GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

Spain is situated in south western Europe. It occupies the Iberian Peninsula and is bathed by the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabrian Sea. It also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic and the cities of Ceuta and Melilla. Its total surface area is 504,750 sq. km. (194,884 sq. mi.),

Coastal Limits:
Cantabrian coast 867 km.
Atlantic coast 1,367 km.
Mediterranean coast 1,670 km.
Partial total 3,904 km.

Time zone: Spanish mainland and Balearic Isles-local time is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in winter and 2 hours ahead in summer. Canary Islands are on GMT.

Highlands, mountains and plateaux predominate over lowlands. Apart from Switzerland, Spain is the highest country in Europe, with a mean altitude of 600 m. The highest summits is the Pico de Teide (Tenerife), 3,719 m.
With the exception of the Galician coast, the Spanish coastline is not particularly indented. A straight coastline, without inlets, is the predominant type, owing to the fact that the mountain ranges lie parallel to the coast.

These coasts reflect the physical and geographical contrasts which characterize the Iberian Peninsula. Thus, the coasts of eastern and southern Spain washed by the Mediterranean are flat and sandy, those of the north west have beautiful fjord-like inlets, while those of the Cantabrian are rocky and abound in cliffs.

Spain has over two thousand beaches altogether, many of them of great beauty and enjoying a pleasant climate. From the tourist point of view, they are grouped together under internationally famous names such as the Costa Brava, Costa Dorada, or Costa del Sol.