SUMMARY UNIT 9: THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF SPAIN

1. INTRODUCTION

Spain is in the Southwest of Europe. It is joined to the rest of Europe by a

mountain system called the Pirineos, to the north. It is also shares borders with
Portugal to the west.

The Spanish territory occupies about 85% of the Iberian Peninsula. It also
includes:
-

The Balearic Islands, in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean.

The cities of Ceuta y Melilla in northern Africa.

Surrounding the Peninsula, we have different bodies of water:

-

The Mediterranean Sea to the Southeast.

The Atlantic Ocean to the west.

The Cantabrian Sea to the north.

2. THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF SPAIN

Relief is the set of landforms that are in a territory. Its main landforms are:
-

Mountains are big elevations of land. Many mountains together are called a
mountain range and many mountain ranges together are called a mountain
chain.

Plains are large areas of flat land. Plateaus (or mesetas) are areas of flat land
that are high above sea level. Valleys and natural depressions are low, flat
areas between mountains.

Coasts are areas in contact with the sea.

The relief in Spain is varied. Spain is mainly a mountainous country. To understand

the main mountains and plains in Spain, we start studying the central part of Spain
which is made up of the Meseta Central. Then, we focus on the mountains that
surround the Meseta Central. And finally, we study the mountains that are outside the
Meseta.

2.1. THE MESETA CENTRAL

The central part of Spain is a large Meseta. It is called MESETA CENTRAL.
There are two mountain chains inside the Meseta Central:
-

The Central Chain (SISTEMA CENTRAL) is a high mountain chain

with high peaks. The tallest point is Almanzor, which is in Sierra de
Gredos. The Central Chain divides the Meseta Central into two
Submesetas: the Submeseta Norte and the Submeseta Sur.

The Toledo Mountains (MONTES DE TOLEDO) which is a low

mountain chain that is in the Submeseta Sur.

2.2. MOUNTAINS AROUND THE MESETA CENTRAL

The Meseta Central is surrounded by different mountain systems:

The MONTES DE LEN, to the northwest, with their highest peak, the

Teleno.

The CORDILLERA CANTBRICA to the north. The highest point is Torre

Cerredo.

The SISTEMA IBRICO located to the east of the Meseta. The highest peak

is Moncayo.

The SIERRA MORENA located to the south of the Meseta.

2.3. MOUNTAINS OUTSIDE THE MESETA CENTRAL

The mountains that are far away from the Meseta are:

The MACIZO GALAICO to the northwest. The highest point is Cabeza de

Manzaneda.

The MONTES VASCOS located to the north of the Peninsula.

The PIRINEOS which mark the border between Spain and France. In the
Pirineos, we can find some of the highest peaks in the Peninsula, like the
Aneto.

The CORDILLERA COSTERO CATALANA to the northeast. It is made up

of mountains near the coast.

The CORDILLERA BTICA to the south. It is made up of two mountain

systems: The Cordillera Subbtica and the Cordillera Penibtica. In the

Cordillera Penibtica, we can find the highest peak of the Peninsula which is
the Mulhacn, in Sierra Nevada.
3. NATURAL DEPRESSIONS (OR VALLEYS)
These are low, flat land, usually with rivers running through them.
There are two main river valleys in Spain:
-

The DEPRESIN DEL EBRO: Located to the northeast of the

Peninsula. It is surrounded by the Pirineos, the Sistema Ibrico and the
Cordillera Costero Catalana.
The river Ebro and its tributaries flow through this depression and into
the Mediterranean Sea.

The DEPRESIN DEL GUADALQUIVIR: Located to the southwest

between the Sierra Morena and Cordillera Subbtica.
The river Guadalquivir and its tributaries flow through it and into the
Atlantic Ocean.

4. SPANISH COASTS
Spain has a long coastline. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean
Sea and the Cantabrian Sea.
4.1. THE ATLANTIC COAST
It is divided into two areas:
-

The ATLANTIC COAST OF GALICIA, in the northwest of the

Peninsula. It is rocky with lots of cliffs and capes like the Cabo
Finisterre.

The ATLANTIC COAST OF ANDALUCA, in the southwest of the

Peninsula. It has a low sandy coast with capes and gulfs like the Cabo
de Trafalgar or the Golfo de Cdiz.

4.2. THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST

It has lots of beaches with capes like the Cabo de Gata in Almera.
4.3. THE CANTABRIAN COAST
There are beaches and also cliffs. One of the main gulfs is the Golfo de Vizcaya.

5. SPANISH ISLANDS
Islands are pieces of land surrounded by water. Many islands together are called
archipelago.
In Spain there are two large archipelagos:
-

The ISLAS BALEARES in the Mediterranean Sea.

This archipelago is made up of the islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza,
Formentera and Cabrera. The tallest peak is in Mallorca, called Puig
Major.

The ISLAS CANARIAS in the Atlantic Ocean.

It is made up of the islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura,
Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera y El Hierro.
Its relief is of volcanic origin and its coasts have many cliffs.
We find the highest mountain in Spain, in the island of Tenerife, the
Mount Teide.