Geography of Spain Notes PDF

The Geography of Spain Area, Climate, and Population Area ❖​ Spain is located in the Southwest of Europe ​ Bordered by Portugal to the west and France to the northeast ​ Bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the East and the Atlantic Ocean to the West ​ In the...

The Geography of Spain Area, Climate, and Population Area ❖​ Spain is located in the Southwest of Europe ​ Bordered by Portugal to the west and France to the northeast ​ Bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the East and the Atlantic Ocean to the West ​ In the south, Spain is separated from Africa by the Gibraltar stretch ​ Politically, Spain also contains the Islas Baleares in the Mediterranean, the Islas Canarias in the Atlantic, and the ports of Melilla and Ceuta above the Mediterranean coast of Marruecos Population ❖​ In total, about 39 million people inhabit Spain, an area smaller than Texas but four times the size of New York. Climate ❖​ Spain is in the temperate zone but has a widely varying climate in its different regions. ​ In the majority of the northern coast and the mountains in the northeast, the climate is temperate. ​ It is the coldest and rainiest region in the country ​ In the south and the east, the climate is hot. ​ In the central region and the southeast coast, extreme climates are found ​ It is very hot in the summer, and very cold in the winter ​ It is said that Castilla has “six months of summer and six of winter” Mountain Ranges and Principal Rivers Mountains ❖​ Spain is the most mountainous country in Europe behind Switzerland. Almost half of the country is covered in a tall plateau called “la meseta.” Various mountain ranges surround La Meseta ❖​ Las Sierras de Guadarrama (north of Madrid) and Gredos divided them in two: ​ To the north, Castilla y León ​ To the south, Castilla-La Mancha, where the plain of La Mancha is, and is famous for the novel Don Quijote de La Mancha, by Miguel Cervantes ❖​ To the south of the country, there is the Sierra Morena, which separates La Mancga from the valley of the Guadalquivir ❖​ The Sierra Nevada is also in the south, where el Mulhacén, the tallest peak in the peninsula at 3,478 meters, lies near Granada  ❖​ To the northeast are los Montes Cantabricos, with peaks up to 2,600m ❖​ To the north are the Pirineos which border France with summits of 3,300m Rivers ❖​ The valleys created by the mountains form the five largest rivers in Spain ❖​ El Ebro (north), which passes through Zaragoza, and disembarks in the Mediterranean ​ All other rivers disembark in the Atlantic Ocean ❖​ El Duero, which starts near Burgos (En Castilla y León), passes through Valladolid and enters Portugal on the way to the Atlantic ❖​ El Tajo is the largest river, which travels through Toledo, then into Portugal where it ends near Lisboa ❖​ El Guadiana (south) passes through Mérida and Badajoz two ancient Roman centers ❖​ El Guadalquivir, whose shores lie in the cities of Córdoba and Sevilla, is the most navigable river in Spain. Minerals and Principal Products Principal Products ❖​ Spain is a very agricultural country ❖​ In the north, there is an abundance of wood and fish ❖​ In the central part, they cultivate lots of wheat and other cereal ❖​ In the south are the famous wines of Jerez and Málaga, and the oils produced to make olive oil ❖​ Spain is the country with the most olives produced in the world and the third producer of wine in the world ❖​ In the southeast rice is cultivated, as well as the famous Valencian oranges, lemons, dates, and other tropical fruits Minerals ❖​ The most important mineral produced in Spain is iron, which is extracted from Vizcaya (in the north) ❖​ In the south lead is produced from Linares, and in the southeast, there are mines of copper from Río Tinto ❖​ In the central south, there are mines of mercury from Almadén, which are the largest in the world Territorial Division in the Country ❖​ Administratively, Spain has 50 provinces. Historically, it is divided into 15 regions, each with its own traditions, cultures, and many of their own languages The North  ❖​ Galicia is north of Portugal, surrounded by the Atlantic ​ Its inhabitants, los gallegos, are descendants of the Celtic people from Europe ​ In addition to Spanish, they speak Gallego, a language similar to Portuguese ​ The principal ports in this are are Vigo and La Coruña ❖​ Asturias is between Galicia and Cantabria and is famous for its mining industry ​ There, you find Covadonga, where the hero Pelayo defeated the Moores in 718. Starting the period known as la Reconquista ​ The main cities in this region are Oviedo and Gijón ❖​ Cantabria is east of Asturias ​ Altamira is a famous cave there, known for its prehistoric paintings ❖​ El Pais Vasco is near los Pirineos in the northern part of the country ​ It is mountainous, well-irrigated, and beautiful ​ It’s inhabited by the Basques, descendants of an unknown origin who speak Basque ​ The origin of this language is also ancient and unknown and cannot be connected to any other European language ​ The Basques are very independent and very religious ​ San Ignacio de Loyola, a Jesuit, was born there ​ It has the beach of San Sebastian, known as el Biarritz or el Lido ❖​ Navarra is a mountainous region east of El Pais Vasco ​ Its capital, Pamplona, is famous for its annual fairs ​ In July, they have the festival of San Fermín, which attracts tourists from all around the world ❖​ La Rioja is famous for its high-quality wines, los vinos de Rioja ​ Its capital is Logroño El Centro ❖​ Castilla, which occupies the greater part of La Meseta Central, is divided into Castilla y León in the north and Castilla-La Mancha in the south ​ It gets its name from the many castles constructed there during the wars between the Moores and the Christians ​ Its language, el Castellano, is the official language of Spain ​ No other region has had as much influence on national life as Castilla, whose kings joined in a decisive paper that united the many regions of Spain ​ Additionally, Castilla y León has rich mines of iron and coal ❖​ Madrid is the central economy of Spain and the residence of Spain’s government and courts ​ Madrid is the capital of Spain ❖​ Extremadura, south of Castilla y León, is also mountainous ​ The Guadiana River runs through this land, where you find many monuments from the Roman era  ​ There, three of the greatest conquistadors were born: Francisco Pizarro, Hernán Cortés, and Vasco Núñez de Balboa The South ❖​ Andalucia, the region to the south of the country, receives a lot of cultural influence from the Arabics. ​ Its principal cities represent the distinct periods of its history ​ Cádiz, for example, was the center of the Phonecian trade ​ During the Muslim era, cities such as Córdoba, Granada, and Sevilla prospered ​ In Andalucia, there are typical Spanish houses, painted with vivid colors, patios in the center, and balconies that face the street The East ❖​ Cataluña ​ It is the most industrial region of Spain ​ Its main city, Barcelona, is the biggest port in the country ​ Los Catalanes are bilingual, as in addition to Castellano, they speak their own language, el Catalán, also derived from Latin ​ There have been instances in the past from some Catalanes to part from the central Spanish government ❖​ Valencia, ​ known for the fertility of its land and excellent irrigation system ​ It is called “The Heart of Spain,” on account of its agricultural products and delicious Valencian oranges ​ The canal irrigation system there was introduced to Spain by the Moores ​ The customs of Los Valencianos and their traditions are well represented by some of the novels written by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez ❖​ Murcia ​ It is rich in minerals like iron and copper ​ The principal products of this region are dates, lemons, and oranges ❖​ Aragón ​ Sheep are an important industry in this region ​ Zaragoza, its main city, gets its name from the Roman Emperor Julius Ceaser and was of great importance during the Roman occupation of Spain Extraterritorial Possessions ❖​ Spain also has some extraterritorial possessions, which fall under the empire of Spain ❖​ Las Islas Baleares form an archipelago in the Mediterranean ​ The most known parts are Mallorca, Menora and Ibiza ​ Its capital is Palma de Mallorca, and its main industry is tourism  ❖​ Las Islas Canarias form an archipelago of seven large islands in the Atlantic, partly bordered in the south by the Marruecos ​ The islands are divided into two provinces: Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas ​ Since 1982, the canaries have ruled as an autonomous community ❖​ Melilla y Ceuta are two ports on the coast of the Marruecos that have been a part of Spain since the fifteenth century Principal Cities ❖​ Madrid is the capital and largest city in Spain, with a population of about 4 million ​ It is in the middle of the country and has many places of historical interest ​ El Museo del Prado → paintings from famous artists such as Velåzquez, el Greco, and Goya ​ El Palacio Real → one of the largest and most luxurious palaces in the world ​ El Parque de Buen Retiro → the main park in the capital and an ancient playground for Spanish nobles ​ La Puerta del Sol, the main plaza where it is said that all roads in Spain end ​ Near the capital is El Escorial, an enormous monastery founded by King Felipe II in 1563, under construction for 22 years ​ It has a severe, classic, and majestic style ​ This building contains el Panteón de los Reyes, where many Spanish kings entered ​ There is also a grand library, church, and a rich collection of artwork and tapestries ​ Another enormous monument near the capital is el Valle de los Caídos, built in memory of the soldiers who died in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) and dedicated in 1959 ​ Inside this wide vault, there is a cross more than 125 meters tall ​ Francisco Franco was put there in 1975, dictator of Spain until his death in 1939 ❖​ Barcelona is the capital of Cataluña and the main port of Spain ​ The city is divided into two parts by Las Ramblas, one of the most beautiful avenues in all of Europe ​ La Plaza de Cataluña is the commercial and social center of the city ​ Barcelona is traditionally a large artistic and cultural center, where many world-famous painters and writers have lived  ​ On the outskirts of the city, there is the famous Montserrat monastery, visited by thousands of tourists ❖​ Sevilla, on the shores of the Guadalquivir, is the main city in Andalucia ​ During the colonial period, it was the only port where boats left for the New World ​ La Catedral de Sevilla is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and holds the tomb of Christopher Columbus ​ La Giralda, built in the 12th century, is a tower of the cathedral and is a good example of Arabic architecture ​ In the tallest part of the tower, there is a weather vane ​ Sevilla is a typical Andalusian city, with each part containing ancient, long streets, and beautiful patios that adorn the inside of the houses ❖​ Valencia is a port of Mediterranean shores and a great agricultural, industrial, and commercial center ❖​ Granada is situated at the foot of the Sierra Nevada ​ It was the last fortress of the Moores in Spain, conquered by Los Reyes Católicos in 1492 ​ One place of interest is el Albaicín, a picturesque neighborhood where gypsies lived in the 16th century ​ La Alhambra, an ancient palace of Moore kings, was immortalized by North American writer Washington Irving (1783-1859) in his book “The Alhambra” and where the famous Patio de los Leones and other examples of Muslim live ​ El Generalife, another Moore palace is famous for its enchanting gardens and was the summer residence of Moorish kings ❖​ Toledo is situated on the shores of the Tajo River, a small distance from Madrid ​ It was the Visigoth’s capital of Spain and the residence of Spanish royalty until 1560 ​ The city was immortalized by the works of El Greco ​ The famous Alcázar de Toledo, a Moorish castle that was destroyed in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War, has been totally reconstructed ❖​ Cádiz is a port above the Atlantic ​ In primitive times, it was a colony of the Phoenicians ❖​ Bilbao, the capital of the province of Vizcaya, is the central mining industry in the north ​ It created an important paper during las Guerras Carlistas upon the death of Fernando VII in 1833 ❖​ Burgos is the ancient capital of Castilla y Léon ​ It has a famous cathedral of the same name and is one of the marvels of Gothic architecture in Spain ​ There, the tomb of El Cid Campeador, a national hero of Spain, lies ❖​ Santiago de Compostela is a city in Galicia, visited each year by thousands of religious pilgrims ​ According to tradition, there you can find the tomb of the apostle Santiago, the patron saint of Spain ❖​ Salamanca is the site of one of the oldest universities in Europe, the University of Salamanca, founded in the 13th century. ​ The city maintains a Roman cathedral from the 12th century and another Gothic one from the 16th century, in addition to the many buildings from the 16th and 18th centuries ❖​ Córdoba, on the shores of the Guadalquivir, was in the tenth and eleventh centuries the Muslim government capital of Spain and the most important cultural center in all of Europe ​ It is one of the most picturesque cities in Spain ​ Its famous mosque, today a cathedral, is an Arabic monument, that began construction in 786