost the whole of the island can be seen from here.

As you explore Menorca one of the most common characteristics you will see are the "dry-stone walls". These are boundaries to plots of land, also known as "tanques", the construction of these walls are an art in themselves, selecting and carefully placing the right size stones, without the use of cement or any binding materials, to form a strong standing wall, some of which have stood for centuries. It is said that if all the walls of Menorca were placed in a straight line they would measure 15.000 kilometres.

Menorca also has an important Nature Reserve at S'Albufera des Grau and on 7-10-93, Menorca was declared a Biosphere Reserve, thus acknowledging the environmental importance of the island and a model of natural and historical values with more than 40% of the island's flora, fauna and endemic species being already protected.

Menorca has for generations been subjected to many different influences (see history section), all these have helped enhance the characteristics of the island which can be seen in the architecture, cuisine and folklore. All these factors add to the rich personality of Menorca making it distinctive from the other Balearic Islands.