Unit 2: Coastal landforms in Spain Social Science
Spanish coastline Spain has 7,880km of coastline between all its territories. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Cantabrian Sea and Mediterranean Sea. It is mostly cliffed and rocky coasts but there are some low-lying, flat coastal plains and large beaches. Peninsular coastline is straight except for the Galician coastline.
Coastal features: Land relief near the coast is the most important. Mountain ranges near the coast form cliffed and rocky shores Low-lying plains near coast create flat shores and large beaches. Tides cause sand and marine deposits to build up in coastal plains and create beaches. Coastal erosion is breaking down of land by the coast. Allows: Water to flood low-level areas Plains to form in high-level areas Classification: Atlantic coast: Coast of Cantabria, to the north, between France and Cape Ortegal. Coast of Galicia, in the northwest, between Cape Ortegal and the Portuguese border. Coast of Andalucia, in the southwest, between the Portuguese border and Strait of Gibraltar. Canary Islands Mediterranean coast: Coast of Andalucia, in the southeast, between the Strait of Gibraltar and Murcian border. Eastern Mediterranean coast, from Murcia to France. Ceuta, Melilla and the Balearic Islands
Coast of Andalucia Coast of Cantabria Coast of Galicia Atlantic Coastline
Atlantic coastline of Cantabria stretches from the northern edge of peninsula in the Gulf of Bizkaia to Cape Ortegal. Is straight and formed by high, rocky cliffs (Cantabrian Range). There are some sandy beaches, rias, coastal benches or wave-cut platforms. Includes: coasts of Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and part of the northern coast of Galicia. Borders: Cantabrian Sea which connects to the Atlantic Ocean. Waters: cold with strong waves. Landforms: Estaca de Bares, Busto, Vidio, Penas, Mayor, Ajo and Matxitxako capes, Eo, Aviles, Villaviciosa, San Vicente, Nervion and Bidasoa rias and the Bay of Santander.
Atlantic coastline of Galicia stretches from Cape Ortegal to the mouth of Rio Mino at the border of Spain and Portugal. Is irregular and formed by rocky cliffs due to rias. Rias: formed when the sea floods the valleys of the coastal foothills of the Galician Massif. Wider and deeper than those of the coastline of Cantabria. Rias Altas: north of Cape Fisterra Rias Bajas: south of Cape Fisterra Landforms: the Vigo, Pontevedra, Arousa, Ares y Betanzos and Ferrol rias and the Fisterra, Tourinan and Ortegal capes.
Atlantic coastline of Andalucia stretches for 300km from mouth of the Guadiana on the border of Spain and Portugal to the Strait of Gibraltar. Is straight and formed by low-lying, flat and sandy terrain since it is near the Guadalquivir Depression. Salt marshes and coastal wetlands form, which are low-lying areas filled with salt water and sediments brought in by the tide and flooding of rivers. Long, sandy beaches with dunes are typical along the coasts of Cadiz and Huelva. Landforms: Ria de Huelva, Marshland of the Guadalquivir, Gulf of Cadiz, Bay of Cadiz, Cape Trafalgar and Tarifa point.
The Mar Menor Mediterranean coastline Mediterranean coast of Andalucia Eastern Mediterranean coast East coast Catalan coast Cape Gata
Mediterranean coast of Andalucia stretches from Strait of Gibraltar to the border between Andalucia and Murcia. Is straight and formed by high cliffs (Penibaetic Range). Flatter areas can be found in the south, near Malaga. Landforms: Bay of Algeciras, Gulf of Almeria and Cape Gata.
East coast stretches from the coasts of Murcia and the Valencian Community to the Ebro Delta, containing low-lying, coastal plains which give way to sandy beaches. Small deltas where rivers flow into the sea and salt lakes are found along the coast. Freshwater lagoons form when marine deposits build up and separate from an existing bay. Mar Menor and the Albufera of Valencia Rare coastal areas with rocky cliffs can be found where the foothills of the Subbaetic Range reach the coast. Around Cape San Antonio and Cape Nao. Eastern Mediterranean coast Catalan coast stretches from the Ebro Delta to its border with France. Rocky, sea cliffs form along this coast where the Catalan Coastal Range reaches the sea. Costa Brava in Girona Small, low-lying coastal plains are also found in this rugged zone. Form beaches Landforms: Gulf of Sant Jordi, Cape Salou, Cape Begur, the Gulf of Roses, Cape Creus and the Ebro Delta. Landform: Gulf of Valencia
Spanish archipelagos Spain s islands are archipelagos: Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean
Balearic Islands include Mallorca, Menorca, Formentera, Cabrera and several islets. Land relief: mostly mountainous. Subbaetic Range emerges in the middle of the sea Mallorca, Eivissa and Formentera Highest peak: Puig Major (1 445m) in Mallorca in the Tramuntana Range Catalan Coastal Range Menorca Coasts: North the coasts are high and form coves within the rocks where the mountains reach the sea. Mallorca and Menorca South it is flatter with long, sandy beaches Formentera
Canary Islands Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, along with some smaller islands. Land relief: volcanic in origin and formed from molten rock (magma) rising from cracks in the Earth s crust in the ocean. Malpaises are rough terrain formed by rapid solidification of lava Mountainous, especially in the west Highest peak: Teide (3718m) on Tenerife Coasts: mostly high and cliffed, pebble beaches on the western islands and sandy beaches on the eastern islands.