Geography of Spain

Landmass Geography of Spain

Spain: Southwestern Europe (Eurasian Continent)

Spain's size: 505,957 sq kms
Land Mass: 499, 542 kms
Water Mass: 5,429 kms
The Pyrenees 435 kms mass: forming a natural frontier with France

Spain is Situated on the Iberian Peninisula

The Iberian Peninsular landmass is shared by: Portugal, Andorra and Spain.
Spain occupies 84% of the Iberian Peninsular territory.

Overview

The 19 Regions and Their Capitals
Geography of Spain's Coasts
Principal Mountain Ranges
Principal Rivers of Spain
Places of Sovereignity
Our Maps

Geography Facts

Spain is the highest European country (except Switzerland), averaging heights of 600 mts
3rd largest European country, i.e.: Russia 1st, France 2nd, Spain 3rd
3,313 km kms: Spanish water boundaries
1,917.8 kms: Spain's land boundaries
Mediterranean Coastlines: 1,660 Kms
Atlantic Costlines: 1,653 Kms

Spain's Water Borders

Atlantic Ocean
Mediterranean Sea
Balearic Sea
Alboran Sea
Cantabrian Sea
Bay of Biscay

Punta Tarifa is the southern-most point of Spain and of the European Continent
The Gibraltar Straits separate Spain (and European Continent) from Morocco, North Africa
The locus of Tarifa is a strategic divisor-point, separating the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean and of vast historic importance

The 19 Regions and Their Capitals

Madrid: Madrid
Catalonia: Barcelona
Castilla y Leon: Valladolid
Castilla-La Mancha: Toledo
Navarra: Pamplona
Galicia: Santiago de Compostela
Asturias: Oviedo
Cantabria: Santander
Basque Country: Victoria
Aragon: Zaragoza
La Rioja: Logroño
Valencia: Valencia
Murcia: Murcia
Extremadura: Merida
Andalucia: Sevilla
Balearic Islands: Palma de Mallorca
Canary Islands: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria or Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Geography of Spain's Coasts

There are over 2,000 beaches in Spain.

Rías Bajas, (Galicia)

Rías Altas, (Galicia)

Costa Verde, (Asturias)

Costa Vasca, (País Vasco)

Costa Brava, (Cataluña)

Costa de Maresme, (Cataluña)

Costa de Garraf, (Cataluña)

Costa Dorada, (Cataluña)

Costa Azahar, (Valencia)

Costa Valencia, (Valencia)

Costa Blanca, (Valencia)

Costa Cálida, (Murcia)

Costa Almería, (Andalucia)

Costa Tropical, (Andalucia)

Costa del Sol, (Andalucia) Andalucia Travel Costa del Sol
Costa de la Luz, (Andalucia)

Principal Mountain Ranges

Sierra: Jagged edges, like a saw
Cordillera: Chain of mountains
Monte: Mountain

Pyrenees (Pirineos)
The Sistema Central
Cordillera Cantábrico
Picos de Europa
Montes de Leon
Sierra de Gredos
Sierra de la Demanda
Sierras de Guadarrama
Sierra de Cuenca
Sistema Iberico
Sierra de Gudar
Sierra de Javalambre
Cordillera Costero-Catalana
Montes de Toledo
Sierra de Alcaraz
Sierra de Segura
Cordillera Subbetica
Cordillera Penebetica
Sierra Morena
Sierra de Aracena

The Iberian Peninsula's Orography
The Meseta Central is framed by the Cordillera Cantabrica, Sierra Morena and the Sistema Iberico. This Central Plateau is sliced through, by the Sistema Central, creating distinctive northern (higher and smaller) and southern areas.

Principal Rivers of Spain

Principal Spanish rivers: Río Ebro, Río Duero, Río Guadalquivir, Río Guadiana and the Río Tagus.

Desembogue Points

The Duero
The Miño
The Tajo
The Tagus
The Guadiana
The Guadalquivir
The Ebro

Each of the above rivers are sourced in Spain. Their course(s) cross through Portugal and they desembogue in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Ebro desembogues in the Mediterranean Sea

Principal Lowland areas: (Las Campiñas)

The Guadalquivir Valley in Andalucia Spain, is flanked by the Sierra Morena and the Sistema Penebetico
The Ebro Valley is flanked by the Sistema Iberico and the Pyrenees