UNIT 7.

GEOGRAPHY – SPAIN
1. TERRITORIAL ORGANISATION OF SPAIN

Spanish territory is organised into MUNICIPALITIES, PROVINCES, AUT. COMMUNITIES

AND CITIES.
- The basic unit of territorial organisation is the municipality, which consists of one or several
population centres, and the surrounding areas that it administers.
- A municipal council (ayuntamiento) governs each municipality. It consists of a mayor and an
assembly of councillors. The council controls basic services.
- A group of municipalities form a province. Spain has a total of 50. They are governed by a
Provincial Deputation. In Canary Islands, their own administration is called Cabildos and
Consejos in the Balearic Islands.
- One or more provinces form an AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY. Spain has 17 and 2
Autonomous cities (Ceuta and Melilla).
- The Statute of Autonomy regulates self-government in each Autonomous Community.

1 GALICIA 5 NAVARRA (NAVARRE) 9 LA RIOJA 13 COMUNIDAD

VALENCIANA (THE
COMMUNITY OF
VALENCIA)
2 ASTURIAS 6 ARAGÓN (ARAGON) 10 COMUNIDAD DE MADRID 14 ANDALUCÍA (ANDALUSIA)
(THE COMMUNITY OF
MADRID)
3 CANTABRIA 7 CATALUÑA(CATALONIA 11 EXTREMADURA 15 MURCIA (THE REGION OF
) MURCIA)
4 PAÍS VASCO (VASQUE 8 CASTILLA LEÓN 12 CASTILLA LA MANCHA 16 BALEARES (BALEARIC
COUNTRY (CASTILE AND LEON) (CASTILE-LA MANCHA ISLANDS)
17 ISLAS CANARIAS
(CANARY ISLANDS)
 1. PHYSICAL FEATURES
1.1. Relief: Inner plateau (Cordillera central)
 Northern Sub-Plateau Average altitude of 750 m. The Duero river crosses it.
Inner plateau (meseta Páramos are found in high flat areas. In lower altitudes
central) rives create fertile clay agricultural land
Southern Sub-Plateau Average altitude of 650 m. Separated by the Montes de
Toledo. Páramos and clay agricultural plains are found
in the Tajo basin (cuenca). The plain of La Mancha
occupies much of the Guadiana Basin
Central System Formed by this mountain ranges: Gata, Gredos,
Guadarrama, Somosierra, Ayllón and Pela
Mountain ranges
Montes de Toledo Lower altitude than the central System.

Locate on the map (with numbers):

1 Northern Sub-Plateau 4 Montes de Toledo

2 Guadarrama Mountains 5 Iberian System
3 Sierra Morena 6 Central System

1.2. Relief: Peninsular relief (Relieve peninsular)

 Complete the table with the information from the book (p.114-115). Then locate them in the map.
Surrounding the Meseta
Away from the Meseta
Galician Massif
Cantabrian Mountains
Iberian System
TAJO BASIN
1.3. Coasts and islands
Mountain ranges
(A)GALICIAN MASSIF
(B) CANTABRIAN MOUNTAINS
(C) PYRENEES
(D)CATALAN COASTAL CHAIN
(E) BAETIC SYSTEM
Highest peak
PENA TREVINCA (2127 M)
TORRE DE CERREDO (2648 M)
MONCAYO
River basins
GUADIANA BASIN
Complete the table with the information from the book (p.116-117). Then locate them in the map.

CANTABRIAN Straight coastline with many cliffs (acantilados) and only

Coastline few beaches.
MEDITERRANE Very varied: the coast of Andalucia is straight with cliffs
AN and plains. The coast of Murcia and Valencia has long
beaches and coastal lagoons like the Albufera. The
Catalan coast has cliffs and small bays (bahías) where the
Ebro delta is located.
ATLANTIC The coast of Galicia is very irregular, with many rías. The
coast of Andalucia is very low and has long, sandy
beaches.
Balearic Islands Names: Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera, Cabrera.
Islands Their relief is mainly flat, except for the Sierra de
Tramontana in Mallorca.
Canary Islands Names: Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, El Huerro, Gran
Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote.
The islands are of volcanic origin. The highest peak:
Teide (3.728m), located on Tenerife.
1.4. Rivers
THE LONGEST RIVER IN SPAIN IS: TAJO (find out its length, tributaries, cities it
flows through):
LENGTH: 1007 KM / TRIBUTARIES:

CITIES: Aranjuez, Toledo and Talavera de la Reina (Spain) Abrantes, Santarém and
Lisboa (Portugal).

2. CLIMATES AND LANDSCAPES

SPAIN’S CLIMATE
- Spain has mainly TEMPERATE CLIMATE, warmer and drier than most of Europe
because it’s in the south of the northern hemisphere.
- In most of Spain, there is a considerable difference between seasons. Summer is the
hottest, winter the coldest; spring and autumn are the wettest.
- The factors that influence the climate of Spain are:
LATITUDE - Hotter and drier in the south of Spain
- Colder and wetter (húmedo) in the north
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE - The Azores anticyclone moves to Spain from
North Africa causing dry and warm summer.
- In winter, cold dry air reaches Spain from
Northern Europe.

DISTANCE FROM THE SEA Precipitation is greater and temperatures milder (más
suaves) near the coast because of the humidity of the sea.
ALTITUDE Temperatures are lower and precipitation is greater in
mountainous/alpine areas.
SPAIN’S LANDSCAPE

OCEANIC

CLIMATE  Mild temperatures regulated by the Atlantic Ocean.

 Rainfall is heavy and regular throughout the year.

VEGETATION  Deciduous woods (oak, chestnut, beech trees), moorland in

high areas, meadows in some regions.

MEDITERRANEAN

CLIMATE  Precipitation scarce + irregular.

 Temperatures are mild in coastal regions.
 In the Inner Plateau summers are extremely hot and winters
very cold. The mountain ranges are a barrier against the
influence of the sea.
VEGETATION  Mediterranean forest of evergreen trees (holm, oak, cork),
 Shrubs like rosemary, thyme and lavender.
 Fruit trees in coastal regions.
SUBTROPICAL
CLIMATE  Temperatures are mild all the year, close to the Tropic of
Cancer. Scarce precipitation.

VEGETATION  Date palms, pine trees, drago trees, laurisilva vegetation.