Spain: Physical Geography

María Jesús Campos

learningfromgeography.wikispaces.com

Spain: locationIt is located in the Northern hemisphere

It is an European country

Spain occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula, the

Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the

Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, Ceuta and

Melilla on the north coast of Africa.

It has an area of 505 370 km2

It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean

Sea and the Cantabrian Sea.

It has borders with France, Andorra, Portugal and Morocco.

Spain is the fourth largest country in Europe after Russia,

Ukraine and France.

Spain: Relief

The Meseta Central (Central Plateau) is divided in two partsby the Sistema Central: itdivides the peninsula in 2 regions Submeseta Norte and Submeseta Sur.

Valleys: • Depresión del Ebro,

• Depresión del Guadalquivir

Highest Mountains: Pico Mulhacen (3479 m),

Aneto (3404 m),

Monte Perdido (3355 m),

Torre Cerredo (2648 m),

Pico Almanzor (2591 m),

La Sagra (2382),

Teleno (2188 m)

Main mountain ranges:

• Macizo Galaico-Leonés

• Montes de León

• Cordillera Cantábrica

• Montes Vascos

• Pirineos

• Cordillera Costero-Catalana

• Sistema Ibérico

• Montes de Toledo

• Sistemas Béticos: Cordillera Subbética and Cordillera Penibética

• Sierra Morena.

•

• Other mountain ranges:

• Pico de Europa,

• Sierra de Guadarrama Somosierra,

• Sierra de la Demanda,

• Picos de Urbión,

• Serranía de Cuenca,

• El Maestrazgo,

• Sierra de Gredos,

• Sierra de Gata,

• Sierra de Guadalupe,

• Sierra de Aracena,

• Sierra de Alcudia,

• Sierra Madrona,

• Sierra de Cazorla,

• Sierra de Segura.

•Other:• Golfo de Vizcaya

• Golfo de León

• Rías Gallegas

• Golfo de Valencia

• Golfo de Cádiz

• Estrecho de Gibraltar

• Cabo de Creus

• Cabo de la Nao

• Cabo de Palos

• Cabo de Gata

• Punta de Tarifa

• Cabo de Finisterre

• Punta de Estaca de Bares

The relief of the Balearic Islands can be considered a continuation of the Peninsula:

Mallorca: Sierra de Tramuntana

Menorca

Ibiza

Formentera

Cabrera

The relief of the Canary Islands is hilly and of volcanic origin:

Tenerife: Teide (3718 m) the highest mountain of Spain

Gran Canaria: Pico de las Nieves (1949m)

La Palma: Roque de los Muchachos (2426m)

Lanzarote

Fuerteventura

LaGomera

El Hierro

Most rivers flow irregularly and are not navigable.

The only navigable river is River Guadalquivir between Sevilla and the Atlantic Ocean.

Spain has got different catchment areas: Cantabrian Sea basin:

short rivers with a regular flow.

Atlantic Ocean basin: long rivers with an irregular flow (except River Miño)

Mediterranean Sea basin: short rivers with an irregular flow (except River Ebro)

Cantabrian Sea’s catchmentareas rivers: Bidasoa, Nervión, Nalón

Atlantic Ocean’s catchmentareas rivers: Miño, Duero, Tajo,

Guadiana, Guadalquivir

Mediterranean Sea’scatchment areas rivers: Ebro, Turia, Jucar, Segura

Important tributaries: Miño: Sil Duero: Tormes, Esla,

Pisuerga, Arlanza, Eresma Tajo: Alagón, Tietar,

Alberche, Jarama, Henares Guadiana: Cigüela, Záncara,

Jabalón, Zújar Guadalquivir: Guadiato,

Genil Ebro: Aragón, Gállego,

Cinca, Segre, Guádalope

The Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islandsand Ceuta and Melilla are located in theEarth’s temperateclimate zone.

The Canary Islandsare located in theEarth’s warm climatezone.

Spain’s averagealtitude is fairly high, at about 660 m.

Spain has a variety of climate types:

Warm climates: Sub-tropical climate

Temperate climates: Maritime

Mediterranean coastal

Mediterranean inland

Cold climates: Alpine climate

Maritime or Oceanic Climate

North and North-westof the IberianPeninsula.

Temperatures are mild in winter and coll in summer due tothe influence of thesea.

Precipitation isabundant and regular, more than800 mm annually.

Santander

Mediterranean Climate

In most of the Iberian Peninsula with variations:

Mediterranean Inland climate:

Big difference between hot summers and cold winters.

Rainfall is scarce and mainly during spring and autumn.

Talavera

Mediterranean Climate

In the East and South coastof Spain:

Mediterranean coastalclimate:

Dry in the summer and moderate precipitation in spring and autumn. Temperatures are mild in winter and hot in summer.

Cullera

Almería

Sub-tropical Climate

In the CanaryIslands.

Mild temperaturesall year round.

Scarce precipitation.

Las Palmas

Alpine or High Mountain Climate

In the highestmountain ranges.

Temperatures are lower than in the restof Spain. Theydecrease as we moveup the mountain.

The averageprecipitation is over1500 mm annually. Itmay fall as snow.

Benasque

Deciduous forests

Mediterraneanforest and scrubland

Sub-tropical forests

Alpine landscapes

Deciduous Forests

In areas with Maritimeclimate

Vegetation: Deciduous trees that lose

their leaves in autumn: beech, oak.

Also moorland and grassland. The indigenous vegetation

(oak trees, beech trees and moors) has almostdissaperared due toextensive logging.

Non-native vegetarion: pines and ecucalyptus trees.

Forests have been cut downto make space for pastures, for livestock or farmland.

Fauna: capercaillies, hares, otters, wolves, bears and foxes

Mediterranean Forest and Scrubland

In areas withMediterranean coastalclimate orMediterranean inlandclimate.

Vegetation:

Trees that can survivethe dry summers: holmoaks, cork oaks, pinetrees

Bushes and aromaticplants: lavender, thyme

In Mediterranean inlandclimate the mainlandscape is the steppe.

The territory has suffered a severedeforestation due to thehuman use of the landfor agriculture and livestock.

Fauna: rabbits, wolves, lynxes and imperial eagles.

Sub-tropical Forest

In areas with sub-tropical climates.

Vegetation:

Vegetation is scarce.

Pine trees and evergreen laurisilvaforests.

Endemic species suchas the dragon tree orthe Canary island pine

Fauna: endemicanimals, such as Bolle’s pigeon.

Alpine Landscape

In areas with Alpineclimate.

Vegetation:

Forests of pinetrees and fir trees

Above 2000m thereare thorny bushesand grassland.

Fauna: Spanish ibexand vultures

Earthquakes: are rarebut they may happen in the south-east connectedto the tectonic boundary.

Volcaniceruptions: also rarebut may happen in the volcanic Canaryislands.

Cold snaps: whencold air from thenorht and north-east of Europemoves over thepeninsula. Temperatures falland precipitationhappens as snowand ice whichdamages crops and affect transportsystem

Floods: from abundantprecipitation or meltingsnow from the mountains. Cause damages in cropsand cities/villages. Theyoccur specially on theMediterrean and Cantabrian coasts.

Droughts: theyhappen more oftenin the south and Mediterraneanregions affectinagriculture and people.

Deforestation: whenthe forest is destroyed orcleared to make spacefor crops and grazing orfor building. It affects notonly vegetation but alsothe soil

Erosion: it increasesafter deforestation or bythe use of heavy machinery, fertilisers orpesticides, overgrazing orexcesive building.

Desertification: causedby deforestation, overgrazing and pooragricultural irrigationsystems. It is becomingserious in the south-eastof the Iberian Peninsula.

Atmosphericpollution

Noise pollution: caused mainly bytraffic

Water and landpollution: causedby waste productsfrom agriculture, industry and homes.

Creating more forestsmainly with native treesand protecting the currentones.

Using modern irrigationsystems to prevent erosionand desertification

Improving forest fireprevention

Using public transport Reusing goods and

recycling waste Increasing the number of

protected areas likenational parks.

Reducing our own impact in nature

Developed by María Jesús Campos

Chusteacher

Wikiteacher