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

Consequences of Tourism

Demographic Impacts

Tourism attracts people seeking employment in the sector, which can halt outward migration from certain developing areas. Conversely, it can lead to excessive population congestion during peak times, potentially saturating local services.

Economic Impacts

Tourism can generate significant benefits:

• Creates employment opportunities.
• Provides high yields.
• Fosters the development of other economic activities.

However, there are potential drawbacks:

• Jobs created may be precarious and temporary.
• Revenue often flows back to the origin areas of tourist businesses rather than staying local.
• Goods consumed by tourists are frequently imported, potentially undermining local production.
• Prices for goods and services can increase,

Item 1: Land Relief and Water Bodies

1. Large Units of Land Relief: Continents

• Definition of a continent.
• Five major land masses: Africa, America, Antarctica, Eurasia, Oceania.
• Six continents: Africa, America, Asia, Europe, Oceania, Antarctica.

2. Relief, Rivers, and Coastlines of Europe

• Types of relief:
  • Mountains:
    • Older mountains (e.g., Grampian Mountains, Scandinavia) and associated rivers (e.g., Rhine, Seine).
    • Younger mountains (e.g., Pyrenees, Alps, Balkans) and associated rivers (e.g., Rhone, Danube).
  • Plains (e.g., Great European Plain, Hungarian Plain) and associated rivers (e.g., Volga, Don).
• Coastlines:
  • Generally well-indented.
  • Atlantic Coast / Mediterranean Coasts.
  • Types of coasts:
    • High coasts (e.g., Scotland).
    • Indented coasts (e.g., Norwegian Fjords)

Tourism in Spain

Tourist Areas

Spain's tourist areas experience significant visitor influx. High-density zones include the sun and beach destinations of the Balearic and Canary Islands, and the mainland Mediterranean coast. Madrid attracts substantial cultural tourism, while other areas with notable, though lower, densities, are found along the northern and northwestern coasts, particularly in Catalonia, Valencia, and Andalusia. Beyond these, isolated tourist spots cater to specific interests, such as ski resorts, rural tourism, and inland cities like Salamanca and Segovia.

These areas can be categorized by seasonal use, with some experiencing peak seasons (e.g., Catalonia) and others enjoying stable, year-round tourism (e.g., the Canary Islands... Continue reading "Spanish Tourism: An In-Depth Look" »

Utopian Reformism and Modern Urban Planning

Utopian reformists began to create the first alternative models to the industrial city, attempting to address its social and urban shortcomings. Key figures like Robert Owen in England (1817) and Charles M. Fourier in France (1822) proposed innovative models for worker settlements and their relationship with new industries. Fourier's concept was the Phalanstère.

Haussmann's Paris Reforms

The reform model of Haussmann in Paris (1845) was more comprehensive. It aimed to reorganize the city center, creating avenues for smoother functioning. Based on large-scale public works, it provided employment while also making future revolutions more difficult by replacing narrow medieval streets with wide, straight... Continue reading "Urban Reform: From Utopian Visions to Modern City Planning" »

Agricultural and Environmental Terms Defined

Cañada

A traditional route or path used for the migratory movement of sheep.

Cerco

A type of fishing gear used to capture pelagic species.

Reparcelling

An agrarian policy aimed at reducing smallholdings by reorganizing land plots within municipalities.

Cork

A natural product obtained from the bark of the cork oak tree, typically harvested from forest holdings.

Crops Under Plastic Sheeting

An agricultural system that utilizes plastic sheeting (often foam plastic) to create warm, moist conditions, promoting faster crop development.

Rainfed Crops

Agricultural products that receive water solely from natural precipitation. (Common in Mediterranean regions)

Crops on Terraces

Crops cultivated on terraced land, typically... Continue reading "Agricultural and Environmental Terms Glossary" »

Objectives of Agricultural Policy

• Modernization of farms to increase productivity.
• Achieving self-sufficiency in basic agricultural commodities.
• Ensuring moderate prices for agricultural products for consumers.
• Guaranteeing a fair standard of living for farmers.

Key Decisions in Agricultural Policy

To achieve these objectives, several key decisions were taken:

• Subsidies for basic food production.
• Restrictions on imports from non-EU countries to ensure fair market prices for domestic products and support farmers.

EU Agricultural Subsidies Today

Yes, the European Union continues to provide agricultural subsidies. However, these subsidies are primarily directed towards:

• Promoting environmentally friendly farming techniques.
• Supporting rural development initiatives.

Hominization Findings in the Iberian Peninsula

The Iberian Peninsula is an area where we see the evolution from prehistoric hominids to modern humans. The excavations in the **Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos)** have discovered a set of human remains from the age of **1,200,000** years. It was a new species named *Homo Antecessor*, and it is considered an ancestor of *Homo sapiens*. These are the oldest remains found in Western Europe. Also in **Atapuerca (Sima de los Huesos)**, bones of *Homo heidelbergensis* (**350,000 years old**) were found. These two species belong to the **Lower Paleolithic**. Many remains of *Homo Neanderthalensis* are preserved from the **Middle Paleolithic**. The arrival in Europe of modern *Homo sapiens* (**Upper Paleolithic*... Continue reading "Ancient History of the Iberian Peninsula: Hominids and Pre-Roman Peoples" »

Rural Areas: Characteristics, Land Use & Economic Activities

Defining Rural Areas

• Predominantly rural areas are characterized by activities focused on obtaining raw materials.
• Features include lower population density and varying social ties (weak and stronger).
• Human interaction with the environment shapes habitat, leading to clustering of rural housing and diverse farm types.

Land Ownership & Agricultural Systems

• Large Land Estates: Extensive landholdings, often belonging to a single owner (e.g., latifundio).
• Minifundio: Small tracts of land, typically owned by one person.
• Land division systems, such as townships, historically influenced rural organization.

Agricultural Crop Types & Systems

• Mediterranean Polyculture: Diverse crops grown

Spain: Rural and Urban Settlements

Rural Settlement Types

• The dispersed settlement is typical of the northern peninsula.
• The predominant type of settlement in rural areas of the peninsula is concentrated.

Spanish Rural Houses

• Stone houses (predominantly in the mountainous periphery).
• Mud houses (interior peninsular, Valencia, and Murcia orchards).
• Buildings of mixed wood (wood, stone, or clay) are in rural areas of the Basque Country, the Central System, and the Iberian System.

Transformations in the Rural World

• Rural mountainous interiors of the peninsula were affected by the rural exodus.
• Rural communities located in coastal areas experienced a radical transformation.
• Rural populations close to large urban cities have taken office.

Urban Settlement in