Spain occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula, located at the southwestern tip of Europe. Its territory is 505,955 square kilometers, and on the European continent Spain ranks third in this indicator after Russia and France. The bulk of Spanish territory (493,484 sq. km) is located on the Iberian Peninsula, and the rest is occupied by the Balearic Islands (4,992 sq. km) located to the east and the Canary Islands (7,447 sq. km), lying more than a thousand kilometers to the south, opposite the African coast. Spain also owns the cities of Ceuta and Melilla, located in northern Africa.

In terms of its geographical location, the Iberian Peninsula is closer to Africa (at a distance of only 14 kilometers) and is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, through which lies the route to the American continent, which gives the peninsula a special strategic importance. This explains the fact that the Iberian Peninsula has become the most important crossroads in the world history of the development of cultures and civilizations. Thus, Spain is part of the peninsular lands of southern Europe and occupies a special place in the Mediterranean world.