1. Geography of Spain

2. Objectives Content Objective: We will identify the geographical features of Spain. Language Objective: We will use and discuss key words: geography, peninsula, climate, temperate, flora, fauna, and vegetation.

3. Vocabulary Geography: study of the earth’s surface; includes people’s responses to topography and climate and soil and vegetation Peninsula: a portion of land nearly surrounded by water

4. Vocabulary Climate: the average condition of weather at a place usually over a period of years Temperate: having a moderate climate which lacks extreme temperatures Flora: plant life Fauna: animal life Vegetation: total plant cover

5. Physical Features

6. Physical Features Spain is Europe’s third largest country Spanish territory includes the mainland, the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands off the western coast of Africa, the Spanish free ports of Ceuta and Melilla on the northern coast of Africa, and several other small islands off the coast of Morocco

7. Physical Features The Spanish Peninsula borders France in the north and Portugal in the west; The eastern and southern coasts of Spain border the Mediterranean Sea There are extensive mountain ranges in the north and south of the country, and on the offshore islands A remarkable feature is the Meseta, a plateau in the center of the country, half of the Spanish mainland Spain also has 2,600 miles of coastline

8. Mainland Regions The Spanish mainland can be divided into five distinct regions Green Spain Inland Spain The Pyrenees Mediterranean Spain Southern Spain

9. Green Spain Located in the north and northwest Green Spain includes Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque Provinces Green Spain has a wet, evergreen climate The coastline is rugged with steep cliffs and rocky inlets called Rias

10. Inland Spain Inland Spain consists of the La Rioja, Castile-Leon, Castile-La Mancha, Extremadura, and the Capital of Madrid The region is characterized by its elevated plateaus and arid climate The entire region is located on a vast plateau, the Meseta, and has a stony sunbaked landscape

11. The Pyrenees The rugged mountain range extends 260 miles along the Spanish French border from the Bay of Biscay to the Gulf of Valencia The Pyrenees include three main ranges: the Catalan Pyrenees, the central Pyrenees in Aragon, and the Pyrenees of Navarre Throughout the region there are upper meadows, pasture land, glacial lakes, and streams

12. Mediterranean Spain Mediterranean Spain includes the regions of Catalonia, Valencia, and Murcia This region is home to many citrus orchards and is known to yield excellent produce

13. Southern Spain Southern Spain’s mild climate year round make it a tourist destination The natural landscape varies from east to west; from the snowcapped mountains of the Sierra Nevada to dry desert landscape to fertile soils and plains

14. The Canary and Balearic Islands The Canary Islands are seven islands in the Atlantic Ocean; they are volcanic in origin and have an abundance of tropical vegetation The Balearic Islands lie in the Mediterranean Sea; there are three main islands – Majorca, Minorca, and Ibiza – each with distinctive character

15. Climate Spain’s climate is less temperate than the rest of Europe The north and northwest of the country mild and wet conditions prevail Inland Spain has hot summers with little rainfall while the winters there are cold The southern part of Spain is warm and dry year round Snowfall is Spain is infrequent except in the mountains

16. Flora and Fauna The regional difference in geography and climate provide a variety of vegetation and animal life across Spain

17. Plants and Animals:Green Spain & The Pyrenees The dense forests and grazing land make the perfect environment for mountain fauna The trees are primarily beech, oak, chestnut, and eucalyptus and some pine and fur Apple orchards can be found along the base of mountain ranges The rivers and seas of the region are filled with seafood

18. Plants and Animals:the Mediterranean Coast Seafood and shellfish are in great abundance here Vineyards, olive groves, palm trees, and almond, fig, and citrus orchards are all part of the Mediterranean landscape

19. Plants and Animals: Southern Spain Olive groves, vineyards, and cherry, pear, peach, apricot and almond orchards are all common in the east Cotton, rice, and oranges are the predominate crop in the west Bulls are bred for the bullring in this region And a wildlife sanctuary here is protecting the lynx and imperial eagle

20. Plants and Animals:The Canary Islands The dragon tree is native to the islands, the tree was once thought to be the source of dragon’s blood, the orange fruit is filled with a thick, red, inedible liquid The island also has huge plantations of coffee, papayas, and bananas A rare species of oleander grows in the center of the island