Use of cookies

We use cookies to improve and analyse your browsing experience on our web. You can accept these cookies, reject them or choose your settings by clicking on the corresponding buttons. Please note that rejecting cookies may affect your browsing experience. For more information you can consult our Cookies policy.

Configure cookies

Cookies are an essential part of how our web works. The main goal of cookies is to make your browsing experience more comfortable and efficient and to improve our services and the web itself.
Here you can find all the information about the cookies we use and you can activate and/or deactivate them according to your preferences, except for those cookies that are strictly necessary for the operation of the web. Blocking some cookies may affect your experience on the web and how the site works. For more information you can visit our Cookie Policy.

Strictly necessary (technical) cookies

These Cookies are necessary for the web to function and cannot be disabled on our systems. They are generally only set up in response to actions you may take such as requesting services, setting your privacy preferences, logging in or completing forms. You can set your browser to block or warn you about these cookies, but some parts of the web will not work. Information about Cookies.

Analytical cookies

These Cookies allow us to count the number of visits and traffic sources so that we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to find out which pages are the most popular and least popular, and to see how visitors move around the web. All information collected by these Cookies is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these Cookies we will not know when you visited our web. Information about Cookies.

Third party cookies

These cookies are used to analyse your activity in order to show you personalised advertisements. Information about Cookies.

Accept Decline Configure cookies Confirm selected

tester
Search
×
Notes
Search
There are no notes
  • The landscapes of Spain and Europe > The landscapes of Spain and Europe
  • To customise Pencil press Alt + Down Arrow
  • To customise Highlighter press Alt + Down Arrow

    Change theme

    Error - please check your internet connection...
    Back

    Blink Help

    x
    Error - please check your internet connection...

    How can we help you?

    No results

    View full manual

    Couldn't find what you were looking for?

    Please describe the issue you are experiencing and provide as many details as possible. Let us know the book, class, access device, licence code, username, used browser or if it occcurs in our app:

    Thickness:
    Font size:
    Filter
      No resources found
      Revision mode

      Revision mode

      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

      Getting started

      P

       

      Humboldt climbs the Teide

      During the 18th and 19th centuries, many European scientists went on expeditions all over the world to study nature.

      Alexander von Humboldt, German explorer, geographer and naturalist, went on one of these expeditions in 1799. Before crossing the Atlantic to America, he stopped on the island of Tenerife.

      Humboldt climbed the volcano Teide and measured its height. He also studied the relief, rocks and plants of the island.

      On the mountain, Humboldt wrote: ‘The peak of Mount Teide appeared in a clearing above the clouds. Just the summit was visible, its tip reached up against the purest blue sky…’.

      Humboldt was deeply impressed by the 3,718 metre summit of Mount Teide and the beauty of La Orotava Valley. When his ship sailed, he said: ‘I’m leaving this island with tears in my eyes. I wish I could live here forever’.

      Alexander von Humboldt.

       

       Read and understand

      • Who was Alexander von Humboldt? Where did he want to travel?

      • What did Humboldt do when he climbed the Teide?

      • What else did he study on Tenerife?

      • Mount Teide is the highest peak in Spain. How tall is it?

      • What impressed him about the island of Tenerife?

      • SPEAKING. Mount Teide is one of the fifteen National Parks in Spain. Discuss with your partner why you think it is a protected area.

       

       

      What do you remember?

        Coastlines

      A coastline is an area where the land meets the ocean or sea. It can have many different landforms, such as capes, headlands,peninsulas, islands, archipelagos, bays and gulfs. 
      Coastlines can also have estuaries, which are coastal inlets; marshes, which are flat coastal areas flooded with seawater; or coastal lagoons, which are saltwater lagoons separated from the sea by a narrow strip of land.

      • Name each landform labelled in the picture.

       

      1. The location and relief of Spain
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

      1. The location and relief of Spain

      P

      The location of Spain

      Spain consists of most of the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla on the North African coast. 
      Spain borders the Cantabrian Sea, France and Andorra to the north; the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal to the west; the Mediterranean Sea to the east; and the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco and the Atlantic Ocean to the south.

      The landforms of Spain

      Spain includes six main landforms: the Inner Plateau; two mountain chains on the Plateau; four mountain ranges around the Plateau; five mountain ranges beyond the Plateau; two river basins beyond the Plateau and two archipelagos.

       

      The Inner Plateau

      The Inner Plateau is an extensive plain that covers the centre of the Iberian Peninsula. It extends through the autonomous communities of Castile and León, Castile-La Mancha, Madrid and Extremadura.

      It has an average altitude of 600 metres. Since the Plateau is higher in the east, three rivers cross it from east to west: the Duero, the Tajo and the Guadiana.

      Two mountain chains cross the Inner Plateau:

      • The Central Mountain Chain. This chain includes mountains about 2,000 metres high, grouped in mountain ranges, for example, the Gata, Gredos and Guadarrama ranges. It divides the Inner Plateau in two: the Northern Sub-plateau and the Southern Sub-plateau.
      • The Mountains of Toledo. These are in the Southern Sub-plateau. They are low mountains that separate the Tajo and Guadiana river valleys.
      Main landforms of Spain.

      The Inner Plateau

       

      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P

      The location an relief of Spain

      1. Look at the map and the key. 
      • Which colour is used to identify the lower areas?
      • What altitude does this colour represent?
      • Where do you find these areas on the map?

        1 attempt
      Done
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P
      1. Find the main landforms and write their names

        1 attempt
      Done
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P
      1. Where is Spain located in Europe?

        1 attempt
      Done
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P
      1. What territories make up Spain?

        1 attempt
      Done
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P
      1. What main landforms make up the relief of Spain?

        1 attempt
      Done
      Getting started
      2. The relief and coasts of Spain
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

      2. The relief and coasts of Spain

      P

      The Inner Plateau and its mountains 

      The Inner Plateau is an extensive plain with an average altitude of 600 metres.

      It includes two mountain chains:

      • The Central Mountain Chain.
      • The Mountains of Toledo.

      Mountains surrounding the Inner Plateau

      The Inner Plateau is surrounded by four groups of mountains: the Mountains of León in the northeast, the Cantabrian Range in the north, the Iberian Mountain Chain in the east and the Sierra Morena in the south.

      The mountains of Spain

       

      The Inner Plateau in Valladolid

       

      Mountains beyond the Inner Plateau

      There are five mountain ranges beyond the Inner Plateau: the Galician Massif in the northwest, the Basque Mountains in the north, the Pyrenees in the north , the Catalan Coastal Chain in the northeast and the Betic Mountain Chain in the southeast.

       

      Mesa de los Tres reyes in the Pyrenees

      River basins beyond the Inner Plateau

      There are two large river basins beyond the Inner Plateau:

      • The Ebro river basin. It is located in the northeast of the Peninsula. The river Ebro flows through it from west to east.
      • The Guadalquivir river basin. It is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The river Guadalquivir flows through it from east to west.

      Landscape in the the Guadalquivir river basin

       

      The archipelagos

      Spain has two archipelagos: the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands.

      • The Balearic Islands lie to the east of the Iberian Peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea. This archipelago consists of five main islands: Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera and Cabrera. Mallorca is the largest island and has diverse land relief.
      • The Canary Islands lie to the west of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. These islands are of volcanic origin.  The archipelago consists of seven main islands: Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. Tenerife is the largest island and is home to Mount Teide, the highest peak in Spain at 3,718 metres.
      Volcano on the island of la Palma (Canary Islands)

       

      The coasts

      Spain has an extensive coastline. There are three different coasts:

      • The Cantabrian coast, which is high and rocky with few beaches.
      • The Atlantic coast, which is high and rocky in Galicia, low and sandy in Andalusia, and has many cliffs in the Canary Islands.
      • The Mediterranean coast, which has extensive beaches that alternate with rocky areas. This is the longest coast in Spain.

      Cape Gata, on the Mediterranean coast of Andalusia 

       

      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P

      The relief and coasts of Spain

      1. Find a physical map of Spain. Locate all the landforms on the Peninsula and the archipelagos.

        1 attempt
      Done
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P
      1. Complete the table about the Spanish archipelagos.
       

      Balearic Islands

      Canary Islands

      Location

      Names of the islands

        1 attempt
      Done
      1. The location and relief of Spain
      3. The location and relief of Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

      3. The location and relief of Europe

      P

      The location of Europe

      Europe is the second smallest continent in the world. It is the only continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere.

      Europe borders the Arctic Ocean in the north; the Atlantic Ocean in the west; the Ural Mountains and the Caspian Sea in the east; and the Mediterranean Sea in the south.

      The mountains

      Europe has many mountain ranges. Most European countries have at least some mountains.

      • Mountains in northern Europe. These mountain ranges are generally below 2,500 metres and have rounded peaks. They include the Scandinavian Mountains and the Ural Mountains, which form a natural border between Europe and Asia.
      • Mountains in southern Europe. These include the highest mountain ranges in Europe. The main ranges are the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Carpathians, the Balkans and the Caucasus Mountains, where the highest peak in Europe is found: Mount Elbrus at 5,642 metres.

      The plains

      The plains extend across the central and eastern parts of Europe. The main European rivers flow through this extensive area.

      • The Great European Plain. This extends from the North and Baltic Seas in the north, to the Alps and the Carpathians in the south. This plain includes some low mountain ranges, such as the Central Massif and the Vosges, in France.
      • The Eastern European Plain. This extends from the White Sea and the Barents Sea in the north to the Ural Mountains in the east.

      Physical map of Europe. 

      The plains of Europe

       

      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P

      The location and relief of Europe

      1. Find a physical map of the world and locate Europe. Which continents border Europe? Compare the relief of Europe to the reliefs of other continents.

        1 attempt
      Done
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P
      1. WRITING. Compare the reliefs of Great Britain and Spain.

        1 attempt
      Done
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P
      1. ICT. Look at the diagram. Find the country and mountain range for each of the highest peaks in Europe.

        1 attempt
      Done
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P
      1. Look at the map of Europe and answer the questions.

      • Which colour is used to identify the lower areas? And the higher areas?
      • Find the borders of Europe.
      • Find the highest peaks of Europe.

        1 attempt
      Done
      2. The relief and coasts of Spain
      4. The European coasts
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

      4. The European coasts

      P
      The European Coasts.

       

      The European coastline

      Europe has a very extensive coastline, totalling over 40,000 kilometres in length.

      The European coast is very irregular and jagged, with many coastal landforms.

      This extensive coast is surrounded by two oceans and several seas.

      • Oceans. Europe is bathed by the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Atlantic Ocean in the west.
      • Seas. Europe is bathed by the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Barents Sea in the north, and the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the south
      Coastal landscape in Croatia.

       

      European peninsulas and islands

      A peninsula is an area of land that is connected to a larger area of land on one side, but is surrounded by the sea on all other sides.

      The main European peninsulas are:

      • In the north: the Kola, Scandinavian and Jutland Peninsulas.
      • In the south: the Italian, Iberian and Balkan Peninsulas.

      An island is an area of land that is completely surrounded by the sea.

      The main European islands are:

      • In the north: Iceland, Great Britain and Ireland.
      • In the south: the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Malta, Crete and Cyprus.

      The Kola Peninsula is in the Barents Sea, in the north of Europe. 

       

      Other European coastal landforms

      There are other coastal landforms in Europe.

      • Gulfs are large bays. The main gulfs in Europe are the Gulf of Bothnia in the north, and the Gulfs of Lion and Genoa in the south.
      • Capes are high points of land that stick out into a sea or an ocean. The main capes in Europe are North Cape and Cape Reykjanes in the north, and Cape Finisterre, Cape St. Vincent and Cape Mattapan in the south.
      • Fjords are valleys into which seawater enters. They are formed by glaciers. Fjords are only found in the Scandinavian Peninsula.
      • Straits are narrow waterways that connect two bodies of water. For example, the Strait of Gibraltar connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

       

      Coast of Scotland. Great Britain is the largest island in Europe. 

       The coasts, peninsulas and islands of Europe

       

      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P

      The European coasts

      1. Look at the map and find five peninsulas, three gulfs, three capes, five islands and a strait.

        1 attempt
      Done
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P
      1. Write the names of all the oceans and seas in Europe.

        1 attempt
      Done
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P
      1. How long is the total coastline of Europe?

        1 attempt
      Done
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P
      1. SPEAKING. Explain these landforms to a partner: gulfs, capes, fjords and straits. Find examples on a map.

        1 attempt
      Done
      3. The location and relief of Europe
      Know how to
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

      Know how to

      P

        Interpret a topographic profile

      • Learn how to do it

       

      • Test yourself

      Can you interpret a topographic profile?

       

       

      Show that you can do it

      Interpret a topographic profile Show what you can do.

      1. Analyse this topographic profile and complete the table.
          Landforms
      Mountains on the Inner Plateau
      Mountains surrounding the Inner Plateau
      Mountains beyond the Inner Plateau
      River basins

        1 attempt
      Done
      4. The European coasts
      Show what you know
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

      Show what you know

      P

      1. Revision

      • Activities

      The relief of Spain

       The relief of Europe

      ">

       The location of Europe

       

      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P

      Final activities

      1. WRITING. Write a brief description of the relief of Spain. Include the main landforms on the peninsula, the islands and autonomous cities.
      1. Complete the table.
      Mountains of the Inner Plateau
      on the Plateau surrounding the Plateau beyond the Plateau
      1.
      2.
      		1.
      2.
      3.
      4.
      		1.
      2.
      3.
      4.
      5.
       
      1. Write a short description of each coastal area of Spain.
        ➢The Cantabrian coast is high and rocky with few beaches…
       

        1 attempt
      Done
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      Without background sound
      Logo

       

      P

      2. Test yourself

      What do you know about the relief of Spain and Europe?

       

      3. Play

      Guess the landforms of Spain

        Show your skills

      Choose and carry out one of the following activities:

      1. Make a poster of the main landforms in your autonomous community
      2. ITC. Search the Internet for information about a European landform of your choice and prepare a computer presentation.
      3. In groups, prepare questions for a trivia game about landforms in Spain and Europe. Then, play the game as a class.

      Know how to
      Back to contents
      • 1The landscapes of Spain and Europe
      • 2Rivers and climates in Spain and Europe
      • 3Humanized landscapes in Europe and Spain
      • 4Human impact on the environment
      • 5Contemporary history: Spain in the 19th century
      • 6Contemporary history: Spain in the 20th and 21st centuries
      • 7Spain today: a democratic country
      • 8Europe in the word
      • 9End-of-primary project. The word we live in
      • Getting started
      • 1. The location and relief of Spain
      • 2. The relief and coasts of Spain
      • 3. The location and relief of Europe
      • 4. The European coasts
      • Know how to
      • Show what you know
      1. 1
      2. 2
      3. 3
      4. 4
      5. 5
      6. 6
      7. 7
        Eraser
        Rich text editor
        Editor toolbarsBasic Styles Bold Italic Underline Strikethrough Transform Text Switcher Text Color Background Color Subscript SuperscriptParagraph Insert/Remove Numbered List Insert/Remove Bulleted List Decrease Indent Increase IndentLine spacingLine spacingparagraph2 Align Left Center Align Right JustifyInsert Link Table Insert Special CharacterStylesFontFontSizeSize

        Press ALT 0 for help
        Back to top
        close