The document provides an extensive overview of Spain's geography, including its location, relief features, climates, and ecological systems. It details the country's diverse landscapes, significant mountains, rivers, and distinct climatic zones while also discussing environmental issues such as deforestation and pollution. Furthermore, it suggests strategies for protecting and improving Spain's natural environment.

1. María Jesús Campos
learningfromgeography.wikispaces.com

2. Spain: location
It is located in the Northern hemisphere
It is an European country

3.  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

4. 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.

5. Spain: Relief

6.  The Meseta Central (Central
Plateau) is divided in two parts
by the Sistema Central: it
divides 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)

7. 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.
•

8. • 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.

9. •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

10.  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

12.  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)

14.  Cantabrian Sea’s catchment
areas rivers:
 Bidasoa, Nervión, Nalón
 Atlantic Ocean’s catchment
areas rivers:
 Miño, Duero, Tajo,
Guadiana, Guadalquivir
 Mediterranean Sea’s
catchment 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

16.  The Iberian Peninsula,
the Balearic Islands
and Ceuta and Melilla
are located in the
Earth’s temperate
climate zone.
 The Canary Islands
are located in the
Earth’s warm climate
zone.
 Spain’s average
altitude is fairly high,
at about 660 m.

17.  Spain has a variety of climate types:
 Warm climates: Sub-tropical climate
 Temperate climates:
 Maritime
 Mediterranean coastal
 Mediterranean inland
 Cold climates:
 Alpine climate

19. Maritime or Oceanic Climate
 North and North-west
of the Iberian
Peninsula.
 Temperatures are
mild in winter and
coll in summer due to
the influence of the
sea.
 Precipitation is
abundant and
regular, more than
800 mm annually.
Santander

20. 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

21. Mediterranean Climate
 In the East and South coast
of Spain:
 Mediterranean coastal
climate:
 Dry in the summer and
moderate precipitation in
spring and autumn.
Temperatures are mild in
winter and hot in summer.
Cullera
Almería

22. Sub-tropical Climate
 In the Canary
Islands.
 Mild temperatures
all year round.
 Scarce precipitation.
Las Palmas

23. Alpine or High Mountain Climate
 In the highest
mountain ranges.
 Temperatures are
lower than in the rest
of Spain. They
decrease as we move
up the mountain.
 The average
precipitation is over
1500 mm annually. It
may fall as snow.
Benasque

25.  Deciduous forests
 Mediterranean
forest and
scrubland
 Sub-tropical forests
 Alpine landscapes

27. Deciduous Forests
 In areas with Maritime
climate
 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 almost
dissaperared due to
extensive logging.
 Non-native vegetarion: pines
and ecucalyptus trees.
 Forests have been cut down
to make space for pastures,
for livestock or farmland.
 Fauna: capercaillies, hares,
otters, wolves, bears and
foxes

29. Mediterranean Forest and Scrubland
 In areas with
Mediterranean coastal
climate or
Mediterranean inland
climate.
 Vegetation:
 Trees that can survive
the dry summers: holm
oaks, cork oaks, pine
trees
 Bushes and aromatic
plants: lavender, thyme

30.  In Mediterranean inland
climate the main
landscape is the steppe.
 The territory has
suffered a severe
deforestation due to the
human use of the land
for agriculture and
livestock.
 Fauna: rabbits, wolves,
lynxes and imperial
eagles.

32. Sub-tropical Forest
 In areas with sub-
tropical climates.
 Vegetation:
 Vegetation is scarce.
 Pine trees and
evergreen laurisilva
forests.
 Endemic species such
as the dragon tree or
the Canary island pine
 Fauna: endemic
animals, such as
Bolle’s pigeon.

34. Alpine Landscape
 In areas with Alpine
climate.
 Vegetation:
 Forests of pine
trees and fir trees
 Above 2000m there
are thorny bushes
and grassland.
 Fauna: Spanish ibex
and vultures

36.  Earthquakes: are rare
but they may happen in
the south-east connected
to the tectonic boundary.

37.  Volcanic
eruptions: also rare
but may happen in
the volcanic Canary
islands.

38.  Cold snaps: when
cold air from the
norht and north-
east of Europe
moves over the
peninsula.
Temperatures fall
and precipitation
happens as snow
and ice which
damages crops and
affect transport
system

39.  Floods: from abundant
precipitation or melting
snow from the mountains.
Cause damages in crops
and cities/villages. They
occur specially on the
Mediterrean and
Cantabrian coasts.

40.  Droughts: they
happen more often
in the south and
Mediterranean
regions affectin
agriculture and
people.

41.  Deforestation: when
the forest is destroyed or
cleared to make space
for crops and grazing or
for building. It affects not
only vegetation but also
the soil
 Erosion: it increases
after deforestation or by
the use of heavy
machinery, fertilisers or
pesticides, overgrazing or
excesive building.
 Desertification: caused
by deforestation,
overgrazing and poor
agricultural irrigation
systems. It is becoming
serious in the south-east
of the Iberian Peninsula.

42.  Atmospheric
pollution
 Noise pollution:
caused mainly by
traffic
 Water and land
pollution: caused
by waste products
from agriculture,
industry and
homes.

43.  Creating more forests
mainly with native trees
and protecting the current
ones.
 Using modern irrigation
systems to prevent erosion
and desertification
 Improving forest fire
prevention
 Using public transport
 Reusing goods and
recycling waste
 Increasing the number of
protected areas like
national parks.
 Reducing our own impact in
nature

47. Developed by María Jesús Campos
Chusteacher
Wikiteacher