Humboldt climbs the Teide

During the 18th and 19th centuries, many European scientists went on expeditions all over the world to study nature.

Alexander von Humboldt, German explorer, geographer and naturalist, went on one of these expeditions in 1799. Before crossing the Atlantic to America, he stopped on the island of Tenerife.

Humboldt climbed the volcano Teide and measured its height. He also studied the relief, rocks and plants of the island.

On the mountain, Humboldt wrote: ‘The peak of Mount Teide appeared in a clearing above the clouds. Just the summit was visible, its tip reached up against the purest blue sky…’.

Humboldt was deeply impressed by the 3,718 metre summit of Mount Teide and the beauty of La Orotava Valley. When his ship sailed, he said: ‘I’m leaving this island with tears in my eyes. I wish I could live here forever’.

 Read and understand

• Who was Alexander von Humboldt? Where did he want to travel?

• What did Humboldt do when he climbed the Teide?

• What else did he study on Tenerife?

• Mount Teide is the highest peak in Spain. How tall is it?

• What impressed him about the island of Tenerife?

• SPEAKING. Mount Teide is one of the fifteen National Parks in Spain. Discuss with your partner why you think it is a protected area.

The location of Spain

Spain consists of most of the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla on the North African coast. 
Spain borders the Cantabrian Sea, France and Andorra to the north; the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal to the west; the Mediterranean Sea to the east; and the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco and the Atlantic Ocean to the south.

The landforms of Spain

Spain includes six main landforms: the Inner Plateau; two mountain chains on the Plateau; four mountain ranges around the Plateau; five mountain ranges beyond the Plateau; two river basins beyond the Plateau and two archipelagos.

The Inner Plateau and its mountains 

The Inner Plateau is an extensive plain with an average altitude of 600 metres.

It includes two mountain chains:

• The Central Mountain Chain.
• The Mountains of Toledo.

Mountains surrounding the Inner Plateau

The Inner Plateau is surrounded by four groups of mountains: the Mountains of León in the northeast, the Cantabrian Range in the north, the Iberian Mountain Chain in the east and the Sierra Morena in the south.

Mountains beyond the Inner Plateau

There are five mountain ranges beyond the Inner Plateau: the Galician Massif in the northwest, the Basque Mountains in the north, the Pyrenees in the north , the Catalan Coastal Chain in the northeast and the Betic Mountain Chain in the southeast.

River basins beyond the Inner Plateau

There are two large river basins beyond the Inner Plateau:

• The Ebro river basin. It is located in the northeast of the Peninsula. The river Ebro flows through it from west to east.
• The Guadalquivir river basin. It is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The river Guadalquivir flows through it from east to west.

The archipelagos

Spain has two archipelagos: the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands.

• The Balearic Islands lie to the east of the Iberian Peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea. This archipelago consists of five main islands: Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera and Cabrera. Mallorca is the largest island and has diverse land relief.
• The Canary Islands lie to the west of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. These islands are of volcanic origin.  The archipelago consists of seven main islands: Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. Tenerife is the largest island and is home to Mount Teide, the highest peak in Spain at 3,718 metres.

The coasts

Spain has an extensive coastline. There are three different coasts:

• The Cantabrian coast, which is high and rocky with few beaches.
• The Atlantic coast, which is high and rocky in Galicia, low and sandy in Andalusia, and has many cliffs in the Canary Islands.
• The Mediterranean coast, which has extensive beaches that alternate with rocky areas. This is the longest coast in Spain.

The location of Europe

Europe is the second smallest continent in the world. It is the only continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere.

Europe borders the Arctic Ocean in the north; the Atlantic Ocean in the west; the Ural Mountains and the Caspian Sea in the east; and the Mediterranean Sea in the south.

The mountains

Europe has many mountain ranges. Most European countries have at least some mountains.

• Mountains in northern Europe. These mountain ranges are generally below 2,500 metres and have rounded peaks. They include the Scandinavian Mountains and the Ural Mountains, which form a natural border between Europe and Asia.
• Mountains in southern Europe. These include the highest mountain ranges in Europe. The main ranges are the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Carpathians, the Balkans and the Caucasus Mountains, where the highest peak in Europe is found: Mount Elbrus at 5,642 metres.

The European coastline

Europe has a very extensive coastline, totalling over 40,000 kilometres in length.

The European coast is very irregular and jagged, with many coastal landforms.

This extensive coast is surrounded by two oceans and several seas.

• Oceans. Europe is bathed by the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Atlantic Ocean in the west.
• Seas. Europe is bathed by the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Barents Sea in the north, and the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the south

European peninsulas and islands

A peninsula is an area of land that is connected to a larger area of land on one side, but is surrounded by the sea on all other sides.

The main European peninsulas are:

• In the north: the Kola, Scandinavian and Jutland Peninsulas.
• In the south: the Italian, Iberian and Balkan Peninsulas.

An island is an area of land that is completely surrounded by the sea.

The main European islands are:

• In the north: Iceland, Great Britain and Ireland.
• In the south: the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Malta, Crete and Cyprus.

Other European coastal landforms

There are other coastal landforms in Europe.

• Gulfs are large bays. The main gulfs in Europe are the Gulf of Bothnia in the north, and the Gulfs of Lion and Genoa in the south.
• Capes are high points of land that stick out into a sea or an ocean. The main capes in Europe are North Cape and Cape Reykjanes in the north, and Cape Finisterre, Cape St. Vincent and Cape Mattapan in the south.
• Fjords are valleys into which seawater enters. They are formed by glaciers. Fjords are only found in the Scandinavian Peninsula.
• Straits are narrow waterways that connect two bodies of water. For example, the Strait of Gibraltar connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.