UNIT 2. GEOGRAPHY OF SPAIN (SOCIAL SCIENCE)

UNIT 2. GEOGRAPHY OF SPAIN

AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITIES

Spain is divided into 17 Autonomous Communities and two Autonomous Cities: Ceuta and Melilla. The Autonomous Communities are divided into provinces and they are divided into municipalities. Tthe Constitution of 1978 establihed the powers of the different communities.

·         The role of the Autonomous Communities

Each Autonomous Community has a Statue of Autonomy. It defines:

-          The territory and the capital city.

-          The oficial language os languages.

-          The legal power and the government institutions.

-          The symbols are: the flag, its anthem and the coat of arms.

-          Local services

The national government controls: international relations, defence, justice, comercial, criminal, civil and labour laws and collecting taxes.

·         Organisation

-          Each Autonomous Community has a Parliament. Citizens over 18 can vote every 4 years to choose the deputies, whihc make laws and choose a President for the Autonomous Community. The President chooses the councillors for the regional government.

-          Municipalities are made up of a mayor and councillors. Local citizens vote for the mayor and councillors, who make decisions at a local level.

RIVERS

The big rivers have tributaries that are small rivers flowing into them and have also dams. Depending on the climate and relief rivers have different characteristics:

-          Rivers in the Cantabrian watershed are very short but very fast because they come from Cordillera Cantábrica or Montes Vascos (near the sea). Due to the Atlantic climate, with high precipitation, these rivers have a large waterflow.

-          Rivers in the Atlantic watershed vary depending on the region. For example, rivers in Galicia are short  but with a large waterflow but in the Meseta they are long with irregular waterflow.

-          In the Mediterranean watershed rivers are short with an irregular waterflow.

Mountains

It is  a montanious country with a plateau called Meseta in the central part of the Peninsula.

CLIMATE IN SPAIN

CLIMATE	CHARACTERISTICS	FLORA	FAUNA
ALPINE	Very cold winters and cool summers. It rains a lot and usually it is snow.	Oak, fir and coniferous trees	Goats, Vultures and Eagles
CONTINENTAL	Very cold winters and very hot summers	Coniferous and decidious trees, thyme	Squirrels, deer, hares, wild boar, foxes, trout
MEDITERRANEAN	In the Mediterranean coast and part of Andalucía and Extremadura. Winters are mild and summers, hot. Low precipitation and some sporadic storms in summer months.	Pine and oak trees, heather	Iberian lynx, rabbits, flamingos
OCEANIC	In the north and North-west. Heavy rainfall, so there are green landscapes. Not very cold winters and mild summers	Decidious forests, oak trees, ferns, mosses	Iberian Brown bears, salmon
SUBTROPICAL	In the Canary Islands. Trade winds and warm temepratures all year. Low precipitation.	Pine trees, cacti, palm trees and dragon trees	Lizards, turtles.