IberiaNature A guide to the natural history of Spain
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Spanish seas

The Spanish Atlantic

A distinction is generally made between the Mar Cantábrico - Cantabrian Sea (from the French frontier to Estaca de Bares) and the Atlantic proper (from Estaca de Bares to Portuguese border; and again from the Portuguese border along the coast of Huelva and Cadiz until Punta de Europa). The coastal platform is narrow in the Cantabrian, particularly to the east around the Bay of Biscay , extending somewhat towards the west in Asturias . Into Galicia the coast is constantly broken by rias (estuaries), the remains of valleys flooded by ancient sea level rise. The western Cantabrian is characterised by a coastal upwell of nutrient rich deep water which supports high biological productivity.

In contrast to the steeply sloping continental platform of the north, the Andalusian Atlantic coast has an extensive and gently-sloping coastal plain. The Straits of Gibraltar marks the end of the Atlantic and the beginning of the Mediterranean . In antiquity, the Rock of Gibraltar and the Mt Acha overlooking Ceuta were known as the Pillars of Hercules , and marked the end of the known world. Beyond was the Sea of Atlas , from where Atlantic is derived. Here, an immense exchange of water takes place every second, as deep Mediterranean waters flow out into the Atlantic, while above them the Atlantic current flows in. The volume of water entering the Mediterranean is far higher than that leaving, compensating for the sea's water balance deficit. The Straits and the Alboran Sea are a biological crossroads, rich in both Mediterranean and Atlantic species, along with North African and endemic fauna. MORE TO COME

Documentary on geological history of Mediterranean. "When the Mediterrenan dried out" ( 6 min 10 sec) by forestman

More Spain nature videos

Total Atlantic Coast: 2814 Km

1,086km (Cantabrian Sea. French frontier to Estaca de Bares)

1,728km (Atlantic proper: Estaca de Bares to Portuguese border, and Andalusian Atlantic: Portuguese border to Punta de Europa: 385 km)

Length of Cantabrian Atlantic and Cantabrian coastline by provinces

Guipúzcoa 92
Vizcaya 154
Cantabria 284
Asturias 401
Lugo 144
Coruña (A) 956
Pontevedra 398
TOTAL 2429

Basic characteristics of Spanish seas

 

Mediterranean

Canary Islands

Cantabrian

Maximum tidal run

less than 1m

between 3 and 3.5m

around 5m

Maximum surface temperature (summer)

24 - 27ºC

24 - 26ºC

20 - 21ºC

Minimum surface temperature (winter)

12 - 13ºC

17 - 18ºC

10 - 11ºC

Average surface temperature (summer)

21 - 25ºC

23 - 24ºC

17 - 19ºC

Average surface temperature (winter)

12 - 14ºC

18 - 19ºC

12 - 13ºC

Average surface salinity (summer)

36.25 - 37.5

36.5 - 36.75

35 - 35.5

Average surface salinity (winter)

36.25 - 37.5

36.75 - 37

34 - 35.5

Chlorophyll (mg/m3, normal values)

0.1 - 0.5

0.1 - 0.3

0.7 - 3

Primary production (gC/m2/year, normal values)

50 - 80

60 - 100

100 - 200

Nitrates ( µ g/at/l, normal values)

0 - 3

0.01 - 2.5

5 - 20

Phosphates ( µ g/at/l, normal values)

0 - 0.3

0.01 - 0.2

0.5 - 1.5

  • Source “La naturaleza en España” Reyero et al. 2004

NOTES ON SPANISH COASTS: SEE ALSO: State of the Coast

Coastline by Autonomous Community

Autonomous Community

Coastline in kilometres

Andalucía

913

Asturias (Principado de)

403

Balears (Illes)

1,428

Canarias

1,583

Cantabria

291

Cataluña

706

Valencia

532

Galicia

1,659

Murcia

290

País Vasco

252

  • Although some of the names of the Costas are authentic in origin, more still are an invention of regional tourism authorities ( Costa del Sol ). With absolutely no geographical validity, from Hendaya moving anti-clockwise round Spain and missing out Portugal they are:
  1. Costa Vasca (Basque Country)
  2. Costa Verde (Cantabria and Asturias)
  3. Rías Baja ( Galicia )
  4. Rías Altas ( Galicia )
  5. Costa de la Luz (Andalucia)
  6. Costa del Sol (Andalucia)
  7. Costa Tropical (Andalucia)
  8. Costa Almería (Andalucia)
  9. Costa Cálida ( Murcia )
  10. Costa Blanca ( Valencia )
  11. Costa Valencia ( Valencia )
  12. Costa Azahar ( Valencia )
  13. Costa Dorada ( Catalonia )
  14. Costa Garraf ( Catalonia )
  15. Costa Maresme ( Catalonia )
  16. Costa Brava ( Catalonia )

  • The British bought 40% of the homes sold on the Spanish coasts in 2003. (La Vanguardia)

  • The coldest stretch of coast in the winter is in Guipúzcoa with an average of 8ºC. The warmest is the coast of most of Andalusia with 13ºC.

Maritime regions around the Iberian Peninsula and nearby fishing zones



 

 

 

  

 

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