Geography and Climate
Dominating the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe, Spain’s location makes travel to other parts of Europe and Africa easily accessible. Andorra, the Atlantic Ocean, France, the Mediterranean Sea and Portugal border Spain. The country’s territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, as well as two autonomous cities in North Africa called Ceuta and Melilla. Spain also has territorial control over three small islands along the coast of Morocco.
Spain is spread across a varied landscape of over 195,000 square miles, making it the fifth-largest country in Europe and fifty-second in the world. The country is made up of 17 autonomous regions, two autonomous cities and 52 provinces. There are nearly 5,000 miles of beaches along the coast, adding to the beauty of Spain.
The country is divided into five general regions. The northern coastal region is mountainous with fertile valleys and forests. The northeastern region consists of Catalonia and the Ebro Valley. The third region, Meseta, lies in the central plateau and includes most of Castilla y León, Castilla–La Mancha and the city of Madrid. It has an average altitude of about 2,200 feet. Andalucía covers the whole of southern Spain except for the flat plain of the Guadalquivir River. Andalucía is mountainous with deep valleys and Seville is its largest city. The fifth region is Levante on the southeastern Mediterranean coast, with Valencia as its main city.
Spain is a mountainous country with six major ranges: the Cordillera Cantábrica, the Montes de Toledo, the Pyrenees, the Serranías Penibéticas, the Sierra Morena and the Sistema Ibérico. The Duero, Guadiana, Guadalquivir and Tagus (Tajo) rivers flow to the Atlantic and the Ebro River flows into the Mediterranean. Broad valleys and plains are formed from the Duero and Guadalquivir rivers.
The Canary Islands, near the southern coast of Morocco, are a group of 13 volcanic islands that have mountainous terrain and fertile valleys. The fine sand beaches and warm climate weather make them popular tourist destinations. The highest point in Spain is the active volcano on the island Teide. The Balearic Islands, which lie east of the mainland of Spain, have beautiful coastlines and steep mountains and are also major tourist destinations.
Spain is in the Central European Time (CET) zone and observes Central European Summer Time (CEST), which typically starts the last week of March and ends the last week of October. Spain is nine hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time (PST).
Spain’s climate varies and is split into three main climatic zones. Travelers can mostly expect Mediterranean-type weather, which is hot and dry during the summer and mild and rainy in the winter. This zone is dominant throughout most of the Iberian Peninsula. A maritime climate is in the northern part of Spain, which includes Basque Country and Asturias. It has cool summers and mild winters. In the vast central plateau of Spain, summers are hot and dry and winters are cold. The mountains surrounding the plateau have higher rainfall and heavy snow in the winter. Additionally, the semiarid climate in the southeastern part of Spain has dry seasons that often continue past summer.
Spain does experience a variety of natural disasters, such as flooding and tornadoes. On the Canary Islands, you could experience earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanic activity.
People and Culture
Spain’s population of more than 47 million makes it the twenty-eighth largest in the world. The predominant language spoken is Spanish, also called Castilian. It is the only language in the country that has official status and is spoken either as a first or second language. The autonomous community regions are allowed to use other languages.
These other languages are reflective of how diverse Spain is. Other languages spoken include: Aranese, Basque, Catalan, Galican and Valencian (a dialect of Catalan). While Aranese is spoken in the northwestern part of Catalonia and primarily in the Aran Valley, it is, however, not recognized as a language by the rest of Catalonia. Many people in Spain also speak or understand English.
The main ethnic group in Spain is Castilian. There are three other major ethnic groups: the Basques, the Catalans and the Galicians. Together, they make up 88 percent of Spain’s population. The remaining 12 percent is varied immigrant ethnicities.
The three largest cities in Spain are Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. Madrid is the capital of Spain and has a metropolitan population of more than 6 million people. The city is known for its transportation system and is Spain’s financial center. Barcelona is the country’s second largest city and the capital of Catalonia, with a metro population of around 4.5 million. Located on the northeastern Mediterranean coast, it is the cultural hub of Catalonia. Valencia has a population of just above 800,000 people and is known for originating Paella, a delicious saffron rice and seafood dish.
Spain’s history is long and complex. Modern humans first entered the Iberian Peninsula about 32,000 years ago. Many empires occupied the area including the Phoenicians in the ninth century B.C., followed by the Greeks and Romans. In 218 B.C., the Romans invaded Spain, resulting in the Second Punic War, which had the most impact on Spain’s culture. The Romans harvested the peninsula’s agricultural and mineral wealth and established cities with aqueducts, temples and theaters. The modern name Spain derives from the Latin Hispania, the name of the Roman territory covering the entire Iberian Peninsula. Latin, the originating language of Romance languages, became the language of Hispania and Christianity became its dominant religion. Roman Catholicism is still widely practiced today.
In the eighth century, the Moors entered Spain from the south, where they defeated the Visigoths and effectively ruled Spain until 1492. The marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile in 1496 brought stability to Spain. They were two Catholic monarchs from separate kingdoms who united their kingdoms. In 1492, Isabella and Ferdinand sponsored Christopher Columbus and his voyage to the New World. They also succeeded in expelling the last of the Moors from Spain. The Spanish Inquisition was launched in order to maintain Catholic orthodoxy; Jews and Muslims who refused to convert were forced out of the country.
Through the 17th century, Spain was a powerful empire with many colonies around the world. However, beginning in the 18th century, Spain lost many of its possessions in the War of Spanish Succession. It lost its New World colonies in the 19th century. In 1936 Spain was plunged into a bloody civil war. The war ended in a nationalist dictatorship, led by Francisco Franco, which controlled the Spanish government until 1975. Spain later developed into a robust, modern democracy as a constitutional monarchy, moving towards reforms and improving the economy. In 1978, Spain became a Parliamentary Monarchy, similar to the United Kingdom.