spain: physical geography
TRANSCRIPT
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.
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
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
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