✅✅✅🇪🇸 El RELIEVE de ESPAÑA / Geografía básica / Mapa físico de la Península Ibérica 🇪🇸✅

Geographical Features of Spain

Overview of Spain's Location

• Spain is located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe, surrounded by water on three sides: the Mediterranean Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Cantabrian Sea to the north.

Key Coastal Features

• The Gulf of León lies between France and Spain, with notable geographical points such as Cape Creus and small gulfs like Gulf of Roses. The Gulf of Valencia is also significant along the coast.

Important Capes

• Major capes include Cape Nao near the Balearic Islands, Cape Palos, and Cape Gata leading into various gulfs like Gulf of Mazarrón. Understanding these features is essential for grasping Spain's coastal geography.

Straits and Archipelagos

• The Strait of Gibraltar serves as a crucial maritime passage between Europe and Africa, alongside other important bodies like Cádiz Bay. Additionally, Spain has two major archipelagos: Balearic Islands (including Mallorca) in the Mediterranean and Canary Islands (like Tenerife) in the Atlantic.

Mountain Ranges in Spain

Northern Mountain Ranges

• The Cantabrian Mountains are characterized by steep limestone formations with prehistoric caves featuring remarkable rock art. To their west lies Galicia's ancient Macizo Galaico with softer hills formed through erosion.

Central Mountain Systems

• The Pyrenees create a natural barrier between France and Spain with high peaks including Aneto, while Sistema Central runs centrally through Iberia but features less elevation compared to others yet showcases spectacular formations like La Pedriza.

Southern Mountain Systems

• The Betic System consists of two ranges: Penibetic along the coast housing Pico Mulhacén (the highest peak in mainland Spain), separated from Subbetic further inland which presents unique geological characteristics.

River Systems in Spain

Major Rivers Overview

• Sierra Morena marks a transition zone between different geographical areas; it does not rise significantly above surrounding plains but acts as a boundary for river systems such as Guadalquivir flowing southward and Ebro running east-west across northern regions.

Notable River Characteristics

Geographical Features of Spain

Overview of Spanish Rivers

• The section of the Ebro River that runs through Spain is shorter than its total length, highlighting the unique characteristics of rivers in this region.

• Rivers flowing into the Mediterranean, such as the Ter, Llobregat, Turia, Júcar, and Segura, are generally short and have low water flow.

• In contrast, northern rivers like Bidasoa, Nervión, Nalón, and Navia are also short but possess a high water flow due to increased rainfall in those areas.

Notable Mountains in Spain

• The Mulhacén is noted as the highest mountain on the Iberian Peninsula; however, it is not the tallest in all of Spain.

• The highest peak in Spain is Teide, a significant volcano located on Tenerife Island. This distinction arises because Teide is situated outside the Iberian Peninsula.

Geographic Classification of Tenerife

• Tenerife is politically part of Spain but geographically belongs to the Canary Islands rather than the Iberian Peninsula.

• The Canary Islands are volcanic in origin and consist mainly of large volcanoes that rise from the ocean floor.

Conclusion on Spanish Relief Units

• The discussion wraps up with a summary of key geographical features within Spain's relief units.