Unit 1 The landforms of Spain
a) Spain´s main geographic features
- Spain consists of a large part of the Iberian Peninsula, The Canary Island and the Balearic Islands, Ceuta and Melilla.
- Spain is in the Northern hemisphere and shares a border with France and Andorra (N), Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean (W), Cantabrian sea (NW), Mediterranean Sea (E) and Africa (S).
- The Balearic Islands are an archipielago in the Mediterranean Sea.
- The Canary Islands are in the Atlantic Ocean (located 1000 km SW of the peninsula) and it´s an archipielago too.
- Spain has got a high average altitude because it has got numerous mountainous ranges and systems through the country and the Canary Islands.
b) The Meseta (Interiors)
- It´s the plateau at the centre of the peninsula. It´s average altitude is 650 metres, the highest plateau in Europe.
- The rivers in the meseta drain their water into the Atlantic Ocean.
- The Central System (SISTEMA CENTRAL): It divides the meseta into northern sub-plateau (SUBMESETA NORTE) southern sub-plateau (SUBMESETA SUR). The Central System is divided into three mountains: Somosierra, Guadarrama and Gredos (which includes Almanzor).
- The Toledo Mountains (MONTES DE TOLEDO): They separate the Tajo Valley and the Guadiana Valley in the southern sub-plateau.
- The Meseta´s Borders: They includes…
The Mountains of León: In the norwesthern part of the Meseta. They separate C. y León from Galicia.
The Mountains of León: In the norwesthern part of the Meseta. They separate C. y León from Galicia.
- The Cantabrian Range separates Cantabria and Asturias from C. y León.
- The Iberian System is in the mesetás eastern edge. It runs through C. y León, Aragón, C. la Mancha and Valencia. It includes, Picos de Urbión and the Albarracín Mountains.
- Sierra Morena: It separates the Meseta from the Guadalquivir Valley.
c) The mountain ranges outside the Meseta
There are four mountain ranges in the north:
- The Galician Massif: Low altitude mountains.
- The Basque Mountains: In the north part it has got some altitudes (Aizkorri, 1528m)
- The Pyrenees: They stretch from the Cantabrian sea to the Mediterranean sea travelling across Navarra, Aragón and Catalonia. They are the natural border between Spain and France (Aneto 3404m)
- The Catalan Coastal Range
The Baetic System is in the southest part of Spain and it´s divided into:
- The Penibaetic Range: It contains Sierra Nevada ( Mulhacen 3478 m and Veleta 3396m).
- The Subbaetic Range, in a further inlands. The most notable mountains are The Cazorla Mountains.
d) Depressions outside the Meseta
A depression is a low flat área of land. There are two main depressions in Spain:
- The Ebro Depression: From west to east through La Rioja, Navarra, Aragón and Catalonia. It is made up different terrains. The Ebro Delta is formed by the deposition of materials along the course of the river and creates an area of land that enters the sea in the shape of an arrow.
- The Guadalquivir Depression: It´s 600 km long, It is made up of clay deposits and form campiñas. In this Depression we can find Doñana National Park.
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