Spain shares the Iberian peninsula with Portugal. The Pyrenees mountain range forms a natural border with France. Off Spain's southern tip is the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Africa narrows to about 14 kilometres (9 miles). In the centre of Spain, there is a plateau called the Meseta. It is rimmed by mountain ranges, called sierras, and cut through by great rivers, including the Ebro, Tagus (Tajo), Duero and Guadiana. Spain also includes the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, and two tiny enclaves, Ceuta and Melilla, on the North African coast.

Regions

Spain is ruled by a constitutional monarchy: the monarch's powers are restricted, while the country is effectively governed by a parliament with an elected prime minister. The country is organized into what is known as an Estado de las Autonomías ("State of Autonomies"). It is divided into 17 self-governing regions, each of which looks after its own public services, such as schools and hospitals. The regions are: Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Basque Country, Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile and León, Castile-La Mancha, Catalonia, Madrid, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Navarra, Murcia and Valencia.

North and interior

The north of Spain is cooler and wetter than the south; its climate is affected by westerly winds that blow across the north of Spain from the Atlantic. The northwestern coast is so lush that it is sometimes called “Green Spain”. In the northeast are the lowlands of the Ebro river valley—and the country’s industrial heartland.

South

Farther south, across vineyards, wheat fields and olive groves, the climate becomes drier. The southern region of Spain is called Andalusia. Here, the River Guadalquivir winds across rich alluvial plains. The snow-covered Sierra Nevada mountains fringe the southern coast. Spain’s Mediterranean coast often experiences dusty breezes from Africa called siroccos. The weather is nearly always hot and sunny, and winters are very mild, making it extremely popular with overseas visitors. One in ten people in this region work in the tourist industry.

Economy

Spain’s economy is one of the largest in the world. Much of its industry is concentrated in the northeast, especially in Catalonia. Its main manufacturing industries are cars and trucks, textiles, machinery and pharmaceuticals. Spain is a leader in high-speed rail technology, known as Alta Velocidad Española (AVE). As of 2025, Spain has the second longest high-speed network (3973 km or 2469 miles) in the world after China.
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Spain is also a major producer of renewable energy. In 2013, it became the first country in the world to use wind power as its main energy source. Tourism is also very important, especially in the south. The sunny climate, resorts and historic architecture attract over 90 million tourists every year. In 2024, Spain was the second most-visited country in the world after France.
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Most Spaniards work in services, such as finance, education and healthcare. Spain’s economy suffered badly from the effects of the financial crisis, or “recession”, which hit Europe in 2008. At its lowest point, over a quarter of its workforce was unemployed. The rate for young people was even higher, at around 50%.

Farming

The mild, humid climate of Galicia in northwestern Spain is perfect for growing orchard fruits, such as apples and pears, as well as cereals and potatoes. Vineyards are found all over Spain, particularly on the south-facing slopes of its mountain ranges. In the south and along the Mediterranean coast, farmers grow fruits, vegetables and olives. A large part of the olive crop is pressed to make oil—Spain produces 45% of all the olive oil in the world. Large areas of Spain’s land are too hot, dry or mountainous to farm. Some areas have to be watered using expensive irrigation systems.

People

Most people in Spain are Roman Catholic and speak Spanish. The peoples of Galicia, Catalonia and the Basque Country speak their own languages. Many people in the Basque Country (Euskal Herria) and Catalonia (Catalunya) would like their regions to break away from Spain and become separate countries. For many years, an organization called Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) pursued a campaign, often violent, to gain independence for the Basque Country.
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The most densely-populated areas of Spain are around the capital, Madrid, and along the eastern and southern coast. Eating and drinking with their families is very important to Spanish people. Communities often come together to celebrate religious festivals with music and dance. Dances, such as the flamenco from Andalusia and the sardana of Catalonia, are famous across the world.

Multicultural Spain

Nearly all Spanish people are descended from a mixture of Celts, Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths and Moors—all the peoples who conquered and settled the Iberian peninsula over the course of its history. Spain is also home to one of the world’s largest populations of Roma people, known in Spain as gitanos. The Spanish Roma are the descendants of an ancient Indian people who first arrived in Spain in the 15th century; today, they number around one million.
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In recent years, Spain has seen a huge increase in immigration. Between 2000 and 2010, only the USA took in more immigrants than Spain. Just over a tenth of Spain’s current population were born abroad. Morocco, Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia. Others come from EU countries such as Romania and from West Africa.
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Balearics

The Balearic Islands (Islas Baleares) are an archipelago situated in the Mediterranean Sea off Spain's eastern coast. The four largest islands are Majorca (Mallorca), Minorca (Menorca), Ibiza (Eivissa) and Formentera. Majorca, the largest, is made up of a central plain lying between mountains in the northwest and east. Its northern coast is rugged.

​​​​​​​The Balearic islands have a Mediterranean climate and all the larger ones are popular tourist destinations. More than half the population works in the tourist industry. Both Catalan and Spanish are official languages in the islands.

Canary Islands

The Canary Islands (Islas Canarias) are a group of volcanic islands belonging to Spain, lying just off the southwestern coast of Morocco in the Atlantic Ocean. Many Canarians are descendants of the islands’ first settlers who arrived over 3000 years ago. Most Canarians live on the largest island, Tenerife. They grow bananas or tobacco, or work in construction and tourism. Over 16 million tourists visit the Canary Islands each year. They are drawn by the favourable year-round climate, along with natural attractions such as Gran Canaria’s vast sand dunes and Tenerife’s Mount Teide, the world’s third highest volcano.

Facts about Spain

Population 49,077,984 (2024 estimate)

Area 498,980 sq km

Highest point Pico de Teide (on Canary Islands) 3718 m (12,198 ft); Mulhacén 3779 m (11, 414 ft) (on mainland)

Capital Madrid, metro area population 6,791,667; city proper 3,255,944

Other major cities Barcelona (metro area pop. 5,687,000; city proper 1,621,537), Valencia (metro area pop. 2,522,383 city proper 814,208), Seville (703,206), Zaragoza (674,317), Málaga (568,305)

Languages Spanish, Catalan, Galician (Galego), Basque

Religions Christian (Roman Catholic) 94%, others and none 6%

Ethnicity Spanish 86%, others (including Latin American, North African and European) 14%

Currency Euro (EUR)

Chief exports machinery, motor vehicles, foods (olive oil, citrus, grapes and other fruits), wine, chemicals, medicines