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

The War of Spanish Succession

In 1700, King Charles II of Spain died without heirs. He designated Philip of Anjou, grandson of King Louis XIV of France, as his successor. The major European powers supported Archduke Charles of Austria. This sparked the War of Spanish Succession, pitting France and Spain against Austria, Great Britain, the United Provinces, Portugal, and Savoy. This conflict was also a civil war within Spain, with Castile supporting Philip and Aragon supporting Charles. The conflict began to resolve in 1711. With the signing of the Peace of Utrecht (1713) and Rastatt (1714), Philip V renounced his rights to the French throne but was recognized as King of Spain, though Spain lost its European possessions.

The Enlightenment in Spain

With... Continue reading "Spain: War of Succession and Enlightenment Reforms" »

Resource Overexploitation

Ecosystem Balance

Ecosystems are dynamic, initially autonomous systems. They consist of:

1. A natural community or biocenosis.
2. A physical environment or biotope.

Ecosystem Overexploitation

This occurs when ecosystems are exploited faster than their natural regeneration rate, potentially causing biodiversity loss.

Sustainable Development Principles

• Meets present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs.
• Traditional food production methods can cause serious environmental changes (e.g., intensive agriculture).

Specific Resource Overexploitation Issues

Mineral Resources

If the current pace of mineral extraction is maintained, these resources will eventually be exhausted.

Water Resources

Water scarcity... Continue reading "Resource Depletion, Environmental Impacts, and Sustainability" »

Language and Society in Spain

Language is a major means of social cohesion and the hallmark of a community.

Geographical Varieties

Geographical varieties of language are related to the fragmentation experienced by that language as it extends across a space. These are called dialects and local dialects. Diachronically, every language is a dialect of another from which it comes.

Formation of Iberian Languages

The current Spanish language situation is the result of a pre-Roman substrate, a Romanization that did not equally affect all the territory, and an Arab invasion that divided the peninsula into two areas: the Arab and Christian.

Castilian Spanish

Castilian, a Romance language that emerged in an area little Romanized (Cantabria and North of Burgos)... Continue reading "Languages of Spain: A Sociolinguistic Overview" »

Spanish Fishing Regions

Fishing employs approximately 80,000 people in Spain (0.6% of the population), and another 30,000 in shellfish harvesting. Employment in this sector has decreased due to fleet reduction, ship modernization, and work mechanization. However, it still significantly impacts shipyards, canning factories, fishing equipment manufacturers, ice plants, and transportation.

Challenges in Spanish Fisheries

National fish stocks are limited because the continental shelf off the Spanish coast is very small. Overfishing, driven by rising demand, has depleted fishing grounds. The artisanal fleet, consisting of small inshore (coastal) fishing boats, operates in these waters.

In open water, the overwhelming bulk of fish landed comes from other... Continue reading "Spanish Fishing Regions: Challenges and Opportunities" »

Major Livestock Regions of Spain

Spain has four major livestock regions:

• Galicia, Cantabria, and the Basque Country: Specializing in bovine livestock for milk and meat production.
• Catalonia, Aragon, Navarra, and Northern Valencia: Focus on porcine and bovine cattle, along with other farm animals, for meat, milk, and egg production.
• Castilla-La Mancha and Extremadura: Predominantly ovine livestock, with the western part specializing in bovine cattle for meat and milk.
• Andalusia: Significant ovine and porcine livestock production.

Integration into the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

Spain's entry into the European Community significantly impacted its agricultural sector, leading to modernization and access to a larger market. This integration offered... Continue reading "Major Livestock Regions of Spain & Integration into the CAP" »

The 15th Century: European Recovery and Spanish Transformation

Europe's Revival and Economic Shifts

In the fifteenth century, Europe was recovering from a period of crisis, marked by the aftermath of the Black Death and the recovery of agricultural lands. This recovery promoted significant economic and population growth, driven by increased demand, the retrieval of sea lanes, increased handicraft production, and the expansion of cities. The burgeoning bourgeoisie were able to increase their investments in productive activities, thereby creating commercial capitalism. Concurrently, authoritarian monarchies began to emerge across the continent.

The Catholic Monarchs and the Unification of Spain

A Dynastic Union: Castile and Aragon

The kingdoms of... Continue reading "Spain's Transformation: 15th Century Renaissance and Catholic Monarchs" »

Understanding Industrial Development

The location of industries became dependent on factors such as new energy sources, efficient and low-cost transportation, and proximity to consumption centers like cities.

Mature industries that emerged during the industrialization process faced crises in the 1970s due to outdated production methods, obsolete products, and competition from countries with lower production costs.

Landscapes of Industrial Development

• Based on the use of new information technologies for instant data transmission and robotics for automated work.
• Work often takes place in smaller factories, as new technologies allow for splitting the manufacturing process into phases performed in separate facilities.
• Production results in small series

The Fisheries Policy: Regulation and Conversion

Environmental problems arise from overfishing and water pollution caused by agricultural, urban, industrial, and accidental or intentional oil discharges. To address fishing challenges, Spain has implemented a policy of sectoral regulation and conversion, aligning with EU accession and the Common Fisheries Policy. This has resulted in:

• Spain's integration into the EU internal market, subject to common pricing for fish products.
• Trade liberalization with European partners through the elimination of duties over transitional periods.
• Adoption of EU measures for conversion and environmental protection.

EU Fishing Regulations

Access to Fishing Grounds

The European Union regulates access to Spanish fishing... Continue reading "Spain's Fisheries Policy: Adapting to EU Membership" »

Where Do We Live?

The population is distributed unevenly over the Earth. It is concentrated in sites that have favorable physical characteristics: Areas with abundant water, temperate climates, valleys, plains, and mineral and energy resources. Factors related to tradition, economy, and politics also play a role: the antiquity of populated areas, economic activity, and government.

Large Population Concentrations

Over 90% of the world's inhabitants live in the Northern Hemisphere, where there are three major population centers:

• East and South Asia: Home to more than half of the world's population, including the two most populous countries on Earth: China and India.
• Europe: Contains more than 10% of the world's population. Two of the most densely

The Spanish Inquisition

The Crown of Castile and Leon and the Catalan-Aragonese Confederation witnessed the disintegration of the feudal system of serfdom and the emergence of the modern state during the 14th and 15th centuries.

Spain suffered major social and political turbulence, including plagues and peasant revolts. The monarchy strengthened, especially in Castile, laying the foundation for an authoritarian monarchy under the Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs). In the early fifteenth century, the Iberian Peninsula consisted of five kingdoms: the Kingdom of Castile and Leon, Aragon, Navarre, Portugal, and the Islamic Kingdom of Granada.

Religious Unity and the Inquisition

The Catholic Monarchs sought to impose religious unity from the outset,... Continue reading "The Spanish Inquisition: Power, Politics, and Purity" »