Climatic Zones and Landscapes of Spain and the Earth
Atlantic Oceanic Landscape
Atlantic Oceanic Landscape: Northern Spain, a land and sea drenched in the Atlantic Cantabric.
- Climate: Influenced by the gentle sea. Cool summers with an average temperature of 20°C and warm winters with an average temperature of 10°C.
- Precipitation: Abundant all year.
- Landscape: Deciduous forests, such as oaks and chestnuts. Natural meadows are very wet areas where livestock graze.
- Settlements: Major cities cling to the coast. These are centers for coastal commercial and sport fishing.
- Cities: They act as industrial and service hubs. Tourism is of increasing importance, with the consequence of degrading the natural landscape.
- Habitat: Scattered (the houses in the villages are not together but separated).
Mediterranean Landscape
Mediterranean Landscape: Lands bathed by the Mediterranean Sea.
- Climate: Hot summers and mild winters.
- Precipitation: Abundant during fall (floods) and spring, with summer droughts.
- Vegetation: Evergreen forests with small trees such as pine and oak. Scrubs include rosemary and thyme. The driest areas have steppe vegetation, similar to African types.
- Settlements: Densely populated area, abundant in cities and towns. The main activity is tourism, which has led to the degradation of the landscape.
Interior Landscape
Interior Landscape: Located in the interior of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Meseta.
- Climate: Mediterranean with a continental edge.
- Temperature: Hot, dry summers and cold winters with minimum temperatures.
- Precipitation: Isolated by short sea winds.
- Vegetation: Oaks are only abundant in Extremadura and Salamanca, where pastures are formed.
- Population: Sparsely populated, concentrated in small rural towns. The habitat type is rated. These areas have been depopulated and are aging. They have been revitalized by tourism.
High Mountain Landscape
High Mountain Landscape: The highest regions of Spain.
- Climate: Low temperatures with very cold winters (-0°C) and lots of snow. Cool and short summers.
- Precipitation: Abundant above 800m altitude.
- Vegetation: At lower altitudes, Mediterranean forests (like oak) transition into deciduous forests. Above these are coniferous forests with firs and pines. Above 2000m, grasslands dominate.
- Settlements: Sparsely populated due to harsh climate conditions. People live in country houses.
- Economy: Livestock and forestry. Some areas also have tourism.
Climatic Zones of the Earth
Climatic Zones of the Earth
Warm Landscapes
Warm Landscapes: From the two tropics.
- Types: Forest, savanna, desert.
- Forest: Equatorial zone with an equatorial climate (25°C). High temperatures throughout the year. Abundant precipitation all year round. Lush greenery and varied wildlife. Indigenous peoples practice gathering and hunting. Logging forests are exploited abusively.
- Savannas: Tropical climate zone with high temperatures throughout the year. Precipitation is abundant in summer. Vegetation consists of tall grasses with scarce trees. Fauna includes large herbivores (elephants) and lions. Villages are dedicated to livestock and agriculture. Tropical products are exported.
- Desert: As we move away from the jungle, temperatures become very hot during the day and very cold at night. Precipitation is almost non-existent, with little vegetation and few animals (camels). Settlements are near oases, and people are nomadic, leading to nearby villages.
Temperate Landscapes
Temperate Landscapes: Areas between warm and cold regions. Temperatures are moderate with four seasons. Precipitation occurs throughout the year, depending on the area. There are variations in vegetation depending on the landscape. These are fairly mild climate areas.
Cold Landscapes
Cold Landscapes: Mountain areas and polar regions. Temperatures are very low all year. Precipitation is scarce. Vegetation consists of shrubs and meadows, with no vegetation at high altitudes. These are sparsely populated areas. Eskimos practice fishing. In high mountains, hunting is practiced, and life is difficult, with the population concentrated in the valleys.