CIEZA

cieza, a town of south-eastern spain, in the province of murcia, on the right bank of the river segura, and on the madrid-cartagena railway. pop. (1900) 13,626. cieza is built in a narrow bend of the segura valley, which is enclosed on the north by mountains, and on the south broadens into a fertile plain, producing grain, wine, olives, raisins, oranges and esparto grass. in the town itself there are flour and paper mills, sawmills and brandy distilleries. between 1870 and 1900 local trade and population increased rapidly, owing partly to improved means of communication; and the appearance of cieza is thoroughly modern.