Iberian Geography, Relief Features, and Global Economic Impacts

1. Physical Geography of the Iberian Peninsula

1.3. Terrestrial Relief of Spain and Andalusia

The major sets of terrestrial relief in Spain and Andalusia include:

• The Old Beds: Dating from the Primary Era, these are associated with ancient folds. These large baseboards or shields form the heart of continents or some of their edges. In the Iberian Peninsula, this includes the Plateau (Meseta Central) and its peripheral units.
• The Mountain Ranges: Recent orographical formations (e.g., Alpine folding). These mountains border the Mediterranean (Southern Europe and North Africa) and continue through Asia to the Himalayas. In the Iberian Peninsula, the Betic Cordilleras and the Pyrenees are prominent.
• The Sedimentary Basins: Sunken areas covered with sediments, usually crossed by major rivers. Examples include the North and South sub-plateau basins, and the depressions of the Ebro and Guadalquivir.
• The Volcanic Belts: Formed by volcanic emissions originating from the seabed, notably the Canary Islands.

1.4. The Iberian Peninsula and Adjacent Seas

The Iberian Peninsula is the southernmost of the European Atlantic peninsulas and the westernmost part of the Mediterranean region. Geographically, it projects from Europe towards Africa and the Atlantic Ocean (America).

Regarding the adjacent seas:

• The Atlantic Ocean (North, West, and Southwest) is wide open and characterized by cooler waters.
• The Mediterranean Sea (South and East) is relatively small and almost closed. It has a horizontal arrangement, elongated from west to east, resulting in increased water temperature (due to solar radiation) and higher salinity (due to evaporation).

Economic Globalization: Benefits and Drawbacks

Positive Aspects (Strengths)

• Internationalization of production processes, leading to new trade relations, more permeable markets, fluid flows, and instantaneous capital transfers.
• Increased levels of welfare, wealth, prosperity, and opportunity in developing countries.
• The advancement of democratic systems and universal values.
• Accompanied by cultural and social processes facilitated by communication technology, sports, entertainment, and advertising.

Negative Aspects (Disadvantages)

• New industrial location factors, especially the low price of labor in many countries (offshoring). This has created a spatial decoupling between producers and consumer spaces, which is key to current trade flows and global interdependence.
• The increase in wealth has become concentrated and fallen into private hands.
• Widening the gap between rich and poor nations/individuals.
• The current model of economic development is socially and materially unsustainable (e.g., financial turmoil in markets, with the possibility of reaching a global dimension).
• Privatization of many economic sectors.