Cultura
Spain – country & population
Almost 47 inhabitants
Castelllano, catalán, euskera, gallego
72,3% catholic
Constitutional monarchy
King = King Felipe VI de Borbón (2014)
Prime minister = Pedro Sánchez
(Partido Socialista Obrero Español, 2018)
Topography
4th largest country in Europe
5th most densely populated country in Europe
- Pyrenees mountains as natural border between Spain - France, Andorra
- Balearic Islands = Formentera, Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca, Cabrera (rock island)
- Canary Islands = Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuertaventura, La Gomera, La
Palma, el Hierro.
- 2 enclaves in Morocco: Ceuta & Melilla. Mix of European & Islamic culture
- 1 enclave in France: Llívia
Five large mountain ranges
50% on mountain plateau
Mass tourism due to substantial coastline
However, effort into promoting tourism inland due to intensive competition by other
countries with other popular coasts
2nd most mountainous country in Europe
- Cordillera Central/Sistema Central center
2 parts:
1) Submeseta Norte (700m/800m)
2) Submesesta Sur (650m)
Omringd door:
o Sistema Bético south
o Sierra Nevada south
o Pirineos east
o Cordillera Cantábrica north
Other mountainranges:
o Sierra Morena (Andalusia – Castilla)
Highest mountain peak on mainland =
Mulhacén (Sierra Nevada)
Highest mountain on Canary Islands (Tenerife) = Teide
Consequence mountains:
Barriers for traffic. Mountainpasses -> strong regionalism -> 1986 (Spain joined
European Economic Community) -> change: highways to connect the country
Define climate
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,Climate
Three zones based on climate:
1. Atlantic Sea climate (north & west)
- Winter: hardly ever below 0, summer: almost never higher than 20-22 degrees
- Precipitation about 1000mm-1500mm. Can exceed 2000mm in Pyrenees
2. Mediterranean country climate (center)
- Substantial differences between day&night and summer&winter
- ‘Tres meses de infierno y nueve de invierno’ (three months of hell, 9 months of winter)
- Precipitation in spring and autumn: 300mm-800mm. Rains heavily & a longer period of
time. Erosion in autumn because the dried-out earth cannot handle all the water.
Evaporation nullifies the effect of rain.
3. Mediterranean Sea climate (coastal areas of east- and south Spain)
- Hot summers, mild winters
- Precipitation in spring and autumn: 400mm-600mm. Often via short, intense
depressions from the Mediterranean Sea area.
Canary Island have a subtropical climate.
Hydrography
Mainland slants (= aflopen) towards the West -> hydrographically oriented towards the
Atlantic coast.
Rivers through Meseta: not high importance to economy because lack of water due to
limited precipitation
Guadalquivir = important for economy & shipping industry
Catalonian coast: Ebro. High amount of water because of the Pyrenees -> used for
irrigation of the plains
North West of Spain: Rías (broad river branches) as a consequence of the surf of the
ocean hitting the coast. Not too deep because the river valleys have only flooded
Rías Atlas Narrow
Rías Bajas (south) Wide & long
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,Flora & Fauna
North of Spain
- La España verde; la España húrneda
- Similar to the Netherlands; bit more rain, fewer temperature fluctuations
- Deciduous forests (loofbomen) & pastures (weilanden) -> like the Netherlands
Central Spain
- Mediterranean country climate
- Little vegetation; parched, dry & empty
- Forests have disappeared due to deforestation
East Coast
- Cork-oak, sturdy grass kinds, green weed, rosemary, etc.
Multitude of climates, many rare animal species -> highly varied fauna
Nature preservation in Spain lacks compared to other West European countries
Spain has 15 national parks that are taken care of by the ICONA (Instituto Nacional de la
Conservación de la Naturaleza). 10 National Parks on mainland, 5 on the islands.
o Very popular with Spaniards as hiking area
o Spaniards spend summers in mountains in the north & east because of the lower
temperature
o Beloved parks are Picos de Europa, Aigües Tortes y Lago de Sant Maurici, Ordesa y
Monte Perdido
o No jeep excursion anymore; everybody is forced to undertake an intensive hike and
receive a garbage bag + house rules.
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, Composition & spread of the population
Franco regime (1939-1975): birth rate was high due to family regulation policies &
ban on selling contraceptives
Franco’s death -> one of the countries in Europe with the lowest birth rate
Average amount of children is 1,33%, average age is 30,7 and average household is
2,5 people.
Province of Madrid is most densely populated. Provinces that do not border the sea
are least densely populated.
Languages & dialects
- Castilian (el castellano) = main language
- Spanish is spoken by 473 million people in 23 countries across 4 continents. Most
speakers respectively in Mexico, Spain & US.
- Official language in South- and Central America (exception: Brazil & the Guyana’s =
Portuguese speaking)
- One of the 5 official languages in the United Nations
Three regional languages:
1. Catalan (el catalán).
o In Catalonia, Valencia, Islas Baleares
2. Basque (el vasco, vascuence, euskera). Origin is unknown.
o Basque country, Navarry
3. Galician (el Gallego). Related to Portugese.
o North West of Spain
Besides regional languages, there are also dialects such as Andalusian, Aragonese, etc.
During Franco’s regime: only Castilian allowed. Franco’s death -> allowed to use different
languages -> dual language tuition, or sometimes even only in the regional language
Religion/religious customs
Roman rule: Roman Catholicism as state religion, and has remained so
Church & state as one during the Franco regime -> many Spaniards turned their back
on the church because they related it to the Franco regime.
Accession of king Juan Carlos -> right to appoint bishops granted back to the Vatican.
New constitution in 1978 -> separation between church & state -> freedom of religion
Church visits have declined. However, religious traditions still exist.
o Semana Santa (Holy week before Easter).
Origin dates back to the second half of the 16 th century, when the first cofradías
(brotherhoods) were founded. These brotherhoods are made up of ‘nazarenos’
Most well-known in Sevilla. Statues of all saints in the city are carried through the
streets in processions.
Semana Santa in Zamora is also well-known. Museo de Santa Semana where the
statues of the processions can be viewed.
o Romerías (pilgrimages)
Most well-known is in Huelva, Andalusia: ‘La Virgen del Rocío’. Starts the Saturday
before Pentecost (Pinksteren) when the pilgrims arrive by foot, horse, or horse and
carriage at the ‘Santuario’ (sanctuary) and ends on Sunday night with the release of
the ‘Virgen’ (Virgin) and a procession (optocht).
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