Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 09.djvu/20

LEFT SPAIN SPAIN interior is considerably diversified, but its characteristic feature is its central table-land, which has an elevation of from 2,200 to 2,800 feet, and a superfi- cial extent of not less than 90,000 square miles. It descends gradually on the W. toward Portugal; but on the E., toward the provinces of Catalonia and Valen- cia, it presents an abrupt steep or line of cliffs, with the character of an an- cient sea margin. It is bounded on the N. by the Asturian and Cantabrian mountains, reaching an elevation of about 8,500 feet; on the S. by the Sierra Morena; and is crossed from E. to W. by the Douro, Tagus, and Guadiana rivers. Between these limits it is inter- sected by two important ranges of mountains running nearly E, and W., the N. being the Guadarrama with its continuations, separating the valleys of the Douro and Tagus, and attaining in one of its peaks a height of 8,200 feet; and the S., the Sierra de Toledo and its continuation between the Tagus and the Guadiana. S. of the Sierra Morena is the valley of the Guadalquivir river. Be- sides these ranges there is the chain of the Pyrenees, which, though partly be- longing to France, presents its boldest front to Spain and has its loftiest sum- mits within it. The highest peak in the ranges is La Maladetta or Pic de Ne- thou (11,165 feet); but the highest peak in Spain is Mulhacen (11,420 feet), belonging to the Sierra Nevada in the S. The latter chain possesses some of the wildest scenery in Europe. The chief rivers enter the Atlantic, but in the N. E. is the Ebro, a tributary of the Medi- terranean. The Douro, Tagus, and Guadiana belong partly to Portugal. The lakes are few and unimportant. Minerals. — The whole country teems with mineral wealth, the minerals in- cluding in greater or less quantities gold, silver, quicksilver, lead, copper, iron, zinc, calamine, antimony, tin, coal, etc. The exploitation of the minerals has, however, in recent times been most- ly accomplished by foreign capital, while most of the ore is exported to foreign countries in its raw state. The quantity and value of the principal minerals produced in 1918 was as follows: An- thracite coal, 377,216 metric tons, valued at 21,226,434 pesetas; copper, 1,007,668 metric tons, valued at 19,121,- 407 pesetas; iron, 4,692,651 metric tons, valued at 52,889,055 pesetas; bituminous coal, 6,134,986 metric tons, valued at 341,251,718 pesetas; lignite coal, 726,848 metric tons, valued at 26,581,717 pese- tas; lead, 216,133 metric tons, valued at 60,751,403 pesetas. Other mineral products are asphalt, mercury, sulphur, zinc, phosphate, manganese, silver, salt. and wolfram. There are about 135,000 persons engaged in the mineral industry. The total value of the output of 1918 was 545,916,704 pesetas. Climate. — The climate varies much in different localities. On the elevated table-land it is both colder in winter and hotter in summer than usual under the same latitude. In the plains and on the coasts the hot summer is followed by a cold rainy season, terminating in April in a beautiful spring. The mean temperature at Malaga in summer is 77° F., in winter 57°; at Barcelona 77° and 50°; and at Madrid 75° and 44.6°. The rainfall is small; in the in- terior between 8 and 12 inches per an- num. In some parts of the S. the cli- mate is almost tropical. The hot S. wind of Andalusia, known as the solano, and the cold N. wind called the gallego, are peculiar to Spain. Vegetable Products and Agriculture. — About one-sixth of the acrecge is under wood; the more remarkable trees being the Spanish chestnut and several vari- eties of oak, and in particular the cork oak. Fruits are extremely abundant, and include, in addition to apples, pears, cherries, plums, peaches, and apricots, the almond, date, fig, orange, citron, olive, and pomegranate; and in the lower districts of the S. the pineapple and banana. The culture of the vine is general, and great quantities of wine are made, both for home consumption and exportation. The more important farm crops are wheat, rice, maize, bar- ley and legumes. In the S. cotton and the sugar cane are grown. Hemp and flax, esparto, the mulberry for rearing silk worms, saffron, licorice, are also to be mentioned. The only large animals in a wild state are the wolf, common in all the mountainous districts, and the bear and chamois, found chiefly in the Pyrenees. Domestic animals include the merino sheep in great numbers, horses, mules, asses, horned cattle, and pigs. The chief agricultural products in 1919 were as follows: Wheat, 77,- 660,040 cwt.; barley, 33,946,488 cwt.; oats, 9,597,534 cwt. ; rye, 12,295,808 cwt. ; maize, 14,920,464 cwt. Other important products are rice, beans, kidney beans, peas, lentils, and tares. In 1919 3,300,- 965 acres were employed in grape culti- vation. The production was 7,914,252,- 192 pounds of grapesj, yielding 543,- 904,788 gallons of wine. There are about 4,000,000 acres devoted to olive culture. The other important products are esparto, flax, hemp, and pulse. There are important industries connected with the preparation of wine and fruits. Silk culture is carried on in Valencia, Mur- cia, and other provinces. There are