Spain is a beautiful and stunningly diverse European country that cares about its natural resources. Where is this state located? What minerals is rich in Spain?
The natural conditions and resources of this country are extremely diverse. This allowed Spain to effectively develop its industrial complex, as well as take its rightful place among the countries that provide travel services on the world market.
Kingdom of Spain: Country Overview
España (country name in Spanish) is an independent state located on the Iberian Peninsula, the third largest in Europe. Administratively, the country is divided into 17 autonomous regions and includes 50 provinces. In addition, a number of so-called sovereign territories (plazas de soberania) are subordinate to Spain. They are located in North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea.
The year of foundation of the Spanish kingdom is considered the 1515th. Today it is a parliamentary (constitutional) monarchy.
Spain, whose natural conditions and resources are quite diverse, has for many years been held in the top twenty countries in the world in terms of overall economic development. In addition, in Europe, the country is the largest producer of agricultural products. Here, crop production, animal husbandry, viticulture, as well as fisheries, are successfully developing.
Natural conditions and resources of Spain (briefly)
What climatic conditions does the population of this country live in? What is the difference between the natural resources of Spain? Briefly try to answer these questions in this section.
Spain is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe. About 35% of its territory is located at an altitude of over 1000 meters above sea level. True, too high peaks are not found here. The highest point in mainland Spain is Mount Mulasen (3480 m).
In general, the relief of the state can be described as follows: the central elevated and hilly part is surrounded on almost all sides by chains of mountains that separate it from the sea. The lowlands in Spain occupy small territories. They mainly stretched along the largest river valleys and the Mediterranean coast.
The climatic natural resources of Spain are unique. The country can be considered the warmest and sunniest in Europe. The average number of sunny days here ranges from 260-280. In winter, air temperature rarely drops below zero, and in the summer, the thermometer can rise to +40 degrees Celsius. The largest rivers of Spain are the Tagus, Duero, Ebro and Guadalquivir.
The natural resources of Spain (mineral in particular) are dispersed throughout its territory extremely unevenly. A rather acute problem of the unequal economic development of the country's regions is associated with this feature. So, the northern part of Spain is more developed industrially, and the southern, on the contrary, is considered backward. Here the highest unemployment rate for the country is observed.
Detailed description of the natural resources and conditions of Spain
The natural resources of Spain, like any other state on the planet, should be described according to the following plan:
- relief;
- climate;
- inland waters;
- soil cover;
- Flora and fauna;
- minerals and their geography;
- economic use of natural conditions and resources.
Relief and landscape diversity
Spain is often called the most mountainous country in Europe. About 90% of its territory is occupied by mountains and plateaus. Almost half of Spain’s surface is the Meseta Plateau (the largest in Europe). Its eastern part is leveled and covered with a powerful ball of sedimentary rocks. But the western part of Meseta is strongly divided by faults and river valleys.
In the north, Meseta is bounded by the Cantabrian mountains, which, in turn, are a continuation of the Pyrenees. This powerful mountain system consists of several parallel ranges up to 450 kilometers long. It is very difficult to overcome the Pyrenees: all the passes here are located at an altitude of more than 1, 500 meters. That is why all the railways connecting Spain with other countries of Western Europe, bypass this mountain system from the east or from the west. In the central regions of the Pyrenees, you can find landforms of glacial origin: punishment, circuses and troughs.
From the north-east of Meseta, Iberian mountains are bordered. It is here that many of the major rivers of Spain originate. This is one of the least populated regions of the country.
In the southern part of Spain, along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the Andalusian mountains stretch. Within their borders is the Sierra Nevada massif with the highest point in the country - Mulasen peak. In height, only the Alps can compare with the Sierro Nevada in Europe.
Plains and lowlands occupy only 10% of the total area of Spain. All of them are composed of alluvial materials, and therefore their soils are extremely fertile. The largest lowland is located in the south-west of the country (Andalusian).
The relief often helped protect Spain's natural resources and its wealth. The powerful mountain ranges of the Iberian Peninsula often played the role of reliable and insurmountable borders, protecting the country from hostile conquerors.
Climatic features
The climate in Spain varies from northwest to southeast. The average annual temperatures here range widely from 14 to 20 degrees. By the number of sunny days in a year, Spain shares the first place in Europe with Greece.
The climate of the central part of the country is characterized by enhanced continental. Summer is hotter and winters are colder. “Three months of cold and nine months of hell” is one of the popular sayings among the inhabitants of the Meset plateau.
Significant contrasts are also observed in the distribution of precipitation. Climatologists conditionally divide Spain into “dry” and “wet”. The border between the two regions runs along the Cantabrian Mountains. So, within the "wet" Spain, which includes the Basque Country, Galicia, Asturias and part of the Pyrenees, an average of about 900-1000 mm of rain falls per year. The rest of the country (“dry” Spain) receives no more than 500 mm of precipitation per year.
Features of the natural resources of Spain (primarily climatic) create considerable difficulties for the development of agriculture, as well as the water supply of many settlements of the country. Scientists estimate about 60% of the state’s lands as arid.
Inland waters and soil cover
The country has a fairly extensive river network. However, most of the Spanish rivers are characterized by low water availability and an unstable water regime. Many of them become shallow or completely dry in the summer. In addition, the hydrological natural resources of Spain are distributed extremely unevenly throughout the country, which leads to significant imbalances in the water supply of its various regions.
The soil cover in Spain is also very diverse, thanks to the complex topography, variegated geological structure and significant climatic contrasts. So, in the north of the country, podzolic burozems and peat bogs prevail, in the west - acidic soils of the Mediterranean type, and in the east and on the Balearic islands - arid-type soils (burozems and gray soils). The most fertile soils are concentrated in the lowlands and valleys of large rivers. It is in these areas that the country's crop production is most actively developing.
Flora and fauna
The flora and fauna of the state is characterized by a wealth of species. In floral terms, Spain is considered the richest country in Europe. Forests occupy about 30% of its territory. However, in the past there were much more.
Evergreen oak forests grow in the northwestern regions of the country. In mountainous areas, deciduous oak species, as well as beech, ash, chestnut and birch, are most common. Within the inner plateaus of Spain, preserved massifs of dry evergreen forests and shrubs. Semi-desert landscapes can be found on the Aragonese plateau and in New Castile.
In the fauna of Spain, traces of both the European and African wildlife are clearly traced. There is a brown bear, wolf, fox, wildcat, deer and other mammals that are typical for central and western Europe. In Spain, one can also meet a burial eagle, a genet or an Egyptian mongoose. All these animal species are also found on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar.
Special attention should be paid to the Spanish (or Pyrenean) lynx - one of the rarest species of mammals on Earth. It has no more than one hundred individuals today. This animal is found exclusively in the mountainous and inaccessible areas of southern Spain. The Pyrenees lynx differs from the ordinary one in smaller sizes and brighter color.
Mineral Resources of Spain: Overall Assessment
The country is not among the world leaders in providing mineral resources. Spain is forced to import many minerals (including energy). Nevertheless, the mining industry is quite developed here, especially in the east and southwest of the country.
The five most important minerals of Spain can be outlined as follows:
- Iron ore.
- Coal.
- Copper.
- Lead.
- Mercury.
However, the reserves of most of the deposits are rather modest. Therefore, in general, Spain can be called a country dependent on imports of mineral resources.
Ore Minerals
The bowels of the country, first of all, are rich in metal minerals. So, in Spain, the richest deposits of zinc, lead, mercury, manganese and copper pyrites were discovered. The total iron ore reserves in Spain are about 2.5 billion tons. In the north of the country there are significant deposits of tungsten and tin.
Spain is in second place in Europe in explored reserves of uranium ores, and in first place in the world in terms of mercury reserves. Rich cinnabar deposits are located in the province of Ciudad Real and on the banks of the Baldeasage River.
In addition, the bowels of Spain are extremely rich in pyrites. In particular, they are mined on the southern slopes of the Sierra Morena. Also in Spain there are reserves of silver, gold, molybdenum and titanium.
Fuel and energy minerals and other raw materials
The territory of Spain, alas, is not so rich in energy resources. Minor coal deposits are being developed in the north of the country (in the provinces of Oviedo and Leon), in the Basque Country and Asturias. Spanish coal is generally of low quality.
Comparatively small volumes of oil are produced in Catalonia and Burgos, and natural gas in Aragon and Cadiz. Explored gas reserves in Spain are no more than two billion cubic meters.
The country has rather large reserves of potassium salts, refractory clays, kaolins and fluorspar. In many provinces of Spain (Galicia, Asturias, Valencia, Guadalajara and others), raw materials for the construction industry are actively mined. These are dolomites, limestones, marble and chalk of a rather high quality.
Natural resources of Spain and their use
The active use of natural resources on an industrial scale in Spain began only in the second half of the twentieth century. Prior to this, the country remained an underdeveloped agrarian state. Rational use and adequate assessment of the natural conditions and resources of Spain made it possible to turn it into an industrial and agrarian country, which in terms of its industrial development is not inferior to many European states.
Today in Spain mining, textile, food industry, shipbuilding, as well as alternative energy are quite developed. Crop production dominates in the country's agriculture. Here wheat, rice, corn, barley, olives, dates, pomegranates and other crops are grown. In arid regions, goats and sheep are successfully bred, and cattle in the north. In coastal areas, fisheries are developing. Spain is one of the top ten countries in the world for catching and processing fish.
Spain and tourism
Spain is today the largest center of international tourism. Over one million inhabitants of the country are employed in this sector of the national economy. At least 50 million foreign tourists visit Spain annually.
The most popular resort areas in Spain: Costa Brava, Costa Blanca, as well as the Canary Islands. The main tourist centers of the country are Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao and Valencia. The latter city is becoming increasingly popular with tourists and travelers. This is facilitated by numerous attractions, historical and architectural monuments, museums, as well as recreational natural resources of Valencia.
Spain is also a major festival center in Europe. Tourists from all over the world willingly come to the famous Seville Fair, the colorful Carnival in Cadiz or Tomatina in Bunyol.
