Iberian Peninsula’s Diverse Geography
Central Plateau
The Iberian Peninsula’s heart is a vast plateau of 210,000 km2, with an average altitude of 700-800 meters. Formed by Paleozoic materials, it was shaped by the Hercynian and Alpine orogenies. Plains and mountain ranges characterize this plateau, divided by the Central System into northern (Duero Depression) and southern (Tagus and Guadiana basins) sub-plateaus.
The western part features eroded Paleozoic rocks, granite, and slate. The Central System, an east-west ridge, divides the plateau with peaks reaching 2,000 meters. South of the Central System lies the Southern Subplateau, divided by the Montes de Toledo into the Tagus and Guadiana basins.
Peripheral Units
The Galician Massif
Located northwest, with a 300 km length, its highest point is the Sierra de Queixa. It consists of Paleozoic materials and eroded depressions.
The Cantabrian Mountains
The northern edge of the plateau, extending from Asturias to the Basque Country. It includes the Asturian Sector with high peaks and the Cantabrian Sector with limestone materials.
The Iberian System
Separates the plateau from the Ebro Depression, featuring the Urbión and Moncayo peaks. It has complex lithology and tectonics, with Paleozoic and Secondary materials.
Sierra Morena
Located south, with Paleozoic materials and an altitude of 1,300 meters, it displays significant asymmetry.
External Units
The Pyrenees
Extending from Cape Creus to the Bay of Biscay, it includes the Axial Pyrenees with steep valleys and high peaks like Aneto (3,400 meters), and the Pre-Pyrenees with limestone materials.
The Betic System
Stretches from Gibraltar to Cabo de la Nao, featuring the Penibetic Range (south) and the Subbetic Range (north).
The Catalan Coastal Range
Parallel to the Mediterranean coast, it comprises the Coastal Range and the Prelitoral Range, separated by a depression rich in agriculture.
The Ebro Depression
Located between the Pyrenees and the Iberian System, closed to the sea by the Catalan Coastal Range.
The Guadalquivir Depression
Formed by the uplift of the Betic System, it is open to the sea and filled with sediments.