Learning Spanish as a Second Language is simple and fun with the Spanish books for children, parents and teachers we create at Alphabet Space.
Children will enjoy the activities and games that will help them learn Spanish and about the culture of Spanish speaking countries.
Parents will find books filled with everyday phrases and simple activities that using the daily routine as a base, will help teach and reinforce Spanish on a daily basis. These Spanish books can also be used with homeschool students. Browse the tabs on the top, to start learning and teaching Spanish in a simple and fun way!
Elementary Spanish Teachers can enrich their Spanish curriculum in the Kindergarten and Elementary level with books that include simple Spanish lessons with reproducible activities, worksheets, visual aids and games with interesting and useful Spanish vocabulary, Spanish grammar and Spanish phrases.
¡Hola! Ever since COVID I realized how great it is to project slides to teach Spanish. All kids no matter where they are can see a colorful screen! SO… I started the section RESOURCES TO TEACH SPANISH REMOTELY as an option to place some of the slides I was using to teach Spanish. (They are free!)
About two months ago, January 25th, 2025 to be exact, I realized that maybe I could build up on this idea, to create something longer that could be used to teach and to learn at the same time. So I finally created my first one! You can see it below. Try it and let me know what you think!
..And don’t forget to like and subscribe as I plan to make many more!
Las Américas ó América es el segundo continente más grande del mundo. Tiene 35 paises independientes y 25 territorios dependientes de Estados Unidos, Reino Unido, Dinamarca, Francia y Países Bajos. América se puede dividir de varias formas pero la más popular en la actualidad es en América del Norte y América del Sur. América Central y América Insular (ó el Caribe) forman parte de América del Norte.
A continuación comparto un mapa ayuda a practicar los países de América, (no incluye las islas del Caribe por la dificultad de sus diminutos tamaños). En el futuro crearé otro mapa específicamente de esta area.
Are you looking for a way to start practicing reading comprehension in Spanish? Or perhaps your children or students? Well I decided to recreate my recent reading comprehension texts as videos that anyone can use at anytime. You can even pause the video and try to answer the questions to then see the answers by going to the next section in the video… ! I started this week and my goal is to do one every week! Take a look at the first one:
This is RCL 1.1 and it covers description. It is great if you have been practicing colors and size related adjectives to describe. Check the topic list below… so you see what will be coming next week!
Ever wonder what you can do to support and help your students that already speak Spanish develop their more advanced reading skills in Spanish?
One thing I use in class are short (two page) reading comprehension texts with questions. I really like the Santillana “Vacation” workbooks for this. This is one of them:
One thing I’m trying this year is having them read a book in Spanish at home. I think this is a wonderful way to have students develop their vocabulary and read more fluently in Spanish. Every week they will fill in a reading diary that includes an activity they have to do based on what they read. These activities are nor reading comprehension questions, they are grammar related. See some below:
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¡Hola! These past weeks I have been working on new series of books that I hope will help children read and practice vocabulary words in Spanish.
The first of these books is called “Urix y los objetos.” It is about Urix (one of my alien creatures) and classroom objects. This book comes from far back (1992!) and I finally decided to publish it digitally. This is the cover:
What is really fun about this book is that Urix eats a classroom object and the child has to guess what the alien ate then the next page tells you.
Some of the pages are really funny:
And at the end of the book, Urix invites kids to try and remember all the objects he tried to eat. This provides one more opportunity for children to practice the words.
Purchase options:
You can buy with Paypal and receive a PDF via email ( allow 24 hours):
Digital Book: Urix y los objetos
$3.99
You can also get a Kindle Digital version at Amazon* right HERE, or an immediate file through Teachers Pay Teachers HERE.
I plan to continue creating 4 or 5 books in this series that will touch on other useful vocabulary with other creatures! So come back soon!
¡Muchas Gracias!
*www.alphabetspace.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising revenues by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
As I was looking through the different aspects of Colombia’s culture, I read about Chivas or Escaleras, a mix between a bus and a truck used for transportation of people and goods. I thought my students would really love learning about them and creating related art. I was specifically thinking of first and second graders, as I cover transportation in Spanish in these grades.
The Chiva, a Colombian icon, emerged in the early 20th century in the Antioquia Department. At that time, horse-drawn carriages were the primary mode of transport for the region’s farmers. In 1908, a breakthrough occurred when Colombian engineer Luciano Restrepo and mechanic Roberto Tisnes imported a chassis from the United States and constructed the first bus body in Medellín. This pioneering vehicle serviced the route between Medellín’s city center and the town of El Poblado. Initial models were basic, featuring a canvas roof and wooden benches. Later versions incorporated roof racks to accommodate farmers’ goods and more seats.
Chivas continued to evolve and today there is a second type of Chivas used for partying especially in Cartagena de Indias. It is how I came to know them, as a tourist in Cartagena. They are called Chivas Rumberas.
Even thought they are used for different purposes, they both share one thing in common, (aside the build of the tranport), their colorful, beautiful and detailed geometric decor. Why are they called Chivas? Because their horn make a sound that to some Colombians sounded like a goat, so that’s what they called them: goats in Spanish.
I found this great video that showcases some of their history, characteristics and how they are made, my students were totally fascinated:
And this is a Chiva Rumbera in action. Please note that there is drinking going on… so make sure you watch it ahead and select what you think would be appropriate for your students.
And… there is a flower parade in Medellin every year that includes Chivas:
Activity 1 : The easiest. Drawing a Chiva.
I decided to have my students draw their very own Chivas. I told them that they could be birthday party ones… if you were going to celebrate your birthday in one what would it have? The results were so creative and whimsical.
The last one. LOL!
For reference, I printed some Chivas for them to look at. I’ve included them below. And… I gave my students some Colombia clip art I printed, that is why you see some cut out flags and typical Colombian items: hats, etc.
Cr. Wikimedia Commons, Yves Picq Cr. Reddit
The following image was very useful as many chose to do it sideways as it is easer to draw.
This activity took about 4 classes to complete. I worked in collaboration with the Art teacher at our school. She did the first part: she made a model of the Chiva, a tracer that students used to trace onto a ceramic slabs of clay. Students then textured in windows and doors. After they were fired in a clay oven, students painted them using air dry paint of different colors. The Art teacher collected many little items that they could use to create racks and she purchased the wheels.
I talked to my students about Chivas and showed them the sort of items Colombian peasants would place on a Chiva. We practiced some of the food items that would go on the Chivas in Spanish, and other things and animals like chickens too. Then Students delighted making mini ‘everythings’ with air dry clay of different colors. (Of course we practiced the colors too! ^ ^)
In a joined class that lasted an hour and a half students created the racks and placed all their items in them. they also created backgrounds for them. We had so much fun!
Aren’t they wonderful! ^ ^ I think if you had no access to a kiln, you could make the Chivas out of cardboard.
Activity 3: Making a Chivas Mural.
To decorate the Reception Area of the school, we call it the Family Center. My coworker (Lower Grade Spanish Teacher and Atalierista) and I worked on creating a giant Chiva. My Second, Third, Fourth Grade Students, a Sixth Grader and I worked on creating the body of the Chiva including wheels and name. My colleague worked with the preschool and kindergarten students creating 3D items to place on it.
This is the image we used as inspiration:
These are some photos of the process and the final product…
I hope this post inspires you to do a Chivas related activity! ¡Que se diviertan!
This series can be used with any student starting around fourth grade, or students that have done some reading in Spanish (words and sentences) and have a basic understanding of its phonics. It is also great for Heritage learners! (Students that already speak Spanish but do not have much practice reading and writing.)
This is the cover:
There are 7 texts or readings in Level 1 that are short, 6 to 12 sentences long. They cover basic vocabulary and topics taught in Spanish classes like: description with colors and adjectives, sentences in simple present using regular verbs, sentences using gustar, the verb “ir” (to go) and “tener”(to have) in third person, the weather and places in the neighborhood. As time goes on I will develop more series covering other topics.
Each reading has the reading in color and black and white:
I also created a Topic Guide of the grammatical content of the readings. It can help you find a text related to what you are covering in class and use it to complement any unit. By the way, SRC 1A 1 means: Spanish Reading Comprehension Level 1 Series A Reading 1.
There are 7 texts or readings in Level 2 that are short, 17 to 25 sentences long. They cover basic vocabulary and topics taught in Spanish classes like: the verb to go in present, as going to / future with other verbs, the past tense (pretérito), descriptions of animals with riddles, the present progressive (continuous) and vocabulary like colors, numbers, emotions, grades, objects and places in the school, etc. As time goes on I will develop more series covering other topics.
This is the cover:
Each reading has the reading in color, in B & W and a projection version:
It also comes with a projection version in color:
Here is the Topic Guide with the grammatical content of the readings:
I have been working on a various Spanish Reading Comprehension materials. I have just completed Level 1 , Series A. This is the first level of Reading Comprehension. It can be used with any student starting around fourth grade, or students that have done some reading in Spanish (words and sentences) and have a basic understanding of its phonics. It is also great for Heritage learners! (Students that already speak Spanish but do not have much practice reading and writing.)
This is the cover:
There are 7 texts or readings in Level 1 that are short, 6 to 12 sentences long. They cover basic vocabulary and topics taught in Spanish classes like: description with colors and adjectives, sentences in simple present using regular verbs, sentences using gustar, the verb “ir” (to go) and “tener”(to have) in third person, the weather and places in the neighborhood. As time goes on I will develop more series covering other topics.
Each reading has the reading in color, in B & W and a projection version:
I also created a Topic Guide of the grammatical content of the readings. It can help you find a text related to what you are covering in class and use it to complement any unit! I dreamed of this possibility! ^ ^
My idea is to create each reading and sell it as an individual product too. So far I have only created this Series A of 7 readings as a product. You can see and purchase it HERE. Come back soon for the individual product links.
I was looking for something to cook with my students when planning an unit about Spain. I had done non-alcoholic versions of Sangría in the past and gazpacho, and suddenly I thought of Churros. Churros are delicious flour dough sticks Spaniards love to eat at breakfast time dipped in a thick hot chocolate.
I thought about how much kids would love them and so I decided to type churro maker in the Amazon marketplace and I discovered a waffle like press to make them! It was perfect as I did not want to fry them! You can buy it at Amazon* rightHERE. This is it:
About the Dough
This was my set up. I always mark the area where students can’t go with blue painters tape…even the floor.
Did you notice on my computer the Slides Presentation about Spanish Cuisine? HERE it is. ^ ^ I only used the portion about churros… as you really need the time to make the churros!
To make the churros themselves I found a churro flour mix. You can buy it at Amazon* right HERE.
Even though it says add boiling water, I just added natural temperature water and it worked perfectly! My students enjoyed adding the ingredients and mixing without me worrying about them getting potentially burned! One thing I discovered as I made them is that you need a pancake / waffle consistency on the thick side. Then using a laddle just pour it on the churro maker until you fill them up on the bottom 1/2 of the press. Then you let them. cook for about 1 1/2 minutes and spin the churro maker around (just like a waffle maker) and then cook it for an additional 2 1/2 minutes and they are done!
GLUTEN FREE option! For my students who had glutten allergy I bought a pancake /wafffle mix that was gluten free, it worked really well! They have a slightly difference in texture but it is still pretty close and when you dip them in hot chocolate you can barely tell the difference!
ABOUT NUTS ALLERGIES: This flour is made in a facility that processes nuts, so if your student who is allergic to nuts is not severely allergic this will work (I had one of these students.) I would check with the parent if you are not sure about how severe their allergy is just in case!
By the way when the churros come out they are all stuck to each other, so use a child friendly knife to have your students cut them into separate sticks.
Another part of the churros is to add sugar and cinnamon on them. Well, this is where I ran into a bit of a problem as it would not stick to the churros. One solution it to put the sugar and cinnamon in a plastic ziplock bag and as they are hot the steam will make the sticks wet and then eventually the sugar and cinnamon will stick to them. I also tried using a brush and I had students brush a bit of water to the sticks after we cut them (separating them) and then rolled them in the sugar / cinnamon mix.
About the Chocolate Dip
Yes! a churro would definitely not be the same without it! So one option is to buy the Valor brand chocolate which is highly used in Spain. It is in Amazon* rightHERE and looks like this:
You will need whole milk too. If you have a LACTOSE INTOLERANT student just use Lactose Free milk. I made the chocolate ahead of time and let it cool down at almost a pudding state so students would not get burned. They absolutely loved it. Another way you can make this thick chocolate is with milk, chocolate and corn starch (which is great as it keeps it all gluten free.)
ScreenshotScreenshot
About Amounts
How much do you need? Well after doing it with various of my classes, I would say you need a cup and half of the dough mix for every 4 churros (4 students). The mix in the box above gave me about 20 churros. Chocolate wise I used the bag above for about 20 students. I used it with about 3/4 of a gallon of milk. Sugar about a cup and Cinnamon 2 tablespoons for covering the 20 churros.
ScreenshotScreenshot
Activity for when kids are waiting for their turn…
As only 4 churros come at at the time, you will have students waiting … so what to do with them? I created a worksheet for them to draw churro animated characters. They loved it! The worksheet in included in the Slides Presentation above, but here it is also in jpg format:
Here are some of the incredible Churro characters my students created:
I hope this inspires you to try it. Your students will absolutely delight in them… one of my classes even said. This is the best class of all your classes ever Ms. Acuna! ^ ^
*www.alphabetspace.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising revenues by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
For a great activity 3rd-12th grade to complement this page with information about Spain’s Geography go HERE. Students will create something like this:
Spain is a country located in most of the Iberian Peninsula (about 82%) in South Western Europe. Spain is bordered to the west by Portugal (also on the Iberian Peninsula) and the Atlantic Ocean, to the north by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay and to the south and east almost entirely by the Mediterranean Sea (except for the small British territory of Gibraltar).
Spain also includes a small exclave inside France called Llívia, as well as the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean 108 km (67 mi) off northwest Africa, and five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberanía) on and off the coast of North Africa: Ceuta, Melilla, Islas Chafarinas, Peñón de Alhucemas, and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera.
With a land area of 194,897 sq mi (504,782 square kilometres) in the Iberian peninsula, Spain is the largest country in Southern Europe, the second largest country in Western Europe (behind France), and the fourth largest country in the European continent (behind Russia, Ukraine, and France). It has an average altitude of 650 m. (1). It is the second country with the most altitude after Switzerland, averaging all its mountain ranges heights and its high inland plateau at over 600 meters. (Switzerland is about 1300 meters).
Geographical Regions of Spain
Because Spain has not only the Peninsula but islands, cities in Africa and an exclave in France, this is the way I found to make its geographical studies easier. I will divide it by areas and then each areas by regions within them (if they have them).
Area 1: The Peninsula / La Peninsula
Including: The Meseta (Inner Plateau) with its Central System and The Toledo mountains, and surrounding it clockwise: The Galician Massif, The Mountains of Leon, The Cantabrian Range, The Basque Mountains, The Pyrenees, The Catalan Coastal Range, The Iberian System, The Beatic System and the Sierra Morena.
Area 2: The Balearic Islands / Las Islas Baleares
Area 3: The Canary Islands / Las Islas Canarias
Area 4: Ceuta, Melilla, Islas Cháfarinas, Peñón de Alhucemas, and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera
Area 5: Llívia (Exclave in France)
Area 1: The Peninsula / La Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is surrounded by water except one part called the isthmus that connects it to a bigger piece of land. Most of Spain is located on a peninsula called The Iberian Peninsula (La Peninsula Ibérica). Spain has about 82% of this peninsula, most of the west side belongs to Portugal and a small section to the north to Andorra.
The Inner Plateau / La Meseta Central
Spain’s land in this peninsula has a huge Meseta Central. Meseta comes from the word mesa meaning table, so it’s basically an inner plateau or land that rises like table and is flat on the top. It is huge, extending over 154,000 square miles and rising about 2200 feet. It is the most ancient land in Spain known as Hercynian, or Variscan formed about 300 million years ago. The Meseta’s diverse terrain includes two major mountain systems: The Central System / El Sistema Central and the Toledo Mountains / Los Montes de Toledo.
La Meseta Central. Cr. Wikimedia Commons: Rastrojo
Cr. Alfonso Benayas flickr.com
The Central System, stretches from the Iberian System to central Portugal. It divides the Meseta in two: the northern sub-plateau, home to the Duero Valley, and the southern sub-plateau, home to the Tajo and Guadiana valleys. It is divided into the mountains of Somosierra, Sierra de Guadarrama which runs approximately along the border of Madrid and Castile and León autonomous communities, Sierra de Gredos north of the border between Castile and León (which includes Almanzor, the highest peak that rises to 27,900 ft (2592 m) and Sierra de Gata.
The Central System. Cr. peakvisor. com
Pico Almanzor. Cr. Wiki Commons: Hectortrial
The Toledo Mountains (Los Montes de Toledo) separate the Tajo Valley from the Guadiana Valley in the southern sub-plateau.
Molinos de Consuegra at the Toledo mountains. There are 12 of the original 13 dating from the 19th century. Cr. Maria G. Acuna 2021
Check out this fun video of the mills:
Surrounding this Meseta there are various mountain ranges.
North of the Meseta
The Galician Massif (El Macizo Galáico), is located in the northwest corner of the country. The notable Cabeza de Manzaneda peak, in the middle of the Massif, rises to (5807ft )1770 metres. The rains are abundant and regular, creating a thick vegetation cover: deciduous forests with heath undergrowth and extensive areas of natural meadows that favor the existence of soft soil.
The River Sil passing through Lugo province in the Galician mountains. Cr.en-academic. com
The Mountains of Leon (Los Montes de León), form the northwestern edge of the Meseta. The Mountains of León include the Teleno Mountains and the Segundera Mountains, where elevation rises to around 2000 metres. One of the most beautiful places is “Las Médulas.” Las medulas is where the biggest gold mine in whole of the Roman Empire was located! While the Romans were extracting gold, through excavations and a novel system of aqueducts, they also modified and eroded the contours of the land. The passage of time has taken care of the rest. The result is an incredible landscape where the russet tones of the rock contrast with the green of the vegetation. After advanced aerial surveys conducted in 2014 using LIDAR confirmed the wide extent of the Roman-era works, Las Médulas Cultural Landscape was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Cr. peakvisor. com
Cr. Spain.info
Ths video shows how the Romans mined the mountain:
The Cantabrian Range (La Coordillera Cantábrica), is a limestone formation, runs parallel to, and close to, the northern coast near the Bay of Biscay. Its highest points are the Picos de Europa, surpassing 2,500 m. The Cordillera Cantábrica extends 182 km and abruptly drops 1,500 m some 30 km from the coast.
The Cantabrian mountains and the town San Vicente de la Barquera. Cr. Fascinating Spain. com
The Basque Mountains (Los Montes Vascos), are a transitional range between two major ones, the Cantabrian range to the west and the Pyrenees to the east. Geologists call the area “The Basque threshold” and some consider that the Cantabrian Mountains and the Pyrenees are a single greater range and the Basque Mountains are just part of both. There are two parallel sub-ranges running from west to east, the inner one and the coastal one. In between them there is a 500 m high plateau called “Llanada Alavesa” (Alava Plains).
General view of the Alava Plains. Cr. Hotel País Vasco
The Iberian System (El Sistema Ibérico), mountain range borders the Meseta Central on its eastern end and separates the Meseta Central from the Ebro valley and from the Mediterranean coast. It consists of a vast and complex area of mostly relatively high and rugged mountain chains and massifs. It is one of the chief mining regions in Spain since ancient times and sometimes referred as “Cuencas Mineras” (Mining Basins).
Within the region, the range separates many of the watersheds that create many major rivers throughout Spain, including the Ebro, Douro, Tagus, and Guadiana rivers.
Village Guadalest, Alicante. Cr. peakvisor. com
Parque Natural de las Bardenas Reales, one of the biggest desert like areas in Spain. Cr. peakvisor. com
The Pyrenees Mountains (Los Pirineos), is one of the largest mountain ranges towering across Europe and forms a natural border between Spain and France. Nestled within it lies the tiny country of Andorra. One of the Pyrenees’ most captivating features is its abundance of cascading waterfalls, born from the numerous mountain torrents. In Spain, the Cascada del Cinca flowing at the Ordesa y Perdido National Park is the highest at aproximatelly 1969 ft (600 m).
Cascada del Cinca. Cr. excursionesporhuesca. es
There are over 19,000 mountains in the Pyrenees and they extend along 7335 mi2 (19,000 km2). The highest mountain is Peak Aneto (Pic Aneto) at 11,168ft (3404 m). This is the third tallest mountain in the territory of Spain.
Pico Aneto. Cr. Grome CC.
This is a drone video of the Pyrenees, Aneto Peak is included…
Northeast of the Meseta
The Catalan Coastal Range (La Coordillera Costera Catalana), runs parallel to the Mediterranean coast. It is between the Pyrenees and the mouth of the Ebro River in Catalonia. The range does not exceed 2,624 ft (800 m) in elevation. The Catalan Coastal Range consists of ten main massifs, including Montgrí, Massís de l’Ardenya, and Sierra de Collserola. The famous Tibidabo 1,680 ft (512 m), just outside Barcelona, is the highest mountain in the Sierra de Collserola.
View of Barceleona and the Sierra de Collserola National Park. Cr. totcerdanyola. cat
There is also a Catalan Pre-Coastal Range that has higher mountain massifs including the beautiful Montserrat Mountain (4,052 ft (1,236 m) at its highest point.)
View of the Monastery of Monserrat at the Monserrat Mountain. Cr. Peakvisor
Southeast of the Meseta
The Baetic System (El Sistema Baetico) that is made up of two mountain ranges: the Penibaetic Range (La Coordillera Penibaética) and the Subbaetic Range (La Coordillera Subbaética). The Baetic System contains the Ronda Mountains, the Baza Mountains and the Sierra Nevada and is closer to the Mediterranean Sea. The highest peak in the Peninsular Region of Spain is Mulhacén (3478 metres), in the Sierra Nevada.
The beautiful Sierra Nevada. Cr. Wikimedia Commons: Antonio Morales García
Mulhacén Peak . Cr. Explore-share. com
South of the Meseta
The Sierra Morena (La Sierra Morena), stretches for 1476ft (450km) from east to west across the south of the Iberian Peninsula, forming the southern border of the Meseta Central plateau and providing the watershed between the valleys of the Guadiana to the north and the west, and the Guadalquivir to the south.
The Sierra Morena has a diverse landscape of rugged peaks to gentle slopes, cascading waterfalls to ancient olive groves. Beneath the lush vegetation lies a fascinating geological history. Ancient rocks such as granite, quartzite, and slate dominate, weathering into distinctive formations. Mineral deposits have long attracted humans, with mining for silver, lead, copper, and mercury leaving a historical imprint on the region like in the UNESCO Global Geopark: Sierra Norte National Park.
The Iron Mountains in the Sierra Norte National Park.
Area 2: The Balearic Islands / Las Islas Baleares
The balearic islands are an archipelago in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The main islands of the autonomous community are Majorca (Mallorca), Menorca (Menorca), Ibiza (Ibiza), and Formentera, all popular tourist destinations. Amongst the minor islands is Cabrera, Es Conills, Es Vedrà, Sa Conillera, Dragonera, S’Espalmador, S’Espardell, Ses Bledes, Santa Eulària, Plana, Foradada, Tagomago, Na Redona, Colom, L’Aire, etc.
The Balearic Islands province has the longest coastline of any provinces in Spain, with a length of coastline 1,428 kilometres.
Cr. Holiday Home Lets
Mallorca:
Cr. kimkim. com
Menorca:
Ibiza:
Cr.roughguides.com
Formentera:
Cr. travelandleisure.com
Area 3: The Canary Islands / Las Islas Canarias
The Canary Islands are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in Macaronesia in the Atlantic Ocean. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are 62 mi (100 km) west of Morocco and the Western Sahara. They are the southernmost of the autonomous communities of Spain.
The seven main islands are (from largest to smallest in area) Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro. The archipelago includes many smaller islands and islets, including La Graciosa, Alegranza, Isla de Lobos, Montaña Clara, Roque del Oeste, and Roque del Este.
In 2019, the Canary Islands had a population of 2,153,389, with a density of 287.39 inhabitants per km2, making it the eighth most populous autonomous community of Spain. The population is mostly concentrated in the two capital islands: around 43% on the island of Tenerife and 40% on the island of Gran Canaria.
Cr. Research Gate
Cr. Wikimedia Commons (Oona Räisänen (Mysid)
Tenerife:
Cr. orangebus. com
Gran Canarias: Las Palmas
Area 4: Ceuta, Melilla, Islas Chafarinas, Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, Peñon de Alhucemas & Isla de Alborán.
All of these locations are located in Morocco or near it facing the Mediterranean Sea.
Ceuta:
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain on the north coast of Africa bordered by Morocco. It lies along the boundary between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta is one of the special member state territories of the European Union and it is one of several Spanish territories in Africa, along with Melilla and the Canary Islands, one of only a few that are permanently inhabited by a civilian population. It was a regular municipality belonging to the province of Cádiz prior to the passing of its Statute of Autonomy in March 1995, as provided by the Spanish Constitution, henceforth becoming an autonomous city.
Ceuta seen from The Mirador of Isabella II. Cr. Wikimedia Commons, Mario Sánchez Bueno
The House of Dragons, built in 1905. Cr. Wikimedia Commons, Diego Delso
Melilla:
Melilla is an autonomous city of Spain in North Africa. It lies on the eastern side of the Cape Three Forks, bordering Morocco and facing the Mediterranean Sea. It has an area of 12.3 km2 (4.7 sq mi). It was part of the Province of Málaga until 14 March 1995, when the Statute of Autonomy of Melilla was passed.
The city has been Spanish since 1497, long before the surrounding area became part of Morocco or before the state of Morocco was created. Spain has rejected all demands from Morocco to acquire it. Melilla has an old city center with an huge fortress known as “Melilla La Vieja.” It is known for its beautifu Modernista or Art Nouveau Architecture created by a pupil of Antonio Gaudí called Enrique Nieto.
Cr. Wikimedia Commons
Cr. thetravel. com
Cr. paulinaontheroad. com
The Chafarinas Islands
The Chafarinas Islands are made up of three islands (from west to east, with areas in hectares):
Isla del Congreso (25.6 ha)
Isla de Isabel II (15.3 ha) (with garrison)
Isla del Rey (11.6 ha).
Under Spanish control since 1847, there is a 30-man military garrison on Isla Isabel II, the only stable population on the small archipelago, down from 426 people in 1900 and 736 people in 1910. Small numbers of scientists, anti-trafficking police, and other authorized personnel sometimes increase the population to around 50.
Cr. getlstd
Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera:
is a Spanish exclave and rocky tidal island, in the western Mediterranean Sea, connected to the Moroccan shore by a sandy isthmus. It is also connected to a smaller islet to the east, La Isleta, by a rocky isthmus. The tidal island was named Hajar Badis (Rock of Badis) and was connected to the town of Badis.
Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera is located 73.94 mi (119 km) southeast of Ceuta. It was a natural island in the Alboran Sea until 1930, when a huge thunderstorm washed large quantities of sand into the short channel between the island and the African continent. The channel was turned into a tombolo and the island became a peninsula, connected to the Moroccan coast by an 85 m (278.87 ft) long sandy isthmus, which is the world’s shortest single land-border segment.
Peñón de Alhucemas:
Peñón de Alhucemas, together with the islets of Isla de Mar and Isla de Tierra slightly to the west, form the Alhucemas Islands. They are located 300 metres (984 feet) off the Moroccan town of Al Hoceima, or Alhucemas (former Villa Sanjurjo), 146 km (91 miles) east of Ceuta and 84 km (52 miles) west of Melilla. The aggregate land area of the group of three islands is 0.018 sq mi (4.6 ha or 0.046 square km.)
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Spanish rule dates back to 1559, when the Saadis ceded several territories to Spain in exchange for Spanish help against Ottoman armies. In 1673, Spain sent a garrison to the island of Peñón de Alhucemas, and has permanently occupied it since then.
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Isla de Alborán
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Llívia
Llivia is a town in the comarca of Cerdanya, province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is a Spanish exclave surrounded by the French département of Pyrénées-Orientales. The small town is connected to Spain’s main land through a road that is 1 mile (1.6 km) that includes the French communes of Ur and Bourg-Madam. The Segre-Rever, a tributary of the Spanish Ebro, flows through Llívia. In 2018, the municipality of Llívia had a total population of 1,428.
Originally named Julia Livia, it was a thriving Roman settlement and later served as the capital of the Cerdanya region. Traces of its Roman heritage can be found in the town’s layout and archaeological sites. In 1659, after a long war, France and Spain agreed to make the Pyrenees mountains their border. This meant most of the Cerdanya region went to France, except for one little town – Llívia! Why? Because the treaty said only villages could be handed over, and Llívia, being an important town (even the old capital!), stayed Spanish. So, Llívia became a tiny island of Spain surrounded by France.
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The Esteve Pharmacy, located in Llívia’s municipal museum, is a complete 18th-century pharmacy donated to the town by the family who owned it, on condition the contents remain in the town. There are records of pharmacists practicing in Llívia since medieval times. The pharmacy has a large display of Albarelli, a type of ceramic jar used in pharmacies, as well as antique drugs, and one of the most important collections of prescription books in Europe.
This is a funny (to me) historic fact: ”The ‘War’ of the Stop Signs.”
Main Rivers
There are two major depressions in the peninsula that is part of Spain, that of the Ebro River in the northeast and that of the Guadalquivir River in the southwest.
Río Ebro
The Ebro, rising in Cantabria, is Spain’s longest river within its territory (the Tajo is the longest in the entire peninsula), flowing 565 miles (910 km) to its delta on the Mediterranean, near Tarragona.
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Río Guadalquivir
Flowing 408 miles (657 km) from Jaén’s mountains to the Atlantic, the Guadalquivir ranks among Spain’s longest rivers. Its basin, renowned for its biodiversity, covers 22,318 square miles. The river’s fertile plains and engineered capabilities support Andalusia’s agriculture and industries, making it a vital artery of life and progress.
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Rio Duero
Born in Spain’s misty Sierra de Urbión, the Duero river is Iberia’s 3rd longest river carving a 556-mile path westward. Draining over 30,000 sq mi, it sculpts canyons through the Numantian Plateau before gracing Portugal’s vine-clad terraces, birthplace of famed Port wine. Finally, at Foz do Douro, it surrenders to the Atlantic, leaving a legacy of fertile lands, rich history, and captivating beauty.
Cr. Wikimedia Commons: CGRM. Arribes del Duero, vistas desde la Presa de Aldeadávila (provincia de Salamanca, España).
Rio Tajo
El río tajo, (the Tagus) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales near Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows 626 mi (1,007 km ), generally westward, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon.
Spanish Learning Resources 