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Spain: Kingdom of Spain
Capital: Madrid
Location: Spain, officially Kingdom of Spain, a constitutional monarchy
in southwest Europe, occupying the greater part of the Iberian Peninsula, and
bordered on the north by the Bay of Biscay, France, and Andorra; on the east
by the Mediterranean Sea; on the south by the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic
Ocean; and on the west by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean.
The British dependency of Gibraltar is situated at the southern extremity of
Spain. The Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands in the
Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa are governed as provinces of Spain. Also,
Spain administers two small exclaves in Morocco - Ceuta and Melilla - as well
as three island groups near Africa - Peñón de Vélez de
la Gomera and the Alhucemas and Chafarinas islands. The area of Spain, including
the African and insular territories, is 505,990 sq km (195,364 sq mi).
Climate: The climate of Spain is mainly Mediterranean. It is marked
by variations of temperature and, except in the north, generally insufficient
rainfall. The variegated physical features of the country ensure pronounced
climatic differences. The climate is most equable along the Biscayan and Atlantic
coasts, which are generally damp and cool. The central plateau has summers so
arid that nearly all the streams dry up, the earth parches, and drought is common.
Most of Spain receives less than 610 mm (24 in) of precipitation per year; the
northern mountains get considerably more moisture. Around Madrid, winter cold
is sufficient to freeze surrounding streams, while summer temperatures rise
as high as 41.7° C (107° F). By contrast the southern Mediterranean
coast has a subtropical climate. Málaga, in the extreme south, has an
average winter temperature of 13.9° C (57° F).
Tourism: Spain's tourist industry is centered on the bathing resorts
of the Mediterranean coast, especially Andalusia and the Balearic Islands, but
also embraces Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, and other famous cities, as well as
rural Spain. Income from tourism, US$21.9 billion in 1994, helps compensate
for Spain's chronic trade deficit. Visitor arrivals in 1995 totaled around 63.2
million.
Principal Cities: The capital and largest city is Madrid (population,
1995, 3,029,734), also the capital of Madrid autonomous region; the second-largest
city, chief port, and commercial center is Barcelona (1,614,570), capital of
Barcelona province and Catalonia region. Other important cities include Valencia
(763,308), capital of Valencia province and Valencia region, a manufacturing
and rail center; Seville (719,590), capital of Seville province and Andalusia
region, a cultural center; Saragossa (607,900), capital of Saragossa province
Aragón region, another industrial center; and Bilbao (370,900), a busy
port.
Land and Resources: Spain occupies about 85 per cent of the Iberian
Peninsula and is bounded by water for about 88 per cent of its periphery; its
Mediterranean coast is about 1,660 km (1,030 mi) long, and its Atlantic coast
is about 710 km (440 mi) long. The long, unbroken mountain chain of the Pyrenees,
extending about 435 km (270 mi) from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean
Sea, forms the border with France on the north; in the extreme south the Strait
of Gibraltar, less than 13 km (8 mi) wide at its narrowest extent, separates
Spain from Africa.
The most important topographical feature of Spain is the great, almost treeless,
central plateau, called the Meseta, sloping generally downwards from north to
south and from east to west, and with an average elevation of about 610 m (2,000
ft) above sea level. The tableland is divided into northern and southern sections
by irregular mountain ranges, or sierras, of which the most important are the
Sierra de Guadarrama, the Sierra de Gredos, and the Montes de Toledo. Between
many of the mountains are narrow valleys, drained by rapid rivers. The coastal
plain is narrow, rarely as much as 32 km (20 mi) wide and, in many areas, broken
by mountains that descend to the sea to form rocky headlands, particularly along
the Mediterranean coast, where the sole excellent harbour is Barcelona. The
northwestern coastal area has several good harbours, particularly along the
Galician coast.
The six principal mountain chains have elevations ranging up to more than 3,350
m (11,000 ft). The highest peaks are the Pico de Aneto (3,404 m/11,168 ft) in
the Pyrenees, and Mulhacén (3,478 m/11,411 ft) in the Sierra Nevada in
southern Spain. The highest point in Spain and its insular territories is Pico
de Teide 3,718 m (12,198 ft) on Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The lowest point
is sea level along the coast.
Rivers and Lakes: The principal rivers of Spain flow west and south
to the Atlantic Ocean, generally along deep, rocky courses through the mountain
valleys. The Douro, Miño, Tagus, and Guadiana rivers rise in Spain and
flow through Portugal to the Atlantic. The Guadalquivir, flowing through a fertile
plain in the south, is the deepest river in Spain and the only one navigable
for any extent. The Ebro, in northeast Spain, flows into the Mediterranean Sea,
and is navigable by small craft for part of its course. Most Spanish streams
are too small for interior navigation, and, with courses below the general ground
level, are of little use for irrigation. The rivers are, however, a good source
of power.
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