At 195,884 mi² (504,782 km²), Spain is the world's
51st-largest country. It is some 47,000 km² smaller than France and
81,000 km² larger than the U.S. state of California.
On the west, Spain borders Portugal, on the south, it borders
Gibraltar (a British overseas territory) and Morocco, through its
cities in North Africa (Ceuta and Melilla). On the northeast, along
the Pyrenees mountain range, it borders France and the tiny
principality of Andorra. Spain also includes the Balearic Islands in
the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean and
a number of uninhabited islands on the Mediterranean side of the
strait of Gibraltar, known as Plazas de soberanía, such as the
Chafarine islands, the isle of Alborán, the "rocks" (peñones) of
Vélez and Alhucemas, and the tiny Isla Perejil. Along the Pyrenees
in Catalonia, a small exclave town called Llívia is surrounded by
France. The little Pheasant Island in the River Bidasoa is a
Spanish-French condominium.
Mainland Spain is dominated by high plateaus and mountain ranges,
such as the Sierra Nevada. Running from these heights are several
major rivers such as the Tagus, 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.
Due to Spain's geographical situation and orographic conditions, the
climate is extremely diverse; it can be roughly divided into four
areas:
* A Continental Mediterranean climate in the inland areas of the
Peninsula (largest city, Madrid).
* A Mediterranean climate region extends from the Andalusian plain
along the southern and eastern coasts up to the Pyrenees, on the
seaward side of the mountain ranges that run near the coast (largest
city, Barcelona). They get warm winds from the Saharas called
Leveche, also known as Sirocco.
* An Oceanic climate in Galicia and the coastal strip near the Bay
of Biscay or (largest city,) Bilbao. This area is often called Green
Spain.
* A Subtropical climate in Canary Islands is a very humid place and
the islands have palm trees and beaches.
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