Where Is Spain Located? Geography, Borders, and Territories

Spain occupies the majority of the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe, with additional territories in the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and North Africa.

Peninsular Location

• West: Portugal (1,214 km border)
• Northeast: France (623 km) and Andorra (63.7 km) across the Pyrenees
• South: Gibraltar (UK territory, 1.2 km) at the Mediterranean entrance
• East/Southeast: Mediterranean Sea
• Northwest/West/Southwest: Atlantic Ocean

Insular Territories

• Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera) – Mediterranean
• Canary Islands (Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote, etc.) – Atlantic, 100 km off Morocco

North African Territories

• Ceuta – Autonomous city on Mediterranean coast, borders Morocco
• Melilla – Autonomous city on Mediterranean coast, borders Morocco
• Plazas de soberanía – Small islands/rocks near Morocco (Chafarinas, Peñón de Vélez, Alhucemas)

Strategic Significance

Spain controls the Strait of Gibraltar (14 km wide), the only natural passage between Atlantic and Mediterranean. This geographic position has made it a crossroads of civilizations, trade, and military strategy for millennia.