Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Geography

Atlantic Rivers of Europe

The rivers on the Atlantic side of Europe are among the continent's mightiest. Precipitation occurs throughout the year, notably in the basins of the Vistula (Poland), Elbe (Germany), Rhine, Loire, and Seine (France), and Tagus (Spain). Spain's Atlantic rivers present two distinct profiles:

• Galician rivers are short, except for the Minho, and flow through wet areas.
• The remaining rivers are long with substantial flow at their mouths and numerous tributaries. Key rivers include the Duero, Tajo, Guadiana, and Guadalquivir.

Geographic Terms:

• Terrace: A leveled step on a mountainside, often used for cultivation.
• Torrent: A watercourse traversing a mountain slope only during the rainy season, characterized by large floods.
• Inland

Adarve

An impasse or cul-de-sac.

Periurban Area or Belt

An area located on the outskirts of a city, combining different land uses as a result of the concentration of various activities.

Suburban Area

An area characterized by a continuous gradation between rural and urban landscapes.

Faubourg

A suburb or an area outside the formal precincts of a town to which it administratively or historically belongs.

Old Town / Historic Center

The oldest part of a town or city.

CBD (Central Business District)

The commercial and business core of an urban area.

City Center

The original, nuclear part of a city, which concentrates many of its primary functions.

City

A human settlement with a significant population concentration, the definition of which varies by country.

Dormitory

Spain's Economy Under Franco: Autarky and Economic Stagnation

In 1939, after the Spanish Civil War, the nation struggled with the collapse of its agriculture and livestock sectors, alongside the destruction of communications, factories, and infrastructure. The ongoing hunger and ration cards were the hallmarks of the postguerra (post-war period). The reality of economic policy in the early days of the Franco regime was marked by autarky and international isolation. Autarky, as an economic policy, aims to utilize a nation's own resources to avoid relying on foreign trade. Ideally, it strives for self-reliance and implies state intervention in economic matters. The misery of the population caused outbreaks of epidemics such as tuberculosis. Food... Continue reading "Spain's Economy Under Franco: Autarky to Development" »

Cuyo Environments

Subregions

Front Range

This consists of high mountain ranges of up to 6,000 meters above sea level, separated by river drainage systems.

Main Range

The highest peaks are located east of the continuous line of high peaks. The height decreases progressively towards the south. Permanent snow exists at high altitudes. Its slopes are covered with boulders that slip into the valleys, creating alluvial fans. At the base of these fans, water emerges as springs, forming prairie wetlands.

Precordillera of La Rioja, San Juan, and Mendoza

It consists of a series of parallel ranges with flat summits separated by narrow valleys. Active earthquake faults are present at the eastern edge. The precordillera shapes the hydrography of the area, forcing... Continue reading "Cuyo Region: Geography, Economy, and Culture" »

Phases of the Hunting Resource Management Process

Compilation of Information

Data Analysis

Plan Development

Definition and Principles of Hunting Resource Management

This technique aims to improve hunting resources. It involves analyzing, diagnosing, and planning a specific area.

Purpose

• Provide guidelines for responsible and sustainable resource management.

Objectives

• Achieve optimal state and productivity.
• Manage hunting activities in conjunction with other land uses.
• Maximize economic and environmental benefits.

The management process includes two parts:

• Planning: Develops a program based on a thorough study of the territory.
• Management: Implements the proposed plan, establishing land management guidelines.

PTGC: Planning Tools for Hunting

PTGC (Planning

Classification of Natural Resources

Natural resources are classified into:

• Renewable Natural Resources: Those that can be maintained or even increased. They are of two types:
  • Apparent Renewable Resources: Water, soil, air.
  • True Renewable Resources: Flora and fauna (with the ability to reproduce).
• Non-Renewable Natural Resources: Those that exist in specific quantities and can be depleted through overexploitation. Major non-renewable natural resources include:
  • Minerals
  • Metals
  • Oil
  • Natural gas
  • Groundwater storage
• Infinite or Inexhaustible Natural Resources: Those that are not exhausted, regardless of the number of productive activities that humans perform. These include:
  • The Sun
  • Energy of ocean waves and wind
  • Nuclear or atomic energy

Environmental Offer and

Spanish Agriculture

Types of Agriculture

Market Agriculture

Tupo agriculture focuses on producing a large surplus for sale. It achieves high yields and productivity through mechanization, seed selection, fertilizers, and pesticides, often using intensive land management.

Traditional/Subsistence Agriculture

This type of agriculture yields low output, primarily for family consumption. It's characterized by extensive land use, limited mechanization, and minimal use of modern techniques like seed selection or pesticides.

Sharecropping

In this lease arrangement, the farmer cultivates land they don't own, paying the owner a pre-agreed share of the harvest.

Lease

A type of ownership where the farmer doesn't own the land and pays the owner a monetary fee.

Livestock

Cattle

With... Continue reading "Spanish Agriculture: An Overview of Practices and Policies" »

Land Use Forms and Influence on Ownership Structure

We understand the process of restocking, demographic occupation, and economic exploitation of the territory reconquered from the Muslims between the 8th and 15th centuries. Different models of recruitment marked the ownership structure and social organization throughout peninsular history. Traditionally, four models of recruitment are identified: Repopulation by Aprisio, Concejil, of Military Orders, and by Distribution or Nobility.

• The first was the most used in the 8th and 10th centuries and affected the lands north of the Douro River and the foothills of the Pyrenees. It involved the occupation of land inhabited by the presura system. The result was the emergence of small and medium-sized

Key Concepts of Urban Development

Defining a City

A city is characterized by a high number of inhabitants (typically more than 10,000), a high-density concentration, and continuity of habitat. Key economic activities include services such as transport and trade, as well as industry. Cities exert influence on other regional centers. They feature a distinct type of architecture and urbanism, characterized by tall buildings, skyscrapers, wide boulevards, and a significant dynamism of social relations. Cities are also centers of concentrated functions.

Urban Stakeholders

Various stakeholders play a role in urban development:

• Private Land Owners: Landowners and developers.
• Employers: Industries and service providers.
• Public Authorities: Municipal, provincial,