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100+ Free PAU Geography (Cantabria) Practice Questions
Cantabria PAU Geography 2026 (Pruebas de Acceso a la Universidad, Universidad de Cantabria) practice questions are available now; exam metadata is being verified.
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2026 Statistics
Key Facts: PAU Geography (Cantabria) Exam
90 min
Duration of the written examination paper
University of Cantabria (UNICAN) PAU Organising Commission
0–10 scale
PAU scoring scale (minimum 4.0 in Access Phase)
Cantabria PAU Regulations
5 Blocks
Syllabus content blocks covering Physical, Human, Economic, and Regional Geography
2º Bachillerato Geografía Curriculum (LOMLOE)
100
High-quality practice questions in this OpenExamPrep subject bank
OpenExamPrep
Master the 2026 Cantabria PAU Geography exam with 100 practice questions covering Iberian relief, climate and environment, demography, urban systems, economic activities, and Spain's territorial organization. This English-language MCQ bank is a study adaptation of the theory knowledge behind the official written exam, not a format simulation.
Sample PAU Geography (Cantabria) Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your PAU Geography (Cantabria) exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Which ancient mountain-building event during the Paleozoic Era formed the rigid basement of the Iberian Massif (Macizo Hespérico)?
A.Hercynian (Variscan) orogeny
B.Alpine orogeny
C.Caledonian orogeny
D.Andean orogeny
Explanation: The Hercynian (or Variscan) orogeny occurred during the late Paleozoic Era (Carboniferous-Permian) and uplifted the crystalline basement of Western Iberia. This ancient mass was later eroded into a peneplain that forms the structural core of the modern Meseta Central.
2During the Tertiary period (Cenozoic Era), which major mountain-building episode created the Pyrenees and the Cordilleras Béticas?
A.Hercynian orogeny
B.Alpine orogeny
C.Simbrian folding
D.Baikal orogeny
Explanation: The Alpine orogeny caused intense folding of Mesozoic marine sediments deposited around the margins of the Iberian plate, giving rise to high exterior mountain ranges including the Pyrenees, the Cordilleras Béticas, and the Cantabrian chain.
3The 'Siliceous Spain' (España Silícea), characterized by granite, gneiss, and slate rocks, is predominantly located in which part of the Iberian Peninsula?
A.Eastern coastal belt and Balearic Islands
B.Ebro and Guadalquivir river basins
C.Western half of the peninsula, including Galicia, Extremadura, and western Meseta
D.Canary Islands archipelago
Explanation: Siliceous Spain occupies the western part of the Iberian Peninsula, coinciding with the oldest Hercynian basement materials (granites, quartzites, slates). It encompasses Galicia, Extremadura, Western Castilla y León, the Sistema Central, and Montes de Toledo.
4Which geomorphological landform features (such as sinkholes/torcas, caves, and lapiaz) are characteristic of 'Calcareous Spain' (España Caliza)?
A.Granite tors and berrocales
B.Clay campiñas and badlands
C.Volcanic calderas and malpaíses
D.Karst landforms created by chemical solution of limestone
Explanation: Calcareous Spain is dominated by limestone, which is soluble in rain water containing carbon dioxide. This chemical dissolution produces karst topography featuring lapiaz, sinkholes (torcas/dolinas), poljes, and subterranean cave systems.
5What type of landscape is typical of 'Clayey Spain' (España Arcillosa), found in the interior river basins of the Duero, Tajo, and Ebro?
A.Gently rolling campiñas and eroded badlands
B.High granite peaks and crests
C.Gorges and karst poljes
D.Basaltic lava fields
Explanation: Clayey Spain consists of soft Cenozoic and Quaternary sediments (clays, marls, silts, gypsum). Because these materials erode easily, they form broad, gently undulating agricultural plains called campiñas, or heavily eroded badlands when lacking vegetation.
6The Picos de Europa mountain mass, located within the Cordillera Cantábrica across Cantabria, Asturias, and León, is primarily composed of which rock type?
A.Volcanic basalt
B.Carboniferous limestone (caliza de montaña)
C.Granite and gneiss
D.Gypsum and clay
Explanation: The Picos de Europa represent a dramatic horst structure composed of thick, resistant Carboniferous limestone. Intense glacial and karst erosion has sculpted steep alpine crests, deep gorges (such as the Cares and Hermida gorges), and high plateau karst poljes.
7Which of the following mountain ranges directly borders and encloses the northern perimeter of the Meseta Central?
A.Sierra Morena
B.Sistema Ibérico
C.Cordillera Cantábrica
D.Pyrenees
Explanation: The Cordillera Cantábrica borders the Meseta Central to the north, acting as a formidable physical barrier between the Northern Submeseta and the Cantabrian Sea coast.
8The interior of the Meseta Central is divided into the Submeseta Norte and Submeseta Sur by which major morphostructural mountain chain?
A.Montes de Toledo
B.Sistema Ibérico
C.Cordillera Penibética
D.Sistema Central
Explanation: The Sistema Central is an internal mountain range composed of elevated Paleozoic granite fault blocks (horsts) such as Sierra de Gredos and Sierra de Guadarrama. It bisects the Meseta Central into the Submeseta Norte (Duero basin) and Submeseta Sur (Tajo and Guadiana basins).
9How do the average altitudes of the Submeseta Norte and Submeseta Sur compare?
A.Submeseta Norte is higher, averaging ~700-800 m, whereas Submeseta Sur averages ~600-700 m
B.Submeseta Sur is significantly higher than Submeseta Norte
C.Both submesetas sit at sea level
D.Submeseta Norte is below sea level due to tectonic sinking
Explanation: The Submeseta Norte sits at a higher average altitude (~700–800 meters above sea level) and is drained by a single major river network (Duero). The Submeseta Sur is lower (~600–700 m) and is split into two hydrographic basins (Tajo and Guadiana) by the Montes de Toledo.
10The Ebro and Guadalquivir depressions are Alpine triangular basins. What geological process filled these basins during the Cenozoic Era?
A.Glacial scouring from ice sheets
B.Sedimentation of thick marine and continental Cenozoic deposits
C.Volcanic basalt flows from oceanic ridges
D.Wind-blown desert sand dunes
Explanation: Both the Ebro and Guadalquivir basins formed as alpine foreland troughs during the Alpine orogeny. Over the Cenozoic Era, they were filled by thousands of meters of marine and continental sediments (clays, marls, sandstones, limestone, and salts).
About the PAU Geography (Cantabria) Practice Questions
Verified exam format metadata for Cantabria PAU Geography 2026 (Pruebas de Acceso a la Universidad, Universidad de Cantabria) is pending. The practice questions above remain available while official exam length, timing, passing score, fee, and administrator details are reviewed.