UNIT
oo
k
1
Work in yo
t eb
ur no
The landforms
of Spain
Spain’s main geographical features
Track 1
Spain’s territory consists of a large part of the Iberian Peninsula,
the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, the Balearic Islands in the
Mediterranean Sea and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla,
located on the north coast of Africa.
All of Spain’s territory is located in the Northern Hemisphere.
Peninsular Spain shares a border with France and Andorra to the north
and with Portugal, which is also on the Iberian Peninsula, to the west.
The Cantabrian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean border the north and west
coast of the Peninsula and the Mediterranean Sea borders the south
and east coast.
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Canary Islands, however, are an archipelago located almost
1 000 kilometres southwest of the Peninsula, in the middle of the
Atlantic Ocean, just north of the coast of Africa.
Spain is a country with varied terrain and a high average altitude.
Spain’s high average altitude is due to the numerous mountain ranges
and systems located throughout the country and the fact that a high
inner plateau occupies a large part of the Peninsula. The islands are
also mostly mountainous and have got significant elevations, especially
in the Canary Islands.
60°W
Northernmost point
Southernmost point
Easternmost point
Westernmost point
50°W
40°W
30°W
20°W
10°W
0°
10°E
20°E
30°E
40°E
50°E
60°N
40°N
O CEAN
Str. of
Gibra
ltar
M e d i te r r a ne a n S e a
30°N
Roque del Guincho (El Hierro),
18° 31’ W
0
1 500
3 000
4 500 km
Saltos point (El Hierro),
27° 38’ N
1 W
hat countries and seas border peninsular Spain?
4
form a
c
S’Esperó point (Menorca),
4° 19’ E
nd
La
ATLANTI C
50°N
Estaca
de Bares,
43° 47’ N
Tropic of Cancer
20°N
u!
an
ities d yo
tiv
Unit
Gu
Bi lf o
zk
aia f
an
al
E
coa
Cape Creus
S
a
l r
sta
ng
e
Gulf of Sant Jordi
Ebro Delta
y
Ba
.
M
a
Gulf of
Va
le
Puig Major
1 445 tan
n
mu
Tra
R A
E R
S I
Gu
a
qu
dal
ivir
pr
De
B
ess
B
A
ion
E
T
IC
R
Cape
Nao
BAL
Mar Menor
Cape Palos
Mulhacén
3478
U
NGE
S PENIBAETIC RA f
Gibra
Cape Gata
fo a
ul rí
G me
Al
t e
i
M e d
lt a r
Ceuta
r
r
a
Gran
Canaria
Fuerteventura
n
n
e a
S
N
A
EA
C
RI
IS
L
S e a
Key
0
Menorca
A L G E R I A
Melilla
Lanzarote
Formentera
G E
N
A
cú
D
Eivissa
Al
Mallorca
Pa
E N A
M O R
MOROCCO
P O R
T U G
A L
t
TE
OCEA
N
n
SUB - PL A T EA U
CANARY ISLANDS
Tenerife
E
S
El Hierro
io
N
Y
ANTIC
ATL
M
AT L A N T I C O C E A N
La Gomera
ss
o Mountains
Toled
S O UT HER N
Point of Tarifa
of
Strait
Teide
3718
re
E
S
TE
Almanzor
2592
of Gulf
Cá
di
z
La Palma
ep
N
CENT
S
D
R
IA
SUB- PLAT EAU
SY
RAL
E
ro
ANDORRA
a
NOR THER N
Eb
R
di
IB
Aneto
3404
Y
Ca
n
o u Le
M of
ón
P
ia
ta
a
in
G M
Basque
Mountains
Ra
CANTABRIAN RANGE
s
a
F R A N C E
nc
li
c
ss ian
if
Cape
Finisterre
Cape Ajo
Torre Cerredo
2648
aB
ay
Cape Peñas
lm
Cantabrian Sea
Estaca de Bares
1
Elevation (m)
River
Peak
Torrent
Country border
100
200
300 km
3 500
2 000
1 500
1 000
700
400
0
2 Is Spain a mostly flat or mountainous country? Is its average
altitude high or low? Explain your answer in your notebook.
3 L ook at the map and answer the questions in your notebook.
1 W
hat kind of map is it?
2 What does the map show?
3 List the peaks that appear on the map, their altitude, and the
mountain range to which they belong. Order them according
to height, from highest to lowest.
4 Where are the three tallest peaks in Spain located?
5
Track 2
The Meseta
The Meseta’s interior
The Meseta is the plateau at the centre of the Peninsula. Its average
altitude is 650 metres. It is the most extensive (400 000 km2) and highest
plateau in Europe. It covers Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, Madrid
and Extremadura. The rivers that travel through it drain their waters
into the Atlantic Ocean. Two mountain systems are located within the
Meseta.
• T
he Central System stretches from the Iberian System to central
Portugal. It divides the Meseta in two: the northern sub-plateau, home
to the Duero Valley, and the southern sub-plateau, home to the Tajo
and Guadiana valleys. It is divided into the mountains of Somosierra,
Guadarrama, Gredos (which includes Almanzor, the highest peak that
rises to 2 592 metres) and Gata.
• T
he Toledo Mountains are a smaller system. They separate the Tajo
Valley from the Guadiana Valley in the southern sub-plateau. Notable
mountains ranges are the San Pedro Mountains and the Guadalupe
Mountain, where Villuercas, the highest peak (1 601 metres), is located.
The Meseta’s borders
• The Mountains of León form the northwestern edge of the Meseta.
The Mountains of León include the Teleno Mountains and the
Segundera Mountains, where elevation rises to around 2 000 metres.
• The Cantabrian Range runs parallel to the coast on the northern
edge of the plateau. Its highest summit is Torrecerredo (2 648 metres,
in the Picos de Europa).
• The Iberian System is located on the Meseta’s eastern edge. It
includes the Picos de Urbión, the Albarracín Mountains and the
Moncayo Mountains, with its highest peak, Moncayo (2 313 metres).
• The Sierra Morena is located on the southern edge of the Meseta.
Its most notable mountains are the Aracena Mountains, the
Hornachuelos Mountains and the Madrona Mountains, which include
the highest peak, Bañuela (1 323 metres).
belong to?
1 Somosierra
4 Guadalupe
6
2 Gredos 3 San Pedro
5 Gata
le
cu
lars of Her
P il
1 Which mountain systems do the following mountains
s
Unit
Track 3
1
Mountain ranges outside the Meseta
Six mountain ranges are located outside the Meseta. Four of
them are in the north of Spain and two are in the south.
Mountain ranges of northern Spain
The four mountain ranges of northern Spain are very different.
• T
he Galician Massif is located in the northwest corner of the
country. The notable Cabeza de Manzaneda peak, in the middle
of the Massif, rises to 1 778 metres.
• The Basque Mountains are located in the north of Spain. They
are between the Cantabrian Range and the Pyrenees. One of
the highest peaks is the Aizkorri (1 528 metres).
• The Pyrenees are a large chain of mountains in the northeast
of Spain. They stretch from the Cantabrian Sea (Gulf of Bizkaia)
to the Mediterranean Sea (Cape Creus). It is a natural border
between Spain to the south and France to the north. The Aneto
is the highest peak (3 404 metres).
• The Catalan Coastal Range, runs parallel to the Mediterranean
coast. It is between the Pyrenees and the mouth of the Ebro
River. Its highest peak is the Turó de l’Home (1 712 metres).
The Baetic System
The Baetic System is a large mountain system in the southeast of
the Iberian Peninsula. It is made up of two mountain ranges: the
Penibaetic and the Subbaetic Ranges. Between these two ranges,
a series of small valleys, form the Intrabaetic Basin.
• The Penibaetic Range is closer to the southern coast of the
Mediterranean Sea. It contains the Ronda Mountains, the Baza
Mountains and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peaks, such as
the Veleta (3 396 metres) and the Mulhacén (3 478 metres), are
in the Sierra Nevada. The Mulhacén is the highest peak on the
Peninsula.
• The Subbaetic Range is located, next to the southern edge of
the Meseta. The Cazorla Mountains, the Segura Mountains and
La Sagra Mountains are among its most notable mountains.
A mountain
system is
a group of
mountain
ranges.
1 Look at the map on page 5 and locate the mountain ranges outside
of the Meseta.
7
Track 4
Depressions outside the Meseta
Depressions are low, flat areas of land. Because of their low
elevation, it is common for rivers to run through them. There are
two large depressions located between the border of the Meseta
and the outer mountain systems: the Ebro Depression and the
Guadalquivir Depression.
The Ebro Depression
The Ebro Depression is the larger of the two depressions. It covers
an approximate area of 40 000 km2 and is 900 kilometres long.
The Pyrenees lie to the north, the Catalan Coastal Range to the
east, and the Iberian System to the south and west.
The Ebro Depression is made up of different terrain, due to the
various materials deposited by the river and the region’s varied
climate.
• Somontanos or piedemontes are flat, moderately sloped terrain,
found between the bordering mountains and the depression’s
centre.
• Muelas or planas are formed in the depression’s centre and are
composed of hard limestone and clay and soft marl and gypsum.
• T
he Ebro Delta is the mouth of the Ebro River on the
Mediterranean Sea. The delta is formed by materials that were
dragged along the course of the river and deposited.
The Guadalquivir Depression
The Guadalquivir Depression covers an area of approximately
35 000 km2 and is 600 kilometres long.
The Sierra Morena lies to the north and northwest of the depression,
the Subbaetic Range to the northeast and the Penibaetic Range to
the southeast.
• T
he Guadalquivir River leaves clay deposits throughout most
of the depression, forming gently rolling hills, also known as
campiñas.
• A
t the mouth of the Guadalquivir River, the sea floods the lowlying coastal area, forming salt marshes (highly fertile land).
1 D
efine somontanos, planas and campiñas.
8
Unit
1
Coastal landforms
Track 5
The Spanish coastline
Spain has got about 7 880 kilometres of coastline. Peninsular Spain and
its islands are mostly surrounded by rocky cliffs.
The coast of peninsular Spain can be divided into five sections.
• The Atlantic coast of Cantabria
• The Atlantic coast of Galicia
• The Atlantic coast of Andalucía
• The Mediterranean coast of Andalucía
• The Eastern Mediterranean coast
Ceuta and Melilla are autonomous cities found south of the
Mediterranean Sea.
Cantabrian Sea
Peninsula coastal relief
The coast of Cantabria
Cape Ortegal
Cape
Peñas
Cape Cape
Ajo Matxitxaco
The Atlantic coast of Galicia
The Atlantic coast of Andalucía
of
Gulf ia
a
Bizk
F R A N C E
Cape Fisterra
ANDORRA
The Mediterranean coast
of Andalucía
Cape Creus
Gulf of
Roses
Eastern Mediterranean coast
100
200
300 km
AT L A NT I C
OC EA N
P O R
T U G
A L
0
AT L A N T I C O C E A N
Canary Islands
Gulf of Sant Jordi
Ebro Delta
Gulf of
Valencia
Balearic Islands
Cape
Nao
S
Mar Menor
Cape Palos
Gulf
of Cádiz
Cape Trafalgar
Tarifa point
ait
Str
ltar
of Gibra
Ceuta
MOROCCO
a
rr
Cape Gata
e
Gulf
t
of Almería
di
Me
Melilla
n
e
a
ea
n
A L G E R I A
Spain’s archipelagos
Track 6
• T
he Balearic Islands are mostly mountainous, as they are an extension
of the Subbaetic Range. The highest altitude is the peak of Puig
Major (1 445 metres), which is in the Tramuntana Range.
• T
he Canary Islands are mountainous and volcanic in origin. The
highest peak in Spain is the Teide, measuring 3 718 metres.
1 W
hat are the origins of…
1 … the Canary Islands? 2 … the Balearic Islands?
9
Andalucía’s terrain
Track 7
The relief of Andalucía
Andalucía occupies more than 17% of Spain’s surface.
It is the largest and most southerly autonomous
community on the peninsula. Its relief is varied and
includes several of the landforms that can be found
on the peninsula. The majority of the territory is flat,
but there are also two large mountainous zones to
the north and the southeast.
Mountainous zones
The Sierra Morena occupies the north zone. Its
mountains are of moderate height.
The Baetic System extends across the south and east
and it is made up of two large mountain ranges.
• The Subbaetic Range. Its maximum height is at the
peak of La Sagra (2 391 metres).
• The Penibaetic Range. The peak of the Mulhacén, in
the Sierra Nevada, is the highest peak in Andalucía
(3 478 metres).
There are small depressions found between both of
these mountain ranges, such as Antequera, Ronda,
Baza and Granada, which form the Intrabaetic Basin.
The Guadalquivir Valley
The National Park of the Cazorla,
Segura and Las Villas Mountains in
the Subbaetic Mountain range
Sand dunes on the Valdevaqueros
beach in Tarifa
The Guadalquivir Valley extends between the Sierra
Morena and the Iberian System. It is a large, fertile,
lowland plain, which occupies 65% of Andalucía’s
surface. Fertile campiñas can be found throughout
the valley.
The coasts of Andalucía
There are two coastal regions in Andalucía: the Atlantic
and the Mediterranean.
The Atlantic coast corresponds to the flat zones of the
Guadalquivir Valley. It is a low, sandy coast, with large
beaches that form sand dunes such as those found on
the Cádiz and Huelva coast. The Mediterranean coast
is influenced by its proximity to the Penibaetic Range.
It is predominantly straight, with high cliffs.
1 Look for pictures on the Internet of the campiñas in Andalucía and
explain what features they have in common.
10
Unit
1
Protected spaces
These areas are protected by the European Union, the Spanish state or
one of the autonomous communities. In order to become a protected
space, the area has to be a unique ecosystem, have suffered little
human impact or changes and not upset the balance of its ecosystems.
There are different types of protected spaces:
• National and natural parks. These are spaces that have not been
transformed very much by human beings. In Spain, there are fifteen
national parks and numerous natural parks.
• N
ature reserves. These are unique ecosystems such as lagoons,
groves, dunes and marshes.
• Natural monuments. These are unique natural formations of great
beauty or rarity, such as waterfalls and caves.
• P
rotected landscapes. These areas are normally conserved for their
aesthetic and cultural value.
Cantabrian Sea
ORDESA
AND MONTE
PERDIDO
PICOS DE
EUROPA
AIGÜESTORTES
I ESTANY DE
SANT MAURICI
OCEAN
ATLANTIC
ISLANDS
SIERRA DE
GUADARRAMA
MONFRAGÜE
CABAÑEROS
THE CABRERA
ARCHIPIELAGO
TABLAS DE
DAIMIEL
ANTIC
ATL
Track 8
DOÑANA
AT L A N T I C O C E A N
CALDERA DE
TABURIENTE
TIMANFAYA
SIERRA NEVADA
e
i t
d
M e
r
r
a
n
e
a n
a
S e
Protected spaces of Spain
TEIDE
GARAJONAY
National Park
Other spaces
0
100
200 km
1 S tudy the map and locate the national parks in Spain.
2 Investigate on the Internet and find three examples of nature
reserves, natural monuments and protected landscapes.
11
Apply
your skills
Project
Connect the terrain
Let’s build our own board game (with the help of an adult).
You will need:
•
•
•
•
•
electric cable
electric tape
c oloured felt, tip-pens
metal thumbtacks
a
light socket for a 5 V
light bulb
• two screws
1
• two test probes
• a
nine-volt battery
• a
wood panel (thin enough
for a thumbtack to stick
out the other side)
• a 5 V light bulb
2
Step 1
Step 2
race an outline of Spain onto the wood panel.
T
Beside your outline, list the names of the mountain
systems, ranges and peaks you have studied.
Step 3 Place a thumbtack next to each name on the list.
Step 4 Place thumbtacks in the corresponding locations
on the blank map of Spain.
Step 5 Flip the board over and connect the thumbtacks
with electric cable, joining the name on the list
with the correct location on the map.
Step 6 Fasten the light socket to the wood panel with
the screws.
Step 7 Connect a long piece of electric cable to one of
the screws with a test probe.
Step 8 Connect the other screw to one of the terminals
of the nine-volt battery with electric cable.
Step 9 Connect another long piece of electric cable to
the remaining terminal on the nine-volt battery
with the other test probe.
Step 10 Screw the light bulb into the socket.
Once the board is built, test your knowledge! Choose a
landform and touch its thumbtack with one probe. Find its
location on the map and touch its thumbtack with the other
probe. If the bulb lights up, you‘re correct!
12
3
4
Check what
you know!
k
Work in your noteboo
the two important depressions on the Iberian
1 Name
Peninsula. Where are they located? What is their
elevation?
the following mountains located in the interior,
2 Are
on the border, or outside of the Meseta?
1
2
3
4
5
Cabeza de Manzaneda
Cazorla Mountains
Moncayo Mountains
Guadarrama Mountains
Picos de Europa
3 Answer the questions in your notebook. Use picture
a, which shows the relief of Spain, to help you.
1 W
hich major landform covers
most of the Iberian Peninsula?
2 Which mountain range is in
the south of the peninsula?
3 Which
mountain
range
separates Spain from France?
4 Which mountain range divides
the Meseta in two?
a
My Word list
Meseta interior
Central System
Toledo Mountains
Meseta’s borders
Cantrabrian Range
Iberian System
Mountains of León
Sierra Morena
Meseta’s exterior
Basque Mountains
Beatic System
• Penibaetic/
Subbaetic
campiñas
Catalan Coastal Range
Ebro Depression
Galician Massif
Guadalquivir
Depression
mueles/planas
piedemontes
Pyrenees
does each coastal section begin and end?
4 Where
1 Atlantic coast of Cantabria
2 Atlantic coast of Galicia
3 Atlantic coast of Andalucía
are the differences between the Atlantic and
5 What
Mediterranean coasts of Andalucía? Why?
6 Which regions make up each of the following coasts?
1 The Mediterranean coast of Andalucía
2 The East coast
3 The Catalan Coast
13