The geography of Galicia (
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
) is characterized by the contrast between the low altitude coastal relief and, further inland, by the higher altitude of the
Galician Massif
The Galician Massif ( es, Macizo Galaico, also known as ''Macizo Galaico-Leonés'') is a system of mountain ranges in the northwestern corner of the Iberian Peninsula. It is located in Galicia with its southeastern end reaching into the provinces ...
which itself offers contrasts between the morphology of the high northern plains and the southern mountains and valleys.
Limits
The territory of Galicia is between 43°47′ N (
Estaca de Bares) and 41°49′ N (
Portela do Home, border with
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
) in latitude. In longitude, the territory lies between 6º42′ W and 9º18′ W.
Coast
The Galician coast has and has many incoming and outgoing and small islands, and in general is steep declines or little soft. Alternate locations with different characteristics, as in the
Rías Baixas
The Rías Baixas ( Galician for "Lower Rias") are a series of four estuarine inlets located on the southwestern coast of Galicia, Spain. They are the Ría de Muros e Noia, the Ría de Arousa, the Ría de Pontevedra, and the Ría de Vigo.Mendez ...
'
Corrubedo or the
Cantabrian Mariña de Lugo. The first features a coastal dune in a low profile, and the second a high geological deposition zone on its original level.
Most of the population lives along the Atlantic
estuaries
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...
in the major urban centers and their areas of influence. The estuaries are important fisheries, helping the Galician coast be one of the most important fishing areas in the world . They also attract many tourists to the magnificent views and beaches.
Capes
Galician most known capes are:
*
Estaca de Bares, which is the northern point in
Galicia, and the border between
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
and
Cantabrian Sea
The Cantabrian Sea; french: Mer Cantabrique, gl, Mar Cantábrico, ast, Mar Cantábricu, eu, Kantauri. is the term used mostly in Spain to describe the coastal sea of the Atlantic Ocean that borders the northern coast of Spain and the southwest ...
.
*
Cape Ortegal
Ortegal is a ''comarca'' in the north of the Galician Province of A Coruña, Spain. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabrian Sea to the north, the Province of Lugo to the east, the comarca of O Eume
O Eume is a comarca in the province o ...
, between
Ortiguiera and
Teixido's cliffs.
*
Cape Prior.
*
Santo Adrao Point, close to
Malpica.
*
Cape Vilan
Cape Vilan ( gl, Cabo Vilán) is a rock-bound peninsula on the west coast of Galicia, Spain, located in Costa da Morte ("Coast of Death"), specifically close the village of Camariñas. The place was declared of National Interest in 1933 and to ...
.
*
Cape Touriñan
A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment which drapes the wearer's back, arms, and chest, and connects at the neck.
History
Capes were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon. Th ...
, the most occidental point of Galicia.
*
Cape Finisterre
Cape Finisterre (, also ; gl, Cabo Fisterra, italic=no ; es, Cabo Finisterre, italic=no ) is a rock-bound peninsula on the west coast of Galicia, Spain.
In Roman times it was believed to be an end of the known world. The name Finisterre, like ...
, known by the
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
as the end of the world point.
Islands
Galicia's coast is surrounded by islands such as:
Cíes Islands
The Cíes Islands ( gl, Illas Cíes, link=no; es, Islas Cíes, link=no) are an archipelago off the coast of Pontevedra in Galicia, Spain, in the mouth of the Ria de Vigo. They were declared a Nature Reserve in 1980 and are included in the Atla ...
(consisting of the
island of Faro
An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
,
Monteagudo and the
San Martiño
San Martiño (''Saint Martin'') is a small island off the north coast of Galician, Spain, at the mouth of the Sor river and the beginning of ''Ría'' (estuary) of O Barqueiro.
It is formed from a meander of the Sor river.
The island belongs t ...
), the
islands of Ons (consisting of the
island of Ons and Onza
An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
), the
archipelago Sálvora (comprises the islands of
Sálvora
Sálvora Island ( gl, Illa de Sálvora ; es, Isla de Sálvora ) is a small island located on the Ría de Arousa, coast of Galicia, Spain. It belongs to the municipality of Santa Uxía de Ribeira and is integrated in the Atlantic Islands of Galici ...
, Vionta and Sagres) and other islands as
Cortegada,
Arousa, the
Sisargas, or
Malveiras, most of which belong to the
National Park of the Atlantic Islands. There are also many smaller islands and
islets
An islet is a very small, often unnamed island. Most definitions are not precise, but some suggest that an islet has little or no vegetation and cannot support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/or hard coral; may be permanent ...
. It is estimated that on the coast of Galicia there are 316 islands, islets and rocks.
Faro de Vigo.es. ''La Xunta elabora un inventario de islas para su posible compra''
. 21-1-2009. ( In Spanish)
Mountains
The main mountain ranges of the Galician Massif are Serra do Eixe
Serra (Latin for "saw") may refer to:
People
* Serra (footballer) (born 1961), Portuguese footballer
* Serra (surname)
* Serra (given name)
Cities, towns, municipalities Brazil
*Serra, Espírito Santo, a city in the Greater Vitória area
*Ampa ...
, Serra da Lastra
Serra (Latin for "saw") may refer to:
People
* Serra (footballer) (born 1961), Portuguese footballer
* Serra (surname)
* Serra (given name)
Cities, towns, municipalities Brazil
*Serra, Espírito Santo, a city in the Greater Vitória area
*Ampa ...
and Serra do Courel
Serra (Latin for "saw") may refer to:
People
* Serra (footballer) (born 1961), Portuguese footballer
* Serra (surname)
* Serra (given name)
Cities, towns, municipalities Brazil
*Serra, Espírito Santo, a city in the Greater Vitória area
*Ampa ...
, located in the eastern parts, bordering with Castile and León
Castile and León ( es, Castilla y León ; ast-leo, Castiella y Llión ; gl, Castela e León ) is an autonomous community in northwestern Spain.
It was created in 1983, eight years after the end of the Francoist regime, by the merging of the ...
. Noteworthy mountain ranges are O Xistral (northern Lugo
Lugo (, ; la, Lucus Augusti) is a city in northwestern Spain in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia. It is the capital of the Lugo (province), province of Lugo. The municipality had a population ...
), the Serra dos Ancares
The Serra dos Ancares (Spanish: ''Sierra de los Ancares'', also known as ''Sierra de Ancares'') is a mountain range of the Galician Massif in north-west Spain, extending in a south-westerly direction from the western end of the Cantabrian Mountain ...
(on the border with León and Asturias
Asturias (, ; ast, Asturies ), officially the Principality of Asturias ( es, Principado de Asturias; ast, Principáu d'Asturies; Galician-Asturian: ''Principao d'Asturias''), is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in nor ...
), O Courel (on the border with León), O Eixe
O, or o, is the fifteenth letter and the fourth vowel letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''o'' (pronounced ), plu ...
(the border between Ourense
Ourense (; es, Orense ) is a city and capital of the province of Ourense, located in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, northwestern Spain. It is on the Camino Sanabrés path of the Way of St ...
and Zamora), Serra de Queixa (in the center of Ourense province), O Faro (the border between Lugo and Pontevedra
Pontevedra (, ) is a Spanish city in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. It is the capital of both the ''Comarca'' (County) and Province of Pontevedra, and of the Rías Baixas in Galicia. It is also the capital of its own municipality whi ...
), Cova da Serpe (border of Lugo and A Coruña
A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. A Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and s ...
), Montemaior (A Coruña), Montes do Testeiro, Serra do Suído
Serra (Latin for "saw") may refer to:
People
* Serra (footballer) (born 1961), Portuguese footballer
* Serra (surname)
* Serra (given name)
Cities, towns, municipalities Brazil
*Serra, Espírito Santo, a city in the Greater Vitória area
*Ampar ...
, and Faro de Avión (between Pontevedra and Ourense); and, to the south, A Peneda, O Xurés and O Larouco, all on the border of Ourense and Portugal.
References
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