Map of Spain
Spain is a country in Europe with its capital at Madrid, home to about 49.36 million people across 505,990 km². The interactive map below plots 49 cities and towns, 11 rivers, 5 lakes, 9 mountain summits and 47 ports recorded for Spain in YearMaps.
- Population
- 49.36 million
- Area
- 505,990 km²
- Capital
- Madrid
- Continent
- Europe
Interactive Map of Spain
Centred on Madrid at 40.4020° N, 3.6853° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
Great Monument of Spain
The Alhambra (Nasrid Palaces) is marked on the map above. Click a pin or use "Show on map" to fly to it.
The Alhambra (Nasrid Palaces)
Emirate of Granada (Nasrid Dynasty) · Late Middle Ages
The Alhambra (, Spanish: [aˈlambɾa]; Arabic: الْحَمْرَاء, romanized: al-ḥamrāʼ ) is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Spain. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and the only well-preserved palace from the medieval Islamic world. Additionally, the palace contains notable examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture.
The building of the complex was begun in 1238 CE by Muhammad I Ibn al-Ahmar, the first Nasrid emir and founder of the Emirate of Granada, the last Muslim state of al-Andalus. It was built on Sabika hill, an outcrop of the Sierra Nevada which had been the site of earlier fortresses and of the 11th-century palace of Samuel ibn Naghrillah. Later Nasrid rulers continuously modified the site. The most significant construction campaigns, which gave the royal palaces much of their defining character, took place in the 14th century during the reigns of Yusuf I and Muhammad V. After the conclusion of the Christian Reconquista in 1492, the site became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella (where Christopher Columbus received royal endorsement for his expedition), and the palaces were partially altered. In 1526, Charles V commissioned a new Renaissance-style palace in direct juxtaposition with the Nasrid palaces. The Alhambra fell into disrepair over the following centuries, with its buildings occupied by squatters. The troops of Napoleon destroyed parts of it in 1812. After this, the Alhambra became an attraction for British, American, and other European Romantic travellers. The most influential of them was Washington Irving, whose Tales of the Alhambra (1832) brought international attention to the site. The Alhambra was one of the first Islamic monuments to become the object of modern scientific study and has been the subject of numerous restorations since the 19th century. It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
During the Nasrid era, the Alhambra was a self-contained city separate from the rest of Granada below. It contained most of the amenities of a Muslim city such as a Friday mosque, hammams (public baths), roads, houses, artisan workshops, a tannery, and a sophisticated water supply system. As a royal city and citadel, it contained at least six major palaces, most of them located along the northern edge where they commanded views over the Albaicín quarter. The most famous and best-preserved are the Mexuar, the Comares Palace, the Palace of the Lions, and the Partal Palace, which form the main attraction to visitors today. The other palaces are known from historical sources and from modern excavations. At the Alhambra's western tip is the Alcazaba fortress. Multiple smaller towers and fortified gates are also located along the Alhambra's walls. Outside the Alhambra walls and located nearby to the east is the Generalife, a former Nasrid country estate and summer palace accompanied by historic orchards and modern landscaped gardens.
The architecture of the Nasrid palaces reflects the tradition of Moorish architecture developed over previous centuries. It is characterized by the use of the courtyard as a central space and basic unit around which other halls and rooms were organized. Courtyards typically had water features at their centre, such as a reflective pool or a fountain. Decoration was focused on the inside of the building and was executed primarily with tile mosaics on lower walls and carved stucco on the upper walls. Geometric patterns, vegetal motifs, and Arabic inscriptions were the main types of decorative motifs. Additionally, "stalactite"-like sculpting, known as muqarnas, was used for three-dimensional features like vaulted ceilings.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Alhambra (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Built by
- Emirate of Granada (Nasrid Dynasty)
- Built
- 1333 CE
- Era
- Late Middle Ages
- Type
- Palatine Fortress
- Status
- UNESCO World Heritage Site (Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada)
- Coordinates
- 37.1773° N, 3.5881° W
Architectural Significance
Courtyards organised around water, with carved stucco, tile dadoes and muqarnas domes made of thousands of small prisms.
Photos of The Alhambra (Nasrid Palaces)
Rafael Señán / Rafael Garzón · CC0 
Øyvind Holmstad · CC BY-SA 4.0 
michael clarke stuff · CC BY-SA 2.0
.jpg)
History & architecture of The Alhambra (Nasrid Palaces)
History
The evidence for a Roman presence is unclear but archaeologists have found remains of ancient foundations on the Sabika hill. A fortress or citadel, probably dating from the Visigothic period, existed on the hill in the 9th century. The first reference to the Qal‘at al-Ḥamra was during the battles between the Arabs and the Muladies during the rule of ‘Abdallah ibn Muhammad (r. 888–912). According to surviving documents from the era, the red castle was quite small, and its walls were not capable of deterring an army intent on conquering. The first reference to al-Ḥamrāʼ came in lines of poetry attached to an arrow shot over the ramparts, recorded by Ibn Hayyan (d. 1076):
At the beginning of the 11th century, the region of Granada was dominated by the Zirids, a Sanhaja Berber group and offshoot of the Zirids who ruled parts of North Africa. When the Caliphate of Córdoba collapsed after 1009 and the Fitna (civil war) began, the Zirid leader Zawi ben Ziri established an independent kingdom for himself, the Taifa of Granada. The Zirids built their citadel and palace, known as the al-Qaṣaba al-Qadīma ("Old Citadel" or "Old Palace"), on the hill now occupied by the Albaicín neighbourhood. It was connected to two other fortresses on the Sabika and Mauror hills to the south. On the Darro River, between the Zirid citadel and the Sabika hill, was a sluice gate called Bāb al-Difāf ("Gate of the Tambourines"), which could be closed to retain water if needed. This gate was part of the fortification connecting the Zirid citadel with the fortress on the Sabika hill and it also formed part of a coracha (from Arabic qawraja), a type of fortification allowing soldiers from the fortress to access the river and bring back water even during times of siege. The Sabika hill fortress, also known as al-Qasaba al-Jadida ("the New Citadel"), was later used for the foundations of the current Alcazaba of the Alhambra. Under the Zirid kings Habbus ibn Maksan and Badis, the most powerful figure in the kingdom was the Jewish administrator known as Samuel ha-Nagid (in Hebrew) or Isma'il ibn Nagrilla (in Arabic). Samuel built his own palace on the Sabika hill, possibly on the site of the current palaces, although nothing remains of it. It reportedly included gardens and water features.
The period of the Taifa kingdoms, during which the Zirids ruled, came to an end with the conquest of al-Andalus by the Almoravids from North Africa during the late 11th century. In the mid-12th century they were followed by the Almohads. After 1228 Almohad rule collapsed and local rulers and factions emerged again across the territory of al-Andalus. With the Reconquista in full swing, the Christian kingdoms of Castile and Aragon – under kings Ferdinand III and James I, respectively – made major conquests across al-Andalus. Castile captured Cordoba in 1236 and Seville in 1248. Meanwhile, Ibn al-Ahmar (Muhammad I) established what became the last and longest reigning Muslim dynasty in the Iberian peninsula, the Nasrids, who ruled the Emirate of Granada. Ibn al-Ahmar was a relatively new political player in the region and likely came from a modest background, but he was able to win the support and consent of multiple Muslim settlements under threat from the Castilian advance.
Layout
The Alhambra site is about 700–740 m (2,300–2,430 ft) in length and about 200–205 m (660–670 ft) at its greatest width. It extends from west-northwest to east-southeast and covers an area of about 142,000 m2 (1,530,000 ft2; 35 acres). It stands on a narrow promontory overlooking the Vega or Plain of Granada and carved by the river Darro on its north side as it descends from the Sierra Nevada. The red earth from which the fortress is constructed is a granular aggregate held together by a medium of red clay which gives the resulting layered brick- and stone- reinforced construction (tapial calicastrado) its characteristic hue and is at the root of the name of 'the Red Hill'.
The Alhambra's most westerly feature is the Alcazaba, a large fortress overlooking the city. Due to touristic demand, modern access runs contrary to the original sequence which began from a principal access via the Puerta de la Justicia (Gate of Justice) onto a large souq or public market square facing the Alcazaba, now subdivided and obscured by later Christian-era development. From the Puerta del Vino (Wine Gate) ran the Calle Real (Royal Street) dividing the Alhambra along its axial spine into a southern residential quarter, with mosques, hamams (bathhouses) and diverse functional establishments, and a greater northern portion, occupied by several palaces of the nobility with extensive landscaped gardens commanding views over the Albaicín.
The rest of the plateau comprises a number of earlier and later Moorish palaces, enclosed by a fortified wall, with thirteen defensive towers, some (such as the Torre de la Infanta and Torre de la Cautiva) containing elaborate vertical palaces in miniature. The river Darro passes through a ravine on the north and divides the plateau from the Albaicín district of Granada. Similarly, the Sabika Valley, containing the Alhambra Park, lies on the west and south, and, beyond this valley, the almost parallel ridge of Monte Mauror separates it from the Antequeruela district. Another ravine separates it from the Generalife, the summer pleasure gardens of the emir. Salmerón Escobar notes that the later planting of deciduous elms obscures the overall perception of the layout, so a better reading of the original landscape is given in winter when the trees are bare.
Architecture
The design and decoration of the Nasrid palaces are a continuation of Moorish (western Islamic) architecture from earlier centuries but developed their own characteristics. The combination of carefully proportioned courtyards, water features, gardens, arches on slender columns, and intricately sculpted stucco and tile decoration gives Nasrid architecture qualities that are described as ethereal and intimate. Walls were built mostly in rammed earth, lime concrete, or brick and then covered with plaster, while wood (mostly pine) was used for roofs, ceilings, doors, and window shutters.
Buildings were designed to be seen from within and so their decoration was focused on the inside. The basic unit of Nasrid palace architecture was a rectangular courtyard with a pool, fountain, or water channel at its centre. Courtyards were flanked on two or four sides by halls, often preceded by arcaded porticoes. Many of these structures featured a mirador, a room projecting outward from the rest of the building and commanding scenic views of gardens or of the city. Buildings were designed with a mathematical proportional system that gives them a harmonious visual quality. The layout of the courtyards, the distribution of windows, and the use of water features were designed with the climate in mind, cooling and ventilating the environment in summer while minimizing cold drafts and maximizing sunlight in winter. Upper-floor rooms were smaller and more enclosed, making them more suited for use during the winter. Courtyards were usually aligned in a north–south direction which allows the main halls to receive direct sunlight at midday during the winter, while during the summer the higher midday sun is blocked by the position and depth of the porticos fronting these halls.
Little is known about the architects and craftsmen who built the Alhambra, but more is known about the Dīwān al-Ins͟hā', or chancery. This institution seems to have played an increasingly important role in the design of buildings, probably because inscriptions came to feature so prominently in their decoration. The head of the chancery was often also the vizier (prime minister) of the sultan. Although not exactly architects, the terms of office of many individuals in these positions coincide with the major phases of construction in the Alhambra, which suggests that they played a role in leading construction projects. The most important figures who held these positions, such as Ibn al-Jayyab, Ibn al-Khatib, and Ibn Zamrak, also composed much of the poetry that adorns the walls of the Alhambra. Ibn al-Jayyab served as head of the chancery at various times between 1295 and 1349 under six sultans from Muhammad II to Yusuf I. Ibn al-Khatib served as both head of the chancery and as vizier for various periods between 1332 and 1371, under the sultans Yusuf I and Muhammad V. Ibn Zamrak served as vizier and head of the chancery for periods between 1354 and 1393, under Muhammad V and Muhammad VII.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Alhambra (CC BY-SA 4.0).
About Spain
Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Europe and the fourth-most populous European Union (EU) member state. Spanning the majority of the Iberian Peninsula, its territory also includes the Canary Islands, in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean; the Balearic Islands, in the Western Mediterranean Sea; and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, in mainland Africa. Peninsular Spain is bordered to the north by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; to the east and south by the Mediterranean Sea, Gibraltar and Morocco (the latter being through its exclaves in North Africa); and to the west by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean. Spain's capital and largest city is Madrid; other major urban areas include Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Málaga, Zaragoza, Bilbao, Murcia, Palma de Mallorca and Las Palmas.
In early antiquity, the Iberian Peninsula was inhabited by Iberians, Celts, and other pre-Roman peoples. The Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula created the province of Hispania, which became deeply Romanised and later Christianized. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the peninsula was conquered by tribes from Central Europe, among them the Visigoths, who established the Visigothic Kingdom centred on Toledo. In the early 8th century, the peninsula was conquered by the Umayyad Empire after defeating the Visigoths. The Umayyad province of Al-Andalus later became independent and a major intellectual and economic power, centred in Córdoba. The later northern Christian kingdoms of Iberia launched invasions to regain the peninsula during the so-called Reconquista, gradually repelling and ultimately expelling many Muslims and Jews, which culminated with the fall of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada. The dynastic union of the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon in 1479 under the Catholic Monarchs is often seen as the de facto unification of Spain as a nation state.
During the Age of Discovery, Spain led the exploration and conquest of the New World, completed the first circumnavigation of the globe, and established one of the largest empires in history, which fostered a global trade system driven by precious metals. The Spanish Empire was ruled by the Habsburg and Bourbon dynasties, both of foreign origin, from 1516 to 1700 and from 1700 onward, respectively. In the 18th century, the Nueva Planta decrees centralised Spain under the Bourbons, strengthening royal authority.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Spain (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Spain
Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Spain remained neutral during both World Wars but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39) resulting in a dictatorship. A peaceful transition to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975 and rapid economic modernization after Spain joined the EU in 1986 gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy. After a severe recession in the wake of the global financial crisis in 2008, Spain has posted solid years of GDP growth above the EU average. Unemployment has fallen but remains high, especially among youth. Spain is the euro-zone's fourth-largest economy. The country has faced increased domestic turmoil in recent years due to the independence movement in its restive Catalonia region.
- Location
- Southwestern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, and Pyrenees Mountains; southwest of France.
- Climate
- Temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast.
- Terrain
- Large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees Mountains in north.
- Highest point
- Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m.
- Lowest point
- Atlantic Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 4,964 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 1,952.7 km; border countries: Andorra 63 km; France 646 km; Gibraltar 1.2 km; Portugal 1,224 km; Morocco (Ceuta) 8 km and Morocco (Melilla) 10.5 km.
- Major rivers
- Tagus river source (shared with Portugal [m]) - 1,006 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth.
- Natural resources
- Coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 49.6% (2023 est.); arable land: 23% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 10.2% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 19.8% (2023 est.); forest: 38.2% (2023 est.); other: 12.3% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Periodic droughts, occasional flooding volcanism: volcanic activity in the Canary Islands, located off Africa's northwest coast; Teide (3,715 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; La Palma (2,426 m) is the most active of the Canary Islands volcanoes; Lanzarote is the only other historically active volcano.
- Geographic note
- Strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar; Spain controls a number of territories in northern Morocco, including the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas; Spain's Canary Islands are one of four North Atlantic archipelagos that make up Macaronesia; the others are the Azores (Portugal), Madeira (Portugal), and Cabo Verde.
- Languages
- Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan (official in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community) 17%, Galician (official in Galicia) 7%, Basque (official in the Basque Country and Navarre) 2%, Aranese (official in part of Catalonia) <5,000 speakers.
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 58.2%, atheist 16.2%, agnostic 10.8%, other 2.7%, non-believer 10.5%, unspecified 1.7% (2021 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Spanish 84.8%, Moroccan 1.7%, Romanian 1.2%, other 12.3% (2021 est.)
- Economy
- High-income, core-EU and eurozone economy; strong growth driven by public consumption, tourism, and other service exports; tight labor market despite high structural unemployment; efforts to narrow persistent fiscal deficits through tax and spending measures; high but declining unemployment supported by job growth and immigration.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Spain in Numbers
- Population
- 49.36 million
- GDP
- US$1.91 trillion
- GDP per person
- US$38,627
- Life expectancy
- 83.9 years
- Population growth
- 1.03% a year
- Population density
- 98 per km²
- Urban population
- 80.5%
- Surface area
- 505,981 km²
- Forest cover
- 38.2%
- Arable land
- 22.8%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 95.8%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Spain in Depth
History
Archaeological research at Atapuerca indicates the Iberian Peninsula was populated by hominids 1.3 million years ago. The Iberian Peninsula was one of the last regions of Europe where Neanderthals persisted during the expansion of modern humans, with Neanderthal populations surviving in parts of Iberia until around 40,000 years ago.
Modern humans had reached northern Iberia by around 42,000 years ago, as indicated by the appearance of the Aurignacian in the region. The best-known artefacts of these prehistoric human settlements are the paintings in the Altamira cave of Cantabria in northern Iberia, which were created from 35,600 to 13,500 BC by Cro-Magnon.
Geography
At 505,992 km2 (195,365 sq mi), Spain is the world's fiftieth largest country and Europe's fourth largest country. At 3,715 m (12,188 ft), Mount Teide (Tenerife) is the highest mountain peak in Spain and is the third largest volcano in the world from its base. Spain is a transcontinental country, having territory in both Europe and Africa.
Spain lies between latitudes 27° and 44° N, and longitudes 19° W and 5° E.
On the west, Spain is bordered by Portugal; on the south, it is bordered by Gibraltar and Morocco, through its exclaves in North Africa (Ceuta and Melilla, and the peninsula of de Vélez de la Gomera). On the northeast, along the Pyrenees mountain range, it is bordered by France and Andorra. Along the Pyrenees in Girona, a small exclave town called Llívia is surrounded by France.
Economy
Spain has a mixed economy that combines elements of free-market capitalism with social welfare and state intervention. It is one of 21 countries with a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) exceeding $1 trillion per year, ranking 12th largest worldwide and fourth largest both in the European Union and within the eurozone. Spain is classified as a high-income economy by the World Bank and an advanced economy by the International Monetary Fund. As of 2024, it is the fastest growing major advanced economy in the world, growing nearly four times higher than the eurozone average.
Demographics
In January 2026, Spain had a population of 49,570,725 people. That same month, people born in Spain accounted for 80.7% of the total population and people born abroad accounted for 19.3% of the total population. Spain's population density, at 98/km2 (253.8/sq mi), is lower than that of most Western European countries, and its distribution across the territory is highly uneven. With the notable exception of the region surrounding the capital, Madrid, the most densely populated areas are located along the coast. The population of Spain has risen 2+1⁄2 times since 1900, when it stood at 18.6 million, principally due to the spectacular demographic boom in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Spain (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spain: Key Facts
| Official language | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Head of state | Felipe VI of Spain |
| Head of government | Pedro Sánchez |
| Form of government | parliamentary monarchy |
| Calling code | +34 |
| Internet domain | .es |
| Highest point | Teide |
| Lowest point | Mina de Las Cruces |
| Established | 1715 |
Facts from Wikidata Q29 (CC0).
History of Spain: Empires and States
The atlas records 43 polities whose mapped territory included part of Spain, from Carthage in 230 BCE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Carthage | 230–198 BCE | A large part |
| Roman Republic | 208–32 BCE | A large part |
| The Roman Empire | 31 BCE – 475 CE | Most |
| Western Roman Empire | 395–475 CE | Most |
| Vandals | 410–438 CE | A large part |
| Alans | 414–438 CE | A small part |
| Kingdom of the Suebi | 414–586 CE | A small part |
| Visigothic Kingdom | 458–723 CE | Most |
| The Byzantine Empire | 555–622 CE | A small part |
| Eastern Roman Empire | 555–622 CE | A small part |
| Merovingian Empire | 602–611 CE | A small part |
| Kingdom of the Franks | 602–749 CE | A small part |
| Aquitaine | 661–767 CE | A small part |
| The Umayyad Caliphate | 718–756 CE | A large part |
| Kingdom of Asturias | 724–925 CE | A small part |
| Carolingian Empire | 732–749 CE | A small part |
| Emirate of Córdoba | 757–935 CE | A large part |
| Duchy of Gascony | 768–824 CE | A small part |
| Kingdom of Pamplona | 825–865 CE | A small part |
| County of Ribagorza | 866–1084 CE | A small part |
| Kingdom of Galicia | 911–1125 CE | A small part |
| Kingdom of León | 911–1235 CE | A small part |
| Caliphate of Córdoba | 936–1027 CE | A large part |
| Kingdom of Castile | 961–1235 CE | A large part |
| Taifa of Toledo | 1010–1084 CE | A small part |
| Taifas of Iberia | 1010–1249 CE | A large part |
| Taifa of Almería | 1015–1084 CE | A small part |
| Taifa of Granada | 1015–1084 CE | A small part |
| Taifa of Valencia | 1040–1151 CE | A small part |
| Taifa of Seville | 1072–1093 CE | A small part |
| Almoravid Dynasty | 1094–1151 CE | A large part |
| Kingdom of Aragon | 1126–1138 CE | A small part |
| Kingdom of Navarre | 1139–1201 CE | A small part |
| Almohad Caliphate | 1147–1249 CE | A large part |
| Taifa of Murcia | 1147–1249 CE | A small part |
| Crown of Aragon | 1236–1515 CE | A small part |
| Crown of Castile | 1236–1515 CE | Most |
| The Spanish Empire | 1516–1931 CE | Most |
| Kingdom of Spain | 1516–2024 CE | Most |
| Iberian Union | 1582–1639 CE | Most |
| Pro-Habsburg Spain | 1702–1708 CE | A small part |
| Second Spanish Republic | 1932–1938 CE | Most |
| Francoist Spain | 1939–1975 CE | Most |
Historical Maps of Spain
Spain on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Spain
Spain (Spanish: España) is famous for its friendly inhabitants, relaxed lifestyle, its cuisine, vibrant nightlife, and world-famous folklore and festivities, and historically the core of the vast Spanish Empire. It has the second-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites after Italy and the largest number of World Heritage Cities.
With great beaches, mountains, campsites, ski resorts, superb weather, varied and fun nightlife, many cultural regions and historic cities, Spain is a popular tourist destination in Europe for any kind of trip.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Spain (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Spain
49 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madrid | 5.57 million | Comunidad de Madrid | National capital |
| 2 | Barcelona | 4.92 million | Cataluña | Admin-1 capital |
| 3 | Seville | 1.21 million | Andalucía | Admin-1 capital |
| 4 | Bilbao | 875,552 | País Vasco | Populated place |
| 5 | Valencia | 808,000 | Comunidad Valenciana | Admin-1 capital |
| 6 | Zaragoza | 649,404 | Aragón | Admin-1 capital |
| 7 | Málaga | 550,058 | Andalucía | Populated place |
| 8 | Murcia | 406,807 | Región de Murcia | Admin-1 capital |
| 9 | Granada | 388,290 | Andalucía | Populated place |
| 10 | Vigo | 378,952 | Galicia | Populated place |
| 11 | Las Palmas | 378,495 | — | Populated place |
| 12 | Palma | 375,773 | Islas Baleares | Admin-1 capital |
| 13 | La Coruña | 370,610 | Galicia | Populated place |
| 14 | San Sebastián | 357,468 | País Vasco | Populated place |
| 15 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 336,061 | — | Admin-1 capital |
| 16 | Gijón | 335,972 | Principado de Asturias | Populated place |
| 17 | Valladolid | 322,304 | Castilla y León | Admin-1 capital |
| 18 | Córdoba | 321,376 | Andalucía | Populated place |
| 19 | Alicante | 315,863 | Comunidad Valenciana | Populated place |
| 20 | Cádiz | 283,157 | Andalucía | Populated place |
| 21 | Pamplona | 274,545 | Comunidad Foral de Navarra | Admin-1 capital |
| 22 | Oviedo | 235,651 | Principado de Asturias | Admin-1 capital |
| 23 | Vitoria | 224,578 | País Vasco | Admin-1 capital |
| 24 | Santander | 208,763 | Cantabria | Admin-1 capital |
| 25 | Cartagena | 201,274 | Región de Murcia | Populated place |
The other 24 (population, region, role)
- Marbella · 186,131 · Andalucía · Populated place
- Mataró · 183,293 · Cataluña · Populated place
- Castello · 180,610 · Comunidad Valenciana · Populated place
- Almería · 179,405 · Andalucía · Populated place
- Burgos · 170,183 · Castilla y León · Populated place
- Salamanca · 162,353 · Castilla y León · Populated place
- Albacete · 158,094 · Castilla-La Mancha · Populated place
- Huelva · 144,174 · Andalucía · Populated place
- Logroño · 143,698 · La Rioja · Admin-1 capital
- Melilla · 141,308 · Melilla · Admin-1 capital
- Badajoz · 140,133 · Extremadura · Populated place
- León · 136,227 · Castilla y León · Populated place
- Tarragona · 126,291 · Cataluña · Populated place
- Ourense · 118,107 · Galicia · Populated place
- Jaén · 116,400 · Andalucía · Populated place
- Algeciras · 111,027 · Andalucía · Populated place
- Santiago de Compostela · 92,430 · Galicia · Admin-1 capital
- Lorca · 86,119 · Región de Murcia · Populated place
- Ceuta · 78,674 · Ceuta · Admin-1 capital
- Toledo · 74,632 · Castilla-La Mancha · Admin-1 capital
- Guadalajara · 72,850 · Castilla-La Mancha · Populated place
- Linares · 59,761 · Andalucía · Populated place
- Arrecife · 52,944 · Populated place
- Mérida · 52,423 · Extremadura · Admin-1 capital
Highest Mountains in Spain
9 mountains recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pico del Teide | 3,718 m | 12,198 ft | Africa |
| 2 | Mulhacén | 3,479 m | 11,414 ft | Europe |
| 3 | Pico de Aneto | 3,404 m | 11,168 ft | Europe |
| 4 | Torre de Cerredo | 2,648 m | 8,688 ft | Europe |
| 5 | Pico de Almanzor | 2,592 m | 8,504 ft | Europe |
| 6 | Moncayo | 2,313 m | 7,589 ft | Europe |
| 7 | San Lorenzo | 2,271 m | 7,451 ft | Europe |
| 8 | El Teleno | 2,183 m | 7,162 ft | Europe |
| 9 | Puig Mayor | 1,445 m | 4,741 ft | Europe |
Largest Lakes in Spain
5 lakes recorded. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake.
| # | Name | Surface Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Embalse de Cara | 89 km² | Reservoir |
| 2 | Embalse de Buenda | 78 km² | Reservoir |
| 3 | Embalse de Entrepeas | 54 km² | Reservoir |
| 4 | Embalse de Orellana | 46 km² | Reservoir |
| 5 | Embalse de Garcia de Sola | 19 km² | Reservoir |
Rivers in Spain
11 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
Ports in Spain
47 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burriana | 49.4 m | Very Small | Western Mediterranean | medium vessels |
| 2 | Bermeo | 49.4 m | Very Small | Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia | medium vessels |
| 3 | Arrecife | 49.4 m | Very Small | Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia | medium vessels |
| 4 | Puerto de Alcudia | 45.7 m | Very Small | Western Mediterranean | medium vessels |
| 5 | Villanueva Y Geltru | 45.7 m | Very Small | Western Mediterranean | medium vessels |
| 6 | San Feliu de Guixols | 45.7 m | Very Small | Western Mediterranean | medium vessels |
| 7 | Rosas | 45.7 m | Very Small | Western Mediterranean | point_of_interest |
| 8 | Puerto de Bilbao | 45.7 m | Minor | Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia | large vessels |
| 9 | Ibiza | 42.1 m | Very Small | Western Mediterranean | medium vessels |
| 10 | Sagunto | 42.1 m | Very Small | Western Mediterranean | large vessels |
The other 37 (channel depth, class, sea, max vessel)
- Adra · 42.1 m · Very Small · Western Mediterranean · point_of_interest
- Puerto de Gandia · 42.1 m · Very Small · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- Sevilla · 42.1 m · Minor · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Aviles · 38.4 m · Small · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Rota · 38.4 m · Very Small · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · large vessels
- Barcelona · 38.4 m · Major · Western Mediterranean · large vessels
- Palma de Mallorca · 38.4 m · Minor · Western Mediterranean · large vessels
- Ferrol · 34.7 m · Minor · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Motril · 34.7 m · Very Small · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- Torrevieja · 34.7 m · Very Small · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- Las Palmas · 34.7 m · Major · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · large vessels
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife · 34.7 m · Minor · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · large vessels
- Almeria · 34.7 m · Small · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- Port Nador · 34.7 m · Very Small · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- Puerto del Rosario · 31.1 m · Very Small · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Ribadeo · 31.1 m · Very Small · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · large vessels
- Santa Cruz de la Palma · 31.1 m · Very Small · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · large vessels
- Cadiz · 31.1 m · Minor · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Huelva · 31.1 m · Minor · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Mahon · 27.4 m · Very Small · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- Aguilas · 27.4 m · Very Small · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- Hornillo · 27.4 m · Very Small · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- Alicante · 27.4 m · Minor · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- Valencia · 23.8 m · Minor · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- San Ciprian · 20.1 m · Very Small · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- la Coruna · 20.1 m · Small · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · large vessels
- Palamos · 16.5 m · Small · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- Gijon · 16.5 m · Small · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Villagarcia de Arosa · 12.8 m · Very Small · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Tarragona · 12.8 m · Major · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- Marin · 5.5 m · Small · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Puerto de Carboneras · 5.5 m · Small · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- Vigo · 5.5 m · Minor · Bay of Biscay & Atlantic Iberia · medium vessels
- Puerto de Garrucha · Very Small · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
- Islas Hormigas · unknown · Western Mediterranean · point_of_interest
- Las Hormigas · unknown · Western Mediterranean · point_of_interest
- Ceuta · Minor · Western Mediterranean · medium vessels
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain
49 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada | 1984 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) |
| 2 | Burgos Cathedral | 1984 | Cultural | (ii) (iv) (vi) |
| 3 | historic centre of Córdoba | 1984 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) |
| 4 | Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid | 1984 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (vi) |
| 5 | Works of Antoni Gaudí | 1984 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iv) |
| 6 | Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain | 1985 | Cultural | (i) (iii) |
| 7 | Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias | 1985 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iv) |
| 8 | Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches | 1985 | Cultural | (iii) (iv) |
| 9 | old town of Santiago de Compostela | 1985 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (vi) |
| 10 | Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct | 1985 | Cultural | (i) (iii) (iv) |
Largest Islands of Spain
11 islands recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Islas Canarias | 110,211 km² | Island group |
| 2 | Balearic Islands | 34,405 km² | Island group |
| 3 | Mallorca | 3,685 km² | Island |
| 4 | Tenerife | 2,085 km² | Island |
| 5 | Fuerteventura | 1,641 km² | Island |
| 6 | Gran Canaria | 1,561 km² | Island |
| 7 | Lanzarote | 830 km² | Island |
| 8 | La Palma | 702 km² | Island |
| 9 | Menorca | 691 km² | Island |
| 10 | Ibiza | 612 km² | Island |
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Spain
5 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PeníNsula IbéRica | 581,401 km² | Plateau | Europe |
| 2 | Sierra Morena | 29,398 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
| 3 | Cord. Cantábrica | 27,599 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
| 4 | S. Nevada | 22,482 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
| 5 | Pyrenees | 20,678 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
States and Provinces of Spain
3 first-level divisions with their own map.
Countries Bordering Spain
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Europe
Spain: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Spain?
- The capital of Spain is Madrid.
- What is the population of Spain?
- Spain has a population of about 49.36 million, the #32 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Spain?
- Spain covers 505,990 km², ranking #52 by area, with about 98 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Spain in?
- Spain is in Europe.
- Which countries border Spain?
- Spain shares a land or maritime border with Portugal, France, Andorra, Morocco, Gibraltar.
- What is the largest city in Spain?
- Madrid is the largest city in Spain, with a metropolitan population of about 5.57 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Spain?
- The highest summit recorded for Spain in YearMaps is Pico del Teide at 3,718 m (12,198 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.
- What is the largest lake in Spain?
- The largest lake recorded in or bordering Spain is Embalse de Cara, at roughly 89 km².
- What are the famous wonders and monuments of Spain?
- Spain's great monuments in YearMaps are The Alhambra (Nasrid Palaces). Each is written up on this page with photographs and its history.