PAU Geography (Castilla-La Mancha) key terms

The large interior plateau of the Iberian Peninsula, averaging 600-700 m, divided into northern and southern halves and drained westward by the Duero and Tagus. Castilla-La Mancha occupies much of its southern part.

Mountain range separating the northern and southern Meseta, running roughly northeast to southwest. Its southern slopes, including the Sierra de Gredos and Alto Rey, bound Castilla-La Mancha to the north and supply water to the Tagus basin.

Folded mountain system in eastern Spain trending northwest to southeast. In Castilla-La Mancha it includes the Serranía de Cuenca and the Sierra de Alcaraz, forming a rugged eastern rim with high relief and limestone karst.

A low-lying basin filled with sedimentary deposits, formed by subsidence and later filled by rivers and lakes. The Tagus and Guadiana basins of Castilla-La Mancha are examples, giving flat plains used for dryland farming.

A high, flat, windswept limestone plateau with thin stony soils and sparse vegetation, typical of the southern Meseta. Páramos are used for extensive sheep grazing and cereal cultivation rather than intensive farming.

A landform of parallel ridges and valleys produced by erosion of folded strata worn down to a nearly flat surface and then uplifted again. Found in parts of the Sistema Ibérico and western Iberia.

A limestone mountain area in the Sistema Ibérico, north of the city of Cuenca, known for karst gorges, pine forests and low population density. It forms part of the province's eastern highlands.

A Mediterranean climate with strong continentality: hot dry summers, cold winters and low, irregular rainfall concentrated in spring and autumn. Most of Castilla-La Mancha has this climate, with wide daily and seasonal temperature ranges.

The difference between the highest and lowest temperatures at a place, either daily or annually. Inland Castilla-La Mancha shows large annual amplitude, sometimes above 20 °C, reflecting distance from the moderating sea.

A condition in which evaporation exceeds precipitation, so water available to plants is limited. It is measured by indices such as the Martonne or Thornthwaite index and explains dryland farming and irrigation demand in central Spain.

The longest river of the Iberian Peninsula, rising in the Sistema Ibérico and crossing Castilla-La Mancha through Toledo before reaching Portugal. Its middle course supports irrigation and major reservoirs such as Buendía and Entrepeñas.

A river crossing the southern Meseta through Ciudad Real and Badajoz, with a partly underground course in its upper section. Its basin includes the Tablas de Daimiel and Las Lagunas de Ruidera wetlands.

A system of canals and reservoirs transferring water from the upper Tagus to the Segura basin in Murcia and Alicante. It is central to debates on water allocation, environmental flows and regional development in Castilla-La Mancha.

A large groundwater body beneath La Mancha Occidental, heavily used for irrigation and affected by overexploitation. Its decline threatened the Tablas de Daimiel, prompting restrictions and water-use regulation.

A protected wetland in Ciudad Real where the Guadiana and Cigüela rivers meet, important for migratory waterbirds. Its survival depends on groundwater levels affected by irrigation withdrawals.

A permanently or seasonally waterlogged area such as a marsh, lagoon or floodplain. Wetlands regulate water, store carbon and host biodiversity; Spanish examples include Las Tablas de Daimiel and the Lagunas de Ruidera.

A managed Mediterranean woodland-pasture of scattered holm oaks and cork oaks over grassland, used for grazing, acorns and cork. It is typical of southwestern Iberia and appears in parts of western Castilla-La Mancha.

A Spanish public body managing a river basin's water resources, including reservoirs, irrigation permits and flood control. Basin boundaries, not provincial ones, define its jurisdiction, which matters for interregional water disputes.

The continuous register of residents kept by each Spanish municipality, updated by citizens' registration. It is the basis for official population figures, municipal elections and allocation of public services and funding.

A complete count of a country's population at a given moment, collecting demographic, social and housing data. In Spain it is now compiled from administrative registers, complementing the municipal padrón.

A graph showing the age and sex structure of a population using horizontal bars. Its shape reveals past events such as wars, epidemics or baby booms, and indicates ageing or youthful structures.

A rise in the proportion of older people caused by falling birth rates and rising life expectancy. It is pronounced in rural Castilla-La Mancha, straining pensions, health care and service provision.

The large-scale movement of people from countryside to cities, especially during Spain's industrialisation in the 1950s-1970s. It emptied many Castilian villages and concentrated population in Madrid, Catalonia and the Basque Country.

A sustained loss of inhabitants in a territory, often producing abandoned villages and ageing residents. In inland Spain it is linked to low birth rates, out-migration and the concentration of opportunity in urban areas.

The number of inhabitants per square kilometre, calculated by dividing total population by area. It reveals contrasts between dense urban areas and sparse rural provinces such as Cuenca and Guadalajara.

The net difference between immigration and emigration in a territory over a period. A positive balance adds population; Spain's recent growth has depended on foreign immigration after decades of internal rural exodus.

The number of live births per 1,000 inhabitants in a year. Spain's rate is among the lowest in Europe, and rural provinces of Castilla-La Mancha often record even lower values than urban ones.

Irrigated farmland supplied with water by canals, wells or sprinklers, allowing higher yields and diverse crops. In Castilla-La Mancha it covers a small share of farmland but a large share of output value.

Rain-fed farmland that receives no artificial irrigation. It dominates Castilla-La Mancha, growing cereals, vines, olives and sunflowers in rotation adapted to low and irregular rainfall.

The practice of leaving a field uncultivated for one or more years to restore soil moisture and fertility. Traditional dryland rotations in the Meseta alternate cereal with fallow to cope with water scarcity.

The visible pattern of fields, crops, boundaries and settlements produced by farming. Open, large fields of the Castilian plain contrast with terraced or enclosed landscapes in mountain and coastal areas.

A land-reform process that consolidates small, scattered plots into fewer larger holdings to improve mechanisation and efficiency. It has reshaped field patterns in many Castilian municipalities.

A very large agricultural estate, often poorly used historically, characteristic of southern Spain. In Castilla-La Mancha large holdings are less dominant than in Andalusia but occur in some plains.

A very small farm holding, often fragmented and unable to support a family alone. It is common in northern Spain and in irrigated huertas, encouraging part-time farming and land consolidation.

Livestock raising on large open pastures with low inputs per hectare, relying on natural grazing. Sheep and cattle ranching on Castilian rangelands and dehesas are typical examples.

Manufacturing that processes farm products, such as wine, cheese, olive oil and preserved vegetables. It is a key employer in Castilla-La Mancha, located close to raw materials in small and medium towns.

A planned area of land with roads and utilities set aside for factories and warehouses. Such estates attract firms through cheap land and access, and shape industrial location on urban fringes.

A Spanish term for an industrial estate, usually on the edge of a town, with subdivided plots for workshops and plants. It reflects the decentralisation of industry away from congested city centres.

Any condition influencing where a firm places a plant, such as market access, labour, transport, energy, land cost or subsidies. These factors change over time, shifting industry from coalfields to accessible corridors.

Energy from sources naturally replenished, such as wind, sun, water and biomass. Castilla-La Mancha is a major producer of wind and solar power, with large installations on its open plains.

The effect of a human activity on the natural environment, including pollution, habitat loss and landscape change. Large wind farms, reservoirs and irrigation schemes require assessment of such effects.

The system of cities in a territory and the flows of people, goods and information between them. Spain's network is dominated by Madrid and coastal metropolitan areas, with smaller inland centres such as Albacete and Toledo.

A densely populated urban region formed by a central city and surrounding municipalities linked by commuting and economic ties. Madrid's metropolitan area extends into parts of Guadalajara province.

An urban centre of intermediate size, roughly 50,000 to 250,000 inhabitants, providing services to its rural hinterland. Cities such as Albacete, Ciudad Real and Talavera de la Reina act as regional anchors.

Tourism based in villages and countryside, offering accommodation and activities such as hiking or nature visits. It is promoted in areas like the Serranía de Cuenca to diversify income and slow depopulation.

The inherited buildings, monuments and artworks of a place, valued for cultural identity and tourism. Castilla-La Mancha's historic cities, including Toledo and Cuenca, are central to this resource.

Software for capturing, storing, analysing and displaying spatially referenced data as layers. It allows overlaying variables such as relief, land use and population to support planning decisions.

The acquisition of information about the Earth's surface from aircraft or satellites without direct contact. It supports monitoring of crops, fires, urban growth and water bodies through reflected radiation.

A map designed to show the distribution of one or several variables, such as population density or rainfall, rather than general topography. It uses symbols, colours or isolines to communicate spatial patterns.

The ratio between a distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the ground, expressed as a fraction or graphic bar. Large-scale maps show more detail; small-scale maps cover wider areas.

A method of representing the curved Earth on a flat surface, inevitably distorting shape, area or distance. The choice of projection affects how maps of Spain and its regions appear.