ands, Canary Islands, and five places of
sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the coast of Morocco -
Ceuta, Mellila, Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de
Velez de la Gomera

Land boundaries:
total: 1,903.2 km
border countries: Andorra 65 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,
Portugal 1,214 km
note: excludes the length of the boundary between the places of
sovereignty and Morocco

Coastline: 4,964 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: Gibraltar question with UK; Spain controls
five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberania) on and off the
coast of Morocco - the coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, which
Morocco contests, as well as the islands of Penon de Alhucemas,
Penon de Velez de la Gomera, and Islas Chafarinas

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 in north
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Teide on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Natural resources: coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury,
pyrites, fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin,
potash, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 31%
permanent crops: 10%
meadows and pastures: 21%
forest and woodland: 31%
other: 7%

Irrigated land: 33,600 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage
and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; air
pollution; deforestation; desertification
natural hazards: periodic droughts
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic note: strategic location along approaches to Strait of
Gibraltar

People
------

Population: 39,181,114 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16% (male 3,237,94