Unit 5. Landscapes
The Iberian Peninsula contains a variety of different landforms and
landscapes. the range from mountains in the north to volcanoes in the
Canarias, with plateaus, hills and valleys in between. Man-made
developments affect natural landscapes in many ways. can you thing of how
we change natural landscapes?
Activities:
1. Name two types of landforms found in your region (see next page).
2. Name Spain’s two main archipelagos.
3. Name two benefits and two negative effects of man-made developments on natural
landscapes.
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Different landforms
PLAIN
VALLEY
BAY
MOUNTAIN
CLIFF
HILL
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1. Read the descriptions and match them to the photos.
a. People extract minerals and metals here.
b. An area of sand of stones on the seashore.
c. Where ships and boats are loaded, unloaded and repaired.
d. A group of islands.
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School project
Look at the pictures and answer the questions
Landscapes of Galicia
These are two landscapes of Galicia.
1. Can you identify the natural and man-made features in them? Complete the table
below with descriptions of the features that you recognise.
Natural features
Man-made features
2. What type of landscape has
planted crops? Why?
3. What type of climate does the
region in the pictures have?
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Landforms
Landforms are natural features of the Earth’s surface. We can distinguish
two main types of landforms: inland and coastal. They form very slowly over
millions of years and can be affected by both natural and human
developments. Identify the landforms in the picture below.
1. Mountains
They are large inclines of rocky land that rise from the ground.
The top of the mountain is called summit and the bottom is called the foot.
A row of mountains forms a mountain range.
2. Hills
They are small, rounded elevations of land.
3. Plateaus
They are large high areas of flat land located more than 600 metres above sea level.
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4. Valleys
They are areas of low-lying land between mountains or hills. They often have a river
flowing through them.
If the land sinks below the surround area, it is called a depression.
5. Plains
They are wide, flat stretches of land.
They do not vary much in height and measure 200 metres above sea level or less.
6. Bays
They are areas where the coastline curves inward and lets in the sea.
Bays often have beaches, which are areas of low, flat land next too the sea. These are
made of either sand or rocks.
A big bay is called a gulf.
7. Headlands
They are narrow pieces of land hat project from the coastline into the sea.
When land rises abruptly from the sea and forms a wall of rock, we call it a cliff.
8. Islands
An area of land completely surrounded by water.
A group of islands is called an archipelago.
9. Peninsulas
They are land surrounded by water on three sides. For example, the Iberian Peninsula.
The strip of land that connects a peninsula to the mainland is calles and isthmus.
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Activities
1. Name some landforms and describe how they are different from one another.
2. What’s the difference between a valley and a depression? Point to the depression in the
image above.
3. Find out how mountains form. Are there any mountains in your area?
4. What are the sides of a mountain called?
5. Which natural features can we find in coastal landscapes?
6. What does mainland mean? look at Cádiz on a map. Where is the mainland?
7. Look up some photos of these farmlands and make a presentation: plateau, isthmus,
gulfs, bay archipelago, peninsula, island, volcano
8. Find a blank map of Galicia: Label the main examples of inland and coastal landscapes.
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The physical geography of Spain
The territory of Spain and its islands contain a great variety of landscapes
and landforms. From plateaus to volcanoes, Spain’s landscapes vary from
region to region. these features greatly influence the climate and wildlife of
each region, from Oceanic coastlines to continental interiors.
Natural features
There are two large archipelagos in Spain: the Islas Baleares and the Islas Canarias.
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The highest summit in Spain, El Teide, is in the Islas Canarias. It is the third highest
volcano in the world, at 3718 metres tall.
The Desierto de Tabernas in Almería is
one of the only a few deserts in Europe.
Many western films were made in the
Desierto de Tabernas.
Activities
1. What is difference between an island and an archipelago.
2. What type of landform is the Meseta Central Central? And the Sistema Ibérico. Locate
them in the map.
3. Where can we find volcanoes in Spain?
Mountain ranges
Mountain ranges on the Peninsula can be divided into three groups:
Those around the edge of the Peninsula: the Pyrenees, the Macizo Galaico, the Montes
Vascos and the Cordillera Costero-Catalana.
Those on the Meseta central: the Sistema Central and the Montes de Toledo.
Those on the edge of the Meseta Central: the Cordillera Cantábrica, the Sistema
Ibérico, the Sistemas Béticos and Sierra Morena.
Depressions
The Depresión del Ebro is found between the Pyrenees and the Sistema Ibérico
mountain ranges.
The Depresión del Guadalquivir crosses a large area of Andalucía, from east to west. It
is located between the Sierra Morena to the north and the Sistemas Béticos to the south.
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It is the lowest depression in Spain, at an average of 100 above the sea level. It also
contains Doñana National Park, which is found at the estuary of the Guadalquivir.
Plateaus
The Meseta Central is a big plateau located in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula.
It is divided into the Submeseta Norte, which contains Castilla y León, and the
Submeseta Sur, which is smaller and lower in elevation and contains the Comunidad de
madrid, Castilla-La Mancha and Extremadura.
Wildlifie
The Sierra Morena and Doñana
are some of the last remaining
habitats of the Iberian Lynx.
Many birds, such as eagles and
vultures, libe in the Sistema
Ibérico and the Pyrenees.
Wild boards live in many
different areas of the Península.
Activities
4. Find out the name of the highest mountain in your autonomous community and its
height in metres.
5. Research different animals in your region. Are they in danger of becoming extinct?
What is their natural habitat? What landforms can we find there?
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Human activity and man-made landscapes
Today it is very difficult to find a landscape that is 100% natural because
often people have changed them in some way. For example, any landscape
with roads, buildings, structures or any that contain natural features that
people have modified are called man-made landscapes. Look at the image
below: Which features are man-made?
BEFORE
AFTER
Man-made features
These include:
Infrastructures for transport, such as roads,
motorways, railways, airports and docks. Roads and
railways enable easy communication, which helps
industry. Airports also benefit the economy by
encouraging tourism.
Man-made structures form villages, towns
and cities. Urbanization generates economic
activity by creating employment and the need
for shops, supermarkets, hospitals, etc.
Livestock farming and cultivating land on
plains uses natural resources to produce food
for people. Farming produces goods to sell,
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such as vegetables, fruit, dairy products,
meat and eggs.
The production of nuclear, hydroelectric
and thermoelectric energy also changes the
landscape. Mines, dams and river diversions
are examples of alterations to natural
features.
Activities
1. Which natural and man-made landscape features can you see from your classroom
window?
2. Name some examples of man-made features that promote better communication. How
do you think they help industry?
3. Name some positive and negative impacts of farming.
Negative impacts
While these man-made features
are beneficial for most of us,
some have negative impacts on
the environment.
Urbanisation. Large groups of
people generate a lot of rubbish
and waste that harm the
environment.
Urbanisation also disturbs animals’ natural
habitats and can cause deforestation (cutting of
trees).
Industrial activity also produces waste,
consumes energy and pollutes the atmosphere.
Waste products, such as nuclear waste and
industrial by-products, can pollute rivers, lakes
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and seas. This harms wildlife.
Transport heavily reduces the air
quality because of the fumes it
produces. Noise, air pollution
and energy consumption are
high in cities.
Farming can cause deforestation
and pollution due to cultivating
the land and the use of
fertilizers.
Energy often comes from non-renewable sources that are mined, such as oil. These
pollute the environment. Oil also harms wildlife when there is an oil spill.
Activities
1. Find out what your autonomous community looked like 50 years ago. Which manmade developments have changed the landscape since then? Which are beneficial and
which are harmful?
2. Research more about energy sources. Which two types exist? Where do they como
from? How do they affect the landscape?
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Find out: make pop-up facts
Idea: make 3D pop-up cards about landforms in our local area.
Materials
• iPad, reference books, newspapers
• A4 card or cardboard
• Scissors
• Glue/sticky tape
• Pencils
• Felt tips
• Ruler
Process/carry out
1. Find about interesting facts about the geography of your region. Make sure there is
something you can draw.
2. Fold your card in half and cut two parallel 10 cm strips, 5 cm apart. Design and cut out
your landform.
3. Open your card and stick your landform on the strip. then write and number your facts
on the card and decorate the page.
Follow up
1. Visit some examples of the places you mention in your pop-up cards. Take your camera
so you can take some photos. Add the photos to your cards.
2. Why do you think these places are well-known? Do many people visit them? What do
they do there? Are there measures in place to protect these areas?
3. Plan a radio advert to promote the area you have chosen.
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Review:
1. Copy and complete
2. Write the names of the landforms on the map of Spain.
1. Macizo…
8. Sistemas…
2. Cordillera…
9. Submeseta…
3. Montes de…
10. Submeseta…
4. P…
11. D…
5. Sistema…
12. D…
6. Sistema…
13. Islas…
7. Sierra…
14. Islas…
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3. Identify and name the coastal and inland landforms.
4. Copy and complete the text in your notebook
pollution food man-made consequences natural
Most landscapes include both _____________________ and _____________________
features. Examples of benefits include better transport links, more jobs and mass
production of __________. However, some __________________ include damaging local
wildlife, creating _______________ and deforestation.
5. Order the words and test your classmates
a. what’s /between/ a /plateau /difference /and /plain /the?
b. production/ name/ that/ man-made/ two/ enable/ changes/ of/ energy
c. is/ a/ headland/ how/ different/ bay/ a/ from?
d. enable/ list/ man-made/ that/ three/ transportation/ changes
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