Geography and Environment of Spain

Spain is comprised of portions of the Iberian mainland, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, and the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla on the North African coast. Spain’s most striking topographical features are its elevated central plateau and its internal division by mountain and river barriers. The peninsula rises sharply from the sea with only a narrow coastal plain except in the Andalusian lowlands. Most of the peninsula is a vast plateau broken by mountains, deep gorges, and broad, shallow depressions. Spain has few bays, virtually no coastal islands, and a scarcity of natural harbors. Knowledge of the geography of Spain is important to an understanding of the nation’s history.

Detailed geography