The Guadalquivir is the third longest river in Spain (after the Tagus and Ebro), and the longest in Andalusia. The name comes from the Arabic al-wādĩ al-kabir (الوادي الكبير), 'the big river'. The river was called Betis from Pre-Roman times to the al-andalus period.

It has a length of 657 kilometers and drains an area of about 58,000 square kilometers. It begins at Cañada de las Fuentes in the Cazorla mountain range (Jaén), passes through Córdoba and Seville and ends by the town of Sanlucar de Barrameda, flowing into the Gulf of Cadiz (Atlantic Ocean). The marshy lowlands at the river's end are known as "Las Marismas". It borders Doñana National Park reserve.

The Guadalquivir river is the only navigable river in Spain. Currently it is navigable up as far as Seville, but in Roman times it was navigable to Córdoba.

The ancient city of Tartessos was said to be have been located on the mouth of the Guadalquivir, although its site has still not been found.

External links

• More information from the United Nations Environmental Program.

Rivers of Andalusia | Guadalquivir basin

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