Mainland Spain is dominated by high plateaus and mountain ranges such as the Pyrenees or the Sierra Nevada. Running from these heights are several major rivers such as the Tajo, the Ebro, the Duero, the Guadiana and the Guadalquivir. Alluvial plains are found along the coast, the largest of which is that of the Guadalquivir in Andalusia, in the east there are alluvial plains with medium rivers like Segura, Júcar and Turia. Spain is bound to the east by Mediterranean Sea (containing the Balearic Islands), to the north by the Bay of Biscay and to its west by the Atlantic Ocean, where the Canary Islands off the African coast are found.

Spain's climate is very diverse and can be divided in the following areas:

The Northern and Eastern Mediterranean coast (Catalonia, Northern Valencia): Mild summers with pleasant temperatures and relatively mild winters. Relatively moist climate, similar to southern France.

The South East Mediterranean coast (Alicante, Almería): Warm summers and mild winters. Very dry semi-desert, rainfall as low as 150mm a year.

Southern Mediterranean coast (Málaga): Warm summers ,very mild winters. Average yearly temperatures close to 20 degrees celsius (subtropical).

The Guadalquivir valley (Seville, Cordoba): Very hot and dry summers and mild winters.

South West Atlantic coast (Cadiz, Huelva): Pleasant summers, very mild winters. Relatively humid.

The interior tableland: Cold winters (depending mostly on altitude) and hot, dry summers. Relatively dry weather (400-600mm per year).

Ebro Valley (Zaragoza): Very hot summers, cold winters. Very dry semi-desert climate.

Northern Atlantic coast or "Green Spain" (Galicia, Asturias, Coastal Basque country): A very wet climate, with mild summers and winters.

The Canary Islands: subtropical weather, with mild temperatures (18 °C to 24 °C; 64 °F to 75 °F) throughout the year. Desertic in the Eastern islands and moister in the westernmost ones.

( Madrid )

( Castile Square, Puerta de Europa (Europe's Door), Madrid )

1. Madrid 5,843,041

2. Barcelona 4,686,701

3. Valencia 1,623,724

4. Sevilla 1,317,098

5. Málaga 1,074,074

6. Bilbao 946,829

( Valencia )

( Teresitas beach, Tenerife )

( Map of the Iberian Peninsula showing mainland Spain and Balear islands )

( Metropolis building. Madrid, Spain )

Spain has called for the return of Gibraltar, a British possession on its southern coast. It was conquered during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1704 and was ceded to Britain in perpetuity in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. An overwhelming majority of Gibraltar's 30,000 inhabitants want to remain British, as they have repeatedly proven in referenda on the issue. The UN resolutions (2231 (XXI) and 2353 (XXII)) call on the UK and Spain to reach an agreement to resolve their differences over Gibraltar. According to Spain, these resolutions overrule the Treaty of Utrecht. However Article 103 of the UN Charter makes clear that the right of self-determination of the people of Gibraltar is the paramount and overriding principle.

There is also dispute regarding the demarcation line. Gibraltar is officially a non-self governing territory or colony according to the UN

( Casa Milà, Barcelona )

Morocco claims the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla and the uninhabited Vélez, Alhucemas, Chafarinas, and Perejil islands, all on the Northern coast of Africa. Morocco points out that those territories were obtained when Morocco could not do anything to prevent it and has never signed treaties ceding them, Morocco didn't even exist in the 14th and 15th century when these places became Spanish possessions. Spain claims that these territories are integral parts of Spain and have been Spanish or linked to Spain since before the Islamic invasion of Spain in 711, return to Spain, Ceuta and Perejil Island in 1415 and the rest returned to Spanish rule only a few years after the conquest of Granada. Spain claims that Morocco's only claim on these territories is geographical. Parallelism with Egyptian ownership of the Sinai (in Asia) or Turkish ownership of Istanbul (in Europe) is often used to support the Spanish position.

Portugal does not recognize Spain's sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza. The Portuguese claim that the Treaty of Vienna (1815), to which Spain was a signatory, stipulated return of the territory to Portugal. Spain alleges that the Treaty of Vienna left the provisions of the Treaty of Badajoz intact.

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