Glossary of Geography Terms

Geography Glossary

1. Physical Geography

Landforms

1.1. Cárcava

Forms on material erosion loamy-clay sedimentary in half semiarid environments. These have been intensely dissected by the action of water, giving place at a dense network of ravines embedded and separated by peaks.

1.2. Countryside

Lowlands which alternate layers of clay, sandstone, and other sedimentary rocks, which are characterized by their soft modeling, with alternating hills and valleys and for being formed by various levels of river terraces that support intensive agricultural exploitation.

1.3. Cerro Witness

An elevation representing stratified residue of a horizontal platform dismantled by erosion and that is isolated against a tabular relief or slope, that was part of it and which has been separated by erosion.

1.4. Cirque

Depression or bucket of glacial erosion in semicircular shape, bounded by rocky escarpments and steep slope located below the level of summits.

1.5. Level Curve or Isohipsa

The contours are the lines that unite on the topographic maps the points that have equal height, above or below the reference level, usually sea level. The thicker curves are called master curves, they often carry the value.

1.6. Delta

Accumulation tank shaped alluvial fan, located at the mouth of a river. It arises because the load material in suspension that carries the river exceeds the capacity of sea erosion.

1.7. Dune

Mound or lifting up of a pile of sand accumulated by the wind in coastal or arid environments.

1.8. Erosion

The process of modeling the earth’s surface caused by weathering, chemical, mechanical and anthropic glaciers, wind, temperature and water in its different states, etc. Includes material transport.

1.9. Failure

Breakage or fracture of rock strata due to orogenic forces. It can be seen in terms of her fails, the fault break and lips sunken.

1.10. Graben

It is also called a rift valley. It is a depression formed by the collapse of rock strata included between two or more parallel faults.

1.11. Gelifraction / Gelivation

A term that describes geomorphological mechanical weathering of rocks by freezing water. It produces the expansion, fracturing, and disintegration of the same. Its effectiveness depends on the size of the pores and abrupt changes in temperature. Leads to the formation of “scree”. It occurs in cold, humid climates.

1.12. Geosyncline

Groove or depression of the crust where large amounts of sediment accumulate, which are then uplifted and folded. The geosynclines often part of large marine sedimentary basins, as they accumulating sediments have processes.

1.13. Glacis

Ramp with a gentle slope. Typical Piedmont form that is rooted in a mountain slope and connects with the bottom of a valley or depression. It is the result of a process of erosion and/or accumulation of materials, in general, poorly rounded.

1.14. Horst

Tectonic pillar. Block bounded by faults that have been raised by the collapse of the surrounding terrain by a system of failures or by their own uplift.

1.15. Hoz / Foz / Cannon / Throat

Cut deep or transverse valley made by a narrow river, predominantly in areas of limestone.

1.16. Ibone

Lakes of glacial origin. At the time of the glaciers, these excavated small buckets to melt the ice then, became small and deep lakes. There are over a thousand in the Pyrenees.

1.17. Marshes

Low, swampy area flooded by the sea or by the mouth of a river. Spaces are morphologically volatile with peculiar habitat and filling process. E.g. The Guadalquivir marshes.

1.18. Meander

Name derived from a river in Asia Minor. Curve describes the channel of a river away from its regular route then return to it. The stream bank is eroding the steep and another.

1.19. Karstic

Forms that are derived from the action of water on soluble rocks such as limestone. Some forms appear on the surface: Limestone pavement, poljes, and sinkholes. Others are underground: galleries, chasms, stalactites, stalagmites.

1.20. Morrenas

Accumulation of material from loosening, weathering or of the glacial erosion, which are transported and deposited on the sides, in the middle and the bottom of a glacier.

1.21. Orogenic Movements

A process that transforms the land’s crust, with forces and pressures, causing the appearance of mountains. In turn, accompanied by movement and impaired magma and volcanism.

1.22. Paramo

Heading mainly Castilian Platform tabular table or wheel, consisting of a limited horizontal surfaces by escarpments.

1.23. Peneplain

Plain nearly uniform in which occasionally are some residual relief, and this term is reserved flattening the surfaces generated by a cycle of erosion.

1.24. Rambla

Natural course of rainwater when it falls with extraordinary abundance, or very wide channel through which most of the year, or sometimes for years, not running water and that after leads to heavy rain a torrent of short duration.

1.25. Relief in Cost

Relief asymmetrical formed by a front or escarpment and a reverse or back of gentle slope, is located in the edges of river basins and is the result of erosion differential of a monocline with sedimentary structure resistant layering and soft layers weakly inclined.

1.26. Jurassic Style

It is characterized by an alternation of folds anticlines convex, and concave or synclines, regular and smooth plastic materials formed by the secondary and tertiary as Vascos Mountains.

1.26. The Germanic Style

Consists of a block system raised (horst) and sunken (graben) resulting from the fracture of Paleozoic old rigid materials during the Tertiary orogeny, as the Central System. (See terms fault and horst).

1.26. The Saxon Style

Combines both processes, fractures and creases, following the deposition of alternating sedimentary material on the Paleozoic massifs, so that the socket is fractured Paleozoic sedimentary and dressing are folds, adapting to the underlying structure. It is characteristic of Sistema Ibérico.

1.27. Relief Tabular

The horizontal relief exhumed by the river network, located in the center of a sedimentary basin Alpine Orogeny post, so it has not undergone any orogenic deformation formed by alternating layers that offer different resistance to erosion, and are crowned by a increased hardness. When dissected fluvial erosion processes these structural platforms, residual forms originate far the remaining materials.

1.28. Ria

Submerged river valley, resulting from raising the level of sea (Eustathius) or the collapse of the continental mass.

1.29. Valley Glacier

U-shaped valley or trough. Are carved on the rocky slopes of the glacier tongues in descent.

1.30. Volcano / Fire / Crater / Cone

Relief with accumulation of lava around a broadcasting pipe, through which connects the magma to the surface land. The external volcanic apparatus is constituted by a cone, caused by accumulating lava mountains around the mouth of the volcano or crater.

1.31. Base

A set of materials which are metamorphic and igneous. The basement of the dressing. This is old material, which subjected to tectonic thrusts, behave rigidly fracture.

Climate

1.32. Temperature Oscillation Amplitude

The difference between the maximum and minimum temperature of a period of time (day, month, year). Generally speaking of annual temperature range (difference between the coldest and hottest month of the year), and diurnal amplitude (difference between the maximum and minimum temperature of the day).

1.33. Anticyclone / High Pressure

Compression action center upper atmospheric 1013 millibars, which is the average pressure level of the sea.

1.34. Aridity

Synonym for dryness, defined as lack of water, the result of the relationship of rainfall, temperature, and vegetation.

1.35. Windward

Slope of a relief or region-oriented wind direction. Usually, the windward slope is more moist and wider because the air is compelled to go up, in doing so cools and precipitation occurs.

1.36. Cierzo

Local name of the Ebro Valley of Wind Northwest nature cold and dry and gusty. It is channeled through the valley reaching great speed.

1.37. Climate

A set of meteorological phenomena that characterize the state of the atmosphere of a land surface area for an extended period of time.

1.38. Continental

It is the property that has the Continental masses to win or lose temperature faster than the sea and which is greater the greater the land area. This quality affects the climate by making it more extreme.

1.39. Jet Stream

Powerful air currents driven on the limit of the troposphere. This flow of winds circulating from west to east, at an altitude of approximately 9000 meters, with speeds between 150 and 600 km./h. It is located about 40 of latitude, but varies along latitudinal stations of the year, making the front surface reflection Polar.

1.40. Depression / Cyclone / Stormy

Center of action with atmospheric pressure less than 1013 millibars, which is the average sea level pressure.

1.41. Effect Foehn

Effect caused by the collision of wet air masses with a mountain range, which ascends the side of windward, cooled, condensing and producing rain, resulting in the leeward side of very dry winds and temperatures are rising as these descend.

1.42. Evapotranspiration

Loss of surface moisture. Land evaporation and transpiration of living beings that dwell here, especially the plants.

1.43. Inversion Conditions

Meteorological phenomenon that is that the air temperature of the earth’s surface is lower than the upper layers of the atmosphere, which are relatively more temperate. The temperature then increases with height instead of decreasing, as often occurs in the troposphere. It is good at night radiation under clear skies in an anticyclonic winter position or by warm air advection on a cold air mass. Investment stability and blocks cause the whole descent so they can increase pollution levels.

1.44. Polar Front

Flat interface between two air masses with different characteristics: warm and cold / dry and humid… In this case, related to contact between the mass of cold polar air and warm tropical. The greater the contrast the more powerful the front. Separate, so meanwhile, warm anticyclones polar low pressure. Located in the mid-latitudes and near the Jet Stream and undergoes a latitudinal displacement.

1.45. Drop Cold

It is a cold air mass, which slides the polar front and descends at high speed toward warmer climes. The contract temperature gives rise to significant convective processes that give rise to abundant rainfall, sometimes catastrophic, both more the greater the difference in temperature between the two bodies of air. Still common in the Mediterranean in late summer and early autumn.

1.46. Stroke

Time during which the sun shines. Number of direct solar radiation incident per unit area, expressed as the number of hours that the sun’s rays reach the ground level.

1.47. Isobar

Imaginary line on a weather map connecting points of equal pressure measured at sea level. Together constitute the pressure changes (anticyclone…).

1.48. Isotherm

Imaginary line joining points on maps of temperature as well as average or at any particular time.

1.49. Isohyet

Imaginary line on a map joining points of equal precipitation.

1.50. Rain Convection

Precipitation due to convection movements in the atmosphere. They are due to local overheating air masses causing its elevation carrying steam containing water at ground level. As they rise, are expand and cool, to reach a certain height, the vapor condenses water and lead to cloud type “cluster” that would trigger the precipitation.

1.51. Air Mass

A nearly homogeneous atmospheric portion of great lateral extension (usually hundreds or thousands of kilometers), with a marked horizontal uniformity of moisture, temperature, and pressure, acquired by prolonged contact with their place or region of origin.

1.52. Fog

Suspension in the atmosphere of tiny water droplets limiting horizontal visibility to less than 1 kilometer.

1.53. Precipitation Liquid or Solid

Deposition of water in the form solid or liquid on Earth’s surface from the meteorological phenomena.

1.54. Barometer

Air weight per unit area.

1.55. Solana

In temperate zones is the slope of a hill or mountain facing south in the northern hemisphere and vice versa in the Southern characterized by high insolation and the resulting concentration of heat.

1.56. Leeward (or Lee)

Side of a slope or relief, protected from the prevailing wind generally drier and wider thermal the slope.

1.57. Weather

The state of the atmosphere at a time and in a certain place. It is defined by the values of various weather elements: temperature, precipitation, wind, sunlight, etc.

1.58. Umbria

Slope of a hill or mountain slopes exposed to North, where almost always shade.

Hydrography

1.59. Groundwater

Water coming to subsurface infiltration superficial waters.

1.60. Flurry

Deposit of loose material – gravel, sand, etc. – formed by the water to overflow. When soil material consisting of flood soil is called alluvial.

1.61. Cauce

Bed of a river and canal to bring water for the lands.

1.62. Flow

The amount of water from a river that flows through a given point of its course. The absolute flow is expressed in cubic meters per second and is affected by climatic and environmental conditions that is the watershed. The relative flow is found by dividing the previous in liters per second, the catchment area in km2.

1.63. Flood

It is an abnormal increase in river flow. For some authors, it would be more appropriate to speak of maximums.

1.64. Watershed

Geographical space or area in which the runoff waters converge into a main sewer, a river, lake, or sea.

1.65. Endorheic

Geographical areas whose river basins do not have an outdoor outlet, emptying into an inland sea or lake.

1.66. Runoff

The process of surface drainage down a slope, that feeds on rainfall, snowmelt, or springs.

1.67. Station Capacity

Instead of measuring the flow of a stream of water.

1.68. Drought

Lowering of the river, which may eventually disappear. For some authors, it would be more appropriate to speak of minimums.

1.69. Exoreic

Geographical areas whose catchment areas have a sea outlet.

1.70. Lake

Mass of fresh or salt water, accumulated in more areas depressed Earth’s crust, formed by stable water and some depth, and no communication with the open sea or ocean.

1.71. Laguna

Like the lake but to a lesser extent, a small lake.

1.72. Flood Plain

Bottom of a valley over which a river overflows in a time of flood alluvial deposit. The floodplain is an area of very gentle slope that wanders by the river and in which there may be wetlands, backwaters, (meanders abandoned) and stagnant water.

1.73. National Hydrological Plan

The set of rules and measures regulating the activities relating to institutional water management. Was submitted to Cabinet in 1993 but not yet approved a final version.

1.74. River System

A term that includes fluctuations in the volume of a seasonal river and its tributaries in terms of their power supplies. May be regular and irregular. The scheme hardly any regular annual variations, rivers subvertiente Cantabrian. In the regime with irregular seasonal variations exist flood (peak flow) and low water (minimum flow), rivers Mediterranean.

1.75. Scheme Nival, Nivo-Rain, Rainfall-Nival, Rain

Refer to the diet of a river. They indicate the provenance of the most of caudal.

1.75. Nival Regime

They receive their major inputs of water during the thaw, from May to June. It is located in the headwaters of mountain rivers: Pyrenees and Sierra Nevada.

1.75. Nivo-Rain System-Nival and Rainfall

A mixed system with a major contribution in the first case of snowmelt, and the second of rainwater.

1.75. Rainfall Regime

The regime prevailing in the peninsula. Their contributions come from the rains. Its flows are in function of monthly mean precipitation. The ocean storm has its largest flow in autumn-winter and is quite regular during the rest of the year. The Mediterranean storm has very low water in summer accentuated and maxima in the equinoxes and the subtropical rain that the period of drought is very long.

1.76. River Terrace

Accumulation of boulders, sand, and silt on the banks of a river. They correspond to old beds abandoned river and put in highlight on the current channel differential erosion. They are due to changes in climate during the Quaternary.

1.77. Hydrographic Slope

Limited geographical area mountain ranges which pours its waters into a sea itself. Slope Atlantic and Mediterranean side.

2. Biogeography

2.1. Biogeography

It is a branch of geography that describes and explains the distribution of the living world from climate data, the soils, and vegetation. It is a science of synthesis and, therefore, deals with relationships of living beings with the environment.

2.2. Forest Vegetation Sclerophyllous

It is the one formed by those species of shrubs and evergreens that have adapted to long droughts, seasonal produce hard leaves that prevent loss of moisture transpiration.

2.3. Deciduous

A term that refers to the ability of some plants to lose their leaves annually. In temperate zones, the leaf drop occurs during the fall or winter (e.g., oak and beech).

2.4. Ecosystem

A set of an organic community of plants and animals and the physical-chemical environment in which they live and act: soil, vegetation, climate, fauna.

2.5. Edaphology

It is the science of soil, analyzing its profile, composition and distribution, and somehow the way used (agriculture).

2.6. Endemism

The restriction of a particular plant species to a particular area (habitat) due to factors such as climate, soil or isolation.

2.7. Steppe

Training plant drought-tolerant plants consisting of characterized by small size and discontinuity of the tapestry plant. It is proper to temperate latitudes. In Spain located mainly in the drier and degraded Mediterranean climate, and is formed by thorny shrubs, palms, thyme, esparto.

2.8. Garriga

Evergreen shrub grown xeric and soon to be found on limestone soils in the driest areas of the Mediterranean climate. It consists of Kermes, wild carob, mastic, wild olive, rosemary, and thyme.

2.9. Humus

Organic matter from the decomposition of living creatures, both animal and vegetable.

2.10. Maqui / Maquis

The bush is a shrubbery, dense, almost impenetrable, sometimes reaching more than two feet high and comes from the degradation of forest soils siliceous and waterproof. It is a dense undergrowth, as a result of forest degradation Mediterranean.

2.11. Evergreen

A term that refers to the ability of some plants to remain always with leaves, so that when one rises the other falls. Examples are evergreen oaks (Quercus ilex), cork, and pines.

2.12. Profile of a Ground

The practice resulting from a vertical soil cut comprised several horizons.

2.13. Podzols

Soil type, which is located in cold areas on siliceous rocks, and under the large coniferous forests, is gray, very wash superiores layers.

2.14. Undergrowth

Term used in referring to the Vegetation that grows under the trees of a forest, whether woody or herbaceous.

2.15. Ground

It is the mineral and organic situated between the bedrock surface. Prepared by numerous microorganisms mixed vegetable and mineral elements, liquid and gaseous elements.

2.16. Terra Rossa

Red soil rich in iron oxide, typical Mediterranean climate. It is taken for the alteration of the limestones and dolomites in hot and dry climates. It is a fertile ground.

2.17. Climax Vegetation

Optimal state of balance, relatively stable between vegetation and environment, the soil and natural, without human intervention. Final stage of the forest total adaptation to its environment.

2.18. Xerophile / Xerophile Plants

Plants that support and accommodate limited means to live in humidity.

3. Population

Demography

3.1. Baby Boom (Population Explosion)

This is called a way to strong population growth, according to a rise spectacular birth. The baby boom has occurred in Spain in the decade of the sixties.

3.2. Census

This is a source population consisting of a count at a given time, which collects, summarizes, analyzes, and publishes data demographic, cultural, economic and social of a country. In Spain, it is done every ten years.

3.3. Zero Population Growth

Demographic situation in which population size does not change from year to year – stationary population, due to equality between the rates of birth and mortality.

3.4. Demographics

Science whose object is the study, description, analysis, and composition of the population according to different characters and different phenomena that influence this composition.

3.5. Density

Ratio of the total population of Ranges and its surface (d = P / S), usually expressed as inhabitants per km2 (h / km2).

3.6. Aging

It is the increasing proportion of older people over 65 years in a population. To measure it, the percentage of old people relative to the total population is used, a value around 15% indicates a clear aging or old relationship / population under 15 years.

3.7. Life Expectancy

It is the average number of years a person can expect to live either at birth or a certain age.

3.8. Rural Exodus

Migration of people from the countryside to the city, which represents a change of residence and usually also a change of activity.

Habitat

3.9. Concentrate

Type of distribution of inhabited spaces in a place where houses are contiguous to each other, forming compact structures.

3.10. Scattered Habitat

Type of distribution of inhabited spaces in a place where the houses are distributed individually, or in small groups of two or three and without a recognizable form.

3.11. Immigration

Movement of people to a given territory from outside. Immigration can be internal if migrants are from the same country, or abroad if they come from abroad.

3.12. Migration

Movement of people from a given territory to outside. International migration can be external if the migrant moves countries, or internal if they do not leave their country.

3.13. Swings

That makes a person travel between their residence and workplace. Frequency is exceptionally daily or weekly. It is one of the usual migration patterns. The most common case, this migration is performed from the periphery of cities to the central areas (centripetal motion), but may also occur in the opposite (centrifugal).

3.14. Municipal Register

It is a source that collects demographic and neighborhood data of the inhabitants of a municipality with the expression of some of its features. Their data provide full evidence of residence and collect demographic, economic and social. It is conducted every 5 years and in Spain, since 1981, in years ending in 1 and 6.

3.15. Age Pyramid

Graphic representation that reflects the distribution of a group of individuals or population structure, by age and sex at a given time.

3.16. Workforce

A set of people who provide available labor for the production of goods and services among the population aged 16 and over until retirement age. Includes persons of both sexes who have a job (working population) and those looking for work (unemployed labor force), either because of unemployment or because they are seeking their first job.

3.17. Population of Law

Means the persons enumerated in one municipality.

3.18. Population Fact

All persons in a municipality at a given time.

3.19. Inactive Population

A set of people 16 and over who do not have paid work. Includes retirees, pensioners, investors, students, persons engaged in work from home, disabled…

3.20. Rural Population

A set of people living in rural or field areas, whether or not they play an agricultural activity statistically in Spain the census defines as rural population living in towns of fewer than 2,000 inhabitants and those living in semi-urban areas that are between 2,000 and 10,000 inhabitants.

3.21. Urban Population

All persons living in cities, mainly devoted to the secondary and tertiary sectors.

3.22. Civil Registry

Source population that continuously collects the most significant demographic events (births, deaths, and marriages), usually immediately after they occur.

3.23. Net Migration

The difference between the number of emigrants and immigrants in a particular location. It is positive if greater than the number of immigrants, and negative otherwise.

Economic Activity

3.24. Primary Sector

Includes those employed in economic activities directly related to the exploitation of natural resources, namely agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry (also called forestry).

3.25. Secondary Sector

The sector of the economy that brings together the people connected with the activities that transform raw materials or products not manufactured into products. Within this sector are usually included industries, mining, and construction.

3.26. Tertiary Sector

The sector of the economy of a country’s population grouping related activities known as services, which do not produce tangible goods directly, but managing the distribution of goods from other sectors, such as trade, transport, etc.

3.27. Overpopulation

Overpopulation in an area about their resources or other economic or social objectives broader.

3.28. Natural Rate Decrease

Results from the difference between births and deaths in a year relative to the total population for that year. It is expressed in per thousand or percent.

3.29. Real Growth Rate

The balance between natural vegetative growth or in absolute and net migration.

3.30. Fertility Rate

An index relates the number of births per thousand women of childbearing age (between 15 and 49 years) over a period of time (usually one year) and a given territory.

3.31. Rates (Gross) of Mortality

The number of deaths per thousand inhabitants in a given year and territory.

3.32. Infant Mortality Rate

Index calculated in per thousand that relates the number of children dying under one year and the number of live births in that year. In one place.

3.33. Rate (Crude) Birth

Ratio in per thousand between the number of births in a period of time and the average of the existing population in this period in a specific territory.

3.34. Unemployment Rate

Index calculated in percentages expressing the number of people of working age (between 16 and 65 years) than in or given a time period without a job.

4. Urban Geography

Urban Morphology

4.1. Metropolitan Area

Urban space is composed of a central city and a series of adjoining communities, with geographic contiguity between them, with a transport system and communications that come into contact with the central city area of influence, and hold between them a flow of commuters.

4.2. Old Town

Urban space developed since the origin of the city until the onset of the industrial city in the nineteenth century. They provide a series of common characteristics.

4.3. Business Center (CBD)

The part of the city that is localized and concentrated urban functions than highly specialized, mainly the directives of the financial and corporate sectors, but also the decision of public and private services. They are usually urban areas with the highest levels of accessibility and have a gradual loss of resident population, but also on the impact of land price is higher. In large cities, they usually have several CBDs.

4.4. Bedroom City

Housing estates built in the metropolitan suburbs to meet the urgent housing demands caused by rapid rural exodus. The city is monofunctional residential, small to exist proximity services and equipment.

4.5. Garden City

Project planning and implementation based on the integration of town and country, which emerged in the late nineteenth century. The author is Howard who in 1898 wrote “Garden Cities of Tomorrow” where he designed a model of bourgeois city and suburban neighborhoods of detached houses with gardens. In Spain, it spread this model to the early twentieth century.

4.6. Conurbation

Union or coalescence of two or more towns that form a continuous agglomeration in the morphological, following the progress of urbanization along the lines of communication. As there is some functional autonomy and specialization in each.

4.7. Shacks

Suburban residential occupancy model of spontaneous, improvised nature, consisting of a slum typology without the most minimal basic infrastructure.

4.8. Ensanche

Project planning and implementation that arises in the middle of the nineteenth century, especially thanks to the contribution of the Ildefonso Cerdá, as a management tool for the strong growth of urban land requiring the industrial city. This new conception of urban space is articulated in an octagonal, with chamfered rectangular blocks, thus allowing the rational construction of numerous homes, well connected to the center, with wide green spaces and well equipped with basic urban services, were occupied by the bourgeoisie.

4.9. Urban Isochronous

Lines that connect points of the city or its surroundings, from which it takes the same time to access the urban center.

4.10. Urban Isoprecious

Lines that connect the different points of the city or environment, from which it costs the same amount of money on travel to the city center, where there is no fee and multipurpose transport.

4.11. Urban Hierarchy

Ranking of cities according to their order of importance. This hierarchy can be measured in terms of demographics, economic, trade, or directional functions.

4.12. Peri-urban

Peripheral area of the city subject to the advance of the front of urbanization and raised in the surrounding rural fringe. Morphologically defined by the existence of single-family residential developments of types (free or attached) large commercial and service outlets in highways, new industrial parks, technological poles architecture avant-garde, etc.

4.13. General Urban Plan (General Plan)

Integrated management tool municipality. Classify the soil to establish detailed land use, defines the key elements of the overall structure of the territory and determines urban development programs.

4.14. Linear Plane

Corresponds to the city structured along a main line of communications. On both sides of it are arranged the principal building and urban services, although it is often also distribute a number of streets parallel to the central axis. The best-known model of this morphology is the Ciudad Lineal de Arturo Soria.

4.15. Plano Unordered

Corresponds to part of the city developed mainly in the Middle Ages, whose paths do not follow a regular geometric structure but are sinuous.

4.16. Plano Orthogonal

Corresponds to a rational model of city planning, to optimize land use with a provision of rectangular streets.

4.17. Concentric Plan

Corresponds to a city that prioritizes a central square or crossroads from which radially structural pathways of the city that are connected by successive concentric rings.

5. Rural Geography

Agrarian Activities

5.1. Part-time Farming

A term that refers to a method of farming that through the incorporation of mechanization and modern farming techniques that occupation combines with other paid work in other productive sectors and is an essential factor in raising income per capita in many rural areas.

5.2. Agriculture Market

One in which production agriculture is geared entirely to the market, whether food is raw materials. It is characterized by its specialization and the incorporation of advanced techniques, use of agrochemicals and optimization costs. If the market is not regulated there is a risk of price instability. It is typical of developed countries but also in areas of developing countries.

5.3. Subsistence Farming

It is one whose production is largely for home consumption and is characterized by low productivity. That is, its basic food production is family or rural community. It is characteristic of large sectors of the poorest countries.

5.4. Organic Farming

Also called organic farming, it is without chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides by using natural fertilizers to prevent contamination of soil and water.

5.5. Extensive Agriculture

Farming system based on the occupation of land generally large, usually dedicated to one product, with input of scarce labor and mechanization. Yields per hectare are low, but higher unit labor invested.

5.6. Intensive Agriculture

Farming system that relies on the continued use of the land, prompted by a suitable climate or the introduction of irrigation, with input from abundant labor and little or no mechanization. You get several harvests, so the productivity of land (rent per unit area) is high, but the work is low. It is characteristic of areas with high population density. Often farms are small and land is expensive, because of population pressure and high performance per hectare.

5.7. Partnership

This is a special case of lease of land currently in decline. The owners take at least a portion of the means of production and leases land to the peasants in exchange for a share of the crop agreed in advance, which can be paid in cash.


147. LEASE: This is a lease of the land which states, in advance, a fixed amount of money to be paid by the tenant (lessee) the owner (lessor). The owner does not have to put the means of production and the farmer is free to decide the operation of plot. 148. FALLOW: it is an agricultural practice systems feature traditional rotation crops on land to rest secano.Consiste in a plot for a variable period of time (one station, half a year, a year or two …) to recover its fertility naturally. is common in this period of rest may graze livestock on that land. 149. REPARCELLING: consists of a set of operations for the redistribution of plots in a rural term, grouping in regular units, larger and easier to access 150. Main crops are growing methods based on the effect of microclimate that produces a plastic cover, an increase of temperature and humidity on the natural conditions of the environment. They differ in that the technique of greenhouse heating system also incorporates artificial cultivation under plastic is limited to exploiting environmental conditions can be performed with citadas.Éste latest fixtures, generally domed tents or plastic sheeting spread over the rows.All arrangements are geared towards horticulture production, obtaining more focused wing comercialización.151 early harvests. SAND CULTURES: crops are produced through the technique of superposition of a sand layer over another layer of fertile soil in order to prevent evaporation of water in areas of intense sunlight. Spain operates in horticultural crops in the Southeast and the Canary Islands. Usually supplemented
plastic sheeting. 152. DEHESA: Domain holdings are arboreal or shrubby plant ganadero.153 use. EXTENSIVE LIVESTOCK: is known as extensive livestock system that gets poor yields per hectare and per head even when it involves few means of production. It aims to obtain low-cost production using grass, stubble and pastures and scarce labor. In drier areas, we make the sell-off gained before the dry season. Spain operates a sheep and goats in the two sub-plateau and Andalucía.154. Intensive farming: it is the farming that aims to produce as many cattle (high performance) in the smallest space possible. The choice of breeds, application of modern techniques, the study of market demand and utilization of manpower required are more importantes.155 traits. Latifundio: is called a traditional agrarian structure where the large property and poor farming go together. The work is carried out by poor laborers or sharecroppers without ever being a real intensive. It is characterized by absentee ownership, low yields, exploitation of agriculture or ranching, the low wages and low investment. Without
But there are many traditional estates have taken the form of agricultural enterprise with strong capitalization thus breaking with the traditional image of latifundio.156. Minifundia: small farm dedicated to agriculture or
herd of very low profitability because of its small size, mechanization or hindering the practice of fallowing. 157. Monoculture: cropping system that devotes all plots on a farm and all farms in a region still only cultivo.158. CAP (Common Agricultural Policy): EU agricultural policy
which sets out guidelines to member countries to be omodificar adjust their structures to fit those guidelines. 159. Polyculture: farming of various products, usually herbaceous and tree or shrub in a holding or an area, giving a característico.160 landscape. PROGRAM LEADER: EU initiative promoted by the
European Commission on Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development to developing regional community areas affected by the conversion generated by PAC.161. IRRIGATION: agricultural technique based on artificial water supply alos fields. It is practiced in most areas where rainfall is low or irregular, for example mediterránea.162 area. REAFFORESTATION by planting trees in places where they grew up or where they disappeared, trying to mitigate the catastrophic effects on the soil is deforestation. and also obtaining an economic resource of forest products. 163. Transhumance: seasonal movement of cattle and men in order to get natural pastures, following the ravines, or fixed path for the passage of livestock. In Spain won
Travelers is mainly sheep, but in others it may be beef or other cabañas.164. AQUACULTURE: art to multiply and grow aquatic plants or animals in order to carry out a controlled collection, are the fish farms and fish farms.165. BANK FISHING OR FISHING ZONE: sea area where for various reasons, more oxygenated waters, the existence of abundant plankton, the confluence of currents … are located abundancia.166 marine species. BIOLOGICAL PARO: a year in which it is prohibited to fish for marine species to reproduce and thus recover realizadas.167 catch. SEA FISHING: Fishing is exercised in areas not bounded by the seas and oceans, in the open seas, ie, beyond 200 miles of costa.168. Inshore fishing means fishing is done near the coast, with smaller vessels, returning each day to puerto.169. CONTINENTAL SHELF: prolongation of the landmass under the sea from the coastline to a depth of 200 m. 170. MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES: large company with thousands of employees which has subsidiaries, especially production in many countries and whose capital is taken in a process of accumulation multinacional.171. ENERGY SOURCES: are the natural resources which can obtain useful energy for various aplicaciones.172. Sources of alternative or renewable energies: they are energy sources that have a continuous regeneration, are inexhaustible as though intensidad.173 experience fluctuations. HOLDING: financial group through control actions
companies in many different sectors and especialidades.174. R & D (RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT): A set of activities undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase scientific knowledge and technical expertise, and its application to the production of goods and servicios.175. INDUSTRY OF USE AND CONSUMPTION: those industries engaged in producing goods k satisfy human needs directly, without requiring any additional processing final product for immediate use. 176. Agrifood industry: are the industries that transform products from agriculture, livestock or pesca.177 CAPITAL GOODS INDUSTRIES: industries that are engaged in producing machinery and apparatus necessary for the production of goods and services. 178 intermediate goods industry: are the industries that transform raw materials into goods that require further processing to become of use and consumption goods or capital goods. 179. INFLATION: continued growth and general price
goods and services over time. Impairment of dinero.180. RAW MATERIALS: is the material of plant or animal mineral obtained directly from nature that becomes bienes.181 industry. TECHNOLOGY PARKS: ground condition in which companies focus tech sectors in which research tasks d (or R & D) play a role relevante.182. GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is the sum of the values
added in the production processes of goods and services. Within a country for a period of time, usually one year. 183. Industrial estates: area of land, intended for urban planning to the installation of industrial plants, and most often with tax advantages. 184. Series Production: manufacture of many objects equal to each other, as a single employer or modelo.185. DIVISION OF LABOR: production system in which each
worker within the firm, specializes in a particular productive activity. In other scales could be defined: production system in which each company specializes in a particular production phase within a given sector.
186. INDUSTRIAL CONVERSION: adaptation of a production system (which had become obsolete due to changing
technology) to new market requirements, provided under competitive conditions. It occurs in traditional sectors like textiles, footwear, steel, metallurgy, construction, shipping 187. VALUE ADDED: The difference between the value of goods produced and cost of raw materials and other intermediate goods used for production.188. Tariff: tax on the price of a particular good imported into a país.189. TRADE BALANCE: it is the one that collects the value of all exports and imports of goods from one country to the outside
for a period of time, a año.190. BALANCE OF PAYMENTS: sistemáticmnte accounting document that records all financial transactions of a country with the rest of the world during a given time, one year, includes the Trade Balance, Services to and from Capital.191. WHOLESALE: trade is done by establishments or
companies selling products in large quantities to retailers and not consumidor.191. RETAIL: trade is done by establishments that sell products directly to consumidor.192. INTERIOR: The set of transactions of sale of goods that are made within the borders of a país.192.2 EXTERIOR: The set of transactions of sale of goods made by a country with the rest of mundo.193. CURRENCY: are the currencies of other countries. 194. Outsourcing is a process of population transfer of primary and secondary industry to services, to be agreed predominant. 195. RURAL TOURISM: Tourism is trying to exploit the values of rural areas, living among the population within habitat 196.EURO: the European single currency replacing all those countries that have acceded to the third stage of European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). The EMU is the agreement by several countries within the European Union decided to give up its currency as part of their economic independence, convinced that a common monetary policy was beneficial to their interests. The conversion rate in Spain is by example with six significant figures, three decimal places: 166.386 ptas. by Euro.197. ERDF (European Regional Development) is the most important structural substance of the European Union for development of regions for its endowment since it reaches about half the total of all economic structural funds.
Founded in 1975 to reduce regional imbalances between states miembros.198. EAGGF (EUROPEAN AGRICULTURAL GUIDANCE AND GUARANTEE): created in January 1962 and divided into two sections, one dealing with security prices and farm incomes, and other guidance, which is responsible for the improvement of agricultural structures . The purpose of the EAGGF is the financing of the CAP 199. ESF (European Social Fund) European fund to improve the employability of workers in the EU and better standards of life. Is to put in place training programs, programs to assist recruitment to newly created WORKING stable and favoring the creation of new empresas.200. Maastricht Treaty on 7 February 1992, is signed in Maastricht (Netherlands) the Treaty on European Union. By this treaty the EC renamed EU and establishing political,
social and economic base with two objectives: economic and social cohesion and sustainable development. 202. BIODIVERSITY: for biodiversity means biological diversity, ie the number and variety of species in a given space domain. Spain is the country of the European Union with high biodiversity value. 203. CLIMATE CHANGE: a change in climate due to human action, mainly as a result deladestrucción the greenhouse effect and ozone layer. All this helps raise the average temperature of the earth, with the consequent danger of decline by melting ice caps, increasing the volume of water of the seas, sinking of the lower parts of the land surface, etc.204. Urban climate: weather typical of the cities, the result of local modifications that introduces urban climate of the region that rodea.205. POLLUTION: is the presence in the natural environment
substances or energy levels in such concentration and duration, which may cause adverse effects in humans and the environment. 206. DEFORESTATION: The process of forest removal of the vegetation and the excessive cutting of trees and fire. 207. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: balance between economic development and the environment, so that satisfies its needs of present generations without compromising those of futuras.208. DESERTIFICATION: total loss as a result of soil degradation and erosion caused by man. 209. Greenhouse effect of global warming because it is more permeable to solar radiation incoming shortwave to longwave radiation emitted from the surface terrestre.210. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: alteration of the action by humana.211. ACID RAIN: results from emissions of sulfur and nitrogen that are produced when burning fossil fuels like coal or oil in power plants, industrial boilers and car engines. these pollutants are mixed with atmospheric water vapor, becoming dilute solutions
sulfuric acid and nitric acid to fall to the earth’s surface drops lluvia.212. BLACK TIDE: ecological disaster caused by a patch of oil, as a result of large tanker accidents, oil leak on oil rigs, oil pipeline rupture. Among the most prominent effect is the death of marine organisms and the economic losses and disruption of fishing activities turísticas.213. ENVIRONMENT: A set of physical components, chemical, biological and social, that can cause direct or indirect, within an end or long, on living beings and human activities.