Spanish Landscapes: Relief, Rivers, Vegetation, and Wildlife
Spanish Natural Landscapes
Lakes
Volcanic Crater Lakes: Laguna de Fuentillejo (Ciudad Real)
Glacial Lakes: Lago de Sanabria (Zamora), formed in eroded areas by glacial activity.
Karstic Lakes: Lagunas de Ruidera (Between Albacete and Ciudad Real)
Vegetation
- Maritime: Deciduous forests (beeches, oaks)
- Mediterranean: Mediterranean forests (oaks and bushes)
- Coastal: Cork oaks, holm oaks
- Inland: Holm oaks
- Sub-tropical (Canary Islands):
- Arid areas: Bushes with prickly leaves
- Higher, wetter areas: Laurisilva forests
- Alpine: Varied vegetation depending on altitude, including trees, scrubland, and grasslands
Natural Landscapes by Region
Maritime
Location: Northern and Northwestern Iberian Peninsula
Relief: Several mountain systems
Rivers: Short, regular flow
Vegetation: Deciduous forests, moss, grasslands
Fauna: Deer, capercaillies, wolves
Mediterranean Inland
Location: Inland Iberian Peninsula
Relief: Varied, predominantly plains in the Meseta and Ebro Valley
Rivers: Long, irregular flow
Vegetation: Holm oaks, bushes
Fauna: Eagles, wild cats, wild pigs
Sub-tropical (Canary Islands)
Location: Canary Islands
Relief: Mountainous, volcanic origin
Rivers: None
Vegetation: Pitas, laurisilva forests
Fauna: El Hierro giant lizards
Mediterranean Coastal
Location: Southern and Eastern Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands
Relief: Mountainous, except for coastal plains and Guadalquivir Depression
Rivers: Short, irregular flow
Vegetation: Mediterranean forests, scrublands, steppe
Fauna: Golden eagles, wild cats
Alpine
Location: High mountains (Pyrenees, Sistemas Béticos, Cordillera Cantábrica)
Relief: Steep mountains and valleys
Vegetation: Varied, depending on altitude
Fauna: Ibex, vultures
Definitions
- Cliff: A high, steep face of rock.
- Torrent: A water current that flows at high speed.
- Karstic: Relating to the erosion of limestone.
- Laurisilva: Laurel forest found in the Canary Islands.
- Steppe: An extensive plain, especially one without trees.
Main Types of Peninsular Relief
Meseta
Divided by the Sistema Central into:
- Submeseta Norte
- Submeseta Sur (further divided by the Montes de Toledo into the Tajo River basin and the Guadiana River basin)
Depressions
- Ebro Depression: Arid due to its isolation from the Mediterranean Sea.
- Guadalquivir Depression: Exposed to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean.
Edges of the Meseta
- Macizo Galaico-Leones: Rounded, low mountains.
- Cordillera Cantábrica: Isolates the Meseta from the Cantabrian Sea.
- Sistema Ibérico: A group of non-contiguous mountains.
- Sierra Morena: Separates the Meseta from the southern peninsula.
Exterior Mountain Ranges
- Montes Vascos: Steep mountains.
- Pyrenees: High central zone with two parallel ranges of lower mountains.
- Cordilleras Costero-Catalanas: Two mountain ranges parallel to the Mediterranean coast.
- Sistemas Béticos: Cordillera Penibética and Cordillera Subbética.
Island Relief
Balearic Archipelago
Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera, and Cabrera. All except Menorca are a continuation of the Sistemas Béticos. Sierra de Tramontana is the most important mountain range.
Canary Archipelago
Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma, El Hierro. Volcanic relief; Teide volcano (3715m) on Tenerife is Spain’s highest point.
Coasts
- Cantabrian and Northeast Atlantic: Rocky and steep.
- Mediterranean and Southeast Atlantic: Long sandy beaches alternating with rocky stretches.
- Balearic Islands: Beaches and rocky stretches.
- Canary Islands: Cliffs of volcanic origin, beaches with dark sand.