1. THE ENVIRONMENT
IN SPAIN AND ANDALUCIA
UNIT 2
Geography of 3º E.S.O.
José Antonio Barrera Lara
José Antonio Barrera Lara 1
2. 1. GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION OF SPAIN:
-Take your maps-
European peninsula (Southwestern side).
Situated in temperate zone.
Northern hemisphere.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 2
5. Coordinates:
Latitude: Northern: 43º47’36”N / Southern: 36º00’08”N.
Longitude: Eastern: 3º19’05” E / Western: 9º17’46” W.
It means: crossed by meridian 0º (Greenwich).
Limits:
•Cantabric Sea and Pirineos (N)
•Gibraltar Passage (S)
•Mediterranean Sea (W)
•Atlantic Ocean (E).
José Antonio Barrera Lara 5
6. Neighbouring countries:
Portugal
Andorra
France
Morocco
United Kingdom
José Antonio Barrera Lara 6
7. Territory:
Part of the Iberic peninsula
Canary Islands
Balearic Islands
Ceuta
Melilla
Small Islands of N. África.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 7
8. 2. THE RELIEF AND THE SOILS OF SPAIN:
Distinguish between:
- Peninsular relief: formed by the Plateau and its mountain
borders. High average altitude (660 m.).
- Insular relief: Canary Islands (volcanic. Teide, 3.718 m.) and
Balearic Islands (prolongation of betic systems . Puig Major, 1.445 m.).
José Antonio Barrera Lara 8
9. 2.1. THE PLATEAU:
Peninsular center.
Surrounded by mountain ranges.
Highlands and lowlands.
Surrounded by:
Central System: divides the Plateau in 2 parts:
North Subplateau and South subplateau.
The mountains of: Somosierra, Gredos, Guadarrama, etc.
Highest mountain: Almanzor: 2.592 m.
Montes de Toledo: Highest mountain: Las Villuercas (1.601 m.). Divides the South
Subplateau in two parts:
• North: Tajo basin.
• South: Guadiana basin.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 9
10. 2.2. Plateau borders:
Galaico-leonés Massif: Northeastern part of the peninsula peninsular. In the coasts:
rías. Montes de León (Teleno, 2.188 m).
Cantabric Mountains: isolates the Plateau from the influence of the sea. Picos de Europa
(Torre Cerredo, 2.648 m).
Iberic System: Group of mountains:
(Albarracín, Demanda, Picos de Urbión, Serranía de Cuenca).
Moncayo (2.313 m).
Sierra Morena: step that separates the Plateau from the peninsular South. Bañuela, 1.323 m.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 10
11. 2.3. The exterior depressions:
1. Ebro depression: isolated from Mediterranean Sea by a group of
mountains.
2. Guadalquivir depression: wide plateau. Triangular shape.
Open to Atlantic Ocean. Fertile vegas, contrysides and wetlands.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 11
12. 2.4. Exterior mountain ranges:
1. Basque Mountains: between Cantabric Mountains and Pirineos. Many
valleys. Not too high.
2. Pirineos: joins the peninsula with the rest of Europe.
Biggest mountain range. Central side highest. Aneto, 3.404 m.
ntains: 2 parallel groups of mountains open to the Mediterranean Sea. They close Ebro Depression
heastern peninsular. They are divided in: Penibetic Mountains (parallel to the coast. Mulhacén, 3.841
José Antonio Barrera Lara 12
13. 2.5. Coasts:
•Wide and varied.
•North: rocky.
•Highlight the rías.
•At the South and Mediterranean coast: sand beaches and rocky areas.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 13
14. 2.6. The soils:
According to the type of rock:
Siliceous (granite and slate): peninsular west.
Limestone (karst landscape): numerous sierras of the east, south and
north.
Igneous (volcanic origin): Canary Islands.
Clays: peninsular center and Ebro and Guadalquivir valleys.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 14
15. 3.1 Rivers: according to its slope:
1. Cantabric slope: numerous, shorts, flowing, regular scheme. Ej.: Bidasoa,
Nervión, Nalón and Narcea.
2. Atlantic slope: In Galicia: numerous and regulars. Eg.: Miño and Sil.
The rest: numerous tributaries, long, irregular scheme, drought. Eg. Tajo, Duero,
Guadiana and Guadalquivir.
3. Mediterranean slope:
Except the Ebro, they're shorts and irregulars. Summer drought.
Devastating floods. Eg.: Ter, Turia, Júcar, Segura.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 15
17. 3.2. Lakes and lagoons:
According to its origin, we can distinguish three types:
1. Endogenous: movements of Earth's soil:
Tectonics (Laguna de la Janda, Cádiz)
Volcanic (ancient craters).
2. Exogenous: by erosion.
Glaciers (Sanabria lake, Zamora)
Karsts.
Arreicos (undrained) in sunken areas (Tablas Daimiel),
Eolic (Ampurdán, Gerona),
Littoral (Mar Menor, Albufera, Guadalquivir wetlands, Ebro Delta).
3. Mixed: different combined origins. Ej.: Banyoles Lake (Gerona), of
tectonic and karst origin.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 17
19. 4.1. WEATHER:
In general:
•Terperature rises to the South.
•Higher temperature range in the interior.
•Precipitations: great differences between North &
South.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 19
21. Kinds of weather:
Oceanic: mild temperatures. Heavy rains during the whole year. North and Northwest
of the peninsula.
Mediterranean: summer drought. It divides in coastal mediterranean weather
(mild temperatures and moderate rain) and interior mediterranean weather
(↓ rain. ↑temperature range)
High Mountain: Mountains. Cold winters and fresh summers.
Subtropical: T.R. (Temperature Range). rain. Tipical of Canary Islands.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 21
23. 4.2. Vegetation and natural
landscape:
Of the most varied and richest in Europe.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 23
24. The most important formations and landscapes
(according to the weather) are:
1. Oceanic: decidious forests. Ex.: oak, beech, chestnut, elm, etc. Wildlife:
deer, grouse, bear, wolf.
2. Mediterranean: xerophytic. Mediterranean forest: holm oak, cork, bush
(rockrose, thyme, rosemary, ...). Large predators, lynx.
3. Subtropical: xerophytic. Laurel forests, dense and lush. Pigeons,
giant lizard of El Hierro and La Gomera.
4. Of High mountain: staggered floors. Ospreys, vultures, wild goat.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 24
25. Many natural spaces are protected by law:
National Parks
We highlight:
Doñana
Monfragüe
Tablas de Daimiel
Sierra Nevada
Picos de Europa
Cabrera Islands
Teide
José Antonio Barrera Lara 25
26. 5. NATURAL RESOURCES:
Overall: Spain: poor or already overexploited natural resources. Just profitable
mines. Few forests (desertification).
Spain has not petrol. Need to invest in renewable and clean energy.
Difficulties in communications uneven floors
-Expensive infrastructures-.
Scarcity of water, especially in the Levant and South.
Need of consciousness in saving of water. Exhausted fisheries.
Generally poor soils.
Favorable climate for tourism.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 26
29. 6. The physical environment in Andalusia:
The peninsular south.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 29
30. 6.1. El relieve: Main units:
1. Sierra Morena: Separates Andalusia from the Plateau (400 km). Relief fractured. Difficults communication.. Ej.:
Despeñaperros.
2. Depresión del Guadalquivir: three distinct areas:
the valley (around the river), countryside (central and west) and marshes.
3. Sistemas béticos: It occupies 2 / 3 of the surface of Andalusia. Divided into:
Subbética (interior): Mountains of Cazorla, Segura and La Sagra in North.
Center: Mágina, Jabalcuz and Cabra. West: Grazalema.
Penibética (coast): Sierra of Ronda, of los Filabres and Sierra Nevada.
Depresión intrabética: parallel the mountain ranges Subbética and Penibética.
Pits and depressions can highlight. Ej.: Baza, Guadix, Loja, Antequera.
4. Coast: extensive Mediterranean and Atlantic coast.
Atlantic coast: low and sandy coast. Usual dunes.
Highlights: Gulf and Bay of Cádiz and CapeTrafalgar.
Mediterranean coast: dominated by rocky coastlines and cliffs.
Highlights: Cape of Gata, Gulf of Almería and Bay of Algeciras.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 30
31. 6.2. Continental waters:
a) Rivers: according to slope:
Atlantic: Highlights Guadalquivir. Irregular regime. Several tributaries (Ej.: Jándula, Genil, Corbones,
Guadaira).
Another rivers:
In Huelva: Odiel, Tinto.
In Cádiz: Guadalete and Barbate.
Mediterranean: Irregular regime. They are short and with steep slopes. Dry season. Ej.: Guadiaro,
Guadalhorce, Adra, Andarax, Almanzora.
b) Lakes and lagoons:
Highlights lagoons: La Janda (Cádiz), Fuente de Piedra (Málaga) and
glacial lakes of Sierra Nevada.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 31
32. 6.3. El clima:
a) Highlights mediterranean climate, summer drought and softness
in T °, but with varieties:
● a.1.) Mediterranean climate of coast: is divided into:
● In Málaga and Granada coasts it is subtropical.
● In southeastern Almeria is semi-desert.
● On the Atlantic coast, milder temperatures and more rain.
● a.2) Mediterranean climate of interior: Greater thermal amplitude than
in the coast.
b) In Sierra Nevada and Sierra de la Sagra: high mountain climate: cold and long
winters with frequent snowfall.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 32
33. 6.4. Vegetation:
Differences between interior and coast:
1. Interior: highlights: Mediterranean forest: oaks, cork oaks and
scrub (mastic, thyme and rosemary, garrigue -and esparto grass,
palm, rock-).
2. Coast: sand dunes. Stone pines.
3. In marshes and estuaries, rush and junk.
José Antonio Barrera Lara 33
