Geography of Spain

Spain is a country that is found in both Europe and a tiny part of Africa. Most of the land is in Europe, on a place called the Iberian Peninsula. Spain also includes islands like the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. There are even small pieces of land near Africa, such as Ceuta and Melilla.

The mainland of Spain touches the Mediterranean Sea to the south and east, France and Andorra to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal to the west. Spain is the biggest country in Southern Europe and one of the larger countries in all of Europe.

Spain has many mountains, like the Pyrenees, and a long coast along the ocean. The Straits of Gibraltar are important waters that connect the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, sitting right between Spain and Morocco in Africa.

Borders

Spain is surrounded by water on most sides. The Mediterranean Sea borders Spain to the east, from the French border all the way down to the Strait of Gibraltar. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the northwest and southwest, including the Gulf of Cádiz to the south and the Bay of Biscay to the north.

Spain shares land borders with several countries. It touches France and Andorra along the Pyrenees mountains in the northeast. To the west, Spain borders Portugal. Near the southern tip, there is a small British territory called Gibraltar. Spain also has special areas called Ceuta and Melilla in Africa, close to Morocco. Additionally, Spain has a small area named Llívia located inside France.

Regions

Peninsular region

Spain's main land area is mostly made up of the Meseta Central, a high flat area surrounded by mountain ranges. There are also narrow coastal areas and some low river valleys, like the Andalusian Plain in the southwest. Spain can be split into ten natural areas: the Meseta Central, the Cantabrian Mountains and northwest, the Ibérico area, the Pyrenees, the Penibético area in the southeast, the Andalusian Plain, the Ebro Basin, coastal areas, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands. These are usually grouped into four types: the Meseta Central and its mountains, other mountain areas, low areas, and islands.

The Inner Plateau and associated mountains

The Meseta Central is a big flat area in the middle of Spain, with heights between 610 to 760 meters. It is surrounded by mountains and gently slopes to the west and towards rivers that form part of the border with Portugal. The Sistema Central, called the "backbone" of the Meseta Central, splits it into northern and southern parts. The Sistema Central surrounds Madrid, with some peaks over 2,400 meters tall. South-west of Madrid lies Pico Almanzor, almost 2,600 meters high. Even though these mountains are tall, they do not block travel much because there are several easy paths for roads and trains.

The southern part of the Meseta, called the Submeseta Sur, is divided by two mountain ranges, the Montes de Toledo to the east and the Sierra de Guadalupe to the west. Their peaks are not very tall, usually not more than 1,500 meters. These mountains have many easy paths, so they do not stop travel. They are separated from the Sistema Central by the Tagus River.

The mountain areas around the Meseta Central include the Sierra Morena, the Cordillera Cantábrica, and the Sistema Ibérico. The Sierra Morena forms the southern edge of the Meseta Central and stretches to the west along the northern side of the Rio Guadalquivir valley. The Cordillera Cantábrica runs close to the northern coast near the Bay of Biscay. Its highest points, the Picos de Europa, are over 2,500 meters tall. The Sistema Ibérico stretches from the Cordillera Cantábrica towards the southeast and close to the Mediterranean Sea. These mountains have very steep sides and deep, narrow valleys.

Lowland regions

The main low areas are the Andalusian Plain in the southwest, the Ebro Basin in the northeast, and the coastal plains. The Andalusian Plain is a wide valley where the Río Guadalquivir flows. The river gets wider as it goes out to the Golfo de Cadiz. This plain is bordered on the north by the Sierra Morena and on the south by the Sistema Penibético, coming to a point in the east where these mountains meet. The Ebro Basin is formed by the Río Ebro valley, surrounded by mountains on three sides. There are also smaller valleys near the Portuguese border along the Tagus and the Río Guadiana.

The coastal plains are thin strips between the mountains and the sea. They are widest along the Golfo de Cádiz, where they join the Andalusian Plain, and along the southern and central eastern coasts. The narrowest coastal plain is along the Bay of Biscay, where the Cordillera Cantábrica comes close to the shore.

The islands

The other parts of Spain are the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. The Balearic Islands are in the Mediterranean Sea, about 80 kilometers from Spain's east coast. These islands are made from mountains rising above the sea, continuing the Sistema Penibetico. The highest points, reaching 1,400 meters, are in northwestern Mallorca.

The Canary Islands are ninety kilometers off the west coast of Africa, and they are made from volcanoes. The biggest islands, Tenerife and Gran Canaria, have the highest peaks. Pico de Las Nieves on Gran Canaria is 1,949 meters tall, and Teide on Tenerife is 3,718 meters tall. Teide is a quiet volcano and the highest point in Spain, as well as the third biggest volcano in the world from its base.

Drainage, floods, and water stress

See also: List of rivers of Spain

Spain has about 1,800 rivers and streams. Only the Tagus river is longer than 960 kilometers. Most rivers are short and carry little water, often drying up in summer. But when they flow, they can rush quickly. Many big rivers start in the mountains and flow west across a high plain called the Meseta Central, going through Portugal into the Atlantic Ocean. One important river, the Ebro, flows east into the Mediterranean Sea. In the northwest, rivers flow straight into the Atlantic Ocean. The coast there also has special watery inlets called rias.

The main rivers flowing west across the Meseta Central are the Duero, Tagus, Guadiana, and Guadalquivir. The Rio Guadalquivir is very important because it waters a fertile valley for farming and can be used by ships to reach the city of Seville.

El Atazar Dam is a big dam near Madrid that helps provide water.

Some parts of Spain can be at risk from heavy rains that cause flooding and erosion.

Water stress or not enough water, is a big problem in Spain. Water scarcity affects many areas, and climate change might make it worse with longer dry spells. Some places, like the Jucar basin, often run low on water in summer. In the Segura basin, not enough water has caused prices to go up. The southeast of Spain is especially at risk for water shortages. Also, in parts of the Mediterranean, salty seawater can mix into freshwater supplies, a problem called saltwater intrusion.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Spain

Spain has different kinds of weather depending on where you are. Most of mainland Spain has a dry climate with big temperature changes between day and night and between seasons. It doesn't rain much, and what does fall often evaporates quickly. Rain usually comes in the spring and fall, but it can be unpredictable. Winters are cold with strong winds, and summers are very hot, especially in lower areas.

In the north near the sea, the weather is milder with warmer summers and cooler winters. Rain falls more evenly throughout the year, and fog is common along the northwest coast. The eastern and southern parts of Spain, close to the Mediterranean Sea, also have mild winters and hot summers, but with less rain that mainly falls in the winter months. Hot, dry winds sometimes blow in from across the sea.

Cities and population geography

See also: List of metropolitan areas in Spain, Ranked lists of Spanish municipalities, and Demographics of Spain

Spain's biggest cities include Madrid with about 3.3 million people, Barcelona with around 1.6 million, Valencia with roughly 790,000, and Seville with about 690,000 people. These numbers are from the year 2019.

Resources and land use

Spain has many useful materials found in nature, such as coal, lignite, iron ore, and uranium. The land is used for growing crops, with about 27% used for farming, 10% for permanent plants like trees, and the rest for other purposes. There are also areas where water is used to help crops grow.

The country has a lot of fresh water, about 111 cubic metres for every person each year. Most of the water is used for farming, with some for homes and industry.

Maritime claims

Spain has special areas of water near its coast where it has special rights. The area just next to the coast, called the contiguous zone, is 24 nautical miles wide. In the Atlantic Ocean, Spain has a larger area called an exclusive economic zone that covers about 1,039,233 square kilometers. The area called the territorial sea stretches 12 nautical miles from the coast.