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

Fishing in Spain

The Spanish Fishing Regions

The Spanish fishing space is organized into eight regions: Northwest, Cantabrian, Tramontana, Levant, South-Mediterranean, South Atlantic, Balearic, and Canary Islands. The most important region for its catch is the Northwest.

Fisheries Production Features

• The species caught: Fish constitute 3/4 of the catch, with the remaining being shellfish. White fish, such as hake and whiting, are particularly valuable.
• By tonnage: Sardines and anchovies are primarily caught for canning, followed by tuna and bonito.
• The main destination for fishing: Human consumption. Most of the catch is sold fresh, although salting, preserves, and freezing are increasing.
• Fishing landed: Experienced high growth until 1976, followed

Self-Regulation of Renewable Natural Resources

The regulatory mechanisms of renewable resources dictate the future of an ecosystem. Some individuals die, while others are born. Predation, a key component of food chains, helps maintain this balance. All living beings are interconnected and depend on each other. A food chain illustrates the nature of these food dependency relationships.

Understanding Food Chains

During photosynthesis, plants produce their own food and store reserve substances in parts like fruits, stems, roots, or seeds. Organisms that do not engage in photosynthesis require these supplies of food energy, either directly from plants or transferred through a series of organisms.

The relationship in a food chain is simple: one organism... Continue reading "Renewable Resources & Ecological Reserves: Conservation" »

Item 10: Agriculture

Agriculture is the cultivation of land to obtain food for human and animal consumption and raw materials for industry.

Agricultural Continuous Evolution: Very fast change of ownership patterns and land work.

Agricultural Development: In underdeveloped countries, agriculture represents a high percentage of production (80%) due to low-tech and traditional farming, resulting in low productivity. Only 5% of the population is dedicated to agriculture.

Physical Factors of Agriculture

• Weather: Each plant needs a certain humidity and temperature. Plants generally grow between -10ºC and +45ºC.
• Relief: Altitude and slope of terrain condition agricultural activity. Temperature decreases with altitude.
• Soil: Each plant requires specific

Mixed livestock animals combine food and life outdoors and in the barn.

Forestry Practices and Forest Management

Forestry farming is dedicated to harnessing the forest. The higher yields come from species in tropical hardwood forests and temperate regions. Forest types may be wooded or brush-covered. Forestry is the cultivation of forests or mountain areas in order to avoid degradation.

Shifting Cultivation in Tropical Africa

This agricultural practice is located in the equatorial zone and humid tropical climate of Africa. The agricultural landscape is made up of irregular parcels, located around towns, worked with quite primitive techniques and tools. The soil is cultivated continuously for two or three years until exhausted. When this happens,... Continue reading "Primary Economic Activities: Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing" »

The European Union: Goals and Achievements

The primary objectives of the European Union (EU) are to ensure peace, prosperity, and freedom for its 498 million citizens in a fairer and more secure Union. Key achievements and results include:

• The ability to travel and trade without the hindrance of borders (the Single Market).
• A single European currency, the Euro.
• Increased food security and a cleaner environment.
• Better living conditions in the poorest regions.
• The Union combating crime and terrorism.
• Cheaper phone calls (roaming regulations).
• Millions of opportunities to study abroad.

Key Institutions of the European Union

To make these objectives possible, EU countries have established institutions that lead and adopt legislation. The principal institutions... Continue reading "European Union Structure, Economy, and Membership Criteria" »

The Dispersed City Model and Metropolitan Dynamics

Defining the Dispersed City

The Dispersed City model, often observed in the Americas, is characterized by blurred boundaries between city and countryside (rururbana areas). Since the city's influence is not strictly defined, it moves outward into the field.

Functions of the Dispersed City

Functions are organized based on the needs of the metropolis (e.g., residential areas, industrial estates) but are spread across a larger territory.

Causes and Repercussions

• Causes: High rates of single-occupancy, private transport, leading to increased road infrastructure development.
• Repercussions:
  • High consumption and constant mobility, requiring increasing services (living and working in different places).
  • A more

Principal Relief Features of Catalonia

The physical geography of Catalonia is defined by several distinct relief features:

The Pyrenees

The Pyrenees are characterized by ancient metamorphic rocks (schist and granite) and foothills. The landscape is typically alpine, featuring:

• Angular mountains and extensive forests.
• High mountain meadows and lakes formed by glacial activity.
• Deep river gorges.

Although sparsely populated, the Pyrenees are a strong tourist attraction and a popular area for second homes. The highest peak associated with this range is 3,404 meters in the Maladeta Massif.

The Mediterranean System

This system is divided into two parallel alignments:

1. Pre-Coastal System (Interior Alignment)

   Extends from the mouth of the Ter River to Montsià.

Geography of Population

Geography of Population studies the relationships established between people and space. It is the branch of Human Geography that studies the patterns or spatial structures of demographic phenomena in the human population and the processes of change in the same over time.

Structure

Analyzes the characteristics of a particular population, including the split:

• Sex / Age: We present average age pyramids, horizontal bar graphs representing: the x-axis (absolute figures or percentages of the total population, men and women) and the vertical axis (the different age groups, generally 5 to 5 years).
• Economic Activity: Distinction by economic sectors with the most basic division:
  • Primary: Livestock, agriculture, and fisheries, produce

Key Features of Islamic Architecture

Islamic architecture can be distinguished by several key characteristics:

• Buildings are often regularly sized.
• Brick and wood were the most commonly used building materials.
• Vaults and domes are frequently used, including ribbed vaults, honeycomb (muqarnas), and fluted domes.
• Pillars and columns serve as supporting elements.
• Various arch types are employed, such as the horseshoe, semicircular (half-point), pointed, and polylobed arches.
• Interiors typically feature rich decoration, often contrasting with simpler exteriors.

Islamic architecture can be broadly divided into religious and civil categories.

Islamic Religious Architecture

In religious architecture, the most important building is the mosque, a place created... Continue reading "Distinctive Elements of Islamic Architecture" »

Early Spanish Industrialization

The exploitation and trade of iron and coal from Biscay and Asturias eventually led to the development of the steel and mechanical industries. Concurrently, the cotton textile industry developed in Barcelona, alongside the wool industry in Sabadell, Terrassa, and Béjar.

Autarky and INI (1939-1959)

This period saw the imposition of a policy of autarky, which emphasized self-sufficiency and minimizing trade with foreign countries. The Instituto Nacional de Industria (INI) was created during this time.

Key Export Sectors During Autarky:

• Consumer Goods: Footwear, leather, cork, furniture, paper, and publishing.
• Basic Industries: Rubber, machinery, mining, and shipbuilding.

Regional Industry in 1975

Different regions developed... Continue reading "Spanish Industrial History and Regional Development" »